06/18/2026
Earlier this month, our longest-tenured employee, Sam Fischer, took us on a journey through the history of our land, from glaciers and floodplains to the rich ecosystems that once thrived here. In part 2, he shares some of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into helping biodiversity return.
Sam says:
As many of you know, our gardens near the retail space are regularly mulched,
weeded, and intentionally designed. This gives us the chance to display species that might not thrive on our specific site without that “coddling.”
But what happens outside these gardens? Do we simply let “nature take over?”
As many of us have learned, this doesn’t exactly work out in a degraded area.
For one, when we regularly mow, we encourage “turf grasses.” Unlike our tall,
clumped native species, these grow in thick, short mats via roots called rhizomes. They act as a thick mulch, preventing native seeds from germinating. Even after a decade of not mowing, large swaths of the property are still covered in these grasses, which can soak up so much moisture they even kill established plants!
Secondly, we have introduced so many exotic invasive species that our natives
get choked out. There is often virtually nothing growing under a dense stand of Amur Honeysuckle or Multiflora Rose. Some vines, like Asiatic Bittersweet, can even girdle and kill a mature tree!
Our first step is “site prep," clearing these species to make room for biodiversity. Here is how we do it:
• Turf Grasses: We smother them using silage tarps. The tarp blocks sunlight so
the plants can’t photosynthesize; they die after a year, leaving clean, open soil.
• Invasive Shrubs: We mainly deal with Multiflora Rose. It forms dense thickets
and can climb 20 feet into trees. For mature plants, we cut them down and treat
the exposed stump with a minimal dose of herbicide.
• Reed Canary Grass: This exotic grass can exceed six feet and is a notorious
invader of floodplains. The only way we’ve found to control it is through
creating dense shade.
The Fun Part: Reintroduction
Once an area is cleared, we begin the fun part! While we see native regeneration
from “early successional pioneers” like Wild Black Cherry and Asters, we also actively reintroduce species to catalyze the process. Trees like Swamp White Oak and Bur Oak are slow to move in on their own, and White Oaks as a whole are sharply declining, so we actively plant them and protect them from deer. Recently tarped areas with exposed soil are also prime for bulk direct seeding, a great way to instantly and significantly improve the herbaceous layer.
As mentioned earlier, Reed Canary Grass only starts to be controlled in rather
dense shade. Fortunately, it is also restricted to the floodplain zone, and is not found growing above the flood line. Unfortunately, this vastly limits the sun-loving herbaceous plants which are a crucial source of mid to late season pollen and nectar, as well as seeds for wildlife throughout the winter.
To rectify this, we’re working on creating a “wet meadow” above the flood line
which will serve as a sanctuary for these species, which won’t be invaded by the Reed Canary Grass. This is just the basic outline of the work we’ve done to restore our land!
So please, next time you come to visit, take the time to walk our 10 acres of trails,
knowing you're exploring a young and regenerating glaciated lowland of central Ohio!
