Seeking Trees

It is no big secret that many of my friends and I feel passionate about trees.  Far outstripping the lifespan of the average human, these giant sentinels of times past leave me feeling very small indeed.

Their struggles through drought, fire, and the activity of man are too often scrawled upon the very bark which makes each species recognizable and unique.  Our world is richer for having trees and the by-product of clean air to breath is mighty sweet, too.

If one wants to mark the down-fall of man, you need look no farther than the wholesale destruction of trees. They anchor our very earth, preventing erosion.  They provide shade, habitat, food and form the framework for ecosystems.  Look to the most dramatic poverty-stricken nations and you'll find countries denuded of trees.

Bur Oak, Quercus macrocarpa at Daughmer Prairie State Nature Preserve, photo by Ian Adams.

One of  Ian Adams' best tree portraits ever features an old friend from Daughmer Prairie Savannah State Nature Preserve.  This giant Bur Oak, Quercus macrocarpa grows next to the parking lot on Marion-Melmore Rd.

If you have ever tried to photograph an old growth tree, one soon realizes it is difficult to get the full size, shape and perspective of its habitat included.  It makes Ian's fine work all the more admirable.

Now you can see many of Ohio's most spectacular trees as well as rock formations and scenic highways through the the filter of Ian's lens.

Ohio University's Swallow press has produced a gem filled with the best scenes Ohio has to offer.  A Photographer's Guide to Ohio has me spell-bound.  Thanks to Ian, I now have a few more trees to see right here in Ohio!

A little excerpt from Ian's work:

     When I view this tree, and other giants like it, I'm reminded of a statement attributed to playwright, George Bernard Shaw, "Except for the nine months before he draws his first breath, no man manages his affairs so well as a tree does."

My feelings, too.  A tree can be measured worthy in so many ways besides board-feet.  A note to Ohio State Parks and Forests,  none of the beautiful or historic sites Ian depicts include a clear-cut.

We need trees. 

Natural Beauty: Prairie Style

 One of the most significant preservation accomplishments in Ohio in the past decade was naming Daughmer Prairie Savanna a State Nature Preserve.   A lot of good folks were involved in this effort, and I have written about it numerous times: the Dedication ceremony, how it looks in late fall, Daughmer on fire, its cord grass and several other posts as well.

Daughmer Prairie on an early August morning

I have gone there many times and each experience is different and meaningful in its own way. Last Saturday Crawford Park District was hosting one of Ohio's most knowledgeable naturalists, Jim McCormac.

This virgin, never-plowed prairie is worth investigating over and over.  If you would like to take a guided tour of Daughmer, go to the Ohio Natural Areas and Preserves Association and sign up for our Annual Banquet. 

Jim McCormac, the ultimate nature guide.

Jim McCormac, author and employee of Ohio Division of Wildlife, leads people into nature like none other. He has been a wonderful mentor to me and thousands of Other Ohioans. He is a walking field guide to Ohio.  You would be hard pressed to find a better source on botany, birds, natural history. He also has a great understanding of both mammals and insects, including moths, dragonflies and any other creepy-crawlies.  I simply wanted to hear his take on Daughmer.

There was quite a crowd too!   I didn't count, but we had somewhere between 45-50 people. Those of us who were in the back of the tour were a good 1/8 mile away!  It was still an extraordinary trip.

Winged Loosestrife, Lythrum alatum

 We had not even left the parking lot before we discussed the "good" loosestrife, which is not to be confused with the invasive non-native.

Sullivant's Milkweed, Asclepias sullivantii

Next we ogled the famous milkweed that was named for Ohio surveyor and part-time botanist William Starling Sullivant.

Ann Budgeda from Lake County Parks with Swamp Milkweed.

 It became a "pretty in pink" day, with Swamp Milkweed, Asclepias incarnata rising high in the grassland.  This milkweed is just as beneficial for hosting monarch butterfliess, but it prefers wet soils.

Primrose moth, Schinia florida

Another high-light was the Primrose moth Jim found as it flitted through the vegetation.  We had wonderful opportunities for a photo shoot with this compliant creature.  This day-flying photogenic pink bug can be found (but is seldom seen) throughout the eastern U.S.  Primrose moths have an affinity for nectaring on Common Evening Primrose.   I once saw one in Florida, but it didn't stick around for a photo session!

Josh Dyer (Crawford Parks), Jim McCormac (ODOW), and Bill Fisher (Crawford Parks) at Daughmer Prairie

Thanks to Crawford County Parks for all they do to maintain the prairie (with the help of ONAPA) and for hosting this special program.

Please sign up for the fall Daughmer tour with Guy Denny sponsored by ONAPA. You will be amazed, too.

Daughmer Prairie Dedication

Ohio's nature buffs have been waiting 20 years for this day:  Daughmer Bur Oak Prairie Savannah State Nature Preserve was dedicated yesterday.

Daughmer is significant, not only for Ohio; it also has a reputation for being the best Oak Prairie Savannah nationally. And Bur Oak Savannahs are a globally rare habitat- globally rare.  It has been the culmination of many years work to protect and preserve this little 40 acre plot of what was once 200,000 acres of prairie.

This sign was placed years ago,  marking the importance of this tract of land- even when it was still being used as a sheep pasture.  Oak savannahs are created by islands of higher-drier soils being surrounded by heavy wet clay soils. In Ohio over 99 percent of the prairie have been plowed and used for agriculture.  This is a very rare plot that has never been tilled.

 State Parks Chief Glen Cobb, Crawford Park Director Bill Fisher and Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director James Zehringer cut the ribbon to open the preserve.

 Note the beautiful native stand of Indian grass, Sorghastrum nutans  directly behind them.

John Mack, of Cleveland Metro-parks has studied this significant site for many years.  He lent his expertise to the field trips, and spoke to us about the unique hydrology.

The prairie tours pass beneath the towering oaks.

 Rick Gardner, Ohio's Heritage botanist also guided tours.  Over 90 people came out for the dedication, in spite of the rain showers.

 Guy Denny teaches the crowd about Prairie Dock, Silphium terebinthinaceum a species that is reappearing since sheep no longer graze here.

Winged loosestrife, Lythrum alatum

 Loosestrife- the good one.  Yes, this is not the invasive species we try to eradicate from wetlands.  This is a much rarer native species which we want to keep.  And that is why Natural Areas need to be protected and maintained by the experts who know the subtle differences in these plants.   We WANT this loosestrife.

 Winged Loosestrife grows along the edges of the parking lot at Daughmer.  The beautiful pink flowers are a natural part of this ecosystem, which needs be restored.  The balance of this prairie is in need of management: fire to beat back the invasive species, volunteers to help dig out teasel, and botanists to help us document rare species as they return from the seed bank.

Josh Dyer and Bill Fisher are the locals who are heading up much of the work at Daughmer Prairie.  

Join the Ohio Natural Areas and Preserves Association and help them protect this prairie, or one of  the many other significant natural areas in Ohio.  We need your help as we volunteer in the preserves. Click on that link and join today!

Daughmer Prairie Dedication

Daughmer Prairie is about to be dedicated as Ohio's newest State Nature Preserve, and the good news: You are invited!

Daughmer Prairie, photo by Ian Adams

 Daughmer Prairie has been the topic of numerous blog posts, feel free to click on the following links:
Preserving, its Gems, Fire, and  Revisited

But for all my words, Ohio's famous photographer, my friend  Ian Adams captures the feel in one photo.  Amazing.  Thank you Ian.

And now, it is your chance to walk under the Oaks at Daughmer.  You are invited to the Dedication at 10:00 AM on Monday August 27, and tours will be given afterward. We hope to see you there!

Click on Invitation to enlarge. 

Daughmer Revisited

In Ohio, we lost our prairies.  They once swept across the vast landscape, grasses bent to wind under the blue skies of summer.  99.9% gone.  What the plow did not claim, settlement did.

I long for the prairie as one misses a lost loved one. There is something incredibly peaceful and satisfying about standing in the midst of  this native landscape.

 A man barely registers beneath these Bur Oak trees. This prairie savanna is filled with giants, to put our meager existence in perspective.

Yet, the details are endless, down to the smallest Dogbane flower where a Banded Hairstreak butterfly finds sustenance.  The mind blowing scale of great and small play out against the haunting sense of  stopped time.

While it is not yet open to the public, Daughmer Prairie is the newest of Ohio State Nature Preserves.  It is the culmination of many years of effort to protect this last piece of land that reflects the Ohio as the true native Americans saw it- and the way they maintained it with fire.

There will be a dedication program later this year, and I hope to keep you posted on this blessed patch of land.

Parting Shot

Do you remember the old standby in Life magazine? My favorite feature was called "Parting Shots." Some of Life's best photography was featured as a stand alone article, the basic premise that a picture can speak a thousand words.

Daughmer Savanna .............photo by Ian Adams (click on photo to enlarge)

A parting shot from Daughmer was sent to me by Ian Adams and I just had to share it with you. This is what a "real photographer" can do with a topic.

Ian's photo breathes life into the stately Bur Oak, Quercus macrocarpa spreading above the open grassland at the prairie savanna in Crawford County. Light gently plays across the grasses, which have been here since they were maintained with fire by Ohio's First Nation, the native Americans.

Thankfully, this will not be the last shot of this historic property which "freezes" the landscape in a past time. A time before the plow, when bison and bear still knew the lands of Ohio.

Thank you, Ian for this beautiful photo- a work of art. Special thanks also, to all the local people and the folks with Ohio Department of Natural Resources who labored to preserve this prairie for future Ohioans. Job well done.

Gems from Daughmer Prairie

While concentrating on eradicating some non-natives from the prairie, we had to admire the biodiversity surrounding us. There were many indicators species of prairies, namely the four major grasses for Ohio prairies: Big Bluestem, Switch grass, Indian grass, and Prairie Cordgrass.

There were a host of native forbs and insects to admire as well.

Common Buckeye butterfly on Virginia Mountain Mint, Pycnanthemum virginianum

Everywhere we walked in Daughmer a deep scent of mint permeated the prairie. Since sheep were grazed at Daughmer from many years, it is fairly safe to assume sheep don't care to eat mountain mint. Several species of plants we would expect to see growing here are missing. Our conclusion: sheep found them "tasty."

The Common Buckeye butterflies were dancing from plant to plant, taking in the fragrance and nectar.

Just a couple of weeks ago, this Buckeye caterpillar was photographed at the same location.

Winged Loosestrife, Lythrum alatum
Not all Loosestrife is bad! This petite member of the Loosestrife family is a native plant, well mannered and easily overlooked. Unlike its brassy cousin the invasive species, Winged Loosestrife has small, loose sprays of flowers. Apparently, sheep don't eat these either!

Red-legged Grasshopper, Manlanoplus femurrubrum

No, I did not make up this Latin name. But isn't it cool? Femur=leg rubrum= red

Bob Clips and I had a great time speculating on this boldly colored locust, then again, everything is interesting with Bob! He conducts milkweed pollination studies at Killdeer Plains and teaches at OSU Marion. He will be conducting some fun moss and lichen workshops this fall. You will want to watch for more information about those.

Until then, happy weedpicking!

Bucket Brigade at Daughmer

Clear blue skies, a stand of majestic oaks, the crush of mint beneath our feet and a Bald Eagle circling overhead in the mid-morning. How could this be called work?

Daughmer Prairie- the newest acquisition of Division of Natural Areas and Preserves. The beauty of the location was the inspiration for a day of grueling work: fighting an alien invader.

Teasel, Dipsacus fullonum (used to be Dipsacus sylvestris)

It looks harmless enough as this Silver Spotted Skipper nectars, but do not be fool by this invader. It is pointy, and prickly business cutting them out before the seed-heads fully develop. Once imported to be used for carding wool, Teasel was entirely too successful and forms dense clumps once they get a foothold.

Fortunately, there have been many good-hearted-but-slightly-crazy folks willing to help of late. Here is Bruce Lindsay and Dick Moseley chest deep in the prairie, doing hand to hand combat.

And what does a "Weedpicker" wear to such a social event? A bucket, of course! This one was filled many times over.

And here, complimenting the 4 foot high teasel, is a patch of chest high poison ivy that I worked in. We'll see how that works out for me!

Thanks to all the fine volunteers who have been working at Daughmer Prairie to help with this important work. All told we have logged many hours, but it is worth the effort to know we are preventing an even larger out-break next year. A special thanks to Guy Denny and Dick Moseley for gathering the troops and making this happen in a timely manner.

I have finally earned my moniker- as a "Weedpicker!"

Prairie Cordgrass at Daughmer

Today I returned to Ohio newest State Nature Preserve, Daughmer Prairie. It is a good feeling to know that this prairie remnant will be protected for the future, and these gigantic Bur Oak trees which bore witness to Ohio's First Nations will survive.

A good day for the tree-huggers and weedpickers, indeed.

The morning haze was just rising off the grasses, as dragonflies dried their wings.

The Prairie Cordgrass, Spartina pectinata unfurled flowers waiting to be caressed by warm summer breeze- but a miniature pollinator crashes the party. It couldn't resist the invitation.

This hardy grass gets it name from the Greek: Spartina a grass used for cord and pectinate refers to the comb-like one sided branches of the panicle.

Grass that prefers it damp, Sloughgrass was another common name. Colonies form in dense mats where the ground remains soggy. The sharp leaves of this grass were also called "rip gut" and mule-train drivers soon learned to avoid these areas while crossing America's western prairies. Nothing could be worse than being axle deep in mud in hostile lands.

Remember Timmons, from Dances with Wolves? Even he would have known to avoid the Prairie Cordgrass.

Daughmer Burns- fire as a tool

Fire can either be friend or foe. Usually considered destructive or bad, fire can be a tool for rejuvenation. Fire has played a significant role in the management of prairies since the days of Native Americans. Lack of fire even led to the decline of lupines, and Karner Blue butterflies in the Oak Openings.


Fire is added to the landscape at Daughmer Savannah, our state newest- and 135th State Nature Preserve. Managed by Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves, now under the Ohio State Parks.

These are well planned operations, with plenty of fore-thought for safety, wind speeds and directions are monitored and copious amounts of water is on standby.

Daughmer- a diamond in the rough. This Bur Oak Savannah is a significant piece of Ohio history and one of the rare remnants of Ohio land that escaped both plow and timber crews.

These majestic 200 year old oaks speak of perseverance, even fire can not penetrate their thickened bark. They remain as sentinels of a time past. The prairie at their feet was degraded by sheep grazing, and the creep of invasive plants. Fire will help to turn back the time, and allow fire dependant plants to thrive again.

The back-fire is set, crawling slowly across the ground, it provides a safety line.

Wind pushes the head fire across the prairie to meet up with backfire. This burn was the ultimate in safety and control, with high moisture content in the grass, it created a slow smoldering burn.

Sunlight plays on smoke as the fire creeps through the oaks. There is nearly mystical feeling to see the blending of fire and forbs. This power, which can be so destructive can also be a source of new life and growth.

Daughmer Prairie survives to see another century, and we are fortunate to witness a small part of its story.

Preserving Daughmer Prairie

Have you ever admired a singular oak tree?

When left to grow uninhibited by man's buildings, power lines, or cramped in woodlots, their breadth and spread is simply a work of art. This legacy tree speaks to us of what was - before white man changed the land known as O-hi-yo (meaning- "it is beautiful".)

Unencumbered in a Crawford county field, this oak stands tribute to passing time and our country's history. One oak, a last remainder for bio-diversity, in the plowed ground "canvas" for agricultural monocultures.

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Now imagine a hundred of these trees.
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Behemoths in the landscape, Bur oaks (Quercus macrocarpa) spread as wide as they are tall, reaching across unplowed soils boasting of over 150 some species of native grasses and forbs. Wet sedge meadow meets prairie grass on this 30 acre museum of natural history. This savannah was maintain by fire in Crawford county's pre-history, where Native Americans appreciated the end result of flame to the landscape: large open grassland where only the heat resistant oak could survive. Plentiful game- with grass to graze and acorns to forage. This was their O-hi-yo.





These Sandusky Plains are celebrated by a state marker, and this patch of land has created many a sleepless night for a handful of concerned naturalist in Crawford, and many other counties throughout our state. The stakes are too high to lose this last living remnant of what once was. Daughmer Prairie is well noted as the best example left of a prairie / oak savannah in the mid-west, and it looks like Ohio Division of Natural Areas Check-off funds will be used to achieve its long-awaited preservation.




Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans) blows freely in the breeze.
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This land of incredible beauty is also a land of incredible bio-diversity. Red-head Woodpeckers thrive on this open lot, while dragonflies and butterflies of every manner cruise the grassland and wet meadows all spring and summer.
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Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to achieve the permanent conservation of this land. You are giving the gift of our past- to the future.