MAD Scientist Associates, LLC

January 7, 2022
Published by MAD Scientist Associates, LLC on January 7, 2022
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Ohio Biological Survey’s “Reptiles of Ohio” Includes MAD Teammate Contribution

For numerous reasons, we are thrilled to announce the release of the new, two-volume Reptiles of Ohio published by the Ohio Biological Survey (OBS)! Our very own Nick Smeenk was one of many accomplished and knowledgeable herpetologists who contributed to this effort – serving not only as an author but also helping the OBS staff shlep hundreds of copies of this robust tome into their storage area! Mark is the current board chair for OBS, and he and his colleagues are hoping for brisk sales of these exceptionally thorough and well-written, and illustrated texts. They are loaded with information and the current science on our state’s turtles, snakes, and lizards – a “must-have” reference for amateur and professional biologists, ecologists, and nature enthusiasts. You can […]
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January 7, 2022
wetland workshop
Published by MAD Scientist Associates, LLC on January 7, 2022
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Wetland Weekend in Westerville

Every May, we celebrate National Wetlands Month with what we’ve come to call, Wetland Weekend. We kick things off with a Frog Friday event in the evening were community members can explore the wetland after dark and hopefully see some amphibian activity. The next morning, we host the Wetland Workshop, which is another free event for the public. We teach attendees about the process of wetland restoration and the role we played in restoring the Highlands Park Wetland. We also lead hands-on exploration throughout the wetland and provide stations showcasing wetland wildlife, plants, hydric soils, and water quality improvement capabilities of wetlands. If you’re in the Westerville area come May, we’d love to see you for one of these programs!
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January 6, 2022
Published by MAD Scientist Associates, LLC on January 6, 2022
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Welcome Interns!

The interns have arrived! AND cicadas! We’re excited to start this year’s busy field season with three fantastic interns- Mackenzie Brown, Corbin Binkley (returning for a third season), and John Eshem.
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January 6, 2022
Published by MAD Scientist Associates, LLC on January 6, 2022
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Earth Day Activities- 2021

Volunteers are AWESOME! 🤩 We – MAD Scientist Associates, Bridgeway Academy , ROAR’s Nature-based Solutions Group, and Green Columbus – had 50+ terrific, hardworking volunteers plant hundreds of native trees and shrubs at the Bridgeway Academy campus in Columbus today. This building was formerly occupied by a business and thus checked all the boxes for a corporate/sterile setting. We were approached by Bridgeway to help them make use of native plants to create necessary screens, provide habitat for wildlife observation, and celebrate native options in an edible garden. We were happy to assist and selected species that would provide fast cover, produce berries or nuts, serve as host plants for insects, and provide shelter for birds. We hope the rain made it all the way […]
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January 6, 2022
Published by MAD Scientist Associates, LLC on January 6, 2022
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Frog Fridays are Back!

April marks the first of six Frog Friday events we host at the City of Westerville’s Highlands Park Wetland. This program was born from our enthusiasm for the growing amphibian population at the wetland- which was restored in 2012-2013. If any of you are familiar with amphibian breeding season in Ohio, things start heating up so-to-speak in spring once things have thawed and warm evening rains become more frequent. Activity really picks up after dusk, when frogs and toads can call from their perches and along the wetland edge under the safety of darkness. You’ve no doubt heard a chorus of treefrogs or the trill of toads if you live near a water source and leave a window cracked at night. Even in urban settings, […]
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January 6, 2022
Published by MAD Scientist Associates, LLC on January 6, 2022
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Prairie Management- A First for MAD

One of the unique jobs we got early in 2021 was mowing the Milford Center Prairie, a State Nature Preserve. It is one of those unique relic prairie habitats that is ironically protected by a utility corridor. These narrow seams of prairie flank an old railroad bed that now functions as powerline right of way. You may be wondering, “why mow this habitat if it’s so rare?” Aside from development and agriculture, the greatest threat to prairie habitat is actually the encroachment of woody species. Most prairies require periodic fires or mowing to prevent trees, shrubs, and woody vines from establishing and creating shade. These disturbances arrest succession, allowing the system to maintain a community dominated by herbaceous species. Our team of conservation technicians mowed […]
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September 21, 2020
Published by MAD Scientist Associates, LLC on September 21, 2020
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GreenSpotLight Small Business Winner

MAD Scientist Associates has been recognized as the 2020 GreenSpotLight winner (small business category) for the City of Columbus! We are thrilled to share this honor with Ohio Health (large business) and E.P. Ferris & Associates a (medium business). The Columbus GreenSpot Program grants these awards to recognize companies that demonstrate excellence in sustainable business practices by going above and beyond the requirements of the program. We are honored to be selected and happy to participate in programs that help our city’s sustainability efforts! Examples of how we are committed to sustainability include: 1) Developing effective and impactful environmental restoration projects by choosing appropriate sites, minimizing earthwork and heavy equipment use, reapplying native soils, repurposing woody debris, and transplanting viable plants, using native plants and […]
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