A groundbreaking ceremony for the state-of-the-art Wetland Research and Education Building took place Friday at Ohio State’s wetland park.

OSU President William “Brit” Kirwan and nearly 100 people gathered to celebrate the start of construction on the newest facility at the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park.

This building will be the first on campus dedicated to the restoration of the environment and to the wise use of the wetlands, said Bobby D. Moser, vice president for agricultural administration and executive dean of the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

The facility is an OSU research park where research and university teaching are being conducted. The public can observe wildlife in the wetlands on the Olentangy River bike path completed in 1998 and in the Sandefur Wetland Pavilion dedicated in 1999.

William Mitsch, director of the facility, said the new building will be the most comprehensive wetland research facility in the nation. “Our new building is called high-tech and high-nature,” he said.

According to Mitsch, in both man-made and natural wetlands, water quality instruments are installed and plugged into a long cable running into the building. This system allows researchers in the building to measure and keep track of water quality and water level in the wetlands by computer. “It would be like a human body hooked up to all sorts of monitors, just like watching your heart beat, and we can know instantaneously how the wetlands are doing,” Mitsch said.

“Here at ‘Buckeye Swamp,’ every day is Earth Day,” said Jerry Pausch, chair of Olentangy River Wetland Advisory Committee. He said Friday was an appropriate day to have groundbreaking ceremony and to commemorate other milestones in the 10-year history of Buckeye Swamp.

The facility celebrated the 10th anniversary of the announcement to the public on the front page of the May 9, 1991, The Dispatch that there was a plan for creating “Buckeye Swamp” at OSU. “(When the article appeared) we had no idea, we didn’t have a nickel, we didn’t have anything, and we could do it because of many people who have supported us,” Mitsch said.

Mitsch emphasized the research park is strongly supported by public and private partnership, including partnership with other universities such as Wright State, Youngstown State, Shawnee State University and Kenyon College. He also added that despite the generous support and donations from groups such as the Ohio Board of Regents and many others; the park is still looking for further contributions.

After showing their gratitude to many supporters and donors, Mitsch presented special awards called, “Friend of Buckeye Swamp” to both Moser and Kirwan to show further appreciation for their constant support.

Kirwan said the research park is a facility where people can fulfill all aspects of the university mission on teaching, research and service. “Students from Ohio State and other institutions use this site and continue to find this to be a great place to learn,” he said.

“Given what has been accomplished already at this site, given the growing national, international reputation of the activities here, given the enthusiastic support all the people under this tent and thousands of more, we know about this is a great resource,” Kirwan said. “I have no doubt that we are going to succeed in this fund-raising effort. I knew the affiliation and recognition and obligation to the wetlands center. Believe me, I will be up there leading the path.”