Student activists lost the battle against mining near Dysart Woods Monday when the Division of Mines and Reclamation gave Ohio Valley Coal Co. the go-ahead to mine near the forest.

Permit number six, allowing Ohio Valley to mine 1.75 miles away from Dysart Woods, was granted Monday by Lisa Morris, division of mines deputy chief.

Dysart Woods, a 50-acre, 400-year-old tract in Belmont County, is the only ancient forest left in the Midwest. OU students use the laboratory there for research as well as recreation.

Reactions to the permit approval were mixed at OU.

"It's just what we were afraid would happen," said Chad Kister, president of OU Campus Greens, an environmentalist group. He said the Greens will stage a protest demonstration next Wednesday outside of division of mines offices.

Irwin Ungar, director of the Dysart Woods Land Laboratory, said he is disappointed the permit was granted without further study of the damage it could do to the woods.

Jeff Baran, Environmental Awareness commissioner for Student Senate, said he also is unhappy with the decision.

Student Senate recently adopted a resolution against the granting of permits for mining near or under Dysart Woods, he said.

The resolution was a reaction to an anti-mining petition signed by more than 5,000 students and delivered to division of mines by the OU Campus Greens.

"The position that Student Senate has taken through its resolution is that it is absolutely opposed to the granting of any permits allowing mining any closer to or under Dysart," Baran said.

But Gary North, OU's spokesperson, had a different opinion.

"(Permit six) has probably attracted more attention than permit six deserves," he said. "It did not appear to anyone who has taken a look at it that mining would have any adverse effect on the woods."

He said his main concern is permit number seven, which will be decided in one month and could allow Ohio Valley to mine closer to Dysart.

"Permit six is essentially the first step in the movement towards the woods," he said.

North also responded to criticism from Belmont County activists that the OU administration did not fight permit six enough.

"It's easy to say, but it's not quite as easy to accomplish," he said. "They don't see all the activity that's going on."

He said OU has considered research into the impact of mining on Dysart from scientists at OU, Ohio Valley and Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Protesters of permit six have 30 days to file an appeal with the Ohio Reclamation Commission.

John Burns, OU director of legal affairs, said the university will not file an appeal, because the situation does not meet appeal guidelines.

To appeal, one must claim a coal company has wrongful ownership of the mine site and/or could damage the land by nearby mining, he said.