2020 FALL STEWARDSHIP PROJECT SCHEDULE
We appreciate your cooperation with these important coronavirus guidelines and we look forward to seeing at stewardship projects on state nature preserves with the following restrictions:
- Group size will be limited to 10 people or less, including DNAP staff.
- We will be using social distancing, working in a scattered fashion at least 6' apart from each other.
- Volunteers should plan to travel separately, unless they are part of a family living together.
- Volunteers should plan to bring and wear face masks when working in the preserve.
- Registration on the website is critical so that we can monitor attendance; if more than 10 people register, all volunteers will be contacted to confirm attendance and the most recent registrants will be asked to attend another project.
We will include a short field trip on each project to see some of the preserve we are working at. When registering to volunteer, please allow at least 24 hours prior to the project as weather may impact conditions and we make every effort to inform our volunteers of changes.
Download the 2020 April-November List HERE.
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Questions: Contact us HERE.
Registration: Please let us know you are joining us, sign up HERE. Volunteer Forms: If you are joining us for volunteer stewardship training or for one or more stewardship projects, please complete our Volunteer forms found HERE. Volunteer Hours: At the completion of a project, please enter your time (Including travel time to and from the site) HERE. |
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Saturday, September 5, 2020
Woody Species Removal at Gallagher Fen State Nature Preserve 10:30 am – 3:30 pm 4709 Old Columbus Rd, Springfield Clark County This high-quality spring-fed alkaline wetland is an exceptionally fine example of a prairie fen community in the state and protects at least 27 state-listed species. In addition to protecting the prairie fen ecosystem, a secondary management goal is to perpetuate the bur oak savanna-prairie community and to restore the oak woodlands-barren community on the uplands at this site. The goal of this project will be to work on removal of woody species in the eastern fen meadow. We will be cutting and treating the stumps of invasive woody species in the fen meadow. Directions: The grass parking area is located on the south side of Old Columbus Road between Bird Road and Redmond Road. |
What to bring: Bring lunch, water, and gloves. Herbicide treatment will be done by DNAP staff or trained ONAPA volunteers. Tools will be provided. RSVP: Please REGISTER HERE. Online registration is important for our planning due to the pandemic. Please contact The Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association HERE if you have questions. |
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Wednesday, September 9, 2020
Woody Species Control at Cranberry Bog State Nature Preserve 10:00 am – 3:00 pm Buckeye Lake, Licking County 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
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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: Please REGISTER HERE. Online registration is important for our planning due to the pandemic. Please contact The Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association HERE if you have questions.
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: Please REGISTER HERE. Online registration is important for our planning due to the pandemic. Please contact The Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association HERE if you have questions.
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Thursday, September 17, 2020
Invasive Species Removal at Kiser Lake Fen State Nature Preserve 10:30 am – 3:30 pm 3975 Kiser Lake Road, St. Paris Champaign County |
This 51-acre preserve is located within Kiser Lake State Park and contains two separate prairie fen areas (Headwaters and Grandview Heights sections) which are the last vestiges of a 360-acre area known as Mosquito Lake Bog. This large fen complex occupied the upper Mosquito Creek Valley prior to the construction of Kiser Lake. Both areas contain alkaline fen and marsh habitat with summer prairie and fen wildflowers. Unusual plant species present include shrubby cinquefoil, Kalm's lobelia, grass-of-parnassus, smaller fringed gentian, big bluestem, queen-of-the-prairie, Ohio goldenrod, and poison sumac.
The Grandview Heights section in the southcentral part of the park includes a meadow on the edge of the lake. The Headwaters section in the southeast part of the park includes meadows, marsh, and woods with a trail and boardwalk. For this stewardship project, we plan to work in the Grandview Heights section to cut and treat woody species to maintain the open meadow habitat.
Directions: The Headwaters section of Kiser Lake State Nature Preserve is located at the eastern end of Kiser Lake (3975 Kiser Lake Road). We will meet in the small parking lot near the Kiser Lake State Nature Preserve sign. From St. Paris, proceed north on North Springfield Street. As you head out of town, this will become Kiser Lake Road; follow this road to the east side of the lake. We will meet at the Headwaters section, then travel together to another parking area to work at the Grandview Heights section (or you will receive separate directions once you register for the project).
What to bring: Lunch, water, hat, muck/knee boots, insect repellent. DNAP and ONAPA will provide tools. DNAP staff and trained ONAPA volunteers will apply the herbicides.
RSVP: Please REGISTER HERE. Online registration is important for our planning due to the pandemic. Please contact The Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association HERE if you have questions.
The Grandview Heights section in the southcentral part of the park includes a meadow on the edge of the lake. The Headwaters section in the southeast part of the park includes meadows, marsh, and woods with a trail and boardwalk. For this stewardship project, we plan to work in the Grandview Heights section to cut and treat woody species to maintain the open meadow habitat.
Directions: The Headwaters section of Kiser Lake State Nature Preserve is located at the eastern end of Kiser Lake (3975 Kiser Lake Road). We will meet in the small parking lot near the Kiser Lake State Nature Preserve sign. From St. Paris, proceed north on North Springfield Street. As you head out of town, this will become Kiser Lake Road; follow this road to the east side of the lake. We will meet at the Headwaters section, then travel together to another parking area to work at the Grandview Heights section (or you will receive separate directions once you register for the project).
What to bring: Lunch, water, hat, muck/knee boots, insect repellent. DNAP and ONAPA will provide tools. DNAP staff and trained ONAPA volunteers will apply the herbicides.
RSVP: Please REGISTER HERE. Online registration is important for our planning due to the pandemic. Please contact The Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association HERE if you have questions.
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Wednesday, October 7, 2020
Woody Species Control at Cranberry Bog State Nature Preserve 10:00 am – 3:00 pm Buckeye Lake, Licking County 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 |
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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: Please REGISTER HERE. Online registration is important for our planning due to the pandemic. Please contact The Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association HERE if you have questions.
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: Please REGISTER HERE. Online registration is important for our planning due to the pandemic. Please contact The Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association HERE if you have questions.
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Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Invasive Species Control at Karlo Fen State Nature Preserve 10:30 am – 3:30 pm Summit County Karlo Fen is a ground water fed boreal fen exhibiting sphagnum hummocks, marl areas and some prairie species. Located in the Portage Lakes area near Nimisila Reservoir, this fen was once part of a much larger series of glacial relicts that have all but disappeared due to impoundments, agriculture and other developments. |
Karlo Fen is home to small fringed gentian, white beak-rush and Ohio goldenrod. Karlo Fen is currently managed under lease agreement by Summit County Metroparks. Project goals will be to remove invading woody species in the fen meadow such as glossy buckthorn, autumn olive and gray dogwood.
Directions: Karlo Fen is located on the east side of Christman Road near the Portage Lakes State Park campground, .25 miles north of the intersection of E. Nimisila and Christman Roads. A parking lot is located on the west side of Christman Road across from the preserve. We will meet in the parking lot and hike into the small preserve.
What to bring: Bring a lunch, water, long-sleeved shirts, gloves, and muck boots. Herbicide treatment will be done by DNAP staff and trained volunteers. Tools will be provided.
RSVP: Please REGISTER HERE. Online registration is important for our planning due to the pandemic. Please contact The Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association HERE if you have questions.
Directions: Karlo Fen is located on the east side of Christman Road near the Portage Lakes State Park campground, .25 miles north of the intersection of E. Nimisila and Christman Roads. A parking lot is located on the west side of Christman Road across from the preserve. We will meet in the parking lot and hike into the small preserve.
What to bring: Bring a lunch, water, long-sleeved shirts, gloves, and muck boots. Herbicide treatment will be done by DNAP staff and trained volunteers. Tools will be provided.
RSVP: Please REGISTER HERE. Online registration is important for our planning due to the pandemic. Please contact The Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association HERE if you have questions.
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Saturday, October 24, 2020
Woody Species Control at Brinkhaven Oak Barrens 10:00 am – 3:00 pm Township Road 13, Brinkhaven (Gann) Holmes County Brinkhaven Oak Barrens was designated as a state natural landmark in 2005 for being the best example in north central Ohio of what famous Ohio ecologist, Paul Sears called “oak openings.” It was just dedicated as a state nature preserve this year. The 114-acre preserve owned by the private non-profit organization, Killbuck Watershed Land Trust, protects two oak barrens containing six state-listed plants, including the threatened thyme-leaved pinweed. ONAPA has been assisting the KWLT with habitat management to restore the two oak openings. We will work in the northern opening, as the southern opening has had significant clearing in the past two years, as well as a spring burn in April 2016. We will be cutting larger woody stems and treating the cut stems with herbicide. Trained DNAP staff and ONAPA volunteers will conduct the herbicide application. Directions: From Brinkhaven (Gann) on U.S. Rt. 62, drive about 4 ¼ miles east on U.S. Route 62 to Holmes Co. Rd. 25. Drive about ¾ mile north to an intersection and |
turn left (west) on to Township Road 13. Drive for about
1.2 miles and the parking lot will be on the right. The parking lot is about 500 feet beyond the old railroad overpass, on the right (it is hard to see as it is a grass parking lot with no signage). What to bring: Bring lunch, water, hiking boots, gloves, and hand tools such as hand saws and loppers (if you wish). ONAPA and KWLT will provide tools and herbicide, and conduct herbicide application. RSVP: Please REGISTER HERE. Online registration is important for our planning due to the pandemic. Please contact The Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association HERE if you have questions. |
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Thursday, November 5, 2020
Woody Species Control at Cranberry Bog State Nature Preserve 10:00 am – 3:00 pm Buckeye Lake, Licking County 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: Please REGISTER HERE. Online registration is important for our planning due to the pandemic. Please contact The Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association HERE if you have questions. |
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Tuesday, November 10, 2020
Woody Species Control at Medway Prairie Fringed Orchid Site 10:00 am – 3:00 pm Union Road, Medway Clark County This site is a small wetland, primarily an alkaline wet sedge meadow surrounded by farm fields, and is owned by the City of Dayton’s Water Department as a wellfield. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and DNAP have been cooperating
have been cooperating with the City of Dayton by verbal agreement since a significant population of the 
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Eastern prairie fringed orchid was reported at this site in 1993. Regular habitat management is necessary to maintain the open sedge meadow, which has been
declining for several years due to woody species encroachment. ONAPA will be cooperating with USFWS and DNAP on this project to cut and treat woody species in the area where most of the orchids are located. Directions: From Columbus, proceed west on I-70. Take exit 26B to exit onto Spangler Road north towards Medway. After crossing the Mad River, turn right on to Union Road. The site, owned by the City of Dayton, is on the right. Parking will be along the roadside on the right, and near the gate. What to Bring: Lunch, water, hat, muck/knee boots, insect repellent. DNAP, USFWS and ONAPA will provide tools and conduct the herbicide application.RSVP: If you would like to attend or have questions, please contact The Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association HERE. Online registration is important for our planning due to the pandemic. RSVP: Please REGISTER HERE. Online registration is important for our planning due to the pandemic. Please contact The Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association HERE if you have questions. |
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Tuesday, November 17, 2020
Lakeside Daisy Preserve (new addition): Woody Species Control 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Alexander Pike, Marblehead (Ottawa County) |
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Lakeside Daisy State Nature Preserve is home to Lakeside daisy and at least 11 other state-listed rare plant species. Lakeside daisy is listed as Threatened by the US Fish & Wildlife Service (1988) and Endangered by the Division of Natural Areas & Preserves (1980). It is only known to occur naturally in Ohio on the Marblehead Peninsula and two locations in Ontario. It has been reintroduced to Illinois and one small population of questionable origin occurs in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. DNAP and USFWS have introduced the daisy to Kelleys Island and Castalia Quarry Metro Park in appropriate limestone habitat. The Lakeside Daisy SNP was first acquired at 19 acres of abandoned quarry land in 1988, but fortunately DNAP was able to purchase another 118 acres from Lafarge-Holcim last year for daisy protection and restoration. Although the new addition has some Lakeside daisies, habitat restoration is needed; plants and seeds will be transplanted from the quarry to the new property.
Our project involves removal of woody species, primarily red cedars, to improve habitat for the daisies and other listed plants on the new addition. We will be cutting and treating woody species, and hauling the trees and shrubs either to brush piles or out to a chipper. Planning is still in progress.
Directions: We will meet at the main part of the Lakeside Daisy SNP on Alexander Pike where the preserve sign is located (north end). We will move south to the new section once everyone arrives so that we are all carefully parked on one side of the road without blocking any traffic. There is no parking area for the new addition as it is only accessed by written permit from DNAP.
What to bring: Lunch, water, hat, hiking boots, insect repellent. DNAP, USFWS, and ONAPA will provide tools and conduct the herbicide application
RSVP: Please REGISTER HERE. Online registration is important for our planning due to the pandemic. Please contact The Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association HERE if you have questions.
Our project involves removal of woody species, primarily red cedars, to improve habitat for the daisies and other listed plants on the new addition. We will be cutting and treating woody species, and hauling the trees and shrubs either to brush piles or out to a chipper. Planning is still in progress.
Directions: We will meet at the main part of the Lakeside Daisy SNP on Alexander Pike where the preserve sign is located (north end). We will move south to the new section once everyone arrives so that we are all carefully parked on one side of the road without blocking any traffic. There is no parking area for the new addition as it is only accessed by written permit from DNAP.
What to bring: Lunch, water, hat, hiking boots, insect repellent. DNAP, USFWS, and ONAPA will provide tools and conduct the herbicide application
RSVP: Please REGISTER HERE. Online registration is important for our planning due to the pandemic. Please contact The Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association HERE if you have questions.
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Thursday, November 19, 2020
Invasive Species Removal at Prairie Road Fen State Nature Preserve 10:30 am - 3:30 pm 1976 Buck Creek Lane Springfield, Oh 45502 Clark County One of the largest and finest prairie fens remaining in Ohio, Prairie Road Fen is a 97-acre gem tucked away in northern Clark County. Access to this site is usually by |
permit only due to the fragile nature of this site. The ground water emerging here is cold, calcareous and oxygen-deficient which provides a harsh habitat that only a number of specially-adapted plants can tolerate. Intermingled with the fen plants are relics of a time when a prairie extension thrived in this part of Ohio. This prairie fen complex is another unique feature of this site.
The goal of this project is to remove woody vegetation in the fen meadows, which by means of succession, are invading the fen meadows. We will target all woody species, but glossy buckthorn will be the primary species of concern. To control woody vegetation, we will cut and treat the stems with herbicide.
Directions: We will meet at the Buck Creek State Park office and travel together to the preserve as the entrance is hard to find (preserve is open by written permit). The park office is located near the park entrance north of the junction of Robert Eastman Road and Buck Creek Lane.
What to bring: Please bring lunch, water, loppers, waterproof boots, and gloves. Herbicide treatment will be done by DNAP staff or trained ONAPA volunteers.
RSVP: Please REGISTER HERE. Online registration is important for our planning due to the pandemic. Please contact The Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association HERE if you have questions.
The goal of this project is to remove woody vegetation in the fen meadows, which by means of succession, are invading the fen meadows. We will target all woody species, but glossy buckthorn will be the primary species of concern. To control woody vegetation, we will cut and treat the stems with herbicide.
Directions: We will meet at the Buck Creek State Park office and travel together to the preserve as the entrance is hard to find (preserve is open by written permit). The park office is located near the park entrance north of the junction of Robert Eastman Road and Buck Creek Lane.
What to bring: Please bring lunch, water, loppers, waterproof boots, and gloves. Herbicide treatment will be done by DNAP staff or trained ONAPA volunteers.
RSVP: Please REGISTER HERE. Online registration is important for our planning due to the pandemic. Please contact The Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association HERE if you have questions.