conservation

September 30, 2025
Published by MAD Scientist Associates, LLC on September 30, 2025
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Mark Leads Tour of Wilderness Center Wetland for Land Trust Alliance Rally

At MAD, we’re happy to leave our mark on restoration sites, figuratively and literally. In September, Mark met with a group from the Land Trust Alliance Rally to lead a tour of our wetland project at The Wilderness Center. We’re thrilled with how things are coming along, as this is the first full growing season for the site. This project includes 13.5 acres of wetland, riparian, and upland habitat that are being improved. 3+ acres of new wetland were added, as well as several acres of existing wetland enhancement. The site was formerly farmed by the family of a neighboring landowner and now enters a new chapter in which it will play a key role in improving water quality within the Sugar Creek Watershed and […]
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September 30, 2025
Published by MAD Scientist Associates, LLC on September 30, 2025
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MAD Scientist Associates Interviewed by EECO for Career Chat Series

What an honor it was to be interviewed by the Environmental Education Council of Ohio for their Career Chat series! Mark and Jenny met with EECO intern, Jessica Fling, and Running Wild videographer, Alex Goetz, at Shepherd’s Corner Ecological Center to discuss their career journeys and what it’s like to be a MAD Scientist. Give it a watch if you want to know what it takes to be MAD! Also, there’s SO many good interviews of folks doing good work in the environmental field. They’re classroom and kid friendly.  
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September 30, 2025
Published by MAD Scientist Associates, LLC on September 30, 2025
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MAD Wins Oak Openings Corridor Project with Metroparks Toledo!

The Oak Openings Region is one of the most biologically diverse and ecologically unique areas in the Great Lakes region. Its plant life reflects a rare intersection of eastern deciduous forests, western prairies, and northern boreal habitats, all shaped by glacial history and sandy, well-drained soils. We’re so excited to contribute to conservation efforts in this globally unique habitat! Approximately 50 acres of fallow field (previously farmed) will be restored to emergent marsh and shrub-carr wet meadow wetlands, and sand prairie habitats. This will be our fifth project in the Oak Openings, totalling nearly 400 acres of restored habitat! We hope you’ll follow along with the restoration progress!
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May 27, 2025
Published by MAD Scientist Associates, LLC on May 27, 2025
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May the Mayflies Continue Flying

By Jenna Roller-Knapp Time flies when you’re a mayfly! Mayflies are one of oldest groups of insects, estimated to have evolved between 280-300 million years ago! As such, species in the Ephemeroptera family display many unique morphological differences and life stage strategies.  There are around 4,000 mayfly species globally and an estimated 660 mayfly species in North America (although DNA analysis suggest there may be hundreds more). It takes a skilled eye to identify species (adult or larval phase), trained hand to time the collection specimens, and an adept mind to arrange access to sampling sites. These all pose  challenges for tracking species diversity and changes over time. Interestingly, North Carolina may be a hotspot of mayfly diversity.  The mayfly lifecycle consists of an egg […]
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December 18, 2024
Published by MAD Scientist Associates, LLC on December 18, 2024
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Education Highlights of 2024

At MAD Scientist Associates, educating others on the value of wetlands, biodiversity, and other natural resources, is part of our mission. We consider ourselves lucky to have opportunities and partnerships with local municipalities, parks, and education-centered organizations. We couldn’t do programs like Frog Friday or Wetland Wednesdays without support from communities that value wetlands. Also, as a woman-owned business we want to highlight other women working in our field, and have started hosting Women in Science events. Since 2023, we’ve had over 20 professionals from around the state participate as panelists. Our hope is for students and community members will have exposure to careers in ecology and environmental science, and build a network of women scientists across the state. Whether it’s a tabled vendor space […]
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December 13, 2024
Published by MAD Scientist Associates, LLC on December 13, 2024
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MAD Selected as FACT Founder’s Award Recipient

Partnering with local groups to support the common goal of clean water and preservation of natural resources has always been important to us, at MAD. We are pleased to have many years of service with Friends of Alum Creek and Tributaries (FACT), who lead the charge in maintaining and advocating for Alum Creek, a large tributary to the Scioto River. This year, we were selected as their Founder’s Award recipient. We appreciate the work FACT does and plan on many more years of service together. Thank you for the recognition!
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February 27, 2024
Published by MAD Scientist Associates, LLC on February 27, 2024
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Invasive Species Awareness Week- Callery Pear

By: Cody Wright March 1, 2022 This iconic suburban tree has come to be known by many different trade names throughout the years: Bradford Pear, Cleveland Select, Metropolitan Pear. Yet they all derive from one species native to China—the Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana). This NNIS was introduced to the U.S. in the mid-1900s as an ornamental street and yard tree and quickly gained popularity for its bright white, early spring blooms and colorful fall foliage. Through selective cultivation, multiple sterile cultivar types were created and mass produced for public purchase. According to Dr. Theresa Culley, Professor and Head of the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Cincinnati, “It is not the cultivar itself that is invasive, per se, but rather the problem arises […]
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