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December 21, 2018 MAD Scientist Associates was selected by the United State Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to collect biotic, physical, and chemical data for streams flowing into two public reservoirs, CJ Brown and Caesar Creek, covering 13 sites from July-October. Mark Dilley and Jenna Odegard headed field teams that collected fish, invertebrate, water chemistry data, as well as physical stream measurements. Data collected from these sites were used to evaluate health of the streams surrounding the reservoirs. Fish populations were sampled by electrofishing, while invertebrates were collected using Hester-Dendy samplers and dip nets. The fish and invertebrate data was then evaluated using the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) and Invertebrate Community Index (ICI), respectively. Stream habitat was assessed using the Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index […]

December 21, 2018 Those of us in the wetland business are no strangers to the frustrations of managing invasive plant species- they are a pain to remove, they crowd out desirable native species, they lower the ecological value of a site, and can be costly to control. So, let’s start talking about ways to reduce the presence of non-native species and alleviate frustration in the future, not just in wetlands, but in forests and prairies, both on private and public lands too. This fall, Jenny Adkins, Lead Botanist, and Jim Palus, Ecosystems Restoration Specialist, joined the planning effort for the Central Ohio Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) planning effort this fall to see what they could learn and how MAD Scientist Associates can […]

December 21, 2018 MAD Scientist Associates reached a major milestone of 20 years in business this April. Our big celebration of this momentous occasion happened in October at our Halloween-themed open house. This party also served as the Grand Opening for our expanded office space. The expansion provides us additional office space, a dedicated laboratory for taxonomic work, a large supply room, and an enlarged conference/training room for hosting meetings, lectures, and educational programs (keep your eyes peeled for MAD Scientist Associates class offerings in 2019!). We thank all our family, friends, and colleagues who helped us celebrate this milestone. If you weren’t in attendance, we hope you’ll get a sense of our event by enjoying the MAD photos below! Previous Next Previous Next

December 21, 2018 The Green Ribbon Initiative (GRI) is a nationally recognized program that celebrates efforts made by schools to raise environmental awareness and literacy of their staff and students, promote healthy lifestyles, and reduce energy consumption. GRI awards may be given to PreK-12, private, and post-secondary institutions. Priority is given to those who score high on assessment rubric, with special consideration given to institutions serving disadvantaged student populations. This fall, Jenny and Mark joined the GRI committee for the Ohio Department of Education (ODE). They are now the primary reviewers of statewide applications, and also serve as liaisons between school and ODE officials. As of 2018, at least 30 states are active in the GRI. Since its inception in 2011, approximately 488 applicants have […]

July 11, 2018 Thank you, Fondriest Environmental, Inc. for featuring us in Environmental Monitor. If you’d like to learn more about our company and our projects, give this a read!

April 06, 2018 MAD Scientist Associates teamed with CT Consultants to develop a plan to improve Lucien M. Clemons Park in the Lake Erie coastal community of Marblehead Village. MAD’s role was to design the ecological restoration plan for the park, with an emphasis on native Lake Erie shoreline plant communities. CT Consultants designed the park’s amenities and general infrastructure to benefit park visitors. The park will likely be built in phases, as funding is secured. Once complete, the park will be completely transformed. And as one of the few reaches of shoreline that will be publicly accessible, the park usage is expected to be very high. The presentation to the Village council of the conceptual plan for park was attended by a reporter from […]

April 06, 2018 Our firm takes its environmental responsibilities seriously, and we’re making continual improvements to become more sustainable. MAD Scientist Associates has confirmed this commitment by becoming part of Columbus’ GreenSpot program. GreenSpot, now with more than 17,000 members, is a citywide effort to have businesses and individuals “go green” to help create a healthier and more environmentally-conscious Columbus area. “As a company, we’ve always adhered to the values exemplified by GreenSpot, but now, as a member business, we can reaffirm our environmental ethic and publicly support the Go Green efforts of this organization to help create a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable Columbus and central Ohio area,” said MAD associate Jenna Odegard. GreenSpot offers support and suggestions to help its members make the […]

October 24, 2017 In mid-October, our team finished collecting stream profile measurements on a recently-restored headwater stream at The Wilderness Center in Wilmot, Ohio.  While there, they also conducted a brief survey of the fish community with Stewardship Manager, Gary Popotnik. With just a few seine hauls within the restored mitigation reach, they were able to document 12 species, 3 of which were previously undocumented in the original channelized ditch. The team was pleased to see such major improvements in just a year’s time! Pictured here is the banded darter (Etheostoma zonale), a common predator of small streams with ample riffle habitat. Though not visible here, during breeding season (April-May) this species and many other darters are ornately clad in vibrant striping and streaks of red, teal, […]

October 24, 2017 The Crawford Park District received a grant through The Nature Conservancy to enhance a farm ditch (a recently daylighted drainage tile line), that is a tributary to the headwaters of the Olentangy River in Crawford County. MAD Scientist Associates designed a flow-through wetland system that would receive both surface runoff and farm tile drainage. In MAD’s design, surface runoff is guided through a series of wetland step-pools before reaching the lower emergent marsh pool and mixing with the tile drainage in the southern half of the original ditch. This design optimized the wetland area and water quality enhancement opportunities, while eliminating the need for costly hauling of soils for off-site disposal. The high quality vernal pools in Heckert Nature Preserve, downstream of this water quality wetland, […]