Thursday, March 5, 2020
Woody Species Control at Richfield Heritage Preserve 10:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. 4374 Broadview Road, Richfield (Summit County) ONAPA will be helping the Friends of Crowell-Hilaka and the Richfield Joint Recreational District with invasive woody plant control in the high-quality areas of the park. ONAPA has been mapping invasive plants in the park for the past two seasons and now we will help them cut and treat woody species such as glossy buckthorn, Japanese barberry, privet, autumn-olive, and bush honeysuckle. We will meet at the parking lot near Gund Hall at 4374 Broadview Road, Richfield at 10:30 am. Bring a lunch, water, and hiking boots. Tools will be provided. |
PLEASE RSVP: We need you to use our CONTACT US link to sign up or if you have questions.
You will be notified if this project is cancelled due to weather, but only if you sign up. Thank you for your help! |
2019 STEWARDSHIP PROJECT REPORTS
November projects enhance open habitats by clearing woody species
ONAPA had three stewardship projects in November: The month started with a second project at Cranberry Bog on November 5. We accomplished a significant amount of clearing in the bog meadow near the boardwalk with four ONAPA volunteers, five DNAP staff, and two volunteers from the Native Orchid Preservation & Education Society in Cincinnati. We will plan another work day at the bog this winter. On November 6, eight ONAPA volunteers and three DNAP staff cut, cleared, and treated woody species at the Medway site for Eastern prairie fringed orchids. ONAPA has been working with USFWS and DNAP at this site, which is owned by the City of Dayton, for several years to control woody species invasion and improve orchid habitat. Finally on November 19, a small crew of three ONAPA volunteers and four DNAP staff cut and cleared red cedars from a newly acquired 10-acre property at Whipple Preserve in Adams County. We worked in some of the small prairie openings to enhance habitat for numerous prairie plants occurring there. We are excited to see the results next summer! Three or four projects will be scheduled each month during January through March, so watch the website and eNews for the new dates and details. Some of the natural areas will include Cranberry Bog, Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area, Mallard Club Wildlife Area, Cedar Bog, Bonnett Pond Bog, and Flatiron Lake Bog. |
First project with Scenic Rivers works to restore Little Darby prairie remnant
On Thursday, October 24, five ONAPA volunteers worked with three Scenic Rivers staff and four Scenic Rivers volunteers on a Scenic Rivers property on the Little Darby Creek near West Jefferson to reopen a remnant prairie. This was ONAPA's first stewardship project on Scenic Rivers lands and it was a rewarding project. Heather Doherty, the Central Ohio Scenic Rivers Coordinator, requested ONAPA's help on this prairie opening. We removed woody species including bush honeysuckle, hawthorn, autumn-olive, elm, and cherry to restore a small prairie. We are all hopeful this restoration will invigorate the prairie species, including purple coneflower, gray-headed coneflower, scaly blazing-star, and others. We looked at another prairie opening nearby with lots of scaly blazing-star and hope to work there this winter. |
Openings restored in Brinkhaven prairie
On Saturday, October 19, 14 ONAPA volunteers and Rick Gardner from DNAP worked with Randy Carmel, president of the Killbuck Watershed Land Trust (KWLT), at Brinkhaven Oak Barrens in Holmes County to clear woody species from the north barrens. It was a beautiful day and the group was able to clear two areas in the north barrens, cutting and treating winged sumac, hazelnut, black cherry, and some oaks that are invading this prairie opening. This is a great partnership between ONAPA and KWLT - we hope to assist the land trust more this winter and next year with stewardship at Brinkhaven Barrens. |
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Lakeside daisy population gets a helping hand from ONAPA, DNAP and USFWS
On Tuesday, October 15, 19 people from ONAPA, USFWS, and DNAP worked together to transplant over 400 Lakeside daisy plants from the active Lafarge Quarry in Marblehead to the new preserve addition. This effort continues an annual recovery program to salvage plants from the quarry and establish new populations on protected, public lands. In the past, plants were moved to Kelleys Island State Park. Plants are carefully dug from areas in the quarry slated for blasting, moved and planted in appropriate habitat, and watered. The hope is these plants will become established, flower and produce seed, and increase genetic diversity in the existing population.
Groups join forces to clear bog of invasives
On Wednesday, September 25, a brave and hard-working crew of 20 ventured over to Cranberry Island in Buckeye Lake to work on restoration of some of the bog meadows. This included 8 ONAPA volunteers, 5 DNAP staff, and 7 dedicated members of the Native Orchid Preservation & Education Society (NOPES) from Cincinnati. The bog meadows have grown up in thickets of glossy buckthorn and poison sumac over several years due to lack of management. At the request of DNAP, ONAPA decided to take on another new stewardship project, knowing this one will be a significant amount of work for 3-4 years (see BEFORE photo). Despite the warm weather, most volunteers wore Tyvek suits provided by DNAP and NOPES, to prevent or minimize exposure to poison sumac, which we cut and hauled. DNAP staff cleared the boardwalk so you could see it and walk it! The crew worked hard to remove woody species in one of the meadows along the boardwalk, cutting and treating the woody stems, then hauling the woody stems to an area at the edge of the island. A significant amount of work was accomplished and we have scheduled another workday for October 31 - so appropriate for Halloween! |
Volunteers remove woody species at Gallagher Fen in Clark County
On Saturday, September 7, 12 ONAPA and DNAP volunteers worked with preserve manager Michelle Comer at Gallagher Fen SNP in Clark County to remove woody species from the east fen and remove bush honeysuckle from the woods above the fen. The group accomplished a lot in the east fen as we continue to remove and stump treat invading woody species such as glossy buckthorn, privet, bush honeysuckle, dogwoods, and willows. It was a great day and we were happy to welcome three new volunteers, including a student from Wittenberg University. |
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. |
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. |
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.
Daughmer Savanna seeing progress, thanks to Stewardship Project efforts On Saturday, June 22, 11 ONAPA volunteers, led by Guy Denny, worked at Daughmer Savanna removing invasive plants such as common teasel. A significant amount was accomplished, but the good news is that there are fewer and fewer invasive plants at the preserve. Combined, prescribed burns and stewardship projects are improving the savanna every year. |
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Busy work day at Milford Center Prairie
On Wednesday, June 5, six ONAPA volunteers worked with preserve manager Michelle Comer at Milford Center Prairie to remove invasive plants and corn stubble (which had flooded into the prairie from an adjacent prairie). We cut and treated woody species that were invading some of the higher quality prairie and dug or pulled common teasel and sweet-clover. The woody stems and corn stubble were loaded into Michelle's truck and hauled out of the prairie. The corn stubble is another sign of high water this year - we have never had so much corn stubble, two to three feet deep in the prairie and across the trail in one area. |
Volunteers pull garlic mustard at Lawrence Woods State Nature Preserve in May
On Tuesday, May 21, seven ONAPA volunteers and two DNAP staff worked at Lawrence Woods SNP to search for and pull garlic mustard. It was a cool, windy day with lots of walking to find garlic mustard in the preserve. The good news is we did not find much, but we did not cover the whole woods in four hours, so there is more searching to do next year. Most of the plants were in seed already so they were harder to find. Hopefully, our efforts will help to minimize the spread of garlic mustard in this beautiful, older growth woods in Hardin County! |
March and April Stewardship Projects Attack Woody Invaders and Garlic Mustard
Woody invasive plants at Medway Prairie Fringed Orchid Site no match for the volunteers March 21.
Recent stewardship projects include March 21 at the Medway Prairie Fringed Orchid Site and April 11th at Rhododendron Cove SNP. Eight (8) ONAPA volunteers, 3 USFWS staff, and 1 DNAP staff worked at the PFO site in Medway to remove woody species to improve habitat for the rare orchid. At Rhododendron Cove SNP, 10 ONAPA volunteers and 2 DNAP staff pulled garlic mustard to restore habitat for spring wildflowers. It was a great start to the 2019 season! Garlic mustard was much less abundant than previous years, but there was still plenty to remove.
For a description of upcoming volunteer opportunities, go HERE. And here is a complete list of 2019 Stewardship Projects.
For a description of upcoming volunteer opportunities, go HERE. And here is a complete list of 2019 Stewardship Projects.
Garlic mustard was the object of the volunteers who trekked though Rhododendron Cove April 7 to help control the invasive spring bloomer before it sets seed. This State Nature Preserve is likely the home of the largest population of the native rhododendron maximum in Ohio. Peak blooming is typically during late June and early July.
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February-March Stewardship Projects
ONAPA has been busy this winter with several winter stewardship projects. Unfortunately the weather has not always cooperated, so we had to postpone or cancel a few projects. We have been getting some important work accomplished at a number of preserves and other natural areas. We did more hemlock woolly adelgid surveys at Crane Hollow (February 26) and Little Rocky Hollow (March 6), fortunately not finding any HWA at either site. We worked at a couple of sites for Eastern prairie fringed orchid, improving habitat by removing woody species - Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area (February 28) and Mallard Club Wildlife Area (March 12). We also removed bush honeysuckle and other woody invasives in the woods at Mentor Marsh (March 7th) in cooperation with the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. While our volunteer groups have been small this winter, we have accomplished good work at each project.
Brinkhaven Barrens and Lake Katharine SNP Projects
The weather has been challenging so far this year, causing us to cancel (and reschedule) 3 stewardship projects already. We did work at Brinkhaven Barrens on January 15 on a cold day. Three of us worked to remove a thicket of brush and dead woody stems in the south barrens. We built a large brush pile and burned the cut material which helped keep us warm. On February 19th, 8 volunteers and preserve manager, Josh Deemer surveyed a new area at Lake Katharine for hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). It was an area not far from the known infestation and we found more HWA. These surveys help the preserve manager document the extent of the infestation and determine what treatments will be used to control their spread. Fortunately what we found was a relatively light infestation.