Cackley Swamp Preserve

Cackley Swamp Preserve is located adjacent to Cooper Hollow Wildlife Area in southern Jackson County near the Village of Oak Hill, Ohio. The Preserve consists of 490 acres of Cackley Swamp that was acquired by AOA during the period from 2007 through 2019.

Rare, High-Quality Wetlands.  The Preserve is a very rare, high-quality (Class 3) relict wetland of the pre-glacial Teays River system. Cackley Swamp was previously identified by the ODNR Division of Natural Areas and Preserves as a Priority Acquisition Area of State Significance and is believed to be the largest of the seven known Teays River wetland remnants.

Acquisition. This 490-acre Preserve was acquired by AOA as part of 7 different property transfers using a combination of US F&WS mitigation funds and Ohio Public Works Commission, Clean Ohio Program grants. AOA collaborated with Ohio Valley Conservation Coalition (OVCC) to acquire two out of the seven properties.

The Preserve includes primary, secondary, and tertiary streams which are part of the Symmes Creek watershed surrounded by emergent and deep-water wetland. Much of this area is too shallow for canoeing but too deep for hiking.

Botanical Diversity. The botanical diversity of the Teays Valley wetland remnants has been recognized for many years. These wetland remnants contain hundreds of vascular plant species and at least 12 plant species listed as threatened or endangered in the State of Ohio. A botanical survey of Cackley Swamp in 2007 by Rick Gardner of ODNR revealed 69 species of vascular plants. The plants in these wetland remnants has made Jackson County one of the most botanically diverse counties of the State of Ohio. 

Migrating Waterfowl. The Preserve serves as an important habitat and resting area for migrating and resident waterfowl.   The Preserve is also home to resident species such as deer, beavers, muskrats and otters. An important beaver dam in the wetland controls the local water level elevation.

Wetland Restoration.  AOA staff and local contractors working for AOA have performed major stewardship work on the Preserve during the years 2021 to 2025.    This work has included the design of a wetland restoration project by an engineering firm and construction by a civil contractor.  The project consisted of hundreds of cubic yards of fill removal from the former Kiser property, grading and drainage improvements, seeding and erosion control fabric placement.  AOA staff provided debris removal, invasives removal and tree and other vegetation planting.   The goal of this project was the restoration of original plant communities and wetlands in this part of the Cackley Preserve.