Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves

06/02/2026

✨50th Anniversary Trail Tuesday—Mentor Marsh

🎉Fifty years ago today, Gov. Jim Rhodes signed legislation creating the Division of Natural Areas and Preserves under the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. ⭐To honor our milestone, we’re highlighting Ohio’s first state nature preserve—Mentor Marsh.

🌿Designated in 1971, Mentor Marsh protects one of the largest natural marshes along Lake Erie. 🐦Today, this extraordinary place harbors more than 🌳180 native plant species and attracts a wealth of wildlife including nesting marsh birds and spawning fish.🐟

🥾Mentor Marsh features 4 miles of trail and is a popular stop on the Lake Erie Birding Trail. 🦆If you’re a birder, it’s the place to be during spring migration!

🌿Owned by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and co-managed by our division, Mentor Marsh also offers programming and a seasonal nature center. To learn more, visit www.cmnh.org or naturalareas.ohiodnr.gov

06/02/2026

Join ODNR's America 250 Celebration!

Celebrate Ohio’s stories, cultures, and outdoor heritage at the Great Council State Park Heritage Celebration on Saturday, June 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Xenia!

This free, family‑friendly festival is one of ODNR’s America 250 events and brings together artisans, living‑history presenters, community partners, hands‑on activities, and immersive experiences that highlight the rich heritage connected to Great Council State Park and the surrounding region.

Visitors can enjoy interactive craft stations, community exhibits, reenactor demonstrations, fried fish samples at the Wild Ohio Harvest Kitchen (11 a.m.–1 p.m.), guided tours, a food truck, and a full day of outdoor learning and fun for all ages.

Here’s a look at some of the day’s featured programming so you can plan your visit:

• Chief Glenna, Eastern Shawnee Tribe – 10:30–11 a.m.

• Peter Cozzens Remarks & Q&A – 11 a.m.–12 p.m.

• Interpretive Center Guided Tour – 12–1 p.m.

• Girl Scouts Badge Reveal – 12–12:15 p.m.

• Governor DeWine Remarks & Doug Hall Painting Unveiling – 1–1:30 p.m.

• Living History: Daniel Boone (portrayed by Robert Alvin Crum) – 2–2:30 p.m.

• Interpretive Center Guided Tour – 2:30–3:30 p.m.

• Absentee Shawnee Tribe Presentation – 2:45–3:15 p.m.

• Terracon Archaeological Exploration – 3:30–4 p.m.

Parking will be located at Xenia High School (303 Kinsey Road) with a free shuttle to and from the park. Please plan a little extra time for shuttle transport.

Make your plans now to join us for a full day celebrating the landscapes, cultures, and stories that shaped this region. Learn more at ohiodnr.gov/america250.

Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Ohio, The Heart of it All
America 250-Ohio
Greene County Convention & Visitors Bureau

06/01/2026

🔴Monday’s Most Wanted—the Marsh Tyrant!

‼️Meet this week’s Most Wanted Invasive Species—common reed grass (Phragmites australis). 🌿Coming in at #8 on our list, this marsh tyrant can reach up to 15 feet tall and is hard to miss with its large, gray-purple plume-like flowerhead.

❎Common reed gras spreads quickly and aggressively takes over the marshes, ditches and other wet habitats it invades. Once established, this non-native plant forms dense stands and pushes out other plants until all that remains is this invader.

⚠️Take Care: While rare, Ohio is home to a native reed grass (P. americanus) that is smaller and can be identified by its yellow-green coloration with red-striped stems.

✅Removal Tips: Common reed grass is best treated with a systemic herbicide to kill the root system. As with other invasive plants, it may take multiple seasons to fully remove.

🌿Native alternatives include prairie cord grass, common bur reed, and spotted joe pye w**d.

🤓To learn more, visit ohiodnr.gov/invasiveplants or contact your county’s soil and water conservation district or OSU Extension program.

Check back next Monday for #7 on our Most Wanted Invasive Plants List!

05/30/2026

Scenic River Saturday – Waterfalls

Where was this stunning photo taken? Ludlow Falls, which is on a tributary of the Stillwater-Greenville Creek State Scenic River in western Ohio. We like to think of the waterfalls of Stillwater as distant cousins of the Niagara Falls! The waters of Ludlow Creek flow over the Silurian-age Niagara escarpment which is a dolomite layer of rock named for its most dramatic example—Niagara Falls!

About 93 miles of the Stillwater and Greenville creeks were designated as a state scenic river in 1975. Offering excellent habitat and good water quality, this river system is a great place to paddle and fish for smallmouth bass! Learn more at ohiodnr.gov/scenicrivers.

(Photo by Ian Adams)

05/29/2026

🍃Fen-tastic Friday – Small but mighty!

Looking for your next escape? 🌺Although Owens Fen State Nature Preserve is small, it’s chock full of natural surprises. 🦋

🌿Located between Bellefontaine and Urbana, this prairie fen protects an amazing variety of rare species including carnivorous plants like round-leaved sundew. 🍃The leaves of sundew are covered in hair-like glands that secrete a sugary substance, attracting and trapping insects, allowing the plant to digest them. 🐜Yum! 😋

🌼Visit in July and August and you’ll be treated to a colorful display of native prairie wildflowers like queen-of-the-prairie and spiked blazing star.

Owens Fen is named for David B. Owens, a naturalist and former volunteer with our program. Learn more at naturalareas.ohiodnr.gov

05/28/2026

😮We are SHOCKED!!

🎉Spots still available for our 50th Anniversary Canoe Float on Tues, June 2 from 4:30-7pm!

🚣🏾‍♀️Join us on the Little Miami State & National Scenic River for a relaxing paddle along one of the prettiest sections of this stream. (Float begins in Xenia, near Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve and John Bryan State Park.) 🧐Learn more by checking our FB event listing or email: [email protected]. ⭐Registration is required and all participants must be older than 12 years old.

05/28/2026

🌞Summer is the perfect time for splashing in a stream!

If you love exploring stream life (and splashing around), then you'll love learning about the small critters that live in Ohio’s state scenic rivers. 🚣🏻‍♂️ Best way to do that? Join a Stream Quality Monitoring program at a river near you! 😁

🎏Staff will share how macroinvertebrates (tiny aquatic animals you can see without a 🔬) can tell us a lot about the health of a stream. 🐛These fascinating creatures thrive in clean water, and each has its own story to tell. 🩳 All you need is clothes and shoes to get wet in... we'll do the rest! 😎

🐟Look for your next stream adventure at naturalareas.ohiodnr.gov

05/27/2026

Wednesday

🌻School's almost out and summer is in the air! Today's feature offers a lovely preview of the beauty of an Ohio prairie or meadow in summer! 😎

🌼Culver's root (Veronicastrum virginicum) occurs in open woods, thickets and moist meadows and prairies. Its delicate spikes contain many light blue and white flowers reaching into the sky near 6 ft. above the ground. 🦋Bees and butterflies are common visitors to these summer blooms.

🌿Not only a pollinator magnet, it's also known for its medicinal properties. It was named for Dr. Culver, an early 18th century pioneer physician who documented its use but whose own first name is lost to history (or may be a combination of several early American pioneers). 🧐

🌻Learn more about Ohio's native summer wildflowers at naturalareas.ohiodnr.gov

05/27/2026

😔We're so sorry to announce that our 2026 Cranberry Bog Open House tours (scheduled for June 12) are full and we've stopped taking names for our wait list.

Interested in visiting Cranberry Bog State Nature Preserve on your own? You'll need to apply for a special visitation permit available online and arrange your boat transportation to and from the site which is located at Buckeye Lake in Licking County. To learn more, visit naturalareas.ohiodnr.gov or email [email protected]