John T. Huston – Dr. John D. Brumbaugh Nature Center

The University of Mount Union‘s Huston-Brumbaugh Nature Center was established thanks to a gift from Dr. John D. Brumbaugh. Dr. Brumbaugh donated the 109 acres that had been his grandfather’s farm to Mount Union College in December of 1986. The farm, located in Washington Township, Stark County, Ohio included old growth and second growth forest and a large bank barn. Dr. Brumbaugh also established a generous endowment to provide for the development of the area as a nature preserve and educational facility. The property was named The John T. Huston – Dr. John D. Brumbaugh Nature Center, in honor of both Dr. Brumbaugh and his grandfather, John Huston.

The Dr. John D. Brumbaugh Visitors Center includes displays on natural history, a classroom, restrooms, and access to the Bird Observatory. The Bird Observatory provides year-round viewing of birds and resources to better appreciate them. The Koch Environmental Learning Center was added in 2002 to the Visitors Center to provide a classroom, laboratory, and natural history library. The most recent addition to the Visitors Center is a multi-purpose pavilion. An operations building, historic bank barn, and an educational garden are also used to support our mission and provide many opportunities for visitors and students to enjoy and learn about nature.

The main property of the Nature Center encompasses 162 acres of land in Washington Township, Ohio. The original portion of the property is divided into three main areas of growth. The “New Woods” on the western edge of the property is comprised of trees that have grown back from cultivated farmland since the 1960s. The “Middle Woods” regenerated from a heavily grazed pasture. This area was too steep and rugged for cultivation. The “Old Woods” are virgin timber to Ohio. This area at the eastern end of the Nature Center was only lightly pastured and never cleared of its trees. The North Woods section contains 11 acres of agricultural field and 21 acres of forest, wetland, and meadow. This area contains an educational garden, observation tower, labyrinth, and a bluebird trail. The site is also used for research on topics such as rainwater runoff, edge effects, plot size, and species interactions.

The nearby Dr. Charles McClaugherty III Research Reserve is nearly 100 acres of forest and agricultural land situated adjacent to the main Nature Center property. Four natural vernal pools, steep-sided stream valleys, and mixed-aged hardwood forest are highlights of the ecological resources present. This area is closed to public access which allows for additional study opportunities with limited disturbance.

Further opportunities for research are available at the Ball Research Forest in southern Stark County. The 24-acre parcel of managed forest, a gift-purchase from Jim and Esther Ball, includes both coniferous plantations and managed hardwoods. It is located south of the glaciated area and has examples of soils and plants not found at the main property of the Nature Center.