Shaker Trace Nursery

As one of the largest seed nurseries in Ohio, Shaker Trace Nursery in Miami Whitewater Forest specializes in native plant propagation, seed harvesting, and ecological restoration. The nursery supports Great Parks of Hamilton County’s efforts to restore prairies, wetlands, and other habitats with native plant species.

In 2024, Shaker Trace underwent a significant revitalization and expansion to increase capacity for restoration projects, expand opportunities for public education, improve operational efficiency, and support future growth. Serving as the MEP engineer and technology designer, CMTA supported the transformation of the campus while helping Great Parks advance its net zero energy goals. Campus improvements included a new greenhouse, a climate-controlled seed storage facility, and a half-mile trail connecting the campus to the existing Shaker Trace Outer Loop.

The project also preserved and adaptively reused the site’s historic 1880s drying barn, transforming it into a flexible, all-season space for educational programming and special events. During site evaluation, Great Parks discovered a colony of brown bats inhabiting the structure. Rather than displacing the colony, the design team developed a solution that protected and enhanced its habitat. A custom-built bat enclosure, isolated from human activity, integrates a wildlife habitat directly into the renovated facility and reinforces the project’s broader commitment to conservation and environmental stewardship.

Sustainability was also central to the campus-wide design. CMTA designed a centralized geothermal wellfield to condition all buildings, including radiant heating for the greenhouse, an uncommon application of geothermal technology at this scale. Even with the greenhouse’s significant energy demands, the entire campus achieved net zero energy, with a solar array providing onsite generation to offset the facility’s annual energy consumption. The net zero project achieved LEED Certification and is also targeting Sustainable SITES Gold Certification.

Together, these improvements allow Shaker Trace to expand its conservation and restoration work while strengthening its role as a unique educational resource for the community.