of Chillicothe, Ross County & South-Central Ohio
of Chillicothe, Ross County & South-Central Ohio October 19 2004 |
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Where the buzzards roost at Buzzard's Roost |
Buzzards Roost Nature Preserve in Ross County was the target of a "botanical blitz" (of which I was proud to be a member) this summer. The "blitz" was a one-day scouting for every identifiable plant in the park.
"The Roost" is a Ross County park of upland oak-hickory forests, rock exposures, mesic wooded slopes, rich stream terraces, and a variety of successional habitats covering 1,200 acres in central Ross County off Polk Hollow and Reub Hill roads. Much of the preserve is very pristine, with older-growth woodlands and mature riparian forests, and sharply descending hills and cliffs of sandstone and shale.
Seven teams were assigned divisions of the park that offered highly diverse fauna. Each team had at least three participants and one highly skilled botanist, and all had maps of the Roost and a list of previously known plants within it.
All teams scoured their area for several hours on June 16, 2004 and came up with a total of 597 species of herbs, trees, shrubs and ferns. Even with a light rain early in the morning, and in some areas very rough terrain, these dedicated naturalists never wavered from their task. A draft of the compiled master plant list is in a separate (and large) hypertext document.
We were delighted to have such highly skilled botanists as Jim McCormac, a field botanist for the Ohio Dept of Nature areas and Preserves; Rick Gardner and Dave Minney of the Ohio Nature Conveservancy; several professors from various colleges, OSU, Miami University, and Hocking College; and two mangers from State preserved areas.
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On Paint Creek in Alum Cliffs |
Participants were also from the Sierra Club, National Park Service, Ross County Park District, Ohio Dept of Wildlife, Highlands Nature Sanctuary, the Scioto Valley Bird and Nature Club, and Friends of Buzzards Roost, all with various levels of botanical skills. The Friends of Buzzards Roost provided guides for the teams who weren't familiar with the area.
Future plans include more blitzes such as this one and hopefully a full-fledged bio-blitz where all species will be counted, including wildlife, insects, birds, amphibians, as well as plants. Research is already in progress on the migrating and nesting birds of the Roost, proving that the preserve is ecologically diverse and provides a multitude of habitats that are necessary for the survival of the wildlife.
Story and linked Database written by Debbie McFadden; edited and hypertexted by Kevin Coleman
