Cincinnati Center for Field Studies

Promoting inquiry and discovery about the natural world through a unique integration of research and education.

Origins and Setting

Center for Field Studies

As part of the UC21 initiative, the University of Cincinnati (UC) has created the Center for Field Studies (CFS), a field station designed to serve the Greater Cincinnati region and beyond. CFS is connected administratively to the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences with the initial involvement of the Center for Environmental Studies and the Departments of Biological Sciences, Geology, Anthropology and Geography.

Hamilton County ParksThe CFS is based in Hamilton County where native habitats include mixed mesophytic eastern deciduous forest, and a mosaic of beech-maple forest in the uplands and mixed oak forests on the hillsides. The forest age varies from younger disturbed areas to areas designated as old-growth forest, with trees over 200 years old. Additional natural biotic features include wetlands, prairies and riparian habitats. The Whitewater River and the Great Miami River, created the broad floodplains and steep topography exposing Ordovician limestone and shale bedrock, characteristic of the internationally renowned Cincinnati Arch.

CFS, thanks to the generosity of the Hamilton County Park District, has located the Field Station on the historic South Shaker Farm within the Miami Whitewater Forest on Oxford Road. Only 30-45 minutes away from the University, a 17.6 acres parcel of land has been leased to the University to act as the base of operations for CFS. The site offers a variety of opportunities for research and education. Lab space, computer and data management lab, class rooms, conference space, and offices for administrators, researchers, and students. Through this partnership the CFS has been granted access to utilize a variety of the Park District’s natural resources for purposes of research and education.

Cincinnati Center for Field Studies has six principal objectives:

  • Conduct research on natural ecosystems in a changing landscape
  • Provide field-oriented educational activities in the form of formal academic classes, informal workshops and training programs
  • Inform the management of natural lands for CFS, Hamilton County and the region
  • Communicate science to the public and engage non-scientists in scientific study through the involvement of CFS scientists sharing expertise and research results
  • Facilitate interaction between a variety of disciplines related to the environment
  • Serve as a regional center for scientific exchange and informed discussion of environmental issues.

Research

The CFS provides a base of operations for on-site and regional field research, a protected area for long-term environmental research, and a training center for interdisciplinary research and education activities, including:

  • Individual and collaborative research on animal and plant populations as well as environmental processes (ecological, atmospheric and hydrological)
  • Long-term monitoring / experimental studies of populations and environmental processes
  • Studies involving geological, geographic and archaeological fieldwork.

Course Offerings

Hands on experience is a main focus for the education programs at CFS. With growing interest from various departments from within UC, there is a growing list of class offerings that utilize the unique location of CFS. Various courses that plan on utilizing the Field Station in the upcoming academic year (2009-2010) include:

  • Ohio Valley Archaeological Field School ANTH 473/773
  • Ecology labs on occasion BIOL 303
  • Limnology Lab BIOL 692
  • Environmental Field Techniques BIOL 590
  • Fundamentals of Ecology BIOL 575
  • Physical Geology GEOL 103

Education and Outreach

The CFS is designed as a regional center for environmental research and education. It reaches out to colleges, universities and other schools, as well as governmental, non-profit and environmental organizations. A tremendous variety of educational programs are possible at CFS because of its unique setting and the collaboration of the partners. Targeted activities include

  • Undergraduate and graduate course offerings; e.g. field components of lecture courses, field courses; specialized short duration field-based workshops, and unique summer offerings. Courses will be taught by UC faculty, graduate students or personnel from other organizations.
  • Teacher education, including courses and internships to support the new Masters of Teaching Science
  • Speakers Bureau providing programs and workshops in the local and regional community
  • Interpretive exhibits share the findings of CFS research
  • Opportunities for volunteers, teachers and students to participate in field research at CFS
  • Informal science presentations for the public

The opening of the Cincinnati Center for Field Studies at Miami Whitewater Forest was celebrated on October 04, 2008! (View a slide show of the opening festivities)

Center Director

David Lentz David L. Lentz, Ph.D.
Executive Director
telephone: (513) 556-9733
fax: (513) 556-5299
david.lentz@uc.edu