The community received its first
view of the Fernald Preserve and its Visitors Center during a community meeting on August 20. Nearly 200 people attended the meeting and toured the Visitors Center and Preserve. An Associated Press article on the site's debut was carried by over 140 outlets, including outlets in Europe and Asia. Through the weekend, an additional 250 people toured the site.

The Visitors Center was designed and constructed in cooperation with the University of Cincinnati's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. The 10,000-square-foot building depicts the history of the Fernald site through a series of exhibits and
has a community meeting room designed to encourage the use of the facility by the public.

Consistent with Department Of Energy Secretarial initiatives, the Visitors Center was planned and constructed in a manner that has allowed it to qualify for “platinum” certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, which sponsors the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system.

The 1,050-acre Fernald Preserve was created following the environmental cleanup of the former Fernald uranium production facility. The site has been ecologically restored using plants, grasses, and trees native to southwest Ohio. The preserve has 140 acres of wetland habitat, 400 acres of forests, and 300 acres of grassland, including tall grass prairies. The ecological restoration is transforming the Fernald Preserve into a haven for wildlife. Over 170 species of birds have been observed, as have a variety of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects. A network of trails has been constructed to facilitate nature observation. An additional trail through a bio-diverse forest area will be constructed later in the year.

Prior to the meeting, DOE-Legacy Management Site Manager Jane Powell unveiled an Ohio Historical Society marker at the entrance to the Fernald Preserve. The marker commemorates Fernald as the “first link” in America's nuclear weapons production cycle. The new entrance sign, presented by the Fernald Community Alliance, was also unveiled.