Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association

Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Garlic Mustard Control at Lake Katharine State Nature Preserve
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.

Tan ribbons sway and float in headwater streams: Least Brook Lamprey

By John Watts

Six species of native lampreys occur in Ohio (one additional species is non-native). Often referred to as living fossils, these jawless, eel-like fish have changed little over the past 360 million years. While some lampreys are parasitic, the Least Brook Lamprey is a non-parasitic species and is Ohio’s smallest lamprey measuring 6-7 inches in total length. The Least Brook Lamprey lives a rather cryptic life inhabiting small forested streams in eastern, southern and southeastern Ohio.

Least Brook Lamprey excavating a nest

Least Brook Lampreys are tan to brown in color, blending in perfectly with the small gravel of sandstone bottom streams. While there are many unique features of this species, their spring spawning process is an extraordinary sight to see. Spawning takes place in the spring when water temperatures exceed fifty degrees. The water temperature triggers the males to move to areas of small clean gravel to begin excavating nests and wait for the females to arrive. Least Brook Lampreys are the earliest of the Ohio lampreys to spawn beginning as early as late March peaking in April. Mating is completed by the males and females vibrating against each other side by side releasing sperm and eggs into the nests. Once spawning is completed and their energy is spent, they will die within a short period of time. While hiking this spring, take a moment to pause before crossing those small streams and watch for what will look like a tan ribbon swaying in the clean sand and gravel for a chance to see this remarkable aquatic species.
References:
   Rice, Daniel L., and Gary Meszaros. 2014. Native Fishes of Ohio. The Kent State University Press, Kent, Ohio. 113 p.
   Rice, Daniel L., and B. Zimmerman. 2019. A Naturalist Guide to the Fishes of Ohio. Special Publication of the Ohio Biological Survey. Vii + 391 p.
   Trautman, Milton B. 1981. The Fishes of Ohio. The Ohio State University Press, Columbus, Ohio. 782 p.

April in Ohio is the showy start of wildflower season that stretches into October. ONAPA encourages you to visit our natural areas and preserves to discover the diverse beauty of the the seasons. At home, consider adding to your landscape with plants native to your area.

Stewardship work clears way for endangered plants

Sheldon Marsh beach

On Tuesday, March 16, eight ONAPA volunteers worked with DNAP preserve manager, Warren Dunegan on the barrier beach at Sheldon Marsh to remove woody species in the beach grass areas. This was a new project for ONAPA and we all enjoyed working on the beach on a beautiful, sunny day. We worked in several small openings among the cottonwoods where there is beach grass, rare sedges, and beach wormwood, a state threatened plant. The beach area has grown up in woody species such as willows, cottonwood, dogwood, and osage orange over the years, plus many larger cottonwoods have fallen down on the beach from storms and higher lake levels. Our project was a great start to restoring some of the open beach habitat for rare plants and shore birds.

On Tuesday, March 23, six ONAPA volunteers worked at Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area, in one of the sedge meadows where prairie fringed orchids occur. We removed willows, alders, and dogwoods, opening the sedge meadow which should improve the habitat. ONAPA will assist with surveys this summer to see how many blooming orchids are found.

Killbuck Marsh sedge meadow

Early March weather a mixed bag for stewardship projects

ONAPA started March out with three stewardship projects at Little Rocky Hollow, Mallard Club Wildlife Area, and Jackson Bog.

At Little Rocky Hollow on March 3, three ONAPA volunteers worked with five DNAP staff to conduct surveys for hemlock wooly adelgid. (The project was moved from nearby Sheick Hollow because the parking area was impassable.) Fortunately we did not find any HWA, but the ice formations and waterfalls were spectacular.

On a dreary, cold March 4, four ONAPA volunteers and one USFWS staff cleared woody species at Mallard Club Wildlife Area in Lucas County in one of the prairie fringed orchid areas.

On March 9, a beautiful warm day, nine ONAPA volunteers worked with DNAP preserve manager, Charlotte Trolio, at Jackson Bog in one of the fen meadows.

Two Little Rocky Hollow ice sculptures

Volunteers removed invading woody species. This project had been rescheduled twice, but we had a great day and cleared a significant area, cutting glossy buckthorn, red maples, and alders.

Jackson Bog work near the boardwalk

Mallard Club clearing

Clearing woody species at Jackson Bog

New boardwalk at Fowler Woods a pleasure to walk during any season

By Dick Moseley
Fowler Woods Nature Preserve opened again to visitors October 26 after the new boardwalk was completed ahead of schedule . The Division of Natural Areas and Preserves held a ribbon-cutting ceremony October 23 to reopen the preserve for visitation on the preserve’s new boardwalk. ODNR Director Mary Mertz and DNAP Chief Jeff Johnson spoke to the small gathering of ten invited guests at a ribbon-cutting ceremony to dedicate the walkway that replaced the 40-year-old boardwalk.

Jagger Construction Company of Lima replaced the 1-1/4 mile trail with a fully accessible trail from the entrance parking lot. Whether physically challenged or accompanied by young children, everyone has an opportunity to experience this beautiful Beech-Maple Swamp Forest. The trail winds through the wetland swamp forest and the upland beech and maple forest, offering a variety of habitats and flora.

The project. costing $ 486,200, was funded by an 80 percent Federal Recreation Trail Grant, matched by the Division of Natural Areas & Preserves' 20 percent, which was financed from the Income Tax Checkoff Program.

Come enjoy this beautiful Nature Preserve, whether snow-covered in winter or when spring wildflowers are on full display.

Volunteer Stewardship Project Reports

For the latest Stewardship Project Reports,
CLICK HERE.

Member Activities

For the latest Member Activity Reports,
CLICK HERE,

Stewardship
Projects

We have several stewardship projects planned for 2020, some of which are again on weekdays this year. We will include a short field trip on each project to see some of the preserve we are working at. RSVP HERE.

Member
Field Trips

Preserve
Monitoring

The 2020 ONAPA member field trip schedule has been put on hold due to the pandemic. Watch the website and Facebook page for updates.

Not a member? Join HERE.

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. Click HERE for information.