Create Your Own Wetlands
Hands-on Workshop for Small and Large landowners with
World-Renowned Wetland Ecologist:
Thomas Biebighauser
November 5th - 7th, 2026, Thursday through Saturday
at the Highlands Nature Sanctuary
$295.00/person
WETLANDS ARE TRANSFORMERS!
They heal the land, escalate biodiversity, and increase life-density
Imagine…outside your back door you hear the chorusing of spring peepers, followed later in the year by the purring of gray treefrogs and the trilling of American toads. You find the mysterious jelly egg-clusters of spotted salamanders. Occasionally, a green heron stalks the rim of the pool, and dozens of species of songbirds take daily baths and refreshing sips of water. But best of all, just when winter begins to thaw, you find yourself bending over the pool of water, empty of thought and lost in time, watching the mesmerizing movements of fairy shrimp. Why simply imagine these wonderful things, when you can actually experience them for yourself? And the good news is, if you own even a quarter of land, you can sow your own field of dreams. If you build it, they will come.
Join wetland ecologist Thomas Biebighauser at the Highlands Nature Sanctuary for this hands-on wetlands-building workshop! Tom has restored and rebuilt more wetlands than any other living human being. He lives and breathes wetlands, and he has a sixth sense for coaxing them back to places they haven’t inhabited for over a hundred years. He is also a splendid storyteller and teacher. If you look him up on YouTube, you will discover dozens of videos he has made showing wetlands he has reconstructed in various states and countries, under a variety of challenging conditions. We highly recommend you spend some time with them.
Intimate Setting. We consider ourselves VERY lucky to have Tom with us this November. Most people only get to hear him, surrounded by hundreds of other people in an auditorium. This weekend, we will be working by his side in a small group setting, actually creating wetlands together. Tom, who has extensive experience teaching wetlands restoration, says that he VASTLY prefers our workshop’s format because he knows that the participants will not only be committed to building wetlands when they return home, but they will also know exactly how to go about it.
The Schedule. Tom will present an indoor introduction to creating wetlands on Thursday evening at the Appalachian Forest Museum, and everything else will be outdoors. Friday will be spent in the field constructing a medium-sized wetland with heavy equipment. On Saturday, we will build a small vernal pool from scratch, by hand. Yes, by hand! We will be using old-fashioned shovels, mattocks - tools that you probably already have in your workshed! Both wetlands constructed during this workshop will be in full action next spring - attracting breeding amphibians and lush populations of aquatic insects, which in turn will support an entire cascade of higher life forms.
The Goal of this course is to show you how to create an oasis for wildlife biodiversity in your own backyard, whether you have a quarter-acre yard or a 125-acre farm.
This course will teach you:
the basic principles of wetlands construction
an introduction to hydric soils and the basics of hydrology
what factors to consider when selecting an appropriate location
how to recognize and delineate wetland soils,
how to establish native wetland plants following the construction.
how to anticipate what life forms will find and use the pond
what our landscapes have lost over the last 250 years, and the capacity we have to reverse those losses
SCROLL DOWN FOR WORKSHOP PREPARATIONS & FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
Photo of Green Heron by Mary Parker Sonis
Location: The education headquarters for this event will be the Appalachian Forest Museum at the Highlands Nature Sanctuary (HNS). Field sites will be located at Ridgeview Farm Preserve and God’s Country Preserve
Attendance: Workshop attendance will be limited to no more than 20 people to guarantee a personalize experience.
Leader/Instructor: The leader for this event is Tom Biebighauser, A Wildlife Biologist and Wetland Ecologist. You can learn more about Tom here.
Lodging: Lodging at the Highlands Nature Sanctuary is not necessary, but is highly encouraged since we will be spending the entire weekend here. For questions on lodging options, please email or call: Elijah Crabtree - (740) 703-2633 / elijah.crabtree@gmail.com
Meals: This course includes a Friday and Saturday lunch at Ridgeview Farm. All lodges have fully equipped kitchens and dining facilities, so we ask that you bring your own food supplies for all other meals. We will also recommend local options for meals if you wish to go shopping for ingredients or eat out.
Cancellation policy. In case of cancellation, refunds will be granted in full up until October 5th, 2026. After that time, all payments are final and if not used, will be recorded as a tax-deductible donation to the Arc of Appalachia. Registrations are transferable. If transferring your registration to another party, please be sure to give us the recipient’s name and email.
What should I bring?
Cell phone for directions, emergencies, and for taking pictures
Personal care items: Soap, shampoo, etc.
Informal outdoor clothing for both wet and dry weather
Leg Waders or Chest Waders
Raingear is recommended as this course will go on rain or shine. Consider a wide-brimmed hat to shed the rain.
Water bottle and day pack to carry your lunch.
Notebook or clipboard, pen, pencils, and paper (for sketching and field notes).
Food. Bring your own food supplies for meals through the weekend.
First aid kit appropriate to your needs
Optional. Insect repellent for ticks, see details below. We will also bring some to share.
Cell phone coverage and the internet. Most cell phones work at the Highland Nature Sanctuary. If Wi-Fi is needed, the Appalachian Forest Museum has free guest Wi-Fi during operating hours. No Wi-Fi is provided in our lodging.
Comfort in the out-of-doors. Please be prepared for hiking in both cold and relatively warm weather, as this program is scheduled for November, which could bring us 60-70 degree days or three inches of snow! We will be spending most of our time outside in the field at multiple sites with rugged terrain. In south-central Ohio, our temperature highs in early to mid-November average around 55-60 degrees, with lows averaging around 30-35 degrees. We encourage you to check the weather forecast before you pack.
Flying in? Participants may fly into either Cincinnati or Columbus. Both airports are roughly an hour and a half from the Appalachian Forest Museum.
Emergency Messages. Emergency messages for course participants can be left at the mainline of the Highlands Nature Sanctuary (937) 365-1935 during daytime hours. Education staff cell phones will also be provided to you.
Should I prepare for ticks, chiggers, biting insects and poison ivy? You will have minimal but possible exposure to Poison Ivy. The leaders know the plant well and will help you avoid exposure. If you do touch the leaves, washing vigorously with soap within an hour avoids reactivity in most people. If these challenges are new for you, let us know and we will do our best to orient you to them and minimize exposure. No exposure to insects is not a realistic expectation for field studies but we do our best. We have also developed a fantastic homemade repellant for flying insects, ticks, and chiggers made of essential herbal oils that is stunningly effective and 100% natural.
Please click here to learn about the considerable hazards presented by ticks and chiggers and prepare your own insect repellant that is safe to use, affordable to make, and will give you the confidence to enjoy the outdoors.
Questions or interest in making lodging reservations:
For event & lodging information:
Elijah Crabtree, Naturalist Educator at (740) 703-2633
Email: elijah.crabtree@gmail.com
Cassidy Drummond, Education Coordinator at 937-794-3360
Email: cassidy.arcofappalachia@gmail.com