It comes as no surprise that New Albany-Plain Local School’s onsite, 30-acre Nature Preserve is ranked among the top public-private partnerships in the state according to the American Association of School Administrators and its Environmental Science Program ranks among the best in the nation.

The community’s commitment to land conservation and environmental stewardship is evident in everything from its preservation of meadows, woodlands and waterways to the restoration of a hazardous and polluted Rose Run Creek.

It’s that stewardship and foresight that has influenced the development of New Albany-Plain Local School’s environmental science program which is offered to students in 18 school districts throughout Central Ohio. Students study local watersheds and monitor the school campus’ wetlands. In fact, for its efforts, the New Albany-Plain Local Schools became the first in the state of Ohio to receive a deed for wetland mitigation from the Ohio Department of Transportation.