Chapters in Ohio

Join us for a leisurely guided wildflower walk along the Athens bike trail. The wooded hillsides along the trail are home to some of our area's loveliest spring bloomers, including trillium, bluebells, woodland phlox, and more.

Those who are in the mood for food or libation may want to get a table at the Eclipse restaurant and enjoy brunch/lunch with fellow walkers.

We will meet at the bike  trail entrance in back of the Eclipse Company Store. Parking is in the lot in front of the restaurant.

This event is free and open to the public.

Wild Ones Greater Cleveland’s Ring in Spring series presents:

Plant ID Slow Hike

Spring Ephemeral Edition

Join us for a leisurely stroll with Wild Ones Greater Cleveland and Lorain County Park District as we explore the trails and identify spring wildflowers together. No need to rush; we'll be taking our time to appreciate the beauty around us and identify the flowers we encounter along the way. We'll start at 51211 North Ridge Road, Vermilion, OH 44089, at the Bacon Woods Trailhead. This is on the WEST side of the park; the trailhead is at approx: 41°22'57.4"N 82°19'18.3"W. Find a map here: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59ef5b028c56a84a63338fb7/t/653929fb62b4fe4286b3e5c2/1698245116625/Vermilion+Website+Map+09-21-23.pdf

Make sure to wear comfortable shoes or boots suitable for walking on trails, rain or shine. Don't forget to bring water and sunscreen if needed. This hike won't be too strenuous; we'll be stopping frequently to admire flowers and practice identification.

Join Ohio Division of Natural Areas & Preserves Regional Manager Michelle Comer to explore this mature woodland. It was named in honor of the Davey Tree Expert Company, which provided The Nature Conservancy with half the necessary funding for acquiring the property in 1989. It has numerous large tulip trees, sugar maples, and oaks as well as an excellent array of spring wildflowers. The rolling topography of this site is indicative of glacial moraine deposited after the last glacial event. The preserve totals 103 acres, with about 90 acres of old-growth forest. It was inducted into the Old-Growth Forest Network in 2021. This is a moderate walk with hilly terrain. Total distance: about 1.5 miles

Note: There are just 4 or 5 parking spaces available outside of the gate. However, the gate will be open for our guided hike. Enter and drive back on the grassy lane to the parking area in the clearing.

This event is a wonderful opportunity to volunteer to dig up native plants giveaways for upcoming events and get few of your own!

What we'll be doing: We're looking for volunteers to help us dig up some volunteer seedlings (including lots of Golden Alexander / Zizia aurea) and pot them up to give away at our events this spring so we can get more native plants into the hands of more people!

Will you be able to take some seedlings home for your garden too? Yes!!

What to bring: A shovel and your gardening gloves! If you have left over pots that you want to donate to a good cause, you can bring those along too!

Parking: There is room for a few spots to park in the driveway; additional spots are available on the nearest cross street on Crosby, with a short walk to the house.

Celebrate Blue Week in the Oak Openings Region. We’ll be helping the Division of Natural Areas and Preserves (DNAP) pull garlic mustard. Knee high rubber boots, mosquito net, or other bug repellent is recommended. There are no on-site restrooms, but Secor Metropark is close by. 

Please RSVP for the garlic mustard removal event by emailing Maureen at: [email protected]