Submitted by Wood County Park District
With foci on prairies and savannas, this regional conference will bring expert speakers and field trips to enhance our area knowledge of the value and purpose of the prairies in our Wood County flatlands. Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 13th at Simpson Garden Park. Doors open at 8:00 am and the conference starts at 9:00 am. Lunch is included in the price of admission as well as a choice of three field trips to area locations representing prairie remnant gems, a native plant nursery and greenhouse, as well as several prairie and savanna restorations areas. The conference will end by 4:30 pm and entirely open to the public, but registration is limited, so sign-up today by visiting ohioprairie.org.
The OPA Mission Statement: The Ohio Prairie Association is a non-profit volunteer organization that promotes knowledge, appreciation, conservation, restoration, management, and expansion of Ohio prairie communities and their native plant and animal species to individuals, conservation organizations, public agencies educational institutions and others with an interest in native ecosystems. The OPA Vision Statement The Ohio Prairie Association envisions a time when Ohioans will have a strong public understanding and appreciation for Ohio prairies and their native plant and animal species; and these prairies are widely conserved, restored, managed, expanded, and are frequently encountered in the state.
A native plant is defined as: a species that occurs naturally in a particular region, ecosystem and/or habitat and was present prior to European settlement. Native plants are beneficial to ecosystems in a myriad of ways such as providing habitats and food for local wildlife & pollinators, filtering the watershed and much more.
The organizations who are collaborating to create this day of interactive learning are: Bowling Green Parks and Recreation, Wood County Park District, Black Swamp Conservancy, Bowling Green State University and the Ohio Prairie Association.
