EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was originally published in Heart of Ohio Magazine and is being republished through a collaboration with Ashland Source. See Heart of Ohio Magazine’s website at http://www.heartofohiomagazine.com/
I was born, raised and still live in Ashland County. Growing up on a dairy farm just outside Polk we stayed pretty close to home, so when my dad announced we were heading to Sears at the Richland Mall in Mansfield, we jumped at the chance.
The whole family piled into our 1978 Chevy Impala and headed south toward State Route 42. Just before we reached the county line my dad pointed out an area of swamp land and said, “Now who’d want to own a piece of land like that? You can’t farm it or build on it, looks worthless to me.”
As I grew up I hardly paid any attention to that patch of land again, but in 2006 the Ashland County Park District acquired it and created the Black Fork Bottoms Preserve (the Preserve). It was on my first visit to the park that I realized this was the same plot of ground my Dad had pointed out as worthless to us on that long ago summer day.
A Brief History
Originally, the one hundred twenty-seven acres belonged to Tom and Pat Gordon, who created a hunting preserve which became popular with hunters from all over the east coast. Eventually, the Ashland Chapter of Pheasants Forever bought the property using grants from the Ohio Division of Wildlife and the Clean Ohio conservation program. Because they could not legally own the property, Pheasants Forever donated the property to the Ashland County Park District, who maintains the area for public hunting and general park use today.
Landscape and Bio Diversity
Black Fork Bottoms Preserve contains several diverse habitats. The bottom area is a swamp forest that is included in the flood plain of the Black Fork and Mohican Rivers.
The lush marsh grassland was once a farm, but has long since grown into a beautiful grassy area containing common wildflowers. Queen Anne’s Lace, Black-Eyed Susans, Dutch Irises, and uncommon flowers such as green dragon, a close relative to the Jack-in-the-Pulpit, abound there.
Investigating the upland forest you can find many species of trees, including the Ohio buckeye, sugar maples, tulip poplars, pines and shagbark hickories. Black Fork Bottoms not only contains a variety of plants and trees, but also diverse population of avians, mammals and reptiles.
The marsh itself is an important habitat for breeding and migratory waterfowl, including Canada Geese, the endangered trumpeter swan, great blue herons, mallards and American Coots. Various raptors of all shapes and sizes make Black Fork Bottoms their hunting ground. Kestrels, cooper hawks, red tail hawks and the American Bald Eagle call Black Fork Bottoms their home.
Amphibians, such as frogs, salamanders and several species of turtles flourish here, along with white tail deer, red and grey squirrels, muskrats, raccoons, opossums, woodchucks and skunks.
Visiting the Park
During early spring, and from October through early January, the park is closed (except for designated Sunday afternoons) to the general public. There is a hunting lottery (all Ashland County parks participate) where members of the Friends of the Park District enter their names into a drawing for the opportunity to be chosen to hunt in the parks during closed hunting periods.
Several trails wind in and around the park, with the focal point being the marsh forest. It’s a fairly easy hike, with the most difficult area being from the parking area to the entrance of the park, which is the steepest area. The trails are well maintained, but be aware the closer you hike the shoreline, the muckier the ground tends to be. Beware the duck blinds that are accessible during the summer months but treacherous in winter and spring. Dare to test your luck and you risk sinking into the swamp. There is much to see on the main trail as it meanders its way through the swamp forest up to the marsh area, finally reaching the marsh grassland and upland forest.
My first experience in the Preserve was July 4, 2006. The park had just opened a few months earlier, and I was curious to know what the park district did with the property. Well, when you visit a swamp, expect a swamp! Thick algae covered the water, and the smell was unpleasant to say the least. You might question why anyone would want to visit the park, but the reason is quite simple: because it’s alive. The green algae are living organisms. The animals, trees, flowers, weeds, bugs and every single blade of grass are living, breathing creatures. The swamp is a huge, breathing entity that, in its own unique way, is just as beautiful as any western landscape.
My favorite time to visit the park is early spring. Between melting winter snow and spring rains, the swamp becomes a clear lake reflecting the blue sky above. The air is crisp, clean and smells of spring. The buds on the trees are opening up and early spring wildflowers reveal their beauty. Songbirds sing sweetly, and baby frogs (known as peepers) join in the chorus in the evening, reminding everyone it’s spring. The air is alive with butterflies and bees as they pollinate the flowers. Red-wing blackbirds clutch onto the grasses and prepare their nests for their young. This is, by far, my favorite time to visit Black Fork Bottoms.
As much as I love and respect my father, he was wrong. There is a lot that can be done with this land, and the Ashland County Park District has done just that. They’ve created a preserve that is unique and beautiful in its own way. The next time you find yourself on State Route 42 between Ashland and Mansfield, make a stop at Black Fork Bottoms Preserve. You’ll be surprised, just as I was, at its beauty.
Amanda Kiplinger and her family live in northern Ashland County. She has written for Nature Photographer Magazine, Wyoming Elements, and her photos have been published in Michigan Out of Doors. She recently had a show of her work entitled “Nature in All Directions” at the National Center for Nature Photography in Toledo, and the entire month of April her work will be on display at the Ashland Public Library.
For more information visit these websites:
www.crookedcreekphotosllc.com
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