Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association

Thursday, February 3, 2022
Woody Species Removal at Bonnett Pond Bog State Nature Preserve

10:30 am - 3:30 pm
State Route 179, Northeast of Loudonville, Holmes County
NOTE: IF BOG IS NOT FROZEN, WE WILL MOVE TO JACKSON BOG THAT DAY (SEE MARCH 31 DESCRIPTION)

Bonnett Pond Bog State Nature Preserve is a small, 16-acre, high-quality sphagnum kettle-hole bog. A floating sphagnum mat with bog plants such as large cranberry, poison sumac, round-leaved sundew, swamp loosestrife, little prickly sedge, white beak-rush, highbush blueberry, and glaucous sedge surround the dark acidic waters of the bog lake. There are some large trees on the wooded slopes surrounding the kettle-hole bog.

Our project includes removing woody shrubs such as highbush blueberry from the bog meadow. We will be using the cut stump treatment method. Each shrub will be cut with loppers and the stump will be treated with herbicide to prevent re-sprouting. Trained DNAP

staff and ONAPA volunteers will conduct the herbicide application. Note that poison sumac is present in this bog, so special care will be taken to avoid it.

Directions: In Washington Township, the preserve is located on State Route 179. From Loudonville, proceed northeast on SR 3. Turn right on SR 179. The preserve will be on the left before you reach Lakeville. Parking is very limited; a few cars can park at the edge of the field near the electric substation, while others may need to park at the intersection of SR 3 and SR 179 (and be shuttled to the preserve). The preserve is mostly wooded and you will see state nature preserve boundary signs from the road. Due to the lack of facilities and the sensitive species present in the small bog, access is usually by permit only from the Division of Natural Areas and Preserves.

What to bring: Lunch, water, muck/knee boots, and gloves.

RSVP: To attend, please REGISTER HERE. If you have questions, please contact the Ohio Natural Areas and Preserves Association HERE.

Still time to sign up for Pollinator Symposium

This free virtual series is offered through the Ashtabula Master Gardeners and OSU Extension. Register at go.osu.edu/neops2022.

February 9 – 7PM: “Bumble bees of Ohio – the search for the rusty patched bumble bee” presented by Dr. Randall Mitchell, Professor, Department of Biology, University of Akron.
February 23 – 7PM: “The Value of Vacant Land as Bee Habitat” presented by Dr. Mary Gardiner, Professor, Department of Entomology, Ohio State University.
March 9 – 7PM: “BioBlitz your Backyard” presented by Rose Mary Burns, Linda Dole, and Carol Blake, Master Gardeners, Suzanne Westlake, Ashtabula Soil & Water Conservation District.

The sessions will be recorded. This will allow you to watch the

presentations as your schedule allows, including the January 12 program on "Important Trees, Shrubs and Vines to Attract Beneficial Insects and Birds, presented by Judy Semroc, Field Biologist and Naturalist.

Inviting Biodiversity into Our Gardens is a free five session series that will educate and inspire anyone eager to learn about creating pollinator and wildlife habitats using native plants and trees to promote biodiversity, species richness and ecological resilience. The series of 3-hour sessions began January 12 and will continue every two weeks through March 9. Registration for each individual session is required. To register, visit the Western Reserve Land Conservancy website. The next session is January 26.

Session 3: Forests and Pollinators: Sustaining a Close-knit Ecosystem
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
1:00 – 4:00 pm ET

The third of five, this session will focus on the integral role trees play in attracting pollinators to our gardens. Our presenters will address oaks and other woody species in our landscape, and how pests are affecting our forests, and in turn pollinators.

1:00 pm ET
The American Oaks: Diversity, Ecology and Identification
Tim Boland, Executive Director, The Polly Hill Arboretum

2:00 pm ET
Forest Health Research: Protecting the Forest Ecosystem

3:00 pm ET
Selecting Native Trees and Shrubs that Support Pollinators
Heather Holm, Author and Biologist

Search for signs of our largest moth during your winter walks in the forest

Bag cocoon of Cecropia moth. Photo by John Watts

By John Watts

On warmer days especially, we often catch glimpses of insects during winter hikes. Sunny, calm days in the mid to upper 40’s can spur midges to hatch. A few degrees warmer may stir a Mourning Cloak, Question Mark or Eastern Comma butterfly to fly for a few hours before returning to its winter slumber. Winter stoneflies emerge from stream bottoms during the winter months and can be observed crawling across snow and ice on the coldest of days. Other species of insects, such as our silk moths, over winter in a protective silk shelter called a cocoon. The word cocoon is from French coque, meaning shell. The cocoon is spun by the larva or caterpillar of the moth to provide a “shell” for its final stage of development before emerging as an adult.

One of the easiest cocoons to find during the winter is that of our largest moth, the Cecropia. The cocoons are spun in two types: a compact cocoon or a bag cocoon. The type of cocoon spun seems to be dependent upon the spatial arrangement of the attachment points at the spinning site. Cecropia Moths are found commonly across Ohio, emerging as adults in June and July. As our largest moth, the adults have wingspans of up to six inches across. The grayish brown ground color of the wings with spot and line highlights of red and white make it unmistakable. The thorax is also a bright reddish color with a white collar.

REFERENCE: Tuskes, Paul M., J. Tuttle, and M. Collins. 1996. The Wild Silk Moths of North American-A Natural History of the Saturniidae of the United States and Canada. Cornell University Press.

Cold, blustery January day starts off the 2022 stewardship season at Lakeside Daisy State Nature Preserve

The 2022 Stewardship winter season started January 5, with seven hardy folks from DNAP and ONAPA working at Lakeside Daisy Preserve. Cold and stiff southwest winds buffeted workers who removed red cedars on the new addition, near the glacial grooves area, as well as in the original preserve area. Seeds were also dispersed in cleared areas of the new addition, but the winds grew too strong for seeding by the time we moved to the original preserve to remove cedars. We made some excellent progress improving alvar habitat.

At right, seeds are dispersed low to the ground because of windy conditions. Below, cut stumps of cedars on the left are visible in front of the brush removed to open the area for the sun-loving Lakeside daisy. (Photos by Jennifer Windus)

Myersville Fen is cleared of woody species: some projects get you "deep in the weeds." (Photos by Jennifer Windus)

Two projects wrap up our 2021 stewardship season in the field

ONAPA finished the year with two added projects. On December 16, six ONAPA volunteers and stewardship assistants worked with six others from DNAP and USFWS at the Medway prairie fringed orchid site near Dayton to remove woody species in the meadow. We continue to open up this meadow and will have another project in March. On December 21, 16 people from ONAPA and DNAP collaborated at Myersville Fen to remove woody species in the north meadow, clearing a significant amount in the fen meadow.

Stewardship crews continue to work to eliminate unwanted plants from preserves

The last stewardship project in November had a small crew of seven working at Springville Marsh SNP on November 30. This included three staff from DNAP and four ONAPA volunteers. We worked on removing woody species in a small meadow on the north side of the road. On December 2, we had an excellent turnout of 16 people, including six from The Nature Conservancy and two from DNAP, working at Herrick Fen. We were clearing invasive woody species in the understory of the tamarack fen along the boardwalk. We accomplished a significant amount of clearing in several areas, working among the tamaracks, bayberry, highbush blueberry, and poison sumac. Another small crew of four from ONAPA worked with Kyle Bailey, land manager for the Crawford Park District, at Sears and Carmean Woods on December 9, removing invasive woody species such as Amur honeysuckle, Japanese barberry, privet, and multiflora rose in the understory.

Invasive woody species were targeted at TNC's Herrick Fen during the December 2 stewardship project.

Stewardship projects in November prove to be productive in several preserves

November has been busy with stewardship projects despite the cooler weather. On November 4, we worked at the Medway prairie fringed orchid site with 14 people, including eight from DNAP. We cleared plenty of woody species in the orchid areas and plan to work more this winter.

On November 9, six of us from ONAPA cleared more poison sumac and glossy buckthorn at Cranberry Bog, continuing to open up the bog meadows.

Mid-November, we concentrated on Lakeside daisy areas. On November 10, we cut red cedars at Kelleys Island State Park while dispersing some daisy seeds. Then on November 18, 10 people from ONAPA, DNAP, and USFWS cleared more red cedars in Lakeside daisy habitat at the new portion of the state nature preserve in Marblehead.

On November 16, 14 people including ONAPA volunteers, DNAP staff, and Summit County Metro Parks staff worked
together at Karlo Fen to remove woody species in the fen meadow.

Winter projects will start weekly in January and three projects were added in December (see separate article).

Misty day does not dampen enthusiasm for Blackhand Gorge SNP field trip

Eleven ONAPA members joined Dick Moseley for an easy interpretive hike through Blackhand Gorge Nature Preserve on October 9. The morning was misty and wet, but beautiful with falling leaves of various shapes covering the trail. Moseley discussed the history of the purchase of the preserve and its significance geologically. He reviewed how the construction of Dillon Reservoir made major changes to the town of Toboso which was originally located where the entrance of the preserve is now.

The group toured the narrow gorge cut by the Licking River through the famous Black Hand sandstone formation. In addition to seeing fall wildflowers and glacial relic plants, members enjoyed their visit to see the remnants of the Ohio Erie Canal tow paths and canal Lock 16, as well as the Interurban railway tunnel and the “Deep Cut” through the Black Hand Sandstone.

After the tour ended, Jennifer Windus took some of the members to the top of “council rock” where they enjoyed a spectacular view of the Licking River narrows. If you have not visited this beautiful and historic preserve you should add this to your “to do” list.
(Photo by Jennifer Windus)

Day at Brinkhaven Barrens results in significant clearing of woody species

On Saturday, October 23, 12 ONAPA volunteers worked with Randy Carmel, President of the Killbuck Watershed Land Trust, at Brinkhaven Barrens State Nature Preserve in Holmes County. It was a beautiful day and the group accomplished a significant amount of clearing in the north barrens, removing sumac, hazelnut, hawthorn, and dogwood. Even a few maple trees were cut down by our stewardship assistant, Lydia to open up one of the edges of the barrens. This is a great partnership between ONAPA and the NE Ohio land trust.

Cedar Bog October workday draws a crowd

One of our recent stewardship projects in October was to work at Cedar Bog on October 19. With a large group of 16 people, including two new volunteers, four staff from MAD Scientist Associates, and seven regular ONAPA volunteers, we broke into two groups. A group of five worked in the snake corridor again, removing woody species for massasauga habitat. The second group worked in the fen meadows removing woody species such as white cedar, tulip tree, dogwood, and spicebush. While these are native species, they should not be in the fen meadows as they provide too much shade for the fen plants. We made significant progress and hope to do more this winter.

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.