The Big Picture

A landscape in progress -- Volunteers removed invasive weeds from the site of the future wetlands outside the Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies in late May. Their work prepared the pond and adjacent area for planting of native marsh plants. The area is a key part of the center's overall design as an educational building. The pond will demonstrate the superiority of a reconstructed wetland with native plants over conventional landscaping in maintaining biodiversity and requiring low levels of upkeep.

Other aspects of the indigenous landscape surrounding the building include an orchard, a grove of hardwood trees common to Northern Ohio, and gardens.

The landscaping, being supervised by botanist and Danforth Professor of Biology David Benzing, will be as much a teaching tool as the building itself, a living demonstration for students and visitors about growing food and ecological practices.

The Lewis Center opened in January, and classes were held in the building for the first time in February. The center will be dedicated in ceremonies to be held on the weekend of September 15 and 16, 2000. Events will include a symposium on the ecology of the second industrial revolution.