2021 STEWARDSHIP PROJECT REPORTS
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Stewardship work clears way for endangered plants
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Sheldon Marsh beach
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On Tuesday, March 16, eight ONAPA volunteers worked with DNAP preserve manager, Warren Dunegan on the barrier beach at Sheldon Marsh to remove woody species in the beach grass areas. This was a new project for ONAPA and we all enjoyed working on the beach on a beautiful, sunny day. We worked in several small openings among the cottonwoods where there is beach grass, rare sedges, and beach wormwood, a state threatened plant. The beach area has grown up in woody species such as willows, cottonwood, dogwood, and osage orange over the years, plus many larger cottonwoods have fallen down on the beach from storms and higher lake levels. Our project was a great start to restoring some of the open beach habitat for rare plants and shore birds.
On Tuesday, March 23, six ONAPA volunteers worked at Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area, in one of the sedge meadows where prairie fringed orchids occur. We removed willows, alders, and dogwoods, opening the sedge meadow which should improve the habitat. ONAPA will assist with surveys this summer to see how many blooming orchids are found.
On Tuesday, March 23, six ONAPA volunteers worked at Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area, in one of the sedge meadows where prairie fringed orchids occur. We removed willows, alders, and dogwoods, opening the sedge meadow which should improve the habitat. ONAPA will assist with surveys this summer to see how many blooming orchids are found.
Killbuck Marsh sedge meadow
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Early March weather a mixed bag for stewardship projects
ONAPA started March out with three stewardship projects at Little Rocky Hollow, Mallard Club Wildlife Area, and Jackson Bog. At Little Rocky Hollow on March 3, three ONAPA volunteers worked with five DNAP staff to conduct surveys for hemlock wooly adelgid. (The project was moved from nearby Sheick Hollow because the parking area was impassable.) Fortunately we did not find any HWA, but the ice formations and waterfalls were spectacular. On a dreary, cold March 4, four ONAPA volunteers and one USFWS staff cleared woody species at Mallard Club Wildlife Area in Lucas County in one of the prairie fringed orchid areas. On March 9, a beautiful warm day, nine ONAPA volunteers worked with DNAP preserve manager, Charlotte Trolio, at Jackson Bog in one of the fen meadows. |
Two Little Rocky Hollow ice sculptures
Volunteers removed invading woody species. This project had been rescheduled twice, but we had a great day and cleared a significant area, cutting glossy buckthorn, red maples, and alders.
Jackson Bog work near the boardwalk
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Mallard Club clearing
Clearing woody species at Jackson Bog
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Stewardship projects slated for mid-February finished the last week of the month
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After two wintry weeks in mid-February where we cancelled four projects in a row, ONAPA was able to resume its stewardship projects with three the last week of the month. The weather was sunny and warm, almost spring-like, and volunteers were ready to get out again!
On Tuesday, February 23, seven volunteers worked with Randy Carmel, Killbuck Watershed Land Trust president, at Brinkhaven Oak Barrens to cut and treat woody stems in the south barrens. Burning a large brush pile kept us warm when the clouds and wind cooled the air temperatures. A significant section was cleared and the south barrens is looking good from all the work done this past year. On Wednesday, February 24, second HWA survey at Lake Katharine with eight people, including three from DNAP. We surveyed a different area than we did on February 4 and did not find any HWA. It was a beautiful day with 61 degrees and amazing ice formations. On Thursday, February 25, six volunteers and three DNAP staff worked at Bonnett Pond Bog in Holmes County to clear woody species in the bog meadow. The ice was firm enough that we could walk across the moat to the bog meadow (which does not freeze every year). We cut and treated invading highbush blueberry, dogwood, buttonbush, and viburnum, while managing to avoid the poison sumac! This work is critical to maintain the sphagnum bog meadow with large cranberry, sedges, and other rare bog species. 
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First Lake Katharine HWA survey completed and second survey planned
On Thursday, February 4, three ONAPA volunteers and two Crane Hollow staff worked with preserve manager, Coleman Minney to survey for Hemlock Wooly Adelgid (HWA) at Lake Katharine Preserve. HWA has been found there before and is unfortunately well-established in a large area of the preserve, despite on-going treatments. We hiked a large area on the north side of Lake Katharine, surveying the underside of hemlock branches to look for the characteristic white, fuzzy dots (see photo) of HWA at this time of year. With six of us doing the survey, we hiked in a well-spaced line so that we could survey as many trees with low-hanging branches as possible. We did find more trees infected with HWA, which was disappointing, but this information will help DNAP determine the best approach for treatment this year. |
Three projects start off winter 2021 with removing woody species from open habitat
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ONAPA started its winter stewardship projects on Thursday, January 7, at Erie Sand Barrens (photos top right) . We are happy to have hosted three projects before mid-January, and the weather has cooperated. At Erie Sand Barrens, seven people from ONAPA and DNAP worked together to clear and treat woody stems growing in one of the high-quality sand barren areas with several rare plants. It has grown up in aspens, willows, and dogwoods, but we got a great start in opening it up again. DNAP plans to conduct a prescribed burn at the preserve in the spring, so this should also help to control the woody species.
On Wednesday, January 13, ONAPA and DNAP worked with Beaver Creek Wetlands Association (BCWA) at Zimmerman Prairie near Dayton to cut and treat woody species invading the small wet prairie. There was a great turnout with 14 people, including six from ONAPA. BCWA now manages the site in cooperation with DNAP and they have worked hard recently to control cattails and woody species. They were very grateful to have our help. We have another project scheduled with them in February. (Photos middle right). On Thursday, January 14, seven people from ONAPA and DNAP |
worked together at Kiser Lake Wetlands (bottom photos) to cut and treat woody species in the fen meadow in the Grandview Heights section. This continues the work we did last September. Between both
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days, the meadow adjacent to Kiser Lake is looking much more open, so we are excited to see the response this summer. We removed willows, autumn-olive, dogwoods, multiflora rose, privet, and bush honeysuckle, while avoiding the poison sumac. |