Today I had the opportunity to visit the brand new Fernald Preserve. Fernald is located in Harrison, OH and opened its gates for the first time on Wednesday August 20. After years as a uranium metal production facility, it has been converted to an amazing wildlife preserve. The U.S. Department of Energy has spent $4.4 billion to decontaminate the land from its days as a uranium facility. An additional $14 million was spent on ecological restoration and the building of a visitor center.
Fernald - 1988
They incorporated many eco-friendly features in the visitor center. They are using geothermal heating and cooling that will use the surrounding lakes to control the temperature. They have also built a marsh behind the visitor center that will act as a water treatment facility for the center’s waste water.
Fernald Preserve Visitor Center
While it does not appear that the preserve is completed yet, it holds tremendous potential for the future of birding in the Cincinnati area. The area has a few trails throughout the property but will hopefully allow more access by creating more trails throughout the property especially the woodlands. Even without the additional trails, it is an amazing place to bird.
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