Brown Family Environmental Center

The 480-acre BFEC preserve spans the rolling hills of the State Scenic Kokosing River valley. We manage a diverse array of habitats to promote natural diversity, teaching and self-guided learning for students and community members of all ages.  

Part of our mission is to share the story of Ohio's landscape, which has experienced extraordinary change in the last 200 years. Forests once blanketed the state, but coverage shrank to just 10% in the early 1900's. Forests have now grown back over about one-third of Ohio, and many species of wildlife have returned. What will our surroundings look like in 2100?

The goal of the BFEC is to help the land return to a healthy, self-sustaining ecosystem through strategies ranging from reforestation to education. This vision provides a future for Ohio’s natural diversity, as well as one offering clean air, clean drinking water and a beautiful place for the Knox County residents to call home.