Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association

Augusta-Anne Olsen State Nature Preserve near Wakeman showing signs of spring

While working on a preserve monitoring report at Augusta-Anne Olsen State Nature Preserve on March 26, ONAPA noted some spring wildflowers coming up - harbinger of spring, spring beauties, bluebells, wild leek, hepatica, and a few trillium.

Unfortunately there were also hundreds of plants of lesser celandine, a very invasive, non-native plant, some of which were already blooming. We even came across a salamander under a rock. We maintained social distancing during the hike and saw several other preserve visitors doing the same.

To help monitor preserves, volunteer HERE.

Augusta-Anne Olsen SNP in late March.

Stewardship projects planned for April through November 2020

ONAPA Lending a hand in preserves like Jackson Bog.

Since the ONAPA stewardship projects usually involve smaller groups, working in a scattered fashion, in a state nature preserve, we are still planning projects for late April-November. Depending on how long the concerns with the coronavirus outbreak last, we may have to cancel some of the spring projects. Currently we cannot work on DNAP’s state nature preserves or OHC’s state memorials, but we may be able to work on other partners’ natural areas if needed. We appreciate your patience and understanding as your well-being and health are of our utmost concern. You can still go hiking on state nature preserves, so feel free to visit one and even complete a preserve monitoring report for us while you are there (for reporting, go HERE on our website)! Download our stewardship project list HERE. Project descriptions will be available by early April.

ONAPA natural history field trips for 2020 suspended during coronavirus emergency

In as much as the coronavirus outbreak appears to be evolving rapidly, and has yet to peak, we have decided to suspend our natural history membership field trips in an effort to minimize the spread of COVID – 19. We have scheduled a field trip/tour of Denny’s tallgrass prairie for July 18 as well as the prairie seed collecting event for September 26.

We will re-assess the situation prior to these two scheduled events in order to determine the feasibility of proceeding with them, especially since they usually involve large groups. We will also decide in a few months whether to offer other smaller group field trips during mid-summer and fall. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Denny's prairie will be a summer show

Stewardship projects at state preserves cancelled due to coronavirus directive

Due to the coronavirus statewide emergency, ODNR has decided that group volunteer projects on state nature preserves are cancelled for the rest of March. This includes Lakeside Daisy Preserve on March 17, Cedar Bog on March 19, and Fowler Woods on March 25. ONAPA may reschedule them once we have a better idea of the situation. We are working on some replacement projects, but they are not confirmed yet.

Watch the website closely for new projects with other partners!

Mentor Marsh

Mallard Club

Richfield Heritage Preserve

Three more projects completed before coronavirus suspends activities in Ohio's State Nature Preserves

Despite the recent coronavirus frenzy, ONAPA has been outside working on stewardship for the past two weeks. The last three projects were at Mentor Marsh on March 3, Richfield Heritage Preserve on March 5, and Mallard Club Wildlife Area on March 12.

At Mentor Marsh, we worked with staff from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and the City of Mentor to remove woody invasives in the upland woods adjacent to the marsh. At Richfield Heritage Preserve, we worked with our partners from Friends of Crowell-Hilaka to remove woody invasives in the woods near the upper lake, including glossy buckthorn, privet, Asian bush honeysuckle, and hawthorn. At Mallard Club, we worked with Division of Wildlife staff to remove woody invasives, such as willows and dogwoods, from an Eastern prairie fringed orchid site.

Good stewardship was accomplished at all three sites and we had a great time outdoors!

Volunteers clear fen meadows at Myersville

On Tuesday, February 18, eight ONAPA volunteers worked diligently for four hours at Myersville Fen State Nature Preserve in Summit County to clear and treat woody species in one of the fen meadows.

The woody species invade the fen meadows from the edges and shade out rare and unusual plants. The species removed included glossy buckthorn, alders, willows, and elm, all shading out native fen plants along the north edge.

ONAPA volunteers show off handiwork - a pile of cut woody stems. Photo by Bob Klips.

Prairie fringed orchids get a helping hand

On Thursday, February 13, six hardy ONAPA volunteers worked at Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area in a unit near Holmesville where the Eastern prairie fringed orchid occurs.

The group cut down and treated woody species including alders, willows, and dogwoods to open up habitat for this rare orchid species. It was a cold, snowy day, but the group accomplished a significant amount of clearing. We are hopeful this work will benefit the orchids, which bloom in early July.

Save the date:
ONAPA Annual Meeting

Saturday, August 22, 2020

West Woods Nature Center
9465 Kinsman Road
Novelty, Ohio
(Geauga County)

Speakers and field trips are being planned

Another great day spent with Killbuck Watershed Land Trust

On Tuesday, January 28, seven ONAPA volunteers worked with Randy Carmel, president of the Killbuck Watershed Land Trust, at Brinkhaven Oak Barrens in Holmes County to cut and treat woody species in the southern barrens. We accomplished clearing a good section in the lower part of the barrens which was growing up in sumac and hazelnut.

First of two winter stewardship projects at Lakeside Daisy site opens alvar clearing

For the first stewardship project on the new addition to Lakeside Daisy SNP, we had a wonderful turnout of 21 people on Thursday, January 23! The group represented partners from DNAP, ONAPA, USFWS, Richfield Heritage Preserve, and East Harbor State Park, all excited to help at the new addition. We worked in two small alvar openings, removing mostly red cedars along with other woody species invading the openings. By removing the woody species, the Lakeside daisy and other rare plants will have improved, more open habitat. Three employees from East Harbor State Park brought a chipper so that most of the woody material could be chipped and removed from the openings. While it was a cloudy day, we accomplished a significant amount of clearing, more than we expected. We have another project planned for Tuesday, February 25. A sincere thanks to everyone that helped us celebrate and restore this new DNAP acquisition!

Richfield Heritage Preserve woody species removal day kicks off 2020 projects

On Thursday, January 16, a group of 19 hardy ONAPA and Friends of Crowell Hilaka (FoCH) volunteers worked together at Richfield Heritage Preserve in Summit County to cut and treat invasive woody species. The most rewarding part of the day was removing a large group of 33 Amur cork trees, a newly identified invasive tree in Ohio. This tree, a member of the citrus family from Asia, has been introduced through horticultural plantings and has escaped into woodlands. Most of the trees were small, but three to four were larger and over 30 years in age. They have separate male and female trees with distinctive corky, yellow inner bark (see photos). The group also worked on removing glossy buckthorn near the lower lake in the preserve. It was a cold, snowy day, but great work with partners was accomplished!

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 2019, 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 2019 ONAPA member field trip schedule can be found HERE. Please remember to RSVP in advance so that we can plan accordingly. 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.