Turning a dream into reality - Ohio Department of Natural Resources

continued from page 1Working with the Ohio Departmentof Natural Resources’ (ODNR)Division of Engineering and anarchitectural firm, the division hada conceptual model, blueprints andconstruction documents by 2000.The only element of the projectmissing was the funding.In late 2001, the divisioncombined federal dollars from theNational Oceanic & AtmosphericAdministration (NOAA) with capitalimprovement funds and privatedonations to bring the conceptdocuments to life.“It’s a terrific example of a statefederalpartnership working inconcert over several years to achievea project,” said Wright.Renovation emphasizessustainable buildingEducation coordinator Linda Feixcan be credited with bringingsustainable design to the renovationand redesign project. According toWright, Feix had been involved withteaching workshops on conservationpractices in agricultural andresidential settings.The construction project at OldWoman Creek was a perfect matchfor showcasing the best of today’sgreen design technology.Sustainable architecture recognizesthe impact buildings have on ournatural resources and focuseson designing and constructingmore ecologically friendly livingand working spaces. Its benefitsinclude: increased efficiency, fewertoxic chemicals, less pollution andhealthier natural systems.“As long as the result was practicaland we could afford it, we thoughtwe should include as manysustainable techniques and provenproducts as possible,” said Wright.Working with Myers & AssociatesArchitects, Wright was lucky tobe assigned a young architect,Heather Yellen, who dedicatedquite a bit of her time to learningabout sustainable design andgreen materials and techniques inconstruction. Yellen did a thoroughinvestigation, and the result is a newbuilding that utilizes more than 30environmentally friendly products andtechniques.Groundbreaking occurred inNovember 2001 and the project lastedabout 18 months. Feick Contractorin Sandusky and Johnson Companyin Huron were the companies whoinstalled recycled products, usedgreen building techniques andoversaw all aspects of the project.Surrounded byrecycled materialsSustainable building products run thegamut from creative, frog imprintedrecycled pavers outside the mainentrance to a geothermal heatingand cooling system for the enlargedand renovated visitors center at OldWoman Creek.Wright says visitors are reallyimpressed by the new look. Vaultedceilings allow cross ventilationthroughout the addition.The hardy plank siding on theoutside of the building is a fibercementcomposite, offering a durable,attractive and fire-proof alternative towood.The insulation used is a celluloseproduct, made from recovered woodpulp, mostly recycled newsprint.It is made from at least 80 percentpost-consumer recycled wastepaper.Other recycled materials used includerecycled wallboard, organic-basedasphalt shingles and carpeting.One of the most experimentalelements of the project is the perviousgrass pavement at the visitors centerfor overflow parking. Funded by agrant from ODNR’s Office of CoastalManagement, staff are taking a seriouslook at how the grass and gravel mixworks. If it works in a parking lotsituation, Wright thinks it might evenwork with hiking trails.Wright explained that trackingthe efficiency and practicality ofall those recycled products andenvironmentally friendly techniques ispart of the project as well.The grass pavement was the lastphase of the project to be completedand it will be monitored over the nexttwo years.Teaching others aboutsustainable buildingFeedback from visitors has beenoverwhelmingly positive according toWright. Staff are conducting guidedtours just to talk about the sustainablebuilding project. Local colleges areusing the facility to teach sustainabledesign.“Coastal communities needto practice sustainabledevelopment and design,”said Wright. “Sustainablebuilding is the future; weare in the pioneer stage ofsustainable design.”With so much invested, bothprofessionally and personally, thenew building at Old Woman Creekis a legacy for all of Lake Erie andOhio’s nature preserve system.To learn more about the project, visitour website at www.ohiodnr.com/dnap or contact Old Woman Creek at(419) 433-4601.Invasive PlantAlert #12Eurasian water-milfoil(Myriophyllum spicatum)Description: Eurasian water-milfoil is anon-native rooted aquatic plant with longstems that branch near the water’s surfaceto create a canopy of floating foliage. Theleaves are in whorls of four with 14-20pairs of feathery leaf divisions. A spikeof pink flowers emerges above the waterand then falls horizontally when in fruit.This invasive plant resembles the nativenorthern water-milfoil (M. sibiricum). Areliable distinguishing characteristic is thenumber of leaf divisions; northern watermilfoilhas fewer (5-12) than the nonnativeEurasian water-milfoil.The Power of BioticsThe Ohio Natural Heritage Database, managed by the Divisionof Natural Areas and Preserves, was created in 1975. Today, it isthe most comprehensive repository for data on Ohio’s rare floraand fauna.The database contains more than 13,000 records detailing Ohio’s rare plant andanimal species, significant plant community records, as well as other uniquenatural features including geologic formations, breeding animal populations andchampion trees.“A database is only as good as itsrecords,” said Acting Chief NancyStrayer. “It is vital that Ohio’s NaturalHeritage Database maintains accuraterecords, which are also up-to-date.New technology is helpingthe division improve accuracywhile increasing efficiency.”Ohio’s Natural Heritage programis a member of a hemispherewidenetwork of Natural Heritageprograms, including all 50 states,the District of Columbia, 11Canadian provinces and nine LatinAmerican countries. This networkis coordinated by NatureServe, anon-profit conservation informationagency, headquartered in Arlington,Virginia.Habitat: It can grow in a varietyof aquatic habitats, but prefersfertile, fine-textured inorganicsediments. It is anopportunistic speciesthat invades disturbedlake beds, recreationalwaterways and slowmovingstreams.Optimal growth occursin alkaline systems withhigh concentrationsof dissolved inorganiccarbon.Distribution: Native toEurope, Asia and northernAfrica, Eurasian watermilfoilwas introduced tothe United States by theaquarium industry. It hasbeen spread both purposefullyby fisherman who introduced itNatureServe provides customizeddatabase software and support whichensures that all member NaturalHeritage programs maintain compatibledata. NatureServe can then pool datafrom all heritage programs and, usingthe data, analyze the continentaldistribution of rare species.Last December, the division began atwo-step process to upgrade Ohio’sNatural Heritage Database from theBiological Conservation Database,which was installed in 1995, to theBiotics software which uses geographicinformation system (GIS) technology.NatureServe’s new Biotics softwareenables division staff to map databaserecords on digital topographic mapsand aerial photos and store theseimages in ArcView files. Additionallocation data for each record isto lakes for fish habitat andaccidentally when caught inboat propellers and carried toa new body of water.In the last five decades ithas spread throughoutmuch of NorthAmerica fromFlorida to Quebecin the east, andfrom Californiato BritishColumbia in thewest. Eurasianwater-milfoilwas first foundin Ohio in 1950and is now commonthroughout the state.Problem: Dense canopiesof Eurasian water-milfoilshade out native vegetation, alterautomatically calculated by the systemand stored in an Oracle database.How do these new capabilities affectOhio’s endangered species? Thenew software greatly enhances theefficiency of mapping new rare speciesoccurrences.“Biotics has revolutionized theway we collect data,” said GregSchneider, manager of DNAP’sResource Services.“Not only does it give us precise data,but when the data is entered into thesystem. The program automaticallycalculates and recor ds all thegeographical information, which savesstaff from looking up a lot of relateddata,” Schneider explained.When botanists are in thefield, the process for collectinglocations for rare species hasbecome more accurate.The data, recorded by handheld GPSunits, is easily uploaded into thecontinues on page 7the species composition of aquaticinvertebrates and may impair theability of some fish species to spawn.As an opportunistic species, this plantstarts growing early in the spring andis capable of rapid dispersion throughfragmentation of plant parts. Eachfragment is able to grow roots anddevelop into a new plant. Due to theplant’s ability to form dense growths,water recreation activities, such asswimming, boating and fishing, areinhibited.Control: Mechanical cutters andharvesters, as well as hand-pulling,are the most common methods ofcontrol. To be most effective, allfragments must be collected andremoved from the site to eliminatenew establishments. Biologicalcontrols include a native weevil,which has been found to feed andreproduce on the plant.2 3

Preserve SpotlightKitty ToddNature PreserveEstablished in 1972, the 633-acre Kitty Todd Nature Preserveprotects one of the finest remnants of northwest Ohio’s OakOpenings region, which harbors more rare species than any otherarea in Ohio. To date, 572 native vascular plants have been locatedon the preserve—90 of which are state listed. Of the wildlife livingat Kitty Todd, 20 are state listed, including Ohio’s only populationof the federally endangered Karner blue butterfly.Originally named Schwamberger Prairie,the preserve is home to globally rareblack oak savanna and wet prairiehabitats. It was renamed in honor ofKitty Todd, one of the region’s earliestconservationists. Located in LucasCounty, the preserve is owned andmanaged by the Ohio Chapter of TheNature Conservancy (TNC).Before European settlement, the OakOpenings region was a landscapeof scattered oaks and open prairies,vastly different from much of Ohio’sdense forest cover. The combinationof a high water table, sandy soil andperiodic wild fires kept the area open.These three factors promoted a balancebetween the growth of trees and shrubsand the grasses and wildflowers.After European settlement, fires weresuppressed and much of the land wasdrained. The result was a dramaticincrease in the growth of trees andshrubs. Heavily shaded woods andthickets replaced many of the sunny,open oak savannahs and wet prairies.To reverse the process at Kitty Todd,The Nature Conservancy is workingto recover the natural landscape bymowing woody vegetation, thinningtrees, restoring drainage patterns andconducting prescribed burns. This ongoingprocess has restored much of thepreserve’s original vegetation, evidentby the abundance of unusual plantsand animals at the preserve.Widely spaced black and white oaksgrow on top of ancient wind-blownsand dunes. Under this light canopyKarner blue butterflyof oaks a mixture of sun-loving,drought resistant prairie plants andgrasses flourish including: wild lupine(Lupinus perennis), plains puccoon(Lithospermum caroliniense), littlebluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium),eastern prickly pear cactus (Opuntiahumifusa), June grass (Koeleriamacrantha), rough blazing star (Liatrisaspera), New Jersey tea (Ceanothusamericanus), western sunflower(Helianthus occidentalis), porcupinegrass (Stipa spartea), sand milkweed(Asclepias amplexicaulis) and sweetfern(Comptonia peregrina).Wetter sites in the savanna supporttall-grass prairie plants including:big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii),Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans),the globally rare Skinner’s foxglove(Agalinis skinneriana), tall coreopsis(Coreopsis tripteris), yellow wildindigo (Baptisia tinctoria), tall greenmilkweed (Asclepias hirtella), theinsectivorous spathulate-leavedsundew (Drosera intermedia), fireweed(Epilobium angustifolium), colic-root(Aletris farinosa), wood lily (Lliliumphiladelphicum), grass pink orchid(Calopogon tuberosa), orange-fringedorchid (Platanthera ciliaris), soapwortgentian (Gentiana saponaria) and thecross-leaved milkwort (Polygala cruciata).Some of the specialized animals foundhere include several rare species ofbutterflies, such as the frosted elfin,Persius dusky wing and Karner blue,all of which depend on lupine as theirsole larval food source. Other unusualinsects relying on Kitty Todd’s uniquehabit include the silver-borderedfritillary, Edward’s hairstreakand the blazing star borer moth.Certain birds, like the larksparrow, utilize clumps of littlebluestem for nesting; sedge wrensnest in dense patches of big bluestemand redheaded woodpeckers thrive inthe open savannahs.Wet prairies occupy the lowest areasin elevation, the swales between theridges and dunes. Here the water tableis near or above the surface duringmuch of the year. Unlike the acidicsoils of the oak savannahs, the wetprairie has alkaline soil and containsa different array of plant species,including plants more typical of fens.Many rare species of sedges, suchas twig-rush (Cladium mariscoides),slender sedge (Carex lasiocarpa) andsartwells sedge (Carex sartwellii) thrivein this environment. Prairie grasses likeblue-joint (Calmagrostis canadensis)and northern reed (Calamogrostisinexpansa) also flourish here.Wildflowers are abundant includingdense blazing star (Liatris spicata),fringed gentian (Gentianopsis crinita),Riddell’s goldenrod (Solidago riddellii),Great Lakes goldenrod (Euthamearemota), Kalm’s St. Johns-wort(Hypericum kalmianum), tubercledrein-orchid (Platanthera flava) andvery rarely, prairie milkweed (Asclepiassullivantii).Unusual animals found in the wetprairie include the state endangeredblue-spotted salamander, the statethreatened spotted turtle and thecommon snipe, a species of specialinterest in Ohio.Kitty Todd Nature Preserve is openweekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and thefirst full weekend of the month fromMay through October. Visitors may hikethe .5 mile Savanna Trail, the .4 mileCactus Loop Trail or stroll through theOak Openings natives demonstrationgarden. To learn more, contact (419)867-1521.Contributed by guest author Gary HaaseOak Openings Land StewardThe Nature ConservancyMentor Marshabounds withgreenery aftermassive fireOn a late spring afternoon,more than 250 firefightersfrom nearly 40 communitiesbattled into the late eveningto contain a fire that sweptthrough nearly half of MentorMarsh State Nature Preservein Lake County.The worst time for marsh fires isbetween the months of March andJune, when last year’s vegetationis dead and dry. At Mentor Marsh,phragmites, or reed grass, dominatesthe landscape. The 6 foot and tallerdead grasses fueled the fire’s blazes.The fire and its huge black wallof smoke caught the attentionof national media, as well as theconcern of neighboring homeownerswhose homes, some built since thelast major fire, were in the line offire.Contained without any majorcasualties to firefighters orneighboring homes, the fire ofunknown origins was the worst blazeto strike the marsh in over 10 years.More than 325 acres were affected.continues on page 64 5

Mentor Marshcontinued from page 5By late May, the marsh had alreadyregained its green appearance as newphragmites replaced those burned inthe fire. Biologists determined thatimpact to wildlife was minimal, butunfortunately, the preserve did suffersome casualties not easily repaired.The fire destroyed birds’ nestsand young saplings growingaround the marsh rim. Luckily,the fire occurred before mostmigratory birds, other thanCanadian geese, had returnedto the area.Its flames also damaged the 2,000-foot boardwalk and overlook.In the 1960s, the current marshwas a swamp-forest; however, asalt spill caused the trees to die offand allowed the highly invasivephragmites to take over. The saplingtrees, mostly on the southern rim ofthe marsh, were an indication thatthe high salt content of the marsh’sground water was lessening.Although this year’s fire was asetback, the marsh’s long-term futureincludes the growth of more trees,which will help retard the growth ofphragmites and help return MentorMarsh to a swamp-forest ecosystem.This natural process will takehundreds of years.Meanwhile, because of the significantdamage to the Wake Robinboardwalk and the overlook, bothlocated off of Woodridge Lane, thearea is closed to the public. It willcost at least $100,000 to repair andreplace the damaged trail facilities.Despite the toll the fire took on thepreserve, its other nature trails remainopen to the public. Mentor MarshState Nature Preserve is jointly ownedby the Cleveland Museum of NaturalHistory and the Division of NaturalAreas and Preserves.For visitation information, please contactthe museum at (800) 317-9155.Monarch Butterfliescontinued from page 1In the face of storms, predationand the vagaries of nature, thesesmall sojourners are the future ofthe entire species. Their survival isthe thread for next year’s cycle.The tiny spot where the easternband of monarchs migrates tois in the mountains of centralMexico, at altitudes of about10,000 feet above sea level. In alocation barely more than a fewacres in size, countless millions ofthese butterflies will completelycover the branches and limbs ofthe forest trees, remaining herethroughout the winter monthswhere the temperatures are lowenough to slow down the insects’metabolism, allowing them thestrength to return northward earlyin the spring to begin the cycleanew. The forests offer protectionfrom predators and provideadequate moisture.Until the mid-1970s, little wasknown about the mystery of themonarch migration or of theirwinter destination and sanctuary.Their winter roosts usually remaina few degrees above freezing, butin some years temperatures fellinto the mid-twenties, resultingin mass die-offs, threatening thefuture of the species. Wintermortality is usually about 5 to 10percent.A smaller population of monarchsoccurs west of the RockyMountains and winters in coastalCalifornia and the Baja Peninsula.They migrate northward along thecoast to British Columbia duringthe summer months.When temperatures warm in earlyMarch, the adults, mostly female,begin the journey northward.Some of these butterflies havebeen alive since the previoussummer and their final act is tolay eggs as they fly north. Thisfirst generation will die soon afterlaying their eggs. As spring turnsto summer, subsequent generationsof monarchs will emerge to layeggs and continue the northwardmigration.It is believed that each generationwill fly several hundred milesnorthward following the emergenceof milkweed plants, which are thesingle source of food for the larvae.Entomologists believe there are threeto five generations created during thesummer season.Monarchs lay their eggs singly on theunderside of milkweed leaves. Withinseveral days the tiny caterpillarsemerge and begin an eating frenzywhich lasts about seven to 10 days.They grow from pin-sized to 2 incheslong and are brightly striped. Theneach will spin a chrysalis; encasedin a jade sac with beads of gold atthe top, it will hang suspended foranother week or so.The monarchs then emerge as freshlyhued orange and black adults. Afterdrying their wings, they take to thesky and continue the process thateventually produces butterflies allacross the eastern and mid-westernUnited States, and as far north as thesouthern provinces of Canada.As summer turns to autumn, a lastgeneration of butterflies beginsa journey back to the winteringgrounds. The fall migrations aremore spectacular because all of thesurviving butterflies are heading inthe same direction. The butterflies’flight becomes more urgent as daysshorten and grow colder.It is believed that the angle of thesun and the length of daylight arewhat guide this tremendous massof butterflies homeward. When themigration approaches Texas, thenumbers become spectacular as theinsects funnel toward their roosts.Large bodies of water and forestedareas are favorite resting spots for themigrants. Here in Ohio, the shoresof Lake Erie are good spots to watchthe migration. Preserves such asMentor Marsh, Old Woman Creek,Headlands Dunes and Sheldon Marshare great for viewing monarchs flyingsouthward. As they fly by, wish themluck on their long and dangerousjourney. “Vaya con Dios!”Emliss Ricks, Jr.Northeast District Preserve ManagerAmphibians begin life as a collection ofeggs protected within a jelly-like massfloating in water. Once fertilized, theeggs develop into gilled larvae, whichspend their time eating and growing inponds, streams and various other wetplaces. Eventually, most of them tradein their gills for rudimentary lungs andleave the water behind, emerging onland as toads, frogs and salamanders.Ohio has a large and diversepopulation of amphibians, creatureswho often do not receive the attentionthey deserve. Take salamanders, forinstance. Most of the 300 speciesknown to science are native to the NewWorld; Ohio has 27 of them. Except formud puppies and hellbenders whichcan reach 20 inches in length, they aresmall creatures, hiding beneath rocksand leaf litter where constant moisturekeeps their oxygen-absorbing skinsfunctioning properly.What salamanders lack in size, theymore than make up in color. Some aremarbled with black and white; otherssport spots of yellow, white or blackand several come in shades of red.Even drab salamanders may displayinteresting gradations of tone or adusting of silvery flecks.Among the ranks of living creatures with whichwe share our world, few are more interestingthan amphibians. Their name comes from twoGreek words which mean “dual life,” referringto their double citizenship in both terrestrialand aquatic communities.Frogs and toads are the other importantamphibians in our state. Although thetwo are similar in appearance, there aredifferences. Frogs have smooth, dampskin and legs built for leaping. Toadsare less dependent on water, whichis why you might find them one hopahead of your lawnmower miles fromthe nearest wild water source.Of the 80 species of frogs and toadsnative to North America, Ohio has 16.They range in size from the diminutivespring peeper at less than an inch longto the 6 inch bullfrog whose deepBioticscontinued from page 3system. This gives the division theprecise location of plant communitiesand even individual plants.The new Biotics system alsoimproves the division’s abilityto provide data to customers asprinted maps or as GIS shape files.The division receives hundredsof requests annually for NaturalHeritage Database informationfrom a variety of sources includingstate agencies, county and localpark districts, private conservationbass voice resonates across summerevenings. Unlike the silent salamanders,frogs and toads are not shy aboutmaking their presence known,especially in the spring. The croaks,chirrups and grunts of lovesick frogsand toads can be deafening.Ohio’s amphibious heritage goesway back. Some of the earliestamphibian fossils ever found comefrom Mississippian rocks at Linton,predating by several million years thearrival of the dinosaurs. Yet for all theirvenerable priority in this world, theyhave not fared well at our hands. Ourhabit of gigging, or jabbing, frogs andusing salamanders for bait has certainlyhad an impact on their populations, butfar more serious has been our assaulton their water habitat.As we have drained pools, silted upstreams and destroyed the temporaryvernal ponds in our woodlands, wehave taken from these older citizensthe very staff of life. It would be sadindeed if animals with such an ancientlineage should survive so long only tobe destroyed by human development.In Ohio, four species of salamanderand one of our two native toads arelisted as endangered.Fortunately, state nature preserves giveyou a chance to see Ohio’s amphibiansin their original habitat. Watching forthese interesting creatures is just onemore reason to visit a preserve nearyou.Tim SnyderWest Central District Preserve Managerorganizations, as well asconsultants and developers.The database also serves as an integralpart of the Ohio Department of NaturalResources’ environmental reviewprocess.“Parts of my job that used to takedays, now take hours,” said ButchGrieszmer, DNAP data specialist. “It hashuge potential for future monitoringand management of Ohio’s naturalresources.”6 7