Center for Ecology & Natural Resource Sustainability


Welcome

Lush with lakes, wetlands, and forests, Kent State University and the surrounding Northeast Ohio area are rich in natural resources. The mission of the Center for Ecology and Natural Resource Sustainability is to promote an understanding of the natural environment and its resources through:

  • scientific research
  • education of students at Kent State University and beyond
  • programs to restore and preserve the integrity of natural areas

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    To accomplish these goals, the Center serves as a focal point of organization for both people interested in ecological issues and the natural areas owned by Kent State University. Here you will find information about the research and educational opportunities in Ecology, Environmental Science, and Natural Resource Sustainability at Kent State University and the surrounding Northeast Ohio area.

    Featured Activities


    New Agreement Signed between Kent State and Cuyahoga Valley National Park

    The new Memorandum of understanding signed between Kent State and Cuyahoga Valley National Park complements Kent State's membership in the national Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit, making Kent State and national parks eligible for expedited collaborative opportunities.  Read more about the new MOU here.


    Enhancing education and research in our natural areas

    One of the main goals of CENRS is to help coordinate education and research activities on Kent State property.  In Summer 2012, we began an inventory and description of natural areas owned by Kent State, which includes valuable wetlands and mature forests.  The inventory will be made available through reports and a GIS database, and is the starting point for more organized activities in these areas. 

    In Fall 2012, the project will be expanded with a grant from the Dominion Foundation Higher Education Partnership.  We will be establishing a geospatial database to store environmental data collected on properties owned by Kent State and elsewhere.  The database will provide access to data from within GIS software and through a spatial interface on the internet.  As students and researchers deposit data into the database over time, it will develop into a rich bank of information that can be used for temporal studies, in spatial visualization, and to link different types of data.

    Service learning activities

    In Spring 2012, Sarah Kitson and Jenna Martin served as service learning liasons, assisting faculty to design and implement service learning activities in their courses.  Community partners hosting the service learning activities include Portage County Parks and the Western Reserve Land Conservancy.  The program is a partnership with the Collaborative Learning for Environmental Action Network (CLEAN).

    Last Spring, the presentations and activities organized by these service learning liasons exposed 179 students enrolled in four classes to applications of environmental science in the real world.  The Spring courses included "Forestry" and "Conservation of Natural Resources" taught by Dan Ross, and "Invertebrate Zoology" taught by Ferenc De Szalay.  In addition, a unique special topics course was set up to take advantage of the opportunity presented by this program: "Special Topics: Service Learning in Environmental Biology" co-taught by Drs. Ross and De Szalay.  Sarah has stayed on for Fall 2012 and is organizing activities for additional classes.



    News from CENRS and other sources

    Center for Ecology and Natural Resource Sustainability News:

    Ecotone - News from the Ecological Society of America

    • Supreme Court rules natural genes not patentable
      The Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Thursday, June 13th, that Myriad Genomics Inc. may not retain exclusive rights to the use of DNA sequence information for breast cancer associated genes BRCA1...
    • ESA Policy News: June 14
      Here are some highlights from the latest ESA Policy News by Science Policy Analyst Terence Houston.  Read the full Policy News here. EDUCATION: STEM REORGANIZATION EFFORT MEETS BIPARTISAN CRITICISM...
    • Geothermal engineering in Newberry volcano
      By Peter Janetos, ESA public affairs intern In the quest for cleaner, greener, and cheaper energy some are looking 10,000 feet below central Oregon where temperatures exceed 600 degrees Fahrenheit in...

    ideastream - Environment News from Northeast Ohio Public Broadcasting

     
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