Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association

Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Invasive Plants Control at Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve
10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
2381 State Route 343, Yellow Springs
Greene County

This 268-acre preserve protects one of the most spectacular dolomite and limestone gorges in the state. Registered as a National Natural Landmark in 1968, Clifton Gorge encompasses a 2-mile stretch of the Little Miami State & National Scenic River, just east of John Bryan State Park. The gorge protects one of the best examples of post-glacial and inter-glacial canyon cutting. The Silurian limestone and dolomite bedrock supports an abundance of plant life, including at least 347 species of wildflowers and 105 species of trees and shrubs. The cool north-facing slopes provide much needed moist, shady habitat for northern relics such as hemlock, Canada yew, arborvitae, red baneberry and mountain maple.

This stewardship project will focus on invasive species removal: garlic mustard, Dame's rocket and scouting for Japanese stiltgrass. We will be working on the south side of the river which is the Scientific side and usually requires an access permit to visit.

Hiking on the Scientific side of the preserve may be difficult as there are no trails & it is very rocky, including some mild climbing down rocks to reach some areas.

Directions: Park at the main Clifton Gorge parking lot, just west of Clifton on State Route 343.

What to Bring: Bring lunch, water and gloves. Herbicide treatment will be done by DNAP staff or trained ONAPA volunteers.

RSVP: If you would like to attend, please REGISTER. If you have questions, please contact The Ohio Natural Areas and Preserves Association HERE . Online registration is important for our planning.

Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Garlic mustard scouting and removal at Lake Katharine SNP

10:30 am – 3:30 pm
1703 Lake Katharine Road, Jackson
(Jackson County)

Lake Katharine is a magnificent, forested nature preserve of over 2,000 acres in Jackson County. It has a beautiful lake and over 6 miles of hiking trails, surrounded by spring wildflowers and many rare plants, including the bigleaf magnolia. Garlic mustard is one of the invasive plants that needs to be controlled to preserve wildflower diversity, particularly in the bottomlands. We will be pulling and hauling garlic mustard in several areas in the bottomlands.

Directions: Meet at the main parking lot near the maintenance building. The parking lot can be reached by taking State Street west out of Jackson about 2 miles, then turning right on County Road 85 (Lake Katharine Road) and proceeding 2 miles to the main parking lot.

What to bring: Lunch, water, hiking boots, and gloves.

RSVP: If you would like to attend, please REGISTER. If you have questions, please contact The Ohio Natural Areas and Preserves Association HERE . Online registration is important for our planning.

Let's talk Lakeside Daisies on Saturday, May 10 at 11 am

Jennifer Windus wil be our tour leader. Lakeside Daisy expert, naturalist and ONAPA Vice President, Jennifer will bring us up to date on the Lakeside Daisy Federal Recovery Plan. We will explore the associated alvar ecosystem with its bounty of the Lakeside Daisies -- which should be in full bloom -- at Lakeside Daisy State Nature. Other unusual, rare plants and the interesting glacial geology of the Marblehead peninsula on the shore of Lake Erie will be featured. Participation is limited to 20 and you will be given details of directions to the tour site when registering.

Registration Required - email [email protected]

Lakeside Daisies - Photo by Ian Adams

Melodious High Trill Advertises their Arrival – Eastern American Toad

American toads spawning

American Toad singing

Story and photos by John Watts

Amphibians begin migrating to spring vernal breeding pools in March, even earlier in the southern part of the state in many years. Those first warm March days and nights accompanied by some rain is the first signal to our earliest vocalizing breeders. As spring progresses into April, Eastern American Toads emerge and make their journey to the annual breeding pool or pond. Our most common toad, found in all 88 Ohio counties arrive between late March and early to mid-May depending on your location in Ohio. Temperatures reaching around 48.2 degrees (90 C) accompanied by a spring rain triggers their movements towards their pools.

If you have happened upon an American Toad breeding area, it’s a ruckus area once mating begins. Males begin singing or calling almost immediately upon arrival, a call referred to as an a “advertisement call.” Males arrive ahead of the females and use their singing abilities to attract females. Studies have shown that females will select males based on the greatest effort: the call duration and the call rate during their performances. Singing duration typically varies from 3.9 to 13.4 seconds and will vary based on temperatures. Peak vocalization is around April 15th on average and occurs during the day as well as night. Their melodious high trill can be easily imitated by whistling and humming at the same time.

If you approach a pool with vocalizing males they will typically stop and sit perfectly still. Be patient. Find a log or place to sit and within a few minutes or so they will slowly start back up. They only have a limited amount of time each spring so the clock pushes them to continue. Take some time during your spring hikes to watch a breeding pool and listen to their songs; after all they are putting the best efforts into the audition.

References
Pfingsten, R.A., J.G. Davis, T.O. Matson, G.J. Lipps, Jr., D. Wynn, and B.J. Armitage (Editors). 2013. Amphibians of Ohio. Ohio Biological Survey Bulletin New Series. Vol. 17, Vol. 1., pp. 467-482.

Seven stewardship projects completed in February and March

The ONAPA stewardship team kept busy in February and March with seven projects total. The weather cooperated for most of the projects, and we were able to accomplish some excellent habitat management. In February, we worked at Singer Lake, Travertine Fen, Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area, and Cedar Bog, with large volunteer groups at both Travertine Fen and Cedar Bog. In March, we worked at Medway prairie fringed orchid site, Daughmer Savanna, and Wolf Run Regional Park. At all these natural areas, we cut and treated woody species. We were also able to conduct prescribed burns on hree days in March.

Three stewardship projects completed in January with no cancellations due to weather

Lakeside Daisy SNP

Bonnett Pond Bog

Lakeside Daisy SNP

Brinkhaven Oak Barrens

Despite some cold and snowy days in January, ONAPA started off the new year with three stewardship projects and did not have to cancel any of them. We appreciated the hardy volunteers and DNAP staff that joined us as we accomplished good work on these preserves all three days:

Lakeside Daisy Preserve (January 14) - red cedar removal with six people
Brinkhaven Oak Barrens (January 23) - woody species removal in the north barrens with five people (photo)
Bonnett Pond Bog (January 28) - woody species removal in the bog meadow with nine people

These were all important projects, especially Bonnett Pond Bog as we cannot work in the bog meadow unless the pond is frozen (for safe and easy access), so thankfully it was very frozen this year.

Volunteer Stewardship

Stewardship Project Reports

Member Activities

Member Activity Reports

Stewardship
Projects

We plan stewardship projects year-round throughout Ohio and we are always looking for volunteers. We will include a short field trip on each project to see some of the preserve where we are working.

Member
Field Trips

Preserve
Monitoring

Field trips are scheduled from late spring into early fall. Most are easy walks through our state's Division of Natural Area's preserves. Watch the website and Facebook page for updates.

Any state nature preserve in your area can be visited and a report completed to help inform ONAPA and the preserve managers about the condition of the preserve.