Dec 10, 2025, 5:00pm - 7:30pm
EPN Signature Winter Event - Planting the Pathway: Connecting Pollinator Habitat through Community Collaboration
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. Chandler Frenken, Associate Manager of Sustainability, amika, provides welcome remarks.
6:05 p.m. Christopher Patterson, Environmental Professionals Network Student Assistant and Senior Capstone Student, reflects on his experiences working with EPN and introduces the evening's first speaker.
6:10 p.m. Karen Goodell, PhD, Professor, Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University Newark, presents insights from her efforts to complete an inventory of Ohio’s bees and how our knowledge of the ecology and behavior of native bees can inform our approach to providing high-quality, connected habitat in the form of pollinator gardens, as well as nesting sites.
6:20 p.m. Terry Hermsen, PhD, Community Leader, North Central Ohio Pollinator Pathway, will trace seven years building local community climate action, and will explain how these efforts led into the creation of the North Central Ohio Pollinator Pathway, and the 20+ native plant gardens and prairies they have created in Delaware County over the past two years.
6:30 p.m. Christopher L. Wyche, Councilmember, Columbus City Council presents on recent city-wide code changes that removed milkweed from the noxious weed list, and reduced barriers to establishing and maintaining residential pollinator gardens.
6:40 p.m. Max Rosenthal, Director of Environmental Awareness, Final Third Foundation (F3) describes his work with F3, and how he has collaborated with local organizations and Ohio State Capstone groups to establish pollinator habitat across the organization's soccer field property, providing both ecological and educational benefits.
6:50 p.m. Craig Toothman, Board Member and President, Franklin County Pollinator Pathway (FCPP) provides an overview for his work with FCPP, and moderates panel discussion with Goodell, Wyche, Hermsen, and Rosenthal.
7:10 p.m. Audience Q & A session for both in-person and virtual audiences.
7:25 p.m. Dr. Haab provides closing remarks.
7:30 p.m. Event concludes
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.
Craig Toothman, DDS, Founder and current President of Franklin County Pollinator Pathway (FCPP)
Craig Toothman, DDS, is the founder and current President of Franklin County Pollinator Pathway (FCPP). A graduate of the Ohio State University’s College of Dentistry, he practiced general family dentistry for 36 years in Columbus, Ohio. Craig has earned multiple outdoor leadership and skills certifications, including SOLO Wilderness Emergency Medicine’s Wilderness First Responder (WFR) and Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (WEMT), Rescue Three International’s River Rescue Course (RRC) and Swiftwater and Flood Rescue Technician (SRT), the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics Level II Instructor/Master Educator, and the National Association for Interpretation (NAI) Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG). He currently serves as the Xerces Society for the Conservation of Invertebrates Ambassador for central Ohio, and is a member of the City of Columbus GreenSpot Program Advisory Board. Recently, FCPP was awarded the 2025 Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District’s Conservation Steward of the Year Award.
Chandler Frenken, Associate Manger of Sustainability, amika
Chandler Frenken is the Associate Manger of Sustainability at amika. He brings with him experience in carbon accounting, Net Zero implementation, Eco-LCA’s, regulatory reporting, emissions verification auditing, energy analysis, RECs + carbon offsets, B-Corp Certiciation, and supplier relations. For several years, through his role at amika, Chandler has advised numerous Ohio State School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR) capstone groups on projects related to emissions reductions, and product sustainability. Chandler graduated with a Bachelor of Science from SENR in 2022.
SENR Student Spotlight
Chris Patterson, EPN Student Assistant, Senior, OSU School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR)
Chris is a fourth-year student in SENR majoring in Environment, Economy, Development, and Sustainability (EEDS). Over the past two years, Chris has served as one of EPN's Student Assistants, helping to ensure that programs run smoothly by running the registration check-in and assisting with behind-the-scenes event set up and preparation. This past summer, Chris interned with Greif, Inc. where he supported environmental compliance initiatives and coordinated waste management projects, in alignment with his career interests in renewable energy, compliance, energy efficiency, and sustainable business practices. Chris is set to graduate this December, and will be presenting his senior capstone project poster at the program.
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.
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