ODNR Breaks Ground on Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area Visitor Center
McConnelsville, OH – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources broke ground Wednesday on an exciting new project in Morgan County.
The new Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area Visitor Center will soon be a welcoming spot for nature lovers of all ages. This two-story building will feature interactive indoor and outdoor exhibits, a gathering space and restrooms. One of the highlights is a scenic ramp that wraps around the building, offering visitors a 360-degree view of the surrounding landscape.
“The indoor exhibit will have some 3D mapping, and we’ll have information on the history of the area. It’s reclaimed mine land which now is incredibly beautiful and a great habitat for all types of species. It will have information about the plants in the area and information about the animals that you can find in this area. The outdoor viewing will have a lot of information about what you can see around you. And I’m excited, because we’re going to have bison out there, in partnership with the Wilds. It’ll be a fenced in area, but I think it’s really going to be a great visual for people to see what this area used to be like,” ODNR Director Mary Mertz said.
ODNR officials say this project will not only enhance educational opportunities, but also attract more visitors to the area. The center will be the perfect spot to explore the region’s wildlife and natural resources.
“This Visitor Center will be a real gateway to help visitors understand all that they can enjoy in the area. They’ll learn a little bit about the history of the area, they’ll learn what they can do, where they can go, where they can get on a hiking trail, where they can go fishing, and I think it’s going to be a great resource for people from all over Ohio, bring them right here and help people from out of state too,” Mertz said.
The visitor center will be located at the Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area, 9949 Ohio Route 83 in McConnelsville.
For more information, please visit the ODNR website.
Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area | Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ohiodnr.gov)
