The Glen is immediately adjacent to the main Antioch College campus and stretches in land area for. Together with the of the John Bryan State Park and the of the Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, the area comprises a river corridor of over 2,000 contiguous acres that has been rated “exceptional” by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for its cleanliness and biodiversity. 'The Glen' is managed by the college's Glen Helen Ecology Institute. The preserve was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1965. The patches of land now included in Glen Helen previously had a number of different uses. While some were always natural, other areas were farmed, some grazed, and some extensively logged. The oldest trees in the Glen might be 400 years old, but there are many newer areas of forest 90 years old or younger. The Glen is actively managed to weed out non-native invasive species of plants like bush honeysuckle and Japanese stiltgrass; about 30 to 40 acres a year of honeysuckle are cleared. Those areas are then planted with native species like baby spicebushes, sumac, goldenrod and sedge, which helps return the land to its original state and keeps the invasive species at bay. The Glen features more than twenty miles of publicly accessible trails and includes 2.5 miles of the National Scenic Little Miami River, regionally significant stands of old-growth forest, a distinct rock column known as Pompey's Pillar, ecologically reclaimed farm land, the Orators Mound, and the Yellow Spring, for which the town is named. The preserve is a learning laboratory for Antioch College, supporting academic offerings as well as faculty and student research, and also offers a wide variety of public programs and outreach to the wider Miami Valley region. Glen Helen was closed to the public on March 25, 2020 in connection with the COVID-19 outbreak. The Antioch College Board of Trustees stated in May, 2020 that the college had no plans to reopen the preserve, since it could no longer afford to support the operation. Antioch held talks with the Glen’s longtime nonprofit friends group, the Glen Helen Association, and on June 10 an agreement in principle was announced transferring the Glen to GHA for about $2.5 million, payable by an upfront payment of $500,000, annual payments of $50,000 for 10 years, and a “balloon” payment of $1.5 million at the end of the 10 years. While funding for the upfront payment would come from existing proceeds in a term endowment fund, major fundraising has begun by GHA to rehire staff, reopen the Glen, restart educational programs, replenish the Glen’s endowments, and address deferred maintenance on buildings and grounds. Finalization of the deal is expected later in the summer. The parties agreed to work together to keep the Glen available to students and faculty as well as the general public.
Facilities
A number of facilities are located throughout The Glen. The Vernet Ecological Center is located on the western edge of The Glen and houses the visitors center, a nature shop, auditorium, offices, and the Atrium Gallery which exhibits contemporary art by local and regional artists. The nearby Trailside Museum features hands-on displays and exhibits. The Glen Helen Outdoor Education Center can be found in the northeast corner of the Glen Helen Nature Preserve. The OEC hosts school and other organizational groups and has developed programs to develop their appreciation of the natural world and an awareness of environmental problems along with the ecological principles that influence them. Adjacent to the OEC is the Raptor Center which rehabilitates injured birds with the goal of releasing them back to the wild, and also offers education about raptors and their role in Ohio ecosystems. Camp Greene, a former Girl Scout Camp which added about 30 acres to The Glen in 2015, offers a dorm and 1920s era lodge which can be rented for groups and functions.
