EPN Signature Winter Event - Planting the Pathway: Connecting Pollinator Habitat through Community Collaboration

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Program Overview

Pollinators, the insects and animals which transfer pollen from one plant to another, represent a diverse and expansive variety of species responsible for supporting plant reproduction and ecosystem health - sustaining life across the planet.¹ Over the past several decades, however, numerous species of pollinators have experienced significant population decline. A recent risk assessment study across North America found that over one-fifth of pollinator species are at elevated risk of extinction.4 In addition to threats posed by widespread pesticide use and impacts from climate change, a major threat facing pollinator populations is the loss and fragmentation of habitat needed for foraging, breeding and nesting.² This issue poses a specific challenge to pollinators who are limited by their foraging distances, including many species of native bees.³  With Ohio alone hosting roughly 500 native bee species,⁵ the topic of pollinator habitat reduction, degradation, and disconnection is becoming increasingly relevant. 

To address this, several community groups, non-profits, and local government leaders have adopted innovative and collaborative approaches to bridging such habitat gaps across vast landscapes throughout Ohio. From establishing chapters of the national Pollinator Pathway movement to Columbus’ recent code change removing Milkweed from the noxious weed list, numerous cross-boundary efforts are underway to improve the quality, quantity, and connectivity of these habitat corridors. 

Join this EPN Signature Winter Event as we hear from a panel of local leaders advancing “pollinator pathways” through grassroots education, policy change, ecological design, and cross-boundary collaboration, to improve outcomes for pollinators, our ecosystems, and our communities. Before remarks begin in the ballroom, we invite you to join us as senior capstone students from Ohio State’s School of Environment and Natural Resources present their project posters. 

¹: Cornell Cooperative Extension (2021) Link here.

²: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Link here.

³: Biological Conservation, "Maximum foraging ranges in solitary bees: only few individuals have the capability to cover long foraging distances" (2010) Link here.

⁴: PNAS, "Elevated extinction risk in over one-fifth of native North American pollinators" (2025) Link here.

⁵: Ohio State University Extension (2015) Link here.

Agenda

5:00 p.m. Doors open at Ohio State 4-H Center. Food and beverages served for in-person attendees.

• Networking session featuring autumn Ohio State senior capstone project posters in the A.B. Graham Hall and Bob Evans Memorial Auditorium.

6:00 p.m. Tim Haab, PhD, director, Ohio State’s School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR) provides welcome remarks.

6:05 p.m. A series of presentations from a panel of local leaders advancing “pollinator pathways” across organizational and spatial boundaries through knowledge-building, policy change, reimagined landscaping, and community collaboration, including:

• Karen Goodell, PhD, Professor, Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University Newark 
• Christopher L. Wyche, Councilmember, Columbus City Council
• Max Rosenthal, Director of Environmental Awareness, Final Third Foundation (F3)
• Terry Hermsen, PhD, Community Leader, North Central Ohio Pollinator Pathway
• Moderator: Craig Toothman, Board Member and President, Franklin County Pollinator Pathway

7:05 p.m. Audience Q & A session for both in-person and virtual audiences. 

7:25 p.m. Dr. Haab provides closing remarks.

Speakers

Karen Goodell, PhD, Professor, Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University Newark 

Dr. Goodell is a professor of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology at The Ohio State University Newark. Her research focusses on the ecology and conservation of native bees and pollination services. Currently, she and her graduate students are conducting The Ohio Bee Survey, an investigation of the distribution and diversity of Ohio’s native bees and methods of monitoring bees, such as netting, passive trapping, and environmental DNA surveillance. She has also conducted studies on the restoration of degraded lands for pollinator habitat and the risks of pesticide exposure to bees in crop systems. Dr. Goodell is an advocate for land conservation and pollinators. She serves on the board of trustees for the Licking Land Trust and advises the Pollinator Pathways of Licking Co. 

Christopher L. Wyche, Councilmember, Columbus City Council

Serving his second term as chair of the Public Utilities & Sustainability committee and vice-chair of the Neighborhoods, Recreation, and Parks committee, Councilmember Wyche is committed to making Columbus a green hub that utilizes sustainable practices to strengthen our communities, improve air quality, protect and increase access to green space, and prepare for climate resilience. In partnership with city Departments, he successfully passed ordinances to remove milkweed from the noxious weed list, created three programs aimed at removing lead waterlines throughout Columbus, and the codification of the Columbus Advisory Commission on Disability Issues. Councilmember Wyche currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the second oldest Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in Ohio, Central State University, and is an active member of the Brookside Village Community Association. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economic Management from Ohio Wesleyan University.

Max Rosenthal, Director of Environmental Awareness, Final Third Foundation (F3)

Max Rosenthal serves as the Director of Environmental Awareness for the Final Third Foundation (F3). F3 engages with our community and our youth through soccer, wellness, and education - creating access for all to learn, play, and grow. Through F3's Environmental Awareness Program (EAP), Max leads and oversees all of F3's environmental initiatives including environmental education programming, landscape management of Pathways Park, and food/produce production.

Terry Hermsen, PhD, Community Leader, North Central Ohio Pollinator Pathway

Terry Hermsen is one of the co-founders and leaders of the North Central Ohio Pollinator Pathway, working mostly in Delaware County, to establish native plant areas across the region. They have established 18 native plant spaces in a year and a half, from Boardman Arts Park to the Andrews House in downtown Delaware, stretching to Columbus State’s Delaware campus. Last March, they received a $21,853 grant from the Ohio Environmental Education Fund to establish a prairie-based outdoor education lab at Hayes High School. For over 20 years, Terry taught for the Ohio Arts Council, and taught poetry and environmental literature at Otterbein University from 2003 to 2017. Over the past six years, Terry has helped to found a group called ROAR: Regional Ohio Action for Resilience, looking for climate change action in central Ohio. He has a BA in English from Wittenberg University, an MFA in poetry from Goddard College and a PhD in Art Education from The Ohio State University.

Additional Information 

We strive to host events that are inclusive and accessible to everyone. If you have a disability and require accommodations to fully participate in this activity, please reach out to Hallie Stelzle, EPN Program Assistant (stelzle.2@osu.edu). Requests made five business days in advance will generally allow us to provide seamless access. However, we will make every effort to meet requests made after this time frame. You will be contacted by someone from our staff to discuss your specific needs.