Group visit to see monitoring wells and discuss the wetland and prairie ecology.

College-level environmental science class students are frequent visitors to the Fernald Preserve, Ohio, Site. Their visits are usually preceded by program-specific requests and Fernald site staff collaborates with professors to provide a program experience that meets each group’s needs. Commonly requested is a general overview of the dramatic environmental changes that the 1,050-acre site has undergone.

A cultural and natural site-history perspective begins with the earliest Native American occupation, moves through early European settlement, and into the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission’s 1951 eminent domain acquisition from the area’s agricultural families. The lesson continues as students learn about the nearly 4 decades of uranium metals production that supported the nationwide Cold War weapons complex. The historical journey winds through the environmental-contamination and community-activism era, and into the succeeding cleanup years. The Fernald site’s ecological-restoration period concludes the history lesson, before the group is briefed about present activities and how the site is an undeveloped, wildlife-focused park that is open to the public.

University class touring the biowetland area of Fernald site’s LEED Visitors Center.

Programs for college classes typically include a close look at the present state of the site’s ecological restoration, as well as discussions and reviews about ongoing aquifer remediation and the water treatment facility. Monitoring activities for habitats, groundwater, the On-Site Disposal Facility (OSDF), and surface water also garner interest. The Visitors Center is another topic for discussion, since it’s recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum Certified building.

Students place Fernald site history and activities in broader context by learning about site management by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management (LM), and its mission to maintain former weapons complex sites in a manner that protects human health and the environment.

Site staff members support numerous, specific college-class subject requests, including local conservation issues, ecological restoration, hazardous materials and waste management, groundwater treatment, general environmental science, green-building design, environmental activism history, restoration and remediation, engineering, and other related topics, as requested.

Example of one professor’s request:

“I have attached the course syllabus, to give you a sense of what we do. This is a broad overview of the field of environmental history, so touring Fernald allows us to cover three important topics:

• Environmental history of the Cold War and nuclear technology.
• Environmental activism and reform.
• Ecological restoration and the long term environmental consequences of modern technology.”

Students and professors come to the Fernald site from local and regional college campuses. They are attracted to its teaching opportunities because site staff concentrate on requested topics and help students put lessons learned at the Fernald Preserve into a complete story that reveals an environmental issue that has come full circle. Programs are accomplished using site and Visitors Center amenities including exhibits, the biowetland, meeting space, the water treatment facility, restored habitats, the OSDF, and an extensive network of nature trails.

University class learning about past Feed Materials Production Center operations.

Positive feedback is received from students and teachers regarding their site experiences. Many return with other classes or friends and family to share what they have learned.

“Thank you both for taking the time out and showing us the Fernald site and explaining the past and present activities.”

“As always, I am very impressed with the Fernald Preserve.”

Supporting the next generation of environmental scientists enables them to become better equipped for a future when they will be responsible for solving environmental management issues. Understanding historical and current, real-world circumstances helps ensure that visiting college students are prepared to protect the environment for future generations.