Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association

Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Woody Species 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 removal of invasive woody species. We will be working on the south side of the preserve 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 and 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, hiking boots, insect repellant and gloves.

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

Big bluestem -- Photo by Guy Denny

Thursday, December 11, 2025
Woody species control at Resthaven Wildlife Area

10:30 am – 3:30 pm
Castalia - directions provided to registrants
Erie County

A 2,218-acre state wildlife area located one mile north of Castalia. The property is in Erie and Sandusky counties. The grassland is home to a variety of native plants characteristic of prairie ecosystems.

What to Bring: Lunch, water, hiking boots, gloves. We will be working in a small prairie opening off Oxbow Road.

Directions: Those who register for this project will be emailed directions on where to meet before the day of the project.

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

Aurora glows over the Pearl King Prairie Savanna in mid-November

I have been fascinated by the natural world associated with our northern latitudes, 45 degrees and north, for most of my adult life. I have had the good fortune to experience it on many occasions even as far north as 71 degrees north latitude, 350 miles north of the Arctic Circle. When northern natural species or phenomena arrive and occur in Ohio, I make an effort to experience them. One such event is the occurrence of Northern Lights, Aurora Borealis, which rarely provides more than a glow on the horizon even in northern Ohio. In the more northern latitudes around the world, they occur regularly during the winter months. In the southern hemisphere, the Southern Lights or Aurora Australis, is the southern counterpart.

Aurorae occur when charged particles originating from the sun known as a solar flare travel by solar wind towards the earth atmosphere. Once arriving in our atmosphere, the charged particles interact with the Earth’s magnetic field, especially electrons. The electrons in the magnetic field collide with oxygen and nitrogen and create the bursts of color known as the Northern Lights. Predicting when the Aurora might occur is fairly difficult. Very large solar flares will result in some forecasts of three days being somewhat accurate, other times the warning is as short as 30 minutes. One parameter followed by multiple aurora websites, apps, scientists, and enthusiasts is the Kp number. Kp, (the global geomagnetic activity index), needs to be at least 7 (and 8 is even better) for really colorful aurora across Ohio. A Kp in the high 6 range, might produce a low glow in the darkest areas of northern Ohio. October thru April is generally considered the best time to view the Northern Lights, but they can occur at any time of the year. Finding safe, dark areas away from our cities’ light pollution is key as well as having clear skies to provide the best conditions for viewing.

Ohio has seen three fairly dramatic Aurora episodes in the past couple of years: May 10, 2024; October 10, 2024; and November 11 & 12, 2025. Kp numbers were over 7 and 8 as well as other parameters which lined up and resulted in strong colorful displays. During these three displays the Aurora was viewable with the naked eye for several hours, fading and reappearing in brilliant sub-storm colors. Most cellphone cameras do an incredible job photographing the Northern Lights, and the lens in all cameras will pick up far more color than the human eye. The photo was taken over the Pearl King Prairie Savanna State Nature Preserve owned and managed by the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks on November 12, 2025. On this particular night, a sub-storm which flared up about 9:30 p.m. created these color and light columns. This Aurora display was also enjoyed by a pair of calling Great Horned Owls that called back and forth for quite some time.

A quick Google search will list several apps worth following and searching Aurora Facebook pages can help you be aware of possible upcoming displays. Keep an eye to the sky and follow forecasts for a shot at this natural northern phenomenon.

October a slower month for stewardship projects

October was a slower month for the ONAPA stewardship crew. We had two project cancellations and four days specifically for the stewardship assistants. We held projects with volunteers at Cranberry Bog (Oct 16), Brinkhaven Barrens (Oct 18), Meilke Road Savanna Wildlife Area (Oct 21), and Lakeside Daisy Preserve (Oct 23). These all involved woody species removal and cut stem treatment. Other projects and events with the stewardship assistants included a Lakeside daisy transplant, an Ohio Invasive Plants Council workshop, and prescribed fire manager training.

Brinkhaven Barrens

Meilke Road Wildlife Area

Lakeside Daisy SNP

Cranberry Bog

September projects all a "go" in warm and dry September

In spite of another dry and warm month, September was pretty busy for the ONAPA stewardship team. We had projects at Gallagher Fen, Greenbelt Preserve (Great Parks), Wengerd Woods (Cleveland Museum of Natural History), Cranberry Bog, and Kitty Todd Preserve (The Nature Conservancy). For all these projects, we were working on woody species control for species such as bush honeysuckles, privet, and glossy buckthorn.

Wengerd Woods

Attendees at ONAPA 12th Annual Meeting August 23 enjoy great weather at Alley Park

ONAPA held its 12th Annual Meeting on Saturday, August 23 at the Gosling Nature Center at Alley Park in Lancaster. Two guest speakers, Andrew Lane Gibson from the Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves and Heather Stehle from Crane Hollow, Inc., shared their experience, often with a side of humor. Andrew took the audience on a trip around Lake Superior, highlighting the orchids of the region’s many habitats. Heather shared the legacy of Crane Hollow Preserve.

Guy Denny and Jennifer Windus also gave updates about ONAPA activities in the past year. It was a good turnout with 72 people attending. Two vendors selling nature-related items were available for attendees -- Savannah Freeman with Moonville Print Shop and Nora Steele. It was a beautiful day, perfect for the four field trips in the afternoon -- Crane Hollow, led by Heather Stehle and Jennifer Windus, Wahkeena Preserve, led by Tom Shisler, Rock House in Hocking Hills State Park, led by Tim Snyder, and a short hike around Alley Park, led by Dick Moseley.

Jackson Bog

Myersville Fen

Jackson Bog

Myersville Fen

Stewardship crew gets a reprieve in August from heat and humidity

The ONAPA stewardship team was happy to have some cooler weather in August for the seven projects we accomplished. After hot and humid weather in June and July, this was a welcome relief. We worked at Jackson Bog, Myersville Fen, Daughmer Savanna, Wolf Run Park, Milford Center Prairie, Brinkhaven Barrens, and Beck Fen on a combination of woody species, purple loosestrife, cattails, giant ragweed, and Japanese stiltgrass.

Woody species no match for stewardship participants in July

July was another hot, humid, and busy month for the ONAPA stewardship crew, with everyone showing impressive fortitude and commitment. We had 8 projects at the following preserves and other natural areas:

July 1 - Prairie fringed orchid surveys at Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area
July 10 - Woody species removal at Travertine Fen
July 15 - Woody species removal at Honey Run Highlands Park (prairie burn units)
July 17 - Cattail removal at Zimmerman Prairie
July 22 - Clearing around running buffalo clover at Warder-Perkins Preserve
July 24 - Control of woody species, Canada thistle, & common teasel at Daughmer Savanna
July 29 - Woody species removal at Kitty Todd Preserve
July 31 - Woody species removal in fen meadows at Cedar Bog.

We could not accomplish all the great work we do in Ohio's natural areas without our wonderful volunteers -- thank you.

Warder-Perkins

Daughmer Savanna

Kitty Todd

Travertine Fen

Two new Stewardship Assistants join us this summer

We are excited to share we have two new stewardship assistants this season, Annalora Nguyen and Camryn Ford. Annalora started in April and Camryn started in June. If you volunteer on our stewardship projects, you have probably met them already. Both will be working with ONAPA two to three days a week for at least six months.

Annalora (on the right in photo) graduated from Ohio University in 2022 with a BS in Biology. She lives in Columbus and has been working at Krema Nut Company. She also volunteers with the Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed (FLOW) in Columbus. She started volunteering with ONAPA last year, then applied to be a stewardship assistant. We are happy to have her with us!

Camryn Ford (on the left in photo) graduated from The Ohio State University in May of this year with a BS in Ecology and Evolution. and also lives in Columbus. While taking courses at OSU, she also worked as an intern in the Office of Environmental Services for ODOT and as an undergraduate lab research assistant at the OSU Museum of Biological Diversity. She has a great background for this position with strong interests in plants and reptiles.

We had 18 applicants for the stewardship assistant positions this spring and conducted four interviews. Annalora and Camryn both have strong backgrounds for the stewardship team, are hard working, and very motivated to get more experience in the field and with our partners. You will meet them if you join us on a stewardship project or enjoy the field trip to Denny's Prairie July 26.

June projects start off with our two new Stewardship Assistants

June was another busy month for the ONAPA stewardship team, including our two new stewardship assistants, Annalora and Camryn, and hardy volunteers. We endured some hot and humid days during our annual prairie fringed orchid surveys (photo), but we accomplished three days of surveys with great results.

We had nine days of stewardship and rare plant surveys including projects at Fowler Woods, Brinkhaven Oak Barrens,

Johnson Woods, and Clifton Gorge. We also had a training day at Gorman Nature Center for the new stewardship assistants and a few volunteers. Besides the orchid surveys, we were working on removal of butterweed, Japanese stiltgrass, garlic mustard, and Dame's rocket. We were happy to gain some new volunteers this month too!

Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves releases new map

Today, 147 State Nature Preserves have been dedicated in Ohio. These diverse areas of land contain remnants of Ohio’s pre-settlement past, rare and endangered species, and wondrous geologic features. While the majority of preserves are owned and managed by the State, some preserves are leased to local park districts for management. Other preserves are owned by non-governmental agencies. Even private landowners have dedicated their lands as preserves in order to be protected by the State. Some preserves are accessible by permit at no charge from the Division.

A new map showing the location of Ohio's natural areas and preserves has been released (and is now updated on our website as well). The newest preserves have been added.

DNAP also provides a poster showing the order each preserve has been dedicated -- VIEW THAT NEW MAP HERE.

Running Buffalo clover survey

Lakeside Daisy survey mapping on Kelly's Island

Lakeside Daisy SNP Field Trip

Stewardship projects and field trip to Lakeside Daisy preserve highlight ONAPA work

Our stewardship team busy with a few stewardship projects and several days of rare plant monitoring on Lakeside daisy, running buffalo clover at Boch Hollow (photo), and prairie valerian. We spent a day at Milford Center Prairie removing common teasel and other invasives in the right-of-way prairie. We worked with DNAP and USFWS staff for three days on Kelleys Island to conduct a complete survey of the Lakeside daisy population. We also collected Lakeside daisy seed at Holcim Quarry for restoration at the preserve. Two projects at Greenbelt Preserve and Irwin Prairie were cancelled due to rainy weather.

Lakeside daisies were also the highlight of the May 10 field trip on a great day with 11 people visiting the Lakeside Daisy State Nature Preserve, both the original and new portions of the preserve. We talked about this federally listed plant and our recovery efforts, associated plants in the preserve, the geology and alvars, as well as the glacial grooves.

Join us for a project or field trip in June and watch for the July-August schedule coming soon!

Invasive herbaceous plants primary targets of April stewardship

ONAPA was busy in April working on garlic mustard and Dame's rocket in several preserves. Fortunately garlic mustard was found in reduced numbers at each preserve, so we hope our efforts are slowly eliminating the populations. We had 6 projects at the following preserves:

April 1 - Crane Hollow (photos by Jennifer Windus), clean-up in the pine plantation
April 9 - Bonnett Pond Bog, garlic mustard & Dame's rocket in the woods
April 16 - Rhododendron Cove, garlic mustard
April 19 - Howard Collier Preserve, garlic mustard
April 23 - Clifton Gorge, garlic mustard & Dame's rocket
April 30 - Lake Katharine, garlic mustard

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

2024 Event Highlights

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.

2025 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.