Fall 2025 OCVN Franklin County Course

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Sep 24, 2025 through Dec 10, 2025, 4:30pm - 6:00pm
Deadline: 
Wednesday, September 24, 2025
Link: 
Register Now
Cost: 
$125 - including access to a certification website, *handbook, shirt, and some evening light meals and snacks.
Location: 
OSU main campus, Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4H Center, The Wetlands at OSU, Highbanks Metro Park, and Zoom
Contact: 
Anne Baird
614-292-8603
Baird.41@osu.edu

Overview: This introductory continuing education course will help you build your knowledge of Ohio’s diverse ecology and natural resources, education techniques, field identification skills, and ability to participate in participatory science and land stewardship. Session instructors include faculty and staff of The Ohio State University, Franklin County Metro Parks, and guest experts. Following the course participants can choose to record 40 hours of volunteer service and/or continuing education they select and arrange to receive their certification. See https://ocvn.osu.edu/ for more information.

 

Format: Online with In-Person and Zoom sessions. This course includes online modules covering chapters from the OSU OCVN Handbook Working Draft along with required in person sessions and/or Zooms. Learners have access to the online course for one year and must attend at least eight in-person and/or Zoom sessions. Course sessions will take place at the OSU main campus Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4H Center and The Wetlands at OSU, Highbanks Metro Park, and Zoom. It is OK to arrive late if needed parking will be free. Information on locations and more details will be available after registration.

Requirements:

  • Use of OSU’s Scarlet Canvas online course management system, attendance at in person and Zoom sessions. Note: Sessions will not be recorded for later viewing. If you need to miss a session due to illness etc., we do have previously recorded sessions in Scarlet Canvas.  Please plan to miss no more than two scheduled sessions before registering.
  • Be 18 years old or older.
  • Complete a short (5 min) presentation on your capstone project plan via Zoom and nine quizzes.
  • Note: In person educational sessions will sometimes involve optional field activities that involve walking on even and sometimes uneven and wet surfaces and a variety of weather conditions.  If you have questions about the activity level of the course and how we can help you participate please contact Anne Baird at baird.41@osu.edu or 614-292-8603 prior to registering.

 

*Our new OCVN Handbook is in production so we will provide draft pdfs of the chapters for reading during this course and you will be provided with a promo code to obtain the Handbook when published.

Fall Session:

1)Introduction and Interpretation Wed. Sept 24, 4:30 –7:30 PM (in person)

2) Birds Tuesday Sept. 30 4:30—7:30 PM (in person)

3) Geology  Saturday Oct. 11, 10:00 AM—3:00 PM (afternoon optional) (In person)

4)Water Resources Tue Oct. 14,  4:30—7:30 PM (in person)

5) Insects Proposed: Wed Oct.22 Date and time to be confirmed (Zoom)

6) Forests Wed. Oct. 29 6:00--7:30  (Zoom)

7) Soils, Plants, and Fungi Plants and Fungi, Monday Nov. 3 5:30—7:30  PM (Zoom) and Soils Wed. Nov. 5 noon—1:30 PM (Zoom)

8) Amphibians and Reptiles--Wed Nov. 12  3:00—6:00 PM  (in person)

9) Mammals Monday Nov. 17 Start time to be confirmed--6:00 PM  (in person)

10) Climate and Weather Wed. Dec 3 4:30—7:30 PM (in person)

11) Capstone plan presentations (Zoom)

Monday Dec.8 6:00—7:30 PM (Zoom)  or Wed. Dec. 10, 6:00—7:30 PM EST (Zoom)