Cedar Bog Nature Preserve will hold its annual Earth Day celebration on Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Guided spring wildflower walks will be the main attraction for this event. The normal admission fee to the preserve is waived for this Earth Day celebration and admission will be free all day long. Additionally, naturalist-led tours will be free for the day.
Guided spring wildflower walks will occur roughly on the hour, every hour. Enjoy the spectacular views of this 450 acre haven for many rare plants and animals. Traverse along the beautiful 1.5-mile long boardwalk for fantastic up-close and personal encounters with nature. A Cedar Bog tour guide and naturalist will answer all your questions and educate you on the many rare plants, animals and flowers you will see on this pathway thru the many wonders of nature.
“There should be nearly 20 spring flowers in bloom by the day the event occurs, including the Ohio state wildflower, the Large Trillium,” said site manager Mike Crackel. “Additionally, there are endangered spotted turtles, dragonflies and other rare animals guests could encounter on our Earth Day Spring Wildflower walks. In fact, we have over 45 endangered plant species and many endangered animals here at Cedar Bog Nature Preserve,” added Crackel.
Crackel, retired from Honda, became the site manager at Cedar Bog Preserve approximately a year ago, after volunteering at the Bog for nearly six years. “This is a dream job. I have an incredible group of volunteers and I really love every aspect of this position,” said Crackel. “I was kind-of an amateur naturalist in high school and I couldn’t think of a better place in the world to work after retiring, than here. It’s been an amazing experience.”
The annual Earth Day celebration at Cedar Bog Preserve is held in conjunction with the National Earth Day celebration. The Earth Day Network works year round to solve climate change, to end plastic pollution, to protect endangered species, and to broaden, educate and activate the environmental movement across the globe.
So, come to Earth Day at the Bog and experience Ohio as it was over 10,000 years ago. Encounter unique wildflowers such as the skunk cabbage and a sea of marsh marigolds. It is said that if you walk quietly along the boardwalk you may even hear the plop of the endangered spotted turtle. The Preserve is also home to the endangered massasauga rattlesnake.
As the first nature preserve purchased with state money, Cedar Bog is considered by many to be Ohio’s premier natural area. It is also one of only 25 Ohio National Natural Landmarks and ranks number one in the State on the Ohio Floristic Diversity Index for its great diversity of plants.
On site at the preserve is the Cedar Bog Education Center, which is the area’s epicenter of environmental, education and natural history programs and workshops. The center contains an exhibit hall, classroom, gift shop and an outdoor observation deck. Just outside the building is a picnic area and rain garden that host birds and butterflies.
The facility also has restrooms and accessible parking. There are two wheelchairs available for patrons to use on the boardwalk.
Cedar Bog Nature Preserve is located on 980 Woodburn Road, 4 miles south of Urbana off U.S. Route 68. For additional information on events at the Bog, call 937-484-3744 or email [email protected]
