Lawhon & Associates, Inc.

In honor of World Bee Day today, we're celebrating our hardworking pollinators and the vital role they play in our ecosystems! A member of our ecological team captured these awesome shots of native long-horned bees thriving in an Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) right-of-way prairie. Here, a bee enjoys the vibrant wild bergamot, and another one visits the sunny whorled tickseed. These bees not only enhance the beauty of our landscapes but also contribute to biodiversity and ecological health. Happy World Bee Day!

We’re #hiring a new Principal Investigator, Archaeology in Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area. Apply today or share this post with your network.

On Saturday, April 27, Lawhon’s senior archaeologist Andrew Sewell talked to the Muskingum County Historical Society about our recent work at Putnam Hill Park in Zanesville, Ohio. The park sits atop a sheer-faced bluff, the most prominent landform in the Muskingum River Valley. The City of Zanesville requires a significant part of the park landscape to be removed for public safety reasons due to erosion. Lawhon & Associates, as part of a team with Burgess & Niple, conducted cultural resources investigations and found that the park (along with a spring emanating from the bluff face) is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. As part of mitigation for adverse effects, Lawhon engaged in public involvement through the design of educational signs and a presentation. Andy’s presentation gave a broad overview of the archaeological history of the Zanesville area while tying everything back to the findings of an archaeological investigation of a site on the bluff top. The findings of the study showed that people had been using this prominent overlook for 10,000 years, representing its continual cultural importance to all the populations that inhabited this area throughout time. While the site could not be preserved, the information gained from our excavations added new information about the ties of people to the Muskingum River.

Join us in congratulating Will Arnold for passing the Ohio Standardized Freshwater Mussel Identification Test and becoming approved as a Mussel Surveyor for group 1 and 3 streams by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. “I have recently passed the Ohio Standardized Freshwater Mussel ID Test. While I felt prepared for this test, it also challenged me. The intricacies of each species and the sheer number of species needed to pass this test were a bit overwhelming, pushing me to dig deep and really assert the knowledge that I have been equipped with to identify these mussels. What was surprising was once I got over the state of being overwhelmed by a hundred mussels sitting on a table in front of me, my instincts kicked in and I started flying through identifications. It’s a satisfying feeling when you see yourself put in the work for many months studying and being able to apply that knowledge and get the results. With the completion of the Ohio Standardized Freshwater Mussel ID Test, I now have the tools capable of successfully being an Ohio Division of Wildlife Approved Mussel surveyor. This allows me to execute mussel surveys for the company while also teaching individuals under me and helping them grow into the best surveyors they can be. It also allows me to help further strengthen our group of malacologists at the company. My biggest takeaway from this whole experience is to just believe in yourself; if you set your mind on something, you can achieve it but not without putting in the time and effort.” -Will Arnold #EnvironmentalScience #Ecology #MusselSurveyor #TeamAccomplishments #Lawhon&Associates

This morning, in celebration of Earth Day on April 22nd, Lawhon hosted a propagation/seedling/seed swap event! Our employees started their Friday with breakfast and an array of vegetables, flowers, and houseplants available for swapping. It was a great opportunity to get together and nurture our green thumbs. Happy Earth Day to all!

Join Our Team at Lawhon & Associates! #hiring #Ecologist #NEPA #EnvironmentalConsulting

Yesterday our L&A team enjoyed witnessing a solar eclipse, reminding us of the universe's beauty. Did you know Ohio won't see another until 2444? To make this event special, we're sending collected glasses to SWACO for distribution to Latin American schools, enabling children to experience the upcoming October 2024 Annular Eclipse. Join us in supporting this initiative and learn more about how you can get involved here: News Flash • A Recycling Opportunity that's Out of this World (swaco.org) https://lnkd.in/epetXE8D #SolarEclipse #CosmicWonder #ScienceForAll

Lawhon team members Cassandra Austin and Abigail Sarac (Anacki) recently supported ODOT District 4 and Arcadis to facilitate a public open house for improvements to State Route 8 in Akron, Ohio. The open house provided an opportunity for members of the community to learn about the project and proposed improvements, chat with the project team, and submit comments. Part of the State Route 8 improvements propose a “braided” ramp design to improve safety and ease congestion. Our team helped to simplify this complex transportation concept for the public by utilizing illustrations and example images. Curious to see how we visualized this concept? Check out pictures from the meeting and our graphics below!

This week, members of Lawhon's Ecological Department teamed up with the Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association (ONAPA) and the Killbuck Watershed Land Trust (KWLT) to address invasive species at Brinkhaven Oak Barrens, a 114-acre state nature preserve in Holmes County. The sunny weather and rising temperatures provided the team and other volunteers with an opportunity to shed their winter jackets and roll up their sleeves for a day of working in nature. Volunteers at the South Barrens worked on cutting, thinning, and removing woody species—primarily sumac—from the area, while trained ONAPA staff treated the exposed stems and stumps with herbicide. Special thanks to KWLT President Randy Carmel for leading the group on a post-cleanup hike. Kudos to all who joined!

Last week Lawhon celebrated our annual Souper Bowl Cookoff! With 16 entries this year, we found ourselves enjoying and juggling a variety of different soups and chilis (see picture showcasing a clever double-decker stacking strategy). A special shoutout to the delicious "Over the Top Chili" for securing the victory, and heartfelt appreciation to all participants for contributing to making this year's event the most memorable one yet! We hope everyone had a fantastic Super Bowl weekend!