Environmental Studies Program
Volunteering
To provide a link between students interested in working for environmental conservation and sustainability projects in our community that require many hands.
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Conservation Crew:
The environmental studies students have volunteered on a variety of projects both around Denison and in the larger community in which we worked in organic gardens, helped to build trails, and removed invasive species. We are looking for volunteer sites for Conservation Crew work days in which we encourage the entire department to volunteer their time once or twice a semester as well as opportunities for individuals who are hoping to volunteer more frequently.
The Volunteer Request Form is unavailable at this time. It will resume operation in Fall 2008. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Dutch Fork Wetlands Restoration
In Fall 2007, the Conservation Crew helped remove an invasive aquatic plant from the Dutch Fork Wetlands. The Dutch Fork Wetlands is comprised of five wetland basins. It was recently restored to its natural habitat after being drained for several decades as a farm field. The Dawes Arboretum was charged with converting the farmland back to its original state.
The members of the Conservation Crew group included Professor Andy McCall, Program Manager Jordan Mora '07, Scott Williams '08, Kristen Bauman '10, Elizabeth Campbell '08, and Liz Strassman '08.
Helping Hands Garden of Hope
Environmental Studies Volunteers:
On April 5th, 2008, students and friends of the Denison University Environmental Studies Program helped prepare for the summer sessions of Helping Hands Garden of Hope. The Denison students helped organize the already-tilled field into sections for various vegetables and garden flowers. After dividing the area into seedbeds with twine and stakes, the group assembled netting for the pea plants. Lastly, organic fertilizer was added to three large sections where they planted peas, spinach, and Swiss chard.
Helping Hands Garden of Hope:
The Helping Hands Garden of Hope is designed as a community service project for teenage girls serving time for the Licking County Juvenile Court. In a group of about five, the girls are involved in the farming process from planting the vegetables to harvesting them. The produce is donated to the neighborhood church food pantry. Denison students manage the program and work as counselors throughout the summer and fall. The counselors arrange events, such as visiting speakers and field trips, in addition to the care of the community garden.
Spring Valley Trail Work
Spring Valley, once a community pool and recreational area, is a wooded natural area which has preserved in 2006 as public land in Granville, OH. Donations from several local institutions, residents and organizations helped in securing the conservation easement which is now held by the Licking Land Trust. Located off of Cherry St/Rt 16, Spring Valley adjoins Salt Run Park for a combined area of 97 acres. Salt Run, known for its high salinity count, is a small stream that meanders through the two parks.
With Spring Valley's natural splendor and its extensive history as a central community gathering place, the preserve represents one of the most treasured greenspaces in Granville. In order to ensure the future use of the land, multiple trails have been constructed for public enjoyment.
The Denison University students and Granville Middle School students have been working to help design and construct these trails. For two consecutive years (2007 and 2008), Denison students - including mainly Environmental Studies but also friends from various departments - and Granville Middle School students have set aside one Saturday morning to work together on the Spring Valley paths.
Trail work projects have included clearing paths, building rock bridges, and picking up trash. Paths are cleared by raking leaves, trimming branches, removing small trees, and removing small, herbaceous plants. Rock bridges are constructed by gathering large rocks found in the stream and stacking them in a line across the stream. Although the rocks are easily washed away after a large storm, they offer a natural substitute to expensive and destructive bridge building.