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Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Woody Species Control at Cranberry Bog State Nature Preserve 10:00 am – 3:00 pm Buckeye Lake, Licking County |
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Now called Buckeye Lake, this lake was once a swamp that was to be converted into a reservoir to feed the Ohio and Erie Canal system. The plan did not work well because the new lake was too shallow to feed the canal for barge traffic, especially during the dry season. Strangely, it was the impoundment of the swamp in 1830 which made Cranberry Bog so unique. As the waters backed up behind the dike, all of the big swamp was inundated and destroyed, except the very youngest and therefore most buoyant segment of the bog mat. Instead of disappearing beneath the mucky waters, as did most of the adjacent swamp forest, a 50-acre upper segment of the bog mat along the north shore stretched and expanded like a giant water-logged sponge and rose 8 feet with the new water level. No longer did the floating bog mat surround the glacial lake as is typically the case with bogs. Now the lake surrounded the bog mat, the only known such occurrence of its kind in the world.
Little habitat management has been done on the bog during the past several years and the bog meadows are severely invaded by woody species, including poison sumac. We will be working in the main bog meadow where the boardwalk is located, to open the meadow up as much as possible. Activities will include cutting woody species, hauling cut stems to brush piles, and trained volunteers or DNAP staff will treat the cut stems with herbicides.
Directions: We will be meeting at the North Shore boat ramp at Buckeye Lake State Park at 10am to take a pontoon boat to the island. Take State Route 79 south from I-70, then follow SR 79 south until the curve where you enter the state park. Park in the large parking lot and look for the boat at one of the docks to take us to the island. Be sure to register if you wish to attend this project and more details will be provided in advance. We will need to know how many people are coming to arrange for sufficient boat transportation as the state park will be providing the boat.
What to bring: Bring lunch, water, gloves, and muck boots. Herbicide treatment will be done by DNAP staff or trained ONAPA volunteers. Tools will be provided.
RSVP: If you would like to attend or have questions, please contact The Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association HERE.
Little habitat management has been done on the bog during the past several years and the bog meadows are severely invaded by woody species, including poison sumac. We will be working in the main bog meadow where the boardwalk is located, to open the meadow up as much as possible. Activities will include cutting woody species, hauling cut stems to brush piles, and trained volunteers or DNAP staff will treat the cut stems with herbicides.
Directions: We will be meeting at the North Shore boat ramp at Buckeye Lake State Park at 10am to take a pontoon boat to the island. Take State Route 79 south from I-70, then follow SR 79 south until the curve where you enter the state park. Park in the large parking lot and look for the boat at one of the docks to take us to the island. Be sure to register if you wish to attend this project and more details will be provided in advance. We will need to know how many people are coming to arrange for sufficient boat transportation as the state park will be providing the boat.
What to bring: Bring lunch, water, gloves, and muck boots. Herbicide treatment will be done by DNAP staff or trained ONAPA volunteers. Tools will be provided.
RSVP: If you would like to attend or have questions, please contact The Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association HERE.
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Another fen gets help from ONAPA volunteers
On Wednesday, August 28, seven ONAPA volunteers and two DNAP staff worked together at the Headwaters section of Kiser Lake Fen to treat cattails and woody species. We were happy to welcome Tim Snyder (ONAPA Board member and Stewardship team co-leader) back to our team as he had suffered a heart attack in May. He was glad to be back in the field with us, although he did fall in a hole in the fen while treating cattails! We hand-wicked cattails selectively and cut and treated woody species in the fen meadow. The meadow is looking much better since last year. 
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7th Annual Meeting at the Goslin Nature Center gives attendees an up close look at Ohio's natural, often rare, treasures
The speakers were informative, the food was delicious and the weather held only a few raindrops for the afternoon field trips. For more on this year's event, go to the 2019 Annual Meeting. |
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Spider search on the prairie leads to 21 arachnid species
On Saturday, August 24, Dr. Richard Bradley provided 24 ONAPA members with a fascinating look inside the world of Ohio spiders. Not only did Dr. Bradley share his amazing wealth of knowledge about spiders with field trip participants, but he also provided them with a firsthand look of 21 different species from the large and colorful Black-and-yellow Garden Spider and Marbled Orbweaver, to some species so small they would normally go unnoticed. Dr. Bradley demonstrated an extraordinary ability to locate spider webs and their occupants that would otherwise |
appear nearly invisible to the casual observer. This was another in a series of ONAPA field trips that was fun and informative.
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Treating cattails in the dog days of summer at Springville Marsh
On Wednesday, August 14, another hot and humid day, five ONAPA volunteers worked with preserve manager, Ryan Schroeder, to treat cattails with herbicide at Springville Marsh SNP. The technique we used was a very selective hand wicking method to apply herbicide to individual cattail plants, ensuring minimal damage to adjacent native plants. This method helps to control cattails as they invade the remnant sedge meadows. 
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Purple loosestrife removed and boardwalk repaired at Jackson Bog, thanks to volunteers
On a very hot and humid Saturday, July 20, eight ONAPA volunteers and two DNAP staff worked at Jackson Bog SNP to remove purple loosestrife and repair a section of boardwalk. Several worked on removing loosestrife, which is very abundant this year in the fen meadows. A smaller crew removed a damaged section of boardwalk and replaced it. The new boardwalk section looks great, thanks to Ron Massoli, one of our ONAPA volunteers. Preserve manager Charlotte was especially grateful for his help. |
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Cedar Bog's meadow habitat gets some help from ONAPA volunteers
On Wednesday, July 10, 12 ONAPA volunteers worked with preserve manager, Mike Crackel from Ohio History Connection, to remove woody species in two different areas at Cedar Bog. Cedar Bog, which is actually an alkaline fen, needs open meadow habitat to maintain the many rare species of plants and animals it harbors. Volunteers worked near the visitor center to begin to re-open a meadow which is currently tall dogwoods and willows. They also worked in one of the fen meadows along the boardwalk to remove woody species, including invading tulip trees and white cedars. ONAPA is happy to partner with OHC to help manage these important habitats.
On Wednesday, July 10, 12 ONAPA volunteers worked with preserve manager, Mike Crackel from Ohio History Connection, to remove woody species in two different areas at Cedar Bog. Cedar Bog, which is actually an alkaline fen, needs open meadow habitat to maintain the many rare species of plants and animals it harbors. Volunteers worked near the visitor center to begin to re-open a meadow which is currently tall dogwoods and willows. They also worked in one of the fen meadows along the boardwalk to remove woody species, including invading tulip trees and white cedars. ONAPA is happy to partner with OHC to help manage these important habitats.
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Member Activities
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