Miami alumna gives back to protect natural campus she loves

For nearly 20 years, Anne Davenport found comfort and inspiration in the woods, creeks, and trails that weave through Miami University’s scenic Oxford campus. Now, she’s ensuring future generations can find that same peace.

A $100,000 endowment from the Miami alumna has established the Anne E. Davenport Natural Areas Support Fund, which will provide long-term care for nearly 1,000 acres of protected land and 23 miles of hiking trails – about half the size of the Butler County campus. Her gift supports Miami’s Natural Areas, a network of trails and protected lands the university has carefully maintained for decades.

“I am very grateful, on behalf of the Natural Areas Committee, for Anne Davenport’s very generous gift,” said David Gorchov, professor of biology and committee chair. “Her endowment will enhance our ability to maintain and improve the trails in Miami University’s Natural Areas, increasing the accessibility of the Natural Areas to everyone.”

Creating living, growing classrooms

Miami moved to permanently protect its sprawling green spaces in 1992 through the creation of its Natural Areas program. The university established the Natural Areas Committee to oversee the land – managing wildlife, maintaining trails and controlling invasive species. It also banned hunting, camping and bicycling to preserve habitats for both recreation and academic study in fields such as biology and zoology.

The endowment will support key areas across campus, from well-known trails to specialized habitats, providing both recreational and educational opportunities. Among them is the Timothy Marcum Memorial Center and Trail, which runs behind the Marcum Hotel and Conference Center through steep slopes and floodplains extending to State Route 73.

“This natural area is extremely important because it lends additional protection to Four Mile Creek and contains excellent habitats for study and research,” Gorchov said.

The Natural Areas encompass several other sites that draw students, researchers, and visitors alike:

• Silvoor Biological Sanctuary, a 2.5-acre tract donated in 1978 and expanded in 1980, features more than 60 species of native wildflowers that bloom each spring.
• Peffer Park, an 80-acre property south of campus, offers hiking, skiing, and birdwatching while supporting outdoor recreation and research in the natural sciences.
• The Bird Blind and Butterfly Gardens, near the DeWitt Log House in Bachelor Preserve, provide opportunities for birding and pollinator study, maintained by Miami University Audubon and Miami Valley Audubon.
• A newly constructed Chimney Swift Tower, built by Miami students in 2024, aids in the conservation of migratory birds whose populations have sharply declined over the past 50 years.

Together, these landscapes form what many at Miami consider the university’s living classroom – and its sanctuary. Visitors from both the university and the wider community can hike, birdwatch, conduct research or simply enjoy the peace of the creeks and woods.

“Gifts – both recent and historical; both large and small – provide nearly all of the financial support for the Natural Areas,” Gorchov said.

Preserving the Miami that Davenport fell in love with

For Davenport, the gift and endowment reflect not just her love of nature, but a lifetime of connection to Miami. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and mathematics in 1978 and an MBA in accounting and tax in 1983. She later returned to teach in the Department of Accountancy and served as the university’s tax compliance coordinator before leaving in 2005 for leadership roles at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Wake Forest University.

“Although I owe my successful career to the Miami University Accounting Department,” she said, “it was the natural areas around Marcum Center, the gardens, the woods, the creek, and the pastures that soothed my soul during my 20 years spent at Miami as a student, an instructor and in administration.”

Now retired, she said the outdoor spaces that shaped her Miami experience remain close to her heart. The endowment’s annual distributions will support maintenance and improvements to the university’s Natural Areas, with priority given to the Marcum Center woods, gardens, and trails she frequented for years.

“These areas are part of the extracurricular ambiance that makes Miami so different and so special,” she said.

Miami Natural Areas