Conserving the Diversity of Nature in the Lake Erie Allegheny Ecoregion

A Legacy of Living Places

Conserving the diversity of nature in the Lake Erie Allegheny Ecoregion

Lake erie allegheny partnership for biodiversity A Legacy of Living Places

Conserving the diversity of nature in the Lake Erie Allegheny Ecoregion

A publication of the Lake Erie Allegheny Partnership for Biodiversity Funding for this publication came from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (LEAP). See list of member organizations on p. 36. through a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to EcoCity Cleveland. This publication was a collaborative project. The principal editor was Contents David Beach, EcoCity Cleveland. Most of the descriptions of natural Photography: All photos by Gary Meszaros except as follows: A region filled with life ...... 2 communities were written by Jim Bissell, Cleveland Museum of Front cover: Ian Adams (Lake Erie at Vermilion). P. 3: Karen Adair, Natural History. Other contributing writers, editors, and reviewers Threats to the region’s diversity of plants and wildlife . . . 3 The Nature Conservancy. PP. 4-5: David Beach. P. 6: David Beach included: (plant specimen), Jim Roetzel (bobcat). P. 7: Casey Batule, Cleveland A new partnership for conservation ...... 5 Charles Bier, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy Metroparks (people on dock), David Beach (walking at Punderson Conservation planning: Thinking ahead ...... 6 Renee Boronka, Cleveland Museum of Natural History Lake), and Sharon Hosko, Cleveland Metroparks (girls on boat). P. 8: Jen Brumfield David Beach (beech leaves). P. 10: Ian Adams (Tinkers Creek Gorge). How you can help ...... 7 Kay Carlson, The Nature Conservancy P. 12: Jim Roetzel (black bear). P. 18: Darrin Petko (vernal pool). P. 19: Jane Christyson, Cleveland Metroparks Mike Williams (wood thrush). P. 22: David Beach (Presque Isle and Natural communities of the region ...... 7 Rob Curtis, Metro Parks Serving Summit County water lily). P. 24: Judy Semroc, Cleveland Museum of Natural History beech-Maple Forest ...... 8 August Froehlich, The Nature Conservancy (racket-tailed emerald). P. 30: Beverly Danielson, Cleveland Museum Roger Gettig, Holden Arboretum of Natural History (Presque Isle), Bruce Frumker, Cleveland Museum of sugar Maple-Ash-Basswood Northern Rich Robert Hinkle, Cleveland Metroparks Natural History (fringed gentian), and Jack Selby, Cleveland Museum Mesic Forest ...... 10 Andy Jones, Cleveland Museum of Natural History of Natural History (rose pink). P. 31: Jack Selby, Cleveland Museum of Norma Lynn Kline, Erie National Wildlife Refuge Natural History (umbrella flat sedge). P. 34: Ian Adams (Lake Erie). P. Mixed Oak Forest ...... 12 David Kriska, Cleveland Museum of Natural History 35: Judy Semroc (mayfly). black Oak Savannah/Midwest Sand Barren . . . . 14 Marleen Kromer, The Nature Conservancy To obtain additional copies or rights to reprint this publication, please Kevin Metcalf, Cleveland Metroparks great Lakes Hemlock-Beech Hardwood Forest . . . 16 call Renee Boronka at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History Gary Meszaros Center for Conservation and Biodiversity, 216-231-4600 or download Darrin Petko, Stark County Park District Lake Plain Swamp Forest ...... 18 this publication from the Lake Erie Allegheny Partnership website at Paul Pira, Geauga Park District www.leapbio.org. silver Maple-Elm Floodplain Forest ...... 20 Kelvin Rogers, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Judy Semroc, Cleveland Museum of Natural History Printed on 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper manufactured emergent Deep Marsh ...... 22 Patty Stevens, Cleveland Metroparks with renewable wind power. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) kettlehole Bog ...... 24 Ephraim Zimmerman, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy certified. rich Shrub Fen ...... 26 Graphic design: Derek Oyen © 2007 the Cleveland Museum of Natural History Lake Plain Prairie ...... 28 great Lakes Palustrine Sand Plain ...... 30 river and Stream Aquatic Community ...... 32 Lake Erie Open Water Community ...... 34 Contact information ...... 36

organ Swamp (Ashtabula County, OH) A region filled with life Threats to our natural heritage

The Lake Erie Allegheny Ecoregion—a territory stretching Although we are blessed with a rich natural heritage in the from Sandusky Bay to western New York—is at an ecological Lake Erie Allegheny region, this biological diversity is under crossroads. great stress. More than 200 years of timbering, farming, indus- It’s at the intersection of three continental regions—the try, and urban development have transformed the landscape. Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, Lake Plain, and North Central Nature has been squeezed into small, fragmented, vulnerable Till Plain. It’s at the point where the advance of mile-high patches. glaciers stopped some 18,000 years ago. It’s on the shore of a Many of the natural communities that existed prior to Great Lake. Even its weather is on edge, alternating between European settlement have been degraded or lost. Some have the influence of cold air masses from Canada and warm air disappeared suddenly, plowed under for farming or, more from the Gulf of Mexico. recently, bulldozed for a shopping center or a subdivision. As a result, this region has rich biological diversity. It has Others have declined gradually from the impacts of pollution, northern plant species at the southern limit of their range and livestock grazing, overabundance of white-tailed deer, or the southern species at the northern limit of their range. It has the invasion of exotic species such as purple loosestrife or zebra most eastern occuring pockets of prairie habitat. And it’s at mussels. Still others have been altered by the effects of global the southwestern edge of the northern hardwood forest. One climate change. can find northern trees like hemlock in cool ravines and more In response, people are coming together in local communi- southern trees like hickory and tuliptree on warmer exposures ties and watersheds to conserve the best places remaining— Ohio’s 10 worst non-native plants and on the floodplains of our major creeks and rivers. The and restore those that have been degraded. They are protect-  region also is home to numerous rare and unusual plant and ing endangered species, establishing greenways, restoring river Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) animal species. Since the last retreat of the glaciers, all these watersheds, and expanding parklands.  Buckthorns (Rhamnus sp .) species have formed complex natural communities that give The motivations are obvious. People want a healthy envi-  Common reed grass (Phragmites australis) this regional landscape a unique character. ronment. They want their children to have the opportunity to  Eurasian honeysuckles (Lonicera sp .) This incredible diversity of life is truly a living legacy, and experience the wonders of nature. And they know that nature  Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) the conservation of this diversity is a sacred trust. Everyone contributes to overall quality of life, which in turn will help  has a responsibility to protect this richness of nature so that stimulate the economic recovery of the region. Japanese knotweed (Polygonum sp .) future generations can enjoy its benefits.  Narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia)  Purple loosestrife (Lythrum sp .) Major threats to biodiversity  Reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea)  Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) • Habitat destruction from development Source: Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves • Alteration of physical processes, such as lake levels, stream flows, and groundwater hydrology • Altered species interactions, particularly competitive pressure from invasive, non-native species and the browsing of overabundant white-tailed deer The deer problem • Global climate change One of the greatest threats to biodiversity in the region is What is biodiversity? What is an ecoregion? • Pollution from industry, agriculture, and urbanization the overabundance of white-tailed deer . At high densities, Biological diversity, or “biodiversity,” is the full variety of all An ecoregion is a relatively large land area defined by deer can wipe out the understory plants of a forest and living things on Earth—from bears to bacteria—included common characteristics, such as geology, topography, dramatically alter the species composition of natural plant within ecosystems and shaped by ecological and adaptive climate and vegetation . An ecoregion is large enough to communities . Indeed, largely because of deer pressure processes . Biodiversity is organized at multiple levels, encompass natural processes (such as fire and flooding) and it’s getting hard to find a forest in the region that has not including genes, species, populations, communities, and to capture representative plant and animal species, natural been affected . Therefore, the development of humane and ecosystems . communities, and ecosystems; yet they are small enough to politically acceptable means of controlling deer populations serve as platforms for conservation planning and action . is a priority for managers of natural areas .

Room for nature?

These maps of the Western Reserve area in Northeast Ohio show (in red) the extent of developed land in 1980, 2000, and projected to the year 2020. While the area is not growing much in population, much more land is being developed. This trend can be seen throughout the Lake Erie Allegheny region. (Analysis for EcoCity Cleveland by the Northern Ohio Data and Information Service at Cleveland State University) A new partnership for conservation

What is the region’s vision for conservation and restoration of biodiversity? What is the strategy for assuring that biologically important places are protected and life-sustaining ecological functions are maintained? How can the efforts of many groups—park districts, land trusts, watershed groups, and other conservation organizations—be coordinated so all the work happens in the most effective way possible? The Lake Erie Allegheny Partnership for Biodiversity Developed as of 1976–1981 (LEAP) was formed to answer these questions. First con- vened by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History in March 2004, the partnership is a voluntary network of more than 30 conservation-related organizations working together to:

• Share information about protecting and restoring the diverse native habitats of the region. Valuable in countless ways • Increase the capacity of member organizations by establish- A complex web of relationships binds humans to the natural ing programs to aid with recruitment and retention of both systems all around . Not only does the beauty of nature paid and unpaid staff, stewardship needs, and biological Map by Western Reserve Land Conservancy nourish one’s soul, but healthy, functioning ecosystems also serve human needs in many other essential ways by inventories. supplying: • Promote public awareness and visibility of the region’s The Lake Erie Allegheny Ecoregion  native plant and animal communities. Clean water and air Developed as of 2000 The geographic focus area of the Lake Erie Allegheny Part-  Climate regulation LEAP is also working to develop a science-based conserva- nership for Biodiversity (LEAP) encompasses the Lake Plain  Flood control tion plan to protect and restore biodiversity in the region. It is and glaciated lands and waters south of Canada from San-  Pollination of crops envisioned that the plan will identify broad, overarching con- dusky Bay to the Allegheny Mountains. This includes -por  Pest and disease control servation goals. Individual organizations, based on their own tions of northern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and western missions and abilities, will then be able to use the information New York.  Nutrient cycling provided within the plan to take actions that support regional This territory has a common glacial history and a climate  Chemicals that can be used for new drugs priorities. The result should be better coordination, increased influenced by Lake Erie. Farther west is the Great Black  Quality of life for recreation, tourism, and economic collaboration, and more focused and effective conservation. Swamp region, where the soils become more dominated by development LEAP is an inspiring example of regional collaboration. To limestone outcroppings, making them less acidic. Farther Once these ecosystem services are lost, they can be very learn more, see the partnership’s website at www.leapbio.org east are higher elevations in the mountains. Farther south, costly to recreate . It pays to conserve nature to maintain or contact the member organizations listed on p. 36. one enters the much rougher topography of the unglaciated these life-giving benefits . Projected development (2020) Allegheny Plateau.

Conservation planning: Thinking ahead so everyone will Natural communities of the region be able to experience the incredible richness of nature The following pages introduce a selection of the In 2005, LEAP members began to explore how to develop a regional plan for conservation and restoration of biodiversity. In addition to accepting responsibility for various planning region’s many natural communities. They are all dis- roles, they agreed that the regional biodiversity plan should: tinctive, as if they have unique personalities. When • Provide a regional vision and strategy for conservation and restoration (i.e., the plan should go beyond conservation of what’s left of the region’s biodiversity to also include a vision for Lost from the region you visit them, you know you are in the presence of restoration).  Bear berry • Utilize a science-based planning methodology to identify and prioritize conservation and  something special. And it’s amazing that you can restoration objectives. Lynx • Focus on the preservation of overall ecosystem function and resilience but also include  Mitchell’s marsh satyr see them all so close to home. That’s the magic of individual species of concern. butterfly • Set specific, quantifiable conservation goals and provide a mechanism for monitoring prog-  Passenger pigeon the Lake Erie Allegheny region’s biodiversity. ress.  Piping plover • Provide a blueprint for conservation action to be carried out by different organizations  Swallow-tailed kite So seek these places out. Appreciate them. based on their individual objectives and capacities. How you can help  Timber wolf • Integrate relevant aspects of the region’s other plans for land use and development, while still Everyone can play a role in conserving the diversity of life in Learn how to care for them. For these are the the region . For instance, you can: retaining its conservation focus.  • Provide a public communication tool about the region’s natural heritage. Help stop the spread of non-native, invasive species by original building blocks of nature in the region. keeping them out of your yard . Instead, plant only native • Influence decision makers about the threats to biodiversity; inform them of protection and species and help restore biodiversity by removing non- restoration opportunities; and help stop the loss of biodiversity. native, invasive species . (For more information, see the websites of the Ohio Invasive Plant Council at LEAP members are now developing this plan to guide their future work. Success will www .oipc .info or Ohio Department of Natural Resources at www .dnr .state .oh .us/dnap/invasive .) require ongoing consensus building, collaboration, and support from everyone in the Lake Erie  Allegheny region. Volunteer with a local conservation organization to pull garlic mustard or other invasive plants .  Use less fertilizer, pesticide, and herbicide . Most native plants thrive without pesticides .  Support programs for the humane control of white-tailed Making a comeback deer populations .  Bald eagle  Support public policies that aid the redevelopment of existing cities and towns rather than subsidize poorly  Black bear planned growth in rural areas .  Bobcat  Support conservation development zoning that uses land  Mink efficiently and avoids sensitive natural areas .  Peregrine falcon  Support park levies and other initiatives to fund conservation .  River otters (improving water quality in the  Buy sustainably harvested wood products, recycled paper region’s rivers has products, and organically grown foods . made it possible to  Be an ambassador for nature; introduce others to the reintroduce the river biodiversity of the region . otter .)  Take a child for a hike in the woods .  Snowshoe hare  Support your favorite conservation organization .  Turkey

Beech-Maple Forest

Beech-Maple Forests dominated by sugar maple and American beech were the most common forest community in Northeast Ohio at the time of European settlement. Some remaining old-growth beech trees are over 400 years old. This upland forest community is characterized by a dense to moderately dense canopy of deciduous trees, an absent to sparse shrub layer, and a moderate to well-developed ground layer of non-woody, herbaceous plants. Tuliptrees also are often common in this community. High quality remnants of this community have shrub layers dominated by plants such as maple-leaf viburnum and creeping strawberry-bush. The herbaceous layer is often diverse, typically including spring ephemerals that flower briefly in the spring before the trees leaf out. Pileated woodpecker Dutchman’s breeches Common species include common spring beauty, common blue violet, downy yellow violet, sweet white violet, jack-in-the-pulpit, mayapple, cut-leaf toothwort, wild geranium, yellow mandarin, yellow trout lily, large-flowered trillium, squirrel corn, Dutchman’s breeches, downy Solomon’s seal, purple bittercress, wild ginger, and blue cohosh. One deciduous fern, New York fern, is very common within this forest. One evergreen fern, Christmas fern, is common in high quality old-growth remnants. Large, contiguous tracts of Beech-Maple Forest in excess of 100 acres provide nesting habitat for many forest birds such as wood thrush, scarlet tanager, rose-breasted grosbeak, red-eyed vireo, ovenbird, hooded warbler, American redstart, cerulean warbler, barred owl, and pileated woodpecker. Common animals include short-tailed shrew, white-footed mouse, long-tailed weasel, and Red-backed salamander Trillium eastern chipmunk. One can also find red-backed salamander, gray treefrog, American toad, black rat snake, and spicebush swallowtail butterfly. Where to Go  a .b . Williams Woods at North Chagrin Reservation, Cleveland Metroparks (Cuyahoga County, OH)  Bole Woods, Holden Arboretum (Geauga County and Lake County, OH)  Hinckley Reservation, Cleveland Metroparks (Medina County, OH) Spicebush swallowtail larva Mayapple flower  Swine Creek Reservation, Geauga Park District (Geauga County, OH)  Tryon-Weber Woods Natural Area, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (Crawford County, PA)

Hooded warbler Jack-in-the-pulpit

American beech

Bedford Reservation (Cuyahoga County, OH) Sugar Maple-Ash-Basswood Northern Rich Mesic Forest

This mesic, or moderately moist, forest type is frequently found on the middle and lower slopes of river valleys and high Where to Go floodplain terraces that are no longer subject to flooding. The  Big Creek Park, Geauga Park District tree canopy of these forests is mixed and variable, but the most (Geauga County, OH) common dominant trees in the canopy are tuliptree, sugar  Furnace Run and Sand Run parks, Metro Parks Serving maple, American beech, American basswood, red maple, black Summit County (Summit County, OH) cherry, red oak, white ash, red elm, white elm, white oak, black  Grand River Terraces Preserve of the Cleveland Museum walnut, blackgum, yellow birch, hop hornbeam, shagbark of Natural History (Ashtabula County, OH) hickory and bitternut hickory. This forest type has the most  Hogback Ridge Reservation and Zimmerman Trail along spectacular fall color display because the typical dominant the west side of Mentor Marsh, Lake Metroparks (Lake County, OH) trees—sugar maple, American beech, tuliptree, white ash, red oak and black cherry—display vibrant fall color.  Mill Hollow Vermilion River Park, Lorain County Metro Parks (Lorain County, OH) Typical understory shrubs are maple-leaf viburnum, flowering dogwood, witch hazel, spicebush, alternate-leaved  Morgan Swamp Preserve of The Nature Conservancy (Ashtabula County, OH) dogwood, common serviceberry, and ironwood. Understory herbaceous species are spring beauty, harbinger of spring,  Rocky River Reservation, Bedford Reservation, South Chagrin Reservation, North Chagrin Reservation, and yellow trout lily, cut-leaf toothwort, purple bittercress, large- Hinckley Reservation, Cleveland Metroparks flowered trillium, hepatica, common blue violet, sweet white (Cuyahoga County, Lake County, and Medina County, OH) violet, downy yellow violet, Canada violet, long-spurred violet, bloodroot, squirrel corn, giant and common blue cohosh, black cohosh, two-leaved toothwort, downy Solomon’s seal, lax sedge, plantain-leaved sedge, Dutchman’s breeches, wild ginger, zig-zag goldenrod, wreath goldenrod, white wood aster, Schreber’s aster and large-leaved aster. Common evergreen ferns in this forest are Christmas fern, spinulose wood fern and evergreen wood fern. Silvery glade fern, lady fern, New York Fern and rattlesnake fern are common deciduous ferns. Many rare forest birds, such as magnolia warbler, yellow- throated vireo, warbling vireo, winter wren, hermit thrush, Luna moth Old growth forest Sharp-lobed hepatica veery, and Blackburnian warbler, are associated with this forest type where eastern hemlock is present in the canopy. Mammals include raccoon, gray fox, chipmunk, and star-nosed mole. Interesting butterfly and moth species include West Virginia white, polyphemus moth, and tuliptree silkmoth.

Black rat snake Ovenbird Trout lily

American toad

Tinkers Creek Gorge (Cuyahoga County, OH) 11 Mixed Oak Forest

This black oak-white oak-dominated forest community is found predominantly on sandy soils, ridge areas, valley bluffs and rocky uplands covered by thin soils. At the time of Eu- Where to Go  ropean settlement, American chestnut, white oak, black oak, Cascade Valley and O’Neil Woods, Metro Parks Serving Summit County (Summit County, OH) red oak, shagbark hickory, scarlet oak, blackgum, sweet pignut  hickory, sassafras, black cherry and hop hornbeam dominated Chapin Forest, Lake Metroparks (Lake County, OH) the forest type. American chestnut disappeared from the forest  Forest Hill Park, East Cleveland (Cuyahoga County, OH) when the chestnut blight was introduced at the beginning of  Harriet Keeler Woods at Brecksville Reservation, the twentieth century. Chestnut oak is a frequent member of Cleveland Metroparks (Cuyahoga County, OH) this community along the escarpment that marks the transi-  Punderson State Park (Geauga County, OH) tion from the Lake Plain to the Allegheny Plateau. Hemlock  Singer Lake Bog of the Cleveland Museum of Natural and/or white pine are present on erosion-resistant knobs in History (Summit County, OH) Lake County, OH, valley bluffs above steep cliffs from the  Virginia Kendall area, Cuyahoga Valley National Park lower Vermilion River valley, east into western Pennsylvania, (Summit County, OH) and locally on sandy Lake Plain beach ridges from eastern Cuyahoga County, OH into Pennsylvania. Common understory shrubs within the forest are flowering dogwood, common lowbush blueberry, huckleberry, maple-leaf viburnum, common serviceberry, and witch hazel. Frequent evergreen understory shrubs are partridgeberry and wintergreen. Typical understory herbaceous members of the forest are common bluets, stargrass, prostrate tick tre- foil, shining bedstraw, several species of bush clover, Indian cucumber-root, whorled loosestrife, blue-stemmed goldenrod, large-leaved aster, smooth Solomon’s seal, long-spurred violet, Pennsylvania sedge, round-leaved hepatica, bloodroot, four- leaved milkweed, poke milkweed, trailing arbutus, and downy skullcap. Typical ferns are bracken fern and hay-scented fern. Within the primary snowbelt east of Cleveland and the secondary snowbelt south of Cleveland, Canada mayflower is a very common member of the community. Scarlet tanager Gray tree frog Spring beauty Large, contiguous tracts of Mixed Oak Forest are a refuge for scarlet tanagers, cerulean warblers, hairy woodpeckers, and wild turkeys. One can also see black bears, red bats, and ring- necked snakes.

Cerulean warbler Black bear Flowering dogwood

12 Johnson Woods State Nature Preserve (Wayne County, OH) Black Oak Savannah / Midwest Sand Barren

This community is characterized by widely scattered black oak trees, sassafras and blackgum. Historically it occurred from Sandusky through Cleveland to western Pennsylvania on the sandy beach ridges and relict dunes of prehistoric glacial lakes, such as the Lake Warren beach ridge followed by Detroit Road west of Cleveland and U.S. 20 east of Cleveland into Pennsyl- vania. The community was also common within oak-chestnut forests on the glacial sand ridges and knobs within the glacial topography that covers a broad belt from Ravenna and Kent Wild lupine Narrow-leaved blue curls in Portage County, OH, to Akron in Summit County, OH, and Canton in Stark County, OH. The community is now quite rare due to natural forest succession, changes in the natural fire frequency, invasion of other tree species, gravel/sand mining, agriculture, and development of the region’s ancient beach ridges. Sandy openings between trees are vegetated sparsely by sedges, several panic grasses, fall witch grass, wild lupine, racemed milkwort, several species of clubmoss, rough bush-

clover, bracken fern, common dewberry, horse nettle, com- Burrowing wolf spider Northern red salamander mon milkweed, and various mushrooms. Common shrubs within the community are lowbush blueberry, huckleberry, and common dewberry. This habitat is also home to brown snakes, tiger beetles, and antlions.

Where to Go  Erie Bluffs State Park (Erie County, PA)  North Kingsville Sand Barrens of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (Ashtabula County, OH)  Portage Lakes State Park (Summit County, OH)  Presque Isle State Park (Erie County, PA)  Singer Lake Bog of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (Summit County, OH)

Chestnut-sided warbler

North Kingsville Sand Barrens (Ashtabula County, OH) 15 Great Lakes Hemlock-Beech Hardwood Forest

This upland, mixed conifer-broadleaf forest community can be found in the cool micro- climate of steep, north-facing river valley walls and ravine slopes. The community occurs in the snowbelt east of Cleveland, on steep slopes of the Allegheny Plateau to the south, and on sandy beach ridges in Ashtabula County, OH, and Erie County, PA. Dominant canopy species found in old growth remnants of this forest include eastern hemlock, sugar maple, beech, yellow birch, and black cherry, with white pine as a co-dominant in some stands. Basswood and cucumber magnolia are occasional members of the canopy. Many hemlock forests growing in ravines and on steep slopes are secondary in origin. These stands may have red oak, red maple, and tuliptree mingled with the hemlock. Hemlock is also found on the river valley slopes and Long-tailed salamander steep ravines of the lower Rocky, Black, and Vermilion rivers west of Cleveland. Typical understory shrubs are maple-leaf viburnum and witch hazel. Common herbaceous and evergreen ground-cover species include sweet white violet, round-leaved yellow violet, long- stalked sedge, red trillium, Canada mayflower, Indian cucumber root, giant blue cohosh, black cohosh, white wood aster, evergreen wood fern, marginal shield-fern, and partridgeberry. Regionally uncommon forest birds, including winter wren, hermit thrush, northern waterthrush, dark-eyed junco, black-and-white warbler, black-throated green warbler, Canada warbler, magnolia warbler, and Blackburnian warbler, are associated with this forest community.

Magnolia warbler

Where to Go  Big Creek Park, Geauga Park District (Geauga County, OH)  North Chagrin Reservation, South Chagrin Reservation, Red trillium and Bedford Reservation, Cleveland Metroparks Black-throated green warbler (Cuyahoga County and Lake County, OH)  Paine Falls Park and Hell Hollow Wilderness Area, Lake Metroparks (Lake County, OH)  Sand Run Park, Metro Parks Serving Summit County (Summit County, OH)  Stebbins Gulch, Holden Arboretum (Lake County, OH)  Vermilion Reservation and Black River Reservation, Lorain County Metro Parks (Lorain County, OH)  Zoar Valley area along Cattaraugus Creek (Erie, Chautauqua, and Cattaraugus counties, NY) Dark-eyed junco Blue cohosh

16 Hell Hollow Park (Lake County, OH) Lake Plain Swamp Forest

Now reduced to small fragments, this community formerly occupied large areas of level, poorly drained flats on the Lake Plain from Sandusky, OH, to Erie, PA. South of the Lake Where to Go  Plain, swamp forests were formerly common on level till plains, Bradley Woods Reservation and along abandoned river channels in the Rocky River Reservation, Cleveland depressions within glacial end moraines (ridges of glacial till Metroparks (Cuyahoga County, OH) deposited at the terminal margins of glaciers), peatlands adja-  Carlisle Reservation, Lorain County Metro Parks cent to glacial lakes, and abandoned river channels. Canopy (Lorain County, OH) cover is complete and dominated by red maple, silver maple,  Eldon Russell Park, Geauga Park District Spotted salamander red ash, black ash, and American elm. American elm was (Geauga County, OH) probably the dominant species prior to the introduction of  Erie Bluffs State Park (Erie County, PA) Dutch elm disease. Other canopy trees are tupelo, black wil-  low, peach-leaf willow, eastern cottonwood, bur oak, swamp Grand River Terraces Preserve, Berger Preserve, and Kingsville Swamp Preserve, of the Cleveland Museum of white oak, and shellbark hickory. Hemlock-yellow birch- Natural History (Ashtabula County, OH) tupelo swamps are common within western Pennsylvania on  Morgan Swamp Preserve of The Nature Conservancy level, poorly drained flats. Smaller patch communities, such as (Ashtabula County, OH) vernal ponds (small, isolated wetlands that flood seasonally),  New Lyme Wildlife Area, Ohio Division of Wildlife buttonbush shrub swamps, and mixed shrub swamps are pres- (Ashtabula County, OH) ent within many Lake Plain swamp forests.  Roderick Wildlife Reserve-State Game Land 314 Spicebush is the most common understory shrub, and win- (Erie County, PA) terberry, elderberry, and viburnums are often present. Typical Vernal pool  Veterans Park, Lake Metroparks (Lake County, OH) ground-cover species include marsh violet, lizard’s tail, many sedges, marsh marigold, arrow arum, turtlehead, wood reed, fringed loosestrife, tufted loosestrife, orange jewelweed, cardinal flower, sensitive fern, cinnamon fern and royal fern. Many rare plants not considered wetland plants, such as rose-shell azalea, dewdrop, dwarf dogwood, velvet-leaf blueberry, painted trillium, and awned shorthusk are confined to hummocks adjacent to vernal ponds within this forest in the snowbelt northeast of Cleveland. These forests often have hummocky topography, which develops from the wind-throw of the shallow-rooted trees. Cardinal flower Vernal ponds within this forest are home to wood frogs, Wood thrush Veery spring peepers, spotted salamanders, Jefferson’s salamanders, four-toed salamanders, and red-spotted newts. Nesting birds include ovenbird, veery, warbling vireo, yellow-throated vireo, hooded warbler, and wood thrush. The community also includes the woodland jumping mouse, long-eared bat, and rat snake.

Buttonbush Wood frog American woodcock

Painted trillium

Pallister State Nature Preserve (Ashtabula County, OH) 19 Silver Maple-Elm Floodplain Forest

This community occurs on temporarily flooded soils along major rivers and streams. Dominant trees include silver maple, American elm, black walnut, and sycamore. Other associated Where to Go  species include box elder, red ash, and cottonwood. Sandbar Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Summit County and Cuyahoga County, OH) willow, red osier dogwood, and silky dogwood are present on  frequently flooded low terraces of major rivers. Firestone Metro Park, Metro Parks Serving Summit County (Summit County, OH) Along the frequently flooded terraces of the lower sections  of all Lake Erie tributary rivers from the Vermilion River east Hidden Valley Reservation, Lake Metroparks (Lake County, OH) to Conneaut Creek, this community includes open meadows  dominated by wing-stem, ox-eye, panicled aster, smooth gold- Rocky River Reservation and South Chagrin Reservation, Cleveland Metroparks (Cuyahoga County, OH) enrod, Joe-Pye weed, ironweed, sandbar willow, red osier dog-  wood, and silky dogwood. Meadow formation is caused by a Vermilion River Reservation and Black River Reservation, Lorain County Metro Parks (Lorain County, OH) single herbaceous plant, Emory sedge. The sedge produces a carpet of grass-like tussocks with a dense mass of underground stems and roots. During flood events, the tussocks and roots reduce the velocity of stream flow and cause the deposition of silts and sand suspended within the stream. Once the beds of sedge are well established, prairie grasses and summer meadow flowers can grow on them. These wet meadow areas are home to butterflies such as Baltimore checkerspot, Hobomok skipper, black dash, bronzed copper, and American rubyspot damselfly. Prothonotary warbler

Floodplain perennials Illinois river cruiser Great lobelia

American redstart

Baltimore checkerspot

20 Grand River (Lake County, OH) Emergent Deep Marsh

Emergent Deep Marshes occupy intermittently or per- manently flooded shores upstream from the mouths of many Where to Go Lake Erie rivers, open ponds within abandoned river chan-  Arcola Creek Nature Preserve (Lake County, OH) nels, shorelines of glacial lakes, beaver ponds, and depression  Conneaut Outlet-State Game Land 214 wetlands within glacial deposits. Such marshes generally have (Crawford County, PA) two main zones—an emergent zone in the shallow waters  Lake Pleasant Natural Area, Western Pennsylvania along the shore and a floating-leaved zone in deeper water off Conservancy (Erie County, PA) shore—and the community responds dynamically to changes  Old Woman Creek State Nature Preserve in water levels. (Erie County, OH) The floating-leaved zone within the deeper waters of Lake  Presque Isle State Park (Erie County, PA) Erie bays and glacial lakes is usually dominated by white wa-  Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve (Erie County, OH) ter lily, spatterdock, water smartweed, and several species of floating and submerged pondweeds, eel grass, Eurasian water-  Watts Flats State Wildlife Area (Chautauqua County, NY) milfoil, and coontail. The emergent zone marshes, with typical  Wheeler Creek Marsh, Geneva State Park water depths less than seven feet, were historically dominated (Ashtabula County, OH) by greater bur-reed, soft-stem bulrush, tussock sedge, lake sedge, pickerelweed, southern blue flag, rice cut-grass, common arrowhead, American three-square, hard-stem bulrush, and river bulrush. Beavers are often a key actor in a marsh community, making dams that raise water levels and create ponds suitable for emergent vegetation. Birds include red-winged blackbird, sora, Virginia rail, American bittern, least bittern, wood duck, blue- winged teal, pied-billed grebe, prothonotary warbler, swamp sparrow, and green heron. Bullfrogs, leopard frogs, painted turtles, and snapping turtles can be found, as well as snakes, weasels, lemmings, shrews, and fish species. High quality deep marshes formerly occurred at the mouths of rivers flowing into Lake Erie, and the few remaining examples, such as Arcola Creek in Lake County, OH, and Old Woman Creek in Huron, OH, are important breeding and nursery areas for many Lake Erie fish. Most other marshes Pickerelweed Spatterdock Great blue heron in the region—including such popular locations as Mentor Marsh, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, and Cleveland Metroparks North Chagrin Reservation—have been impacted by non-native narrow- leaved cattail, purple loosestrife, reed canary grass, and common reed grass (Phragmites).

Water lily Green heron Wood duck

Presque Isle (Erie County, PA) 23 Kettlehole Bog

Kettlehole Bogs are among the rarest natural communities in the region and are confined to the shores of glacial, kettlehole lakes. Such lakes were formed by large blocks of ice left Where to Go  by retreating glaciers. As the ice blocks melted, they formed Burton Wetlands Nature Preserve, Geauga Park District (Geauga County, OH) a deep lake dammed by glacial debris. Around the edges of  these lakes developed swampy flats layered with decomposed Eagle Creek State Nature Preserve, Geauga Park District (Geauga County, OH) sphagnum (peat) moss. The moss creates a very acidic medium  that provides habitat for many rare plants, including relicts of Fern Lake Bog and Singer Lake Bog of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (access by permit only) boreal vegetation that moved south in front of the glacial ice (Geauga County and Summit County, OH) sheets.  Flat Iron Lake Bog Preserve of The Nature Conservancy The vegetation is dominated by evergreen and semi- (access by permit only) (Portage County, OH) evergreen shrubs, including leatherleaf, highbush blueberry,  Triangle Lake Bog State Nature Preserve and lowbush cranberry. Coniferous trees, such as tamarack, (Portage County, OH) are found on the edges and on peat moss hummocks on the Note that some of these areas have restricted access to floating mats. Sedges and other grass-like plants are the most protect fragile habitats. abundant components of the herbaceous cover. Insectivorous plants (pitcher plant, sundews, bladderwort) are also characteristic of this community. One can also find spotted turtles, four-toed salamanders, and iridescent dragonflies and damselflies such as American emerald, racket-tailed emerald, chalk-fronted corporal, frost- ed whiteface, and sphagnum sprite. Bogs are also habitat for many waterfowl, as well as masked shrews and least weasels.

Rose pogonia American toad

Spotted turtle Racket-tailed emerald Pitcher plant flower

Gray tree frog in pitcher plant

24 Flat Iron Lake Bog (Portage County, OH) Rich Shrub Fen

Fens are rare wetlands created by the outflowing of mineral rich, alkaline water that has flowed through glacially deposited sands and gravels. Shrubs usually dominate the stands with Where to Go  over 50 percent cover. Tall shrubs include speckled alder, black Gott Fen State Nature Preserve (access by permit only) (Portage County, OH) chokeberry, silky dogwood, red-osier dogwood, willows, and  nannyberry. Low shrubs include alder-leaved buckthorn and J . Arthur Herrick State Nature Preserve of The Nature Conservancy (Portage County, OH) poison sumac. Trees, such as red maple or tamarack, may be  present as saplings or stunted trees. Characteristic herbs in- McCoy State Nature Preserve and North Kingsville Sand Barrens of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History clude interior sedge, porcupine sedge, sterile sedge, tussock (access by permit only) (Ashtabula County, OH) sedge, prairie sedge, cotton grass, purple avens, swamp thistle,  Pennsylvania State Game Land 109 (Erie County, PA) soft-stemmed bulrush, and ferns such as royal fern and marsh  fern. Pennsylvania State Game Land 197 (Warren County, PA) Fen communities have meadows dominated by different  Pymatuning State Park (Crawford County, PA) mosses than bogs. However, sphagnum moss, the naturally  Wattsburg Fen, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy acidic moss of bogs, can also grow on the alkaline surfaces of (Erie County, PA)

fens, and these sphagnum mounds can maintain acidic bog Note that some of these areas have restricted access to species within the generally alkaline fen seepages. protect fragile habitats. Many of the region’s rare and endangered plants, such as showy lady’s slipper, yellow lady’s slipper, shrubby cinquefoil, and bayberry are restricted to fens. These include “Ice Age rel- ics,” northern plants left behind by retreating glaciers. Fens are habitat for the uncommon gray petaltail dragon- fly and the rare two-spotted skipper butterfly. One can also see red-bellied snakes and birds such as alder flycatcher, cedar waxwing, common yellow-throat, and northern waterthrush.

Grass of parnassus Northern waterthrush Showy lady’s slipper

Smaller fringed gentian Spreading globeflower Small purple-fringed orchid

Myersville Fen State Nature Preserve (Summit County, OH) 27 Lake Plain Prairie

This grassland community is at the eastern edge of its range in the Lake Erie Allegheny region. It is found on the Lake Plain on level, sandy glacial outwash and deposits of dune sand and Where to Go  silty/clayey slumps. The vegetation of this community is dom- Black River Reservation, Lorain Metro Parks (Lorain County, OH) inated by tallgrass species typically three to six feet high, such  as big bluestem, Indian grass, and prairie cordgrass. Other spe- Brecksville Reservation prairie demonstration site, Cleveland Metroparks (Cuyahoga County, OH) cies include little bluestem, switchgrass, prairie dock, dense  blazing-star, Sullivant’s milkweed, Ohio goldenrod, Riddell’s Castalia Prairie, Resthaven Wildlife Area (Erie County, OH) goldenrod, and Ohio spiderwort. Trees and shrubs are rare.  Riverview Park, Lake Metroparks (Lake County, OH) Small hillside prairies are widely scattered on slumping  Stumpy Basin, Cuyahoga Valley National Park valley walls within the Cuyahoga River and Grand River val- (Summit County, OH) leys. Some floodplain meadows on the Black, Cuyahoga, and Grand rivers are locally dominated by prairie grasses. The Castalia Prairie, once covering more than 3,000 acres in western Erie County, OH, is the largest in the region. Prairie communities include the state-endangered eastern massasauga rattlesnake, as well as deer mouse, meadow vole, black racer snake, and western chorus frog. Birds include American kestrel, savannah sparrow, and short-eared owl.

Prairie white-fringed orchid

Short-eared owl White lady’s slipper

Painted skimmer Indian grass

Eastern massasauga rattlesnake

28 Castalia Prairie, Resthaven Wildlife Area (Erie County, OH) Great Lakes Palustrine Sand Plain

This is a sparsely vegetated, herbaceous (non-woody) community that occurs on most sandy Lake Erie shores, protected from waves by man-made features such as breakwalls or natu- Where to Go  ral features such as sand dunes. The community is character- East Harbor State Park (Ottawa County, OH) ized by beds of rushes, reeds, and sedges, many of which can  Headlands Dunes State Nature Preserve only be found in this type of habitat. (Lake County, OH) The abundance and species of plants found in this com-  Presque Isle State Park (Erie County, PA) munity are affected by the seasonal rise and fall of lake water  Veterans Park and Indian Point Park, Lake Metroparks levels. The seeds of many plants that compose this community (Lake County, OH) can remain dormant in underwater sediments for decades during years when lake levels are high. When lake levels recede, these plants flourish on the newly exposed flats, sometimes revealing rare plants that have not been seen in years. Indeed, this community supports close to half of the 77 state-listed rare plants at Presque Isle State Park (PA). Two species new to the flora of Ohio and Pennsylvania, Tuckerman’s panic grass and ovate spikerush, were discovered within this community during the low lakes levels of 1988 and 1992. Several uncommon, showy plants such as fringed gentian, pink gentian, sil- verweed, and Kalm’s lobelia are also members of this ephem- eral community. The Palustrine Sand Plain provides an important feeding and resting habitat for migrating shorebirds. Leopard frogs, Fowler’s toads, and tiger beetles can also be found.

Fringed gentian Rose pink Fowler’s toad Umbrella flat sedge Tiger beetle

Presque Isle (Erie County, PA) 31 River and Stream Aquatic Community

Rivers and streams shape the topography of the region as they cut through the Allegheny Plateau and carve valleys in the Lake Plain. In addition to being forces that shape the Where to Go  landscape, rivers and streams are living systems. To various de- Conneaut Creek (Erie County, PA) grees, the life in most of the region’s streams has been degraded  French Creek, various locations (Erie, Crawford, and by water pollution and altered hydrology that results in low Mercer counties, PA, and Chautauqua County, NY) flow in dry weather and flash floods in wet weather. But these  Hidden Valley Park and Riverview Park, Lake Metroparks streams are still home to diverse biological communities. (Lake County, OH) Under the rocks of streams are wriggling communities of  Rocky River Reservation and South Chagrin Reservation, aquatic insect larvae, such as mayflies and caddisflies. Also Cleveland Metroparks (Cuyahoga County, OH) underwater are freshwater mussels, crayfish, snails, and am-  Shenango River, various locations (Mercer County, PA) phibians such as mudpuppies. Fish in a healthy stream include  Stebbins Gulch, Holden Arboretum (Lake County, OH) redside dace, southern redbelly dace, rainbow darter, logperch,  Vermilion River Reservation, Lorain County Metro Parks blacknose dace, stonecat, rock bass, and smallmouth bass. A (Lorain County, OH) couple of high quality, cold-water tributaries to the Chagrin River still support native brook trout. The French Creek watershed in western Pennsylvania and western New York has some of the nation’s best remaining examples of numerous freshwater species. Among the rocks of local streams one might find northern dusky salamanders, and along the sandbars you can see eastern spiny softshell turtles and northern crayfish. Flying over the water are dragonflies and damselflies, such as ebony jewelwing, dragonhunter, riffle snaketail, green-faced clubtail, American rubyspot, powdered dancer, ocellated darner, and rainbow bluet. Great blue heron and belted kingfisher are birds that patrol rivers for food. Mammal species living in or along the region’s rivers include mink, muskrat, and the northern river otter.

Redside dace Sand darter Eastern spiny softshell turtle

Pickerel frog Rainbow darter Freshwater mussels

Northern longear sunfish

32 Grand River (Lake County, OH) Lake Erie Open Water Community

Lake Erie is the most biologically productive of the Great Lakes, in part because it is the warmest and shallowest. Above and beneath the surface of the water there is a complex natural community, from floating plankton to bald eagles. Although this community has partially recovered from the water pollution of past decades, it is under extreme stress from causes ranging from shoreline habitat alteration to the invasion of exotic species, such as the zebra mussel, sea lamprey, and round goby. Still, the lake teems with life. Shallow, nearshore areas have beds of aquatic plants, such as eel grass, Richardson’s pondweed, small-leaved pondweed, and several species of water naiad and Eurasian water milfoil. Mayflies emerge from the bottom sediments in great swarms, joining other aquatic in- sects and forage fish to provide food for larger fish, including walleye, yellow perch, lake sturgeon, northern pike, and long- nose gar. Countless warblers, ducks, and raptors migrate along the lakeshore every spring and fall. Ring-billed and herring gulls gather in large flocks every winter. Every day there is a new panorama of life to see. Sanderling Lake Erie mussels

Where to Go  Mentor Headlands State Park (Lake County, OH)  Presque Isle State Park (Erie County, PA)

Grass pickerel Canvasback Headlands Beach dunes

Beach pea Mayfly Yellow perch Great black-backed gull

Lake Erie at Vermilion (Erie County, OH) 35 Members of the Lake Erie Allegheny Partnership for Biodiversity (as of March 2007)

Ashtabula County Metroparks Isaak Walton League, Western Reserve Chapter www.ashtabulacountymetroparks.org www.iwla.org

Biodiversity Alliance Lake Metroparks www.cmnh.org/site/Conservation_BiodiversityAlliance.aspx http://lakemetroparks.com

Chagrin River Watershed Partners, Inc. Medina County Park District www.crwp.org www.medinacountyparks.com

City of Twinsburg Metro Parks, Serving Summit County www.mytwinsburg.com www.summitmetroparks.org

Cleveland Botanical Garden Nature Center at Shaker Lakes www.cbgarden.org www.shakerlakes.org

Cleveland Metroparks The Nature Conservancy www.clemetparks.com www.nature.org

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) www.clemetzoo.com www.noaca.org

Cleveland Museum of Natural History Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife www.cmnh.org www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife

Cuyahoga American Heritage River Initiative Ohio Environmental Protection Agency www.crcpo.org/ABOUTCAHR.html www.epa.state.oh.us

Cuyahoga River Remedial Action Plan Ohio Invasive Plants Council www.crcpo.org www.oipc.info

Cuyahoga Valley National Park Pennsylvania Environmental Council www.nps.gov/cuva www.pecpa.org

EcoCity Cleveland Portage Park District www.greencitybluelake.org www.portageparkdistrict.org

Erie National Wildlife Refuge Stark County Park District www.fws.gov/northeast/erie www.starkparks.com

Geauga Park District U.S. Environmental Protection Agency www.geaugaparkdistrict.org www.epa.gov

Grand River Partners, Inc. Western Pennsylvania Conservancy www.grandriverpartners.org www.paconserve.org

The Holden Arboretum Western Reserve Land Conservancy www.holdenarb.org www.wrlc.cc

Conserving Nature for Future Generations

36 www.leapbio.org