J. T. Huston - Dr. J.D. Brumbaugh Nature Center

J. T. Huston - Dr. J.D. Brumbaugh Nature Center 162-acre property owned by the University of Mount Union. Several miles of trails are open dawn to dusk daily. Visitors Center hours vary seasonally. The John T.
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Check our website for event information. Huston - Dr. John. D. 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 then 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. D

r. 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. It was Dr. Brumbaugh's wish that the area be used as a nature preserve for the education and enjoyment of all people and the area be developed in such a way as to lead visitors into an exploration of the outside environment. Today the Nature Center provides support for numerous classes at The University of Mount Union, welcomes thousands of school students to environmental education programs, creates opportunities for hundreds of people to give of themselves as volunteers and offers a place for reflection and nature study for any who choose to visit.

The newest Nature Center newsletter is now available. Check your mailbox, inbox, our website, or grab a copy on your nex...
05/29/2026

The newest Nature Center newsletter is now available. Check your mailbox, inbox, our website, or grab a copy on your next visit!

Look what Director Jason found around the Visitors Center on Tuesday! A gartersnake patrolling our small nursery and a f...
05/28/2026

Look what Director Jason found around the Visitors Center on Tuesday! A gartersnake patrolling our small nursery and a fawn napping at the base of the boardwalk. This place is full of nature's surprises!

The Visitors Center is closed today (May 16). Trails remain open as usual.The Visitors Center will reopen on Sunday, May...
05/16/2026

The Visitors Center is closed today (May 16). Trails remain open as usual.

The Visitors Center will reopen on Sunday, May 17 from 1-5pm.

We know lots of visitors enjoy exploring the pond. There is a lot to see at this time of the year. If you peer into the ...
05/16/2026

We know lots of visitors enjoy exploring the pond. There is a lot to see at this time of the year. If you peer into the water and see unusually bright snails, these are part of an ongoing research project.

Dr. Mike Zimmermann, Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Mount Union, is conducting a research project on Helisoma species snails and physid snails in the Nature Center's pond. Several snails of each kind have a bit of paint on them to make them easier to identify as part of the study.

We found a few Thursday morning while facilitating a school field trip! If you happen to see any while exploring around the pond, please return them to the water unharmed.

Visitor counting has been a very inaccurate component of our outreach assessment for many years. How many visitors do we...
05/12/2026

Visitor counting has been a very inaccurate component of our outreach assessment for many years. How many visitors do we welcome each year? We can't really say with any level of confidence. Which trails see the highest level of foot traffic? We're guessing the boardwalk sections of the Huston Farm Loop, Succession Trail, and Brumbaugh Woods Trail, but we can't say for sure.

In an effort to better understand how many visitors we receive each year and which trails visitors prefer to use, we're deploying a series of pedestrian counters. These counters help us count how many people pass a section of trail. There is no camera, just a motion sensor in each unit that can detect the presence of a person. The counter keeps a digital tally of how many people pass by while our staff can focus on other components of the visitor experience. Each month we can collect the count of visitors on that trail and begin to understand how many people are enjoying our trail system.

Why keep track of visitors? It reflects our impact on the community. It helps inform where we should focus our attention for trail maintenance and improvement. It helps us apply for potential funding to continue to make infrastructure, property, and trail improvements. Better information will help us make better decisions about where to apply limited financial and staff resources.

Ticks are now a common and constant presence in Ohio. Their populations have increased and expanded over the past 20 yea...
05/05/2026

Ticks are now a common and constant presence in Ohio. Their populations have increased and expanded over the past 20 years.

Do you remember a time when you could explore forests and fields all day and never encounter a tick? We do, too, but those days are long gone. Ohio is now home to the American Dog Tick (photo 1), Deer Tick (photo 2), Lone Star Tick, Gulf Coast Tick, and Asian Longhorned Tick. To date, dog and deer ticks are known to reside at the Nature Center.

You can avoid ticks by wearing long pants and long sleeves, tuck pants into socks and shirts into pants, apply DEET insect repellents or treat clothing with permethrin, and always do a tick check after returning from outdoor activities. Remaining on designated paths in forests and fields will greatly reduce tick exposure for both humans and pets.

For more detailed information about Ohio's ticks, please read this article from The Ohio State University Extension https://bygl.osu.edu/index.php/node/2624

Award-winning research undertaken by University of Mount Union students in the Department of Biological and Environmenta...
05/05/2026

Award-winning research undertaken by University of Mount Union students in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and at the Nature Center!

Address

16146 Daniel Street NE (Not Mailing Address)
Minerva, OH
44657

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm
Sunday 1pm - 5pm

Telephone

+13308237487

Website

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