|
|
|
|
|
Media Inquiries
614-265-6860 |
|
|
|
|
|
Sep
30
Written by:
news editor
9/30/2011 1:00 AM
The late Emmett Conway, Sr. was honored today for his vision that ultimately led to the State of Ohio’s purchase last year of the Vinton Furnace State Experimental Forest.
ODNR celebrates first anniversary of Experimental Forest
COLUMBUS, OH – The late Emmett Conway, Sr. was honored today for his vision that ultimately led to the State of Ohio’s purchase last year of the Vinton Furnace State Experimental Forest, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Forestry.
A ceremony was held at the forest today to honor Conway and other individuals who had significant roles in making his vision a reality. A stainless steel plaque affixed to a stone near the forest headquarters was unveiled and will serve, along with the trees in the forest, as a reminder of his legacy.
“Emmett understood the value of forest conservation in Ohio and worked hard to ensure that land was set aside toward forest use and sustainability research,” said Robert Boyles, state forester and chief of the Ohio Division of Forestry. “His vision set things in motion and eventually led to the permanent protection of one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the United States – the Vinton Furnace State Experimental Forest.”
Conway (1914-2009) became the forest ranger at Zaleski State Forest and Lake Hope Park in 1941. In 1951, he left the Division of Forestry to become superintendent of timberlands for D.B. Frampton & Co. in McArthur.
While working for Frampton, Conway was instrumental in creating the Vinton Furnace Experimental Forest on 1,800 acres of Frampton property in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service. Over the years, the land changed hands many times but was maintained for research through it all. In 2010, the State of Ohio finalized a private-public collaboration to purchase the land and created Ohio’s newest state forest.
The forest has hosted ongoing research for more than 50 years. Since 2000 alone, data collected at the forest has been cited in nearly 200 scholarly papers on forest ecology, management, and wildlife. The USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station currently employs foresters at the Vinton Furnace to install, maintain and collect data from research sites, and provide overall care and maintenance of the site.
Ohio grows more acres of trees than corn and soybeans combined. The ODNR Division of Forestry works to promote the wise use and sustainable management of Ohio’s public and private woodlands. To learn more about Ohio’s woodlands, visit the Division of Forestry’s web site at www.ohiodnr.com/forestry.
The ODNR ensures a balance between the wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR Web site at ohiodnr.com.
- 30 -
For more information, contact:
Drew Todd, ODNR Division of Forestry
614. 265. 6707
Jason Fallon, ODNR Office of Communications
614. 265. 6842
Tags:
|
|
|