LONDON, Ohio – A short wagon ride from Farm Science Review’s (FSR) rows of gleaming tractors, its grounds full of hundreds of exhibitors, its streets packed by thousands of visitors, you’ll see another side of agriculture – waters, woods and wildlife.

Welcome to FSR’s Gwynne Conservation Area, commonly known as simply the Gwynne. It’s here where Deer Creek flows in the shade of a forest, bluegill fish dimple the surface of ponds, killdeer birds call from a wetland mudflat and the wind rustles large bluestem prairie grass.

The Gwynne is where many of FSR’s expected 100,000-plus visitors will find ideas on caring for their land. Sections of the Gwynne include Cabin, Wildlife and Aquatics, Woodlands, Forages and Grazing/Consumer Habitats.

FSR itself rests on 2,100 acres at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center. The Gwynne Conservation Area covers 67 acres in a modest green corner of that center.

For 362 days a year, the Gwynne is used to demonstrate and teach about farm-related conservation practices – ways to aid soils, streams, ponds, forests, grasslands and the creatures that live there.

Then, during the three days at FSR, it offers a slate of expert-led talks on the topics, more than 50 in all, plus displays, exhibits and demonstrations.

“The talks can help landowners make decisions to better manage the resources on their property, from forests to streams to pastures and more,” said Mary Griffith, Conservation Reserve Program manager at USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. “Making decisions that promote the health of these ecosystems can save landowners time and money in the long run.”

In the Wildlife and Aquatics section of the Gwynne, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife will be demonstrating electrofishing while Ohio State University Extension Educator Jessica Burns will demonstrate the importance of native plants with her talk “Roots, Shoots and Fruits.”

The Central Ohio Fly Fishers will offer a Basic 101 Fly Fishing course for beginners and intermediate fishers, while wildlife professional Abby-Gayle Prieum will discuss how to attract and protect beneficial bugs.

Various field experts will offer topics such as identifying aquatic vegetation, how to identify snakes, how to attract wildlife to your property, helping Ohio’s bat populations, songbird identification and management, and opportunities that exist for aquaculture and aquaponics.

“I get a lot of questions about woodlands, wildlife and aquatics,” Griffith said. “Visiting the Gwynne during the Farm Science Review is a great chance for landowners to ask questions of specialized experts from all over the state in just one place. The Gwynne has talks that are relevant to almost any landowner.”

The Cabin at the Gwynne is used for educational programs all three days. Such topics offered at the Cabin include maple syrup production, pawpaw budgeting and processing, grazing in Ohio, native trees and shrubs of Ohio, poisonous plants of the garden and landscape, soil management strategies, and loss of Ohio soil resources from land use.

Denise Ellsworth, program director for pollinator education at OSU, will discuss how to create a thriving habitat for butterflies, birds, bees and other beneficials, while OSU Extension Specialist Rachel Chapman will talk about “Gardening for a Sustainable Planet.”

In the Woodlands portion of the Gwynne, visitors will learn how to grow money from trees and learn the potential of native specialty crops for production. Guests can take an interesting Tree ID hike and observe the Gwynne’s pawpaw patch.

Experts at the Woodlands will discuss how to keep yourself and your animals “tick safe.” The same group will show how to identify invasive plants. Finally, there will be a gathering telling visitors how to get started growing Christmas trees.

Well attended each year is the Forages and Grazing/Consumer Horticulture section of the Gwynne. Here visitors can learn how to prep and plant a pollinator garden, how to create the perfect balance between farming and wildlife habitat, what kind of native plants are best for your landscape, learn about native warm season grass forages and horse pasture management.

Other topics at the Forages and Grazing/Consumer Horticulture section include how to detect the spotted lanternfly, winter seed sowing, pocket pollinator gardens, use of native flora and how to attract songbirds.

“We offer a broad array of educational talks featuring topics with the goal of appealing to as many people as possible,” said FSR manager Nick Zachrich. “The Gwynn is unique to anything else seen at the Farm Science Review. It’s almost like coming over to a different world.”