2016 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
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March 5, 2016
Ray Stewart conducted Marsh Monitoring Training Martin Center for Field Studies and Environmental Education Bath Nature Preserve 4240 Ira Road Akron, OH 44333-1140 March 19, 2016
Ray Stewart conducted Marsh Monitoring Training Old Woman Creek State Nature Preserve 2514 Cleveland Road, East Huron, OH 44839 |
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March 20, 2016 at 2 p.m.
Ray Stewart presented Wetlands Will Save the World Bainbridge Town Hall 17826 Chillicothie Road (SR 306) South Russell, OH Sponsored by www.protectgeaugaparks.us |
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March 26, 2016
OWA hosted a Vernal Pool Workshop at Dawes Arboretum
The first Vernal Pool Workshop of 2016 was held on Saturday, March 26, 2016 at Dawes Arboretum in Heath Ohio. 45 people attended and heard presentations given by Mick Micacchion, Wendell Patton, Shana Byrd, and Ray Stewart. The day concluded with a field trip to one of Dawes' vernal pools. See photos below.
OWA hosted a Vernal Pool Workshop at Dawes Arboretum
The first Vernal Pool Workshop of 2016 was held on Saturday, March 26, 2016 at Dawes Arboretum in Heath Ohio. 45 people attended and heard presentations given by Mick Micacchion, Wendell Patton, Shana Byrd, and Ray Stewart. The day concluded with a field trip to one of Dawes' vernal pools. See photos below.
DAWES ARBORETUM VERNAL POOL WORKSHOP PHOTO GALLERY
April 9, 2016
OWA hosted a Vernal Pool Workshop at The Wilderness Center
The second Vernal Pool Workshop of 2016 was held on Saturday, April 9, 2016 at the Wilderness Center in Wilmot Ohio. 52 people attended and heard presentations given by Mick Micacchion, Mark Dilley, Gary Popotnick, Scott Thomas, and Ray Stewart. The day concluded with a field trip to one of the Wilderness Center's vernal pools. See photos below.
OWA hosted a Vernal Pool Workshop at The Wilderness Center
The second Vernal Pool Workshop of 2016 was held on Saturday, April 9, 2016 at the Wilderness Center in Wilmot Ohio. 52 people attended and heard presentations given by Mick Micacchion, Mark Dilley, Gary Popotnick, Scott Thomas, and Ray Stewart. The day concluded with a field trip to one of the Wilderness Center's vernal pools. See photos below.
WILDERNESS CENTER VERNAL POOL WORKSHOP PHOTO GALLERY
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April, 20916
We published the Fourth Edition of Ohio's Hidden Wonders A Guide to the Animals and Plants of Vernal Pools Order HERE! |
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Annual Wetlands Garden Party & Plant Sale
On Saturday, May 28, 2016 we hosted our annual meeting, garden party and plant sale in Amherst, Ohio with the theme of bringing wetlands home with your landscape.
Plants sold included Sawtooth Sunflower, Brown-eyed Susan, Thimbleweed, Sweet Flag, Sweetgrass, Winterberry Holly, Muskingum Sedge, Swamp Milkweed, Lakeside Sedge, Wild Ginger, and Mist Flower. The plants were donated by the following generous donors:
Cardno Native Plant Nursery, Scioto Gardens, and
Natives in Harmony. Other activities included a short board meeting, a silent auction and pot luck dinner.
Plants sold included Sawtooth Sunflower, Brown-eyed Susan, Thimbleweed, Sweet Flag, Sweetgrass, Winterberry Holly, Muskingum Sedge, Swamp Milkweed, Lakeside Sedge, Wild Ginger, and Mist Flower. The plants were donated by the following generous donors:
Cardno Native Plant Nursery, Scioto Gardens, and
Natives in Harmony. Other activities included a short board meeting, a silent auction and pot luck dinner.
2016 GUIDED FIELD TRIPS
Wetlands Walk at Kitty Todd State Nature Preserve
Saturday, May 14, 2016
10 a.m.
Located in western Lucas County north of Old State Line Road.
Lucas County
Leader: Ray Stewart
Kitty Todd Preserve is one of the finest nature preserves in the Oak Openings region of northwestern Ohio. The preserve was named in honor of Toledo conservationist and former Nature Conservancy board member, Kitty Todd.
The Oak Openings region was originally characterized by a series of windblown sand dunes and wetlands that were saturated in winter and spring and extremely dry in summer. These conditions gave rise to vegetation ranging from dry sand barren and oak savanna on the raised dunes to moist sedge meadow and wet prairie in the low-lying swales. Kitty Todd supports a number of these small sand dunes, interesting examples of the unusual geology of the Oak Openings region.
The Great Black Swamp Tour
April 30, 2016
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Bell Woods Preserve
Goll Woods State Nature Preserve
Forrest Woods Nature Preserve
Cosponsored by Black Swamp Conservancy
Seeing these last Great Black Swamp forests in Northwest Ohio will require some travel. It is 100 miles from start to finish. We recommended that you bring your lunch and refreshment. Car-pooling will make the trip more enjoyable and keep your carbon footprint low.
The former Great Black Swamp of Northwest Ohio is estimated to include 3 million acres. It stretched from Sandusky Bay to Toledo and up the Maumee River basin to Fort Wayne, Indiana. It was the last region of Ohio to be settled. The swamp was nearly impassable. Cleared and drained this region has become an agricultural powerhouse. Today there are few examples of Swamp Forest that remain. On this tour we will see the best remaining examples of this unique wetland community. Large trees, spring wildflowers and migrating birds will give us plenty to look at.
Bell Woods
Starting the trip at the office of the Black Swamp Conservancy we will visit an 80-acre tract of woods. The property, which features extensive wetlands and bountiful wildflower blooms, is known to harbor ten state-listed species.
Goll Woods State Nature Preserve
The least disturbed woodland known to remain from the Great Black Swamp. Covering 321 acres, this preserve features some of the largest trees remaining in the state. An outstanding feature of this woods is the abundance of giant bur oaks and exceptionally large white oaks, chinquapin oaks and cottonwoods.
Forrest Woods Nature Preserve
At 292 acres, Forrest Woods Nature Preserve is Black Swamp Conservancy's largest owned nature preserve. This site, which is one of the finest remnants of the historic Great Black Swamp, is home to more than 30 rare, threatened and endangered species of plants and animals.
Saturday, May 14, 2016
10 a.m.
Located in western Lucas County north of Old State Line Road.
Lucas County
Leader: Ray Stewart
Kitty Todd Preserve is one of the finest nature preserves in the Oak Openings region of northwestern Ohio. The preserve was named in honor of Toledo conservationist and former Nature Conservancy board member, Kitty Todd.
The Oak Openings region was originally characterized by a series of windblown sand dunes and wetlands that were saturated in winter and spring and extremely dry in summer. These conditions gave rise to vegetation ranging from dry sand barren and oak savanna on the raised dunes to moist sedge meadow and wet prairie in the low-lying swales. Kitty Todd supports a number of these small sand dunes, interesting examples of the unusual geology of the Oak Openings region.
The Great Black Swamp Tour
April 30, 2016
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Bell Woods Preserve
Goll Woods State Nature Preserve
Forrest Woods Nature Preserve
Cosponsored by Black Swamp Conservancy
Seeing these last Great Black Swamp forests in Northwest Ohio will require some travel. It is 100 miles from start to finish. We recommended that you bring your lunch and refreshment. Car-pooling will make the trip more enjoyable and keep your carbon footprint low.
The former Great Black Swamp of Northwest Ohio is estimated to include 3 million acres. It stretched from Sandusky Bay to Toledo and up the Maumee River basin to Fort Wayne, Indiana. It was the last region of Ohio to be settled. The swamp was nearly impassable. Cleared and drained this region has become an agricultural powerhouse. Today there are few examples of Swamp Forest that remain. On this tour we will see the best remaining examples of this unique wetland community. Large trees, spring wildflowers and migrating birds will give us plenty to look at.
Bell Woods
Starting the trip at the office of the Black Swamp Conservancy we will visit an 80-acre tract of woods. The property, which features extensive wetlands and bountiful wildflower blooms, is known to harbor ten state-listed species.
Goll Woods State Nature Preserve
The least disturbed woodland known to remain from the Great Black Swamp. Covering 321 acres, this preserve features some of the largest trees remaining in the state. An outstanding feature of this woods is the abundance of giant bur oaks and exceptionally large white oaks, chinquapin oaks and cottonwoods.
Forrest Woods Nature Preserve
At 292 acres, Forrest Woods Nature Preserve is Black Swamp Conservancy's largest owned nature preserve. This site, which is one of the finest remnants of the historic Great Black Swamp, is home to more than 30 rare, threatened and endangered species of plants and animals.
VERNAL POOL EXPEDITIONS
Vernal Pool Expedition to Gahanna Woods State Nature Preserve
May 14, 2016
10 a.m. - Noon
Gahanna Woods State Nature Preserve
Taylor Station Rd, Gahanna, OH 43230
Franklin County
Gahanna Woods encompasses a variety of wooded and successional habitats in an urban setting. This preserve protects perhaps the best remaining complex of buttonbush swamps and vernal pools in central Ohio. A pin oak-silver maple swamp forest surrounds these woodland pools.
Vernal Pool Expedition to Edison Woods MetroPark
June 11, 2016
10 a.m - noon
Edison Woods Preserve
10186 Ceylon Rd (SR 61)
Berlin Heights, Ohio 44814
Erie County
Wetlands, woodlands, sandstone cliffs and meadows all make up the 1300 acres of the Edison Woods Preserve located north of Berlin Heights, Ohio on State Route 61. When completed, the preserve will boast over seven miles of trails that are ideal for hiking, cross county, skiing, bird watching as well as horseback riding.
May 14, 2016
10 a.m. - Noon
Gahanna Woods State Nature Preserve
Taylor Station Rd, Gahanna, OH 43230
Franklin County
Gahanna Woods encompasses a variety of wooded and successional habitats in an urban setting. This preserve protects perhaps the best remaining complex of buttonbush swamps and vernal pools in central Ohio. A pin oak-silver maple swamp forest surrounds these woodland pools.
Vernal Pool Expedition to Edison Woods MetroPark
June 11, 2016
10 a.m - noon
Edison Woods Preserve
10186 Ceylon Rd (SR 61)
Berlin Heights, Ohio 44814
Erie County
Wetlands, woodlands, sandstone cliffs and meadows all make up the 1300 acres of the Edison Woods Preserve located north of Berlin Heights, Ohio on State Route 61. When completed, the preserve will boast over seven miles of trails that are ideal for hiking, cross county, skiing, bird watching as well as horseback riding.
WETLANDS SCIENCE SUMMIT
"Life on the Edge: Where Humans Meet Wetlands" was held in Richfield Ohio on September 10, 2016 with daytime presentations and an evening social time and dinner buffet. This event was hosted by the Ohio Wetlands Association and the Society of Wetland Scientists, North Central Chapter. Several students attended taking advantage of scholarships OWA offered.
The edge effect refers to the special population and community structures that develop at the boundary of two habitats. Wetlands are often on this kind of edge between upland and open water. The result can be a highly complex and diverse ecosystem. In a world reeling from the impacts of human activities, the 'edge effect' is also one of disturbance that alters ecological functions and impoverishes the natural landscape. Management and restoration efforts are often challenged under these conditions. Our exploration of the theme 'Life on the Edge' focuses on informative wetland health metrics and innovative restoration perspectives and techniques in light of the demands of human-induced edge effects.
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Lake Erie Watershed ConferenceOn October 28, 2016 OWA set up a watershed display at the Rotary Lake Erie Watershed Conference in Toledo Ohio. This display demonstrated the importance of wetlands as a natural water cleaning agent in the landscape.
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