12 Apr 2023
Research Leonore Salvado 0 comment

Improving Restoration of Forest Understory

tall metal-framed deer exclosure in the forest in early spring

Improving Restoration of Forest Understory:

Experimental Deer Exclosure, Invasive Plant Management, and Enrichment Planting

Each year, Greenacres Foundation funds research proposals relating to ecology and the environment. One funded project currently underway is through Miami University, examining forest restoration and the impact deer are having on invasive plant management and subsequent native species plantings.

In the woods on our Indian Hill campus, two deer exclosures were constructed to keep deer out, and each is paired with plots that deer continue to have access to. Two treatments are being applied to the forest floor in each of the test plots: herbicide and no herbicide. Enrichment planting will take place across all plots. Data collection will include survival and growth of both currently occurring  and planted wildflowers and tree seedlings.

Start Date: Fall 2022
End Date: Summer 2025
Budget: $86,496
Partner: Miami University

Questions About Greenacres Research?

If you have questions regarding this project, please contact Jennifer Mansfield at jmansfield@green-acres.org.

If you would like to apply for funding for your research project, click here for more information about our grant funding process.

21 Mar 2023
Uncategorized Peter Wheeler 0 comment

Cultivation Club Kickoff Event Sign Up

Cultivation Club Kickoff Event Sign Up

Register for our kickoff event, held on Saturday, April 15th from 9:30-11:30am. 
We will provide information about the program and answer your questions. Breakfast will be provided. If you are interested in joining the program, you will be able to complete your required background check during the kickoff event!

No volunteer work will occur at the kickoff event – workdays will occur throughout the season. 

This volunteer program is open to ages 16+. Children younger than 16 are welcome to attend the kickoff event with their guardian.

Interested in participating, but can’t attend the April 15 kickoff event? We’d still love to have you! Click here to visit the program’s MyImpact webpage, and click on “fill in an application” to register.

20 Mar 2023
Learn, News Jen Langdon 0 comment

Prescribed Fire at Greenacres

Prescribed Fire at Greenacres

Fire as a Land Management Tool

As stewards to the land gifted to us by the Nippert family, Greenacres strives to utilize the best land management practices available. Fire has always been a part of the natural world, and returning prescribed fire to our landscape is an integral part of conserving nature, for the benefit of both wildlife and humans alike. Various plant communities found on our properties are dependent on fire to create a healthy, resilient, and biodiverse ecosystem. From the wildflowers of spring and summer, to the oak trees feeding its acorns to the animals of the forest, to grasslands hosting quail – all are dependent of periodic fire to keep the ecosystem in balance.

Students out on an early fall adventure.

Conducting a Prescribed Burn

As a land management tool, prescribed fire requires careful planning and thorough training to ensure the safety of persons and property. Greenacres staff members who plan and lead prescribed fires are certified through the Ohio Division of Forestry and have years of experience. Staff trainings are held to ensure all those who are working these fires are knowledgeable and competent in their roles. Permits are issued through the Ohio Division of Forestry, the Ohio EPA, and local fire departments, holding Greenacres to the utmost standards while conducting prescribed fires.

Greenacres conducted two prescribed burns in Indian Hill in 2022 – for more information on those fires, please click here

If you have questions, or would like more information, please email Chris Glassmeyer at cglassmeyer@green-acres.org