INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDY OF A RECOVERING SURFACE-MINED WATERSHED, THE WILDS, SOUTHEASTERN OHIO

Faculty from the Geology, Biology, Conservation Science, Environmental Science, and History departments have been actively involved with the interdisciplinary study of a reclaimed surface mine. The reclaimed mine occupies approximately 70 to 80 percent of a 13,577 acre watershed located just to the west of Cumberland, Ohio, which is part of the larger Wills Creek watershed. The area that encompasses The Wilds was mined from the late 1960's to the early-1980's and was reclaimed from 1973 to 1984 in a roughly north to south progression. The reclamation effort occurred during changes in reclamation laws and this has influenced the area in two ways. There is a distinct change in vegetation type and surface water chemistry from north to south. The area is wooded in the north with many small nonflow-through lakes. The central area transitions from wooded to grassland and has a few flow-through lakes. The southern section is grassland with mainly large nonflow-through lakes. The surface water chemistry of approximately 40 lakes that were constructed during the reclamation varies from high TDS values (1200 to 1400 ppm) in the north to low TDS values (100 to 500 ppm) in the south.

Examples of undergraduate research projects at The Wilds includes: nesting patterns of grassland birds (Biology Department), spatial distribution of small and large mammals, turtles and salamanders (Conservation Science), spatial distribution of surface water chemistry of lakes and streams (Environmental Science), spatial distribution of ostracodes (Geology Department) and oral histories of miners and local residents affected by the mining (History Department). Students in the Biology and Geology Departments are required to complete an undergraduate research project. Students in Conservation and Environmental Sciences have the option of either completing a research project or an internship. The oral histories were completed as part of an Environmental History class project. Students in these departments also have the opportunity to be awarded a summer research fellowship through the college (an internal REU-type program). The results of these research projects are presented at professional meetings, undergraduate research celebrations and are displayed at The Wilds visitor center.