Glen Helen officials are asking volunteers Nov. 14 to help fight back against invasive plants, particularly in the 250-acre core designated as a National Natural Landmark.
But an even bigger challenge lies ahead for the glen’s new owners at Antioch College — raising the money to return Glen Helen to its prominence as one of the nation’s premier outdoor education centers.
Built in the 1950s, Glen Helen’s dormitory, classroom and museum spaces are aging and out of step with today’s green technology, Boutis said.
Facilities that should be community models for energy efficiency, handicapped access and walkability are mired in the past, while newer centers in Washington and Wyoming are setting the standard for the nation, he said.
The preserve’s change in ownership in September from Antioch University to an independent Antioch College creates an opportunity to restore the glen while also making it an even stronger part of the school’s curriculum, Boutis said.
“The vision is for a new Antioch College with a new emphasis on environmental programs,” he said.
The drive launched last month among alumni to raise $2.8 million this year for the new college includes the glen for the first time, said Matthew Derr, chief transition officer of Antioch College.
“Our goal is to restore the glen to robust financial health” after a decade of neglect by previous university officials, he said. “The glen has been the living classroom of the college for generations.”
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