Kent State University
OP-10: Biodiversity

Some examples are:
Slates North & South - adjacent to the main campus includes an approximately 35 acre area of wetlands and woods protected by a conservation easement
Hudkins Porthouse - This is approximately 84 acres of forest owned by Kent State University (under mining rights) and located adjacent to the southern portion of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
The Herrick Fen - This is a 70 acre wetland owned by Kent State University and managed by The Nature Conservancy. This is an Ohio Department of Natural Resources State Nature Preserve which provides habitat to over 20 endangered plant species.
Trumbull Memorial - A wooded 14 acre parcel owned by Kent State with a small wetland located adjacent to the Trumbull Woods Park, a 18-acre natural preserve, that provides a wealth of diverse ecological areas.
Kimball Woods - A protected 100 acre old growth forest located at the headwaters of Arcola Creek which originates at River Road, Interstate 90, and State Route 307. The Arcola Creek Watershed is home to one of only two remaining natural estuaries on the south shore of Lake Erie.
Stillfork Swamp - In partnership with The Nature Conservancy for management, 23 acres in this natural area is owned by Kent State. The entire swamp encompasses over 600 acres within the Stillfork Valley and its major tributaries. This is one of the most extensive inland marshes in the unglaciated Western Allegheny Plateau Ecoregion of eastern Ohio, and contains a diversity of other wetland habitat types. The area has been long recognized for its importance as nesting grounds for a variety of waterfowl and marsh birds.

Myrica pensylvanica (ENDANGERED)
Tomentypnum nitens (ENDANGERED)
Galium labradoricum (ENDANGERED)
Eleocharis tenuis (ENDANGERED)
Callitriche palustris (ENDANGERED)
Melanthium virginicum (THREATENED)
Elymnus trachycaulus (THREATENED)
Salix petiolaris (THREATENED)
Antennaria virginica (THREATENED)
Carex diandra (THREATENED)
Cypripedium reginae (THREATENED)
Gillenia trifoliata (THREATENED)
Triantha glutinosa (THREATENED)
Eriophorum viridicarinatum (THREATENED)
Larix laricina (POTENTIALLY THREATENED)
Avenella flexuosa (POTENTIALLY THREATENED)
Anticleia elegans (POTENTIALLY THREATENED)
Carex bebbii (POTENTIALLY THREATENED)
Carex flava (POTENTIALLY THREATENED)
Carex alata (POTENTIALLY THREATENED)
Carex lasiocarpa (POTENTIALLY THREATENED)
Geum rivale (POTENTIALLY THREATENED)
Salix serissima (POTENTIALLY THREATENED)
Gentianopsis procera (POTENTIALLY THREATENED)
Equisetum sylvaticum (POTENTIALLY THREATENED)

The Herrick Fen - This is a 70 acre wetland owned by Kent State University and managed by The Nature Conservancy. This is an Ohio Department of Natural Resources State Nature Preserve which provides habitat to over 20 endangered plant species.
Trumbull Memorial - A wooded 14 acre parcel owned by Kent State with a small wetland located adjacent to the Trumbull Woods Park, a 18-acre natural preserve, that provides a wealth of diverse ecological areas.
Kimball Woods - A protected 100 acre old growth forest located at the headwaters of Arcola Creek which originates at River Road, Interstate 90, and State Route 307. The Arcola Creek Watershed is home to one of only two remaining natural estuaries on the south shore of Lake Erie.

The methodology used is multi-disciplinary. Biological and geospatial technology based methods are used. Land surveys are conducted to identify habitat, land quality, and composition. Researching members specialize in specific areas of expertise (e.g. Floral surveys are conducted to identify individual plant species for vegetative assessments). Review of land use history, valuations, topography, USGS soil surveys, and USFWS National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) are utilized.

All of the natural areas listed are of biodiversity importance. Areas that have been excluded were deemed not of value to the university and are currently being removed from property holdings in accordance with the Office of the University Architects (OUA) master plan of 2018.

The scope of botanical surveys follows the Ohio Division of Natural Resources, Natural Areas and Preserves comprehensive list that is followed for rare plant species as defined and has laws implemented to govern these species’ protection.

The university (Department of Biological Sciences) works with partners (The Nature Conservancy, Local and National Parks, Ohio EPA, ETC…) and local governing agencies (e.g. Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Natural Areas and Preserves) to obtain, process and disseminate information on natural areas, open lands, water ways, and wetlands. Building and contributing to Natural Heritage Programs and databases via deposit of voucher specimen into herbaria and formal biological collections. The specimens are systematically curated in museums where recorded, inventoried, and reported on yearly, semi-annually, or bi-annually. These types of data form the laws and protections in place now and in the future for those species of concern, threatened, endangered, and/or those that have been extirpated from its range. In addition, working closely with university partners and promoting in-house accusation and retaining of natural areas is advisable to create buffer zones around such areas and/or species of concern. The distribution of rare species is not published as a means to protect sensitive and rare communities from being disturbed in their natural environments, habitat preservation, restoration, and conservation easements are created, and holdings and expansion of university natural areas are promoted as assets to the wealth of the university. Public lands grants can be obtained to create greenspaces that would benefit all ecosystems. A sound ecological plan for protection of rare species is to protect the habitats of which they depend for survival and together this protects the ecosystem.