Cedar Run Preserves

AOA is working to protect and conserve Cedar Run, a relatively small watershed in the Mad River valley in Champaign County.   This watershed is home to the “crown jewel” of Ohio natural areas – the 450-acre Cedar Bog State Nature Preserve.  Cedar Bog is the largest and best boreal forest and fen complex in Ohio. This unique, alkaline, wetland ecosystem contains approximately 40 percent of the rare and endangered plant species in Ohio.  The bog is also known for its rare and endangered animals including the spotted turtle, Eastern massasauga rattlesnake, Kirtland’s snake, American 5-lined skink, Elfin skimmer dragonfly and Milbert’s tortoise shell butterfly. 

 Unique Geology. Cedar Run receives most of its water from cold water springs which are fed by a continuous flow of alkaline groundwater from underground glacial deposits.  The unique habitats in Cedar Bog are highly dependent on the flows in Cedar Run and the maintenance of the current groundwater levels in the area.  The unique geology of the Cedar Bog area is described in a report by the ODNR, Division of Geological Survey (Norris, 2023).

Rewilding and Restoring.  AOA is rewilding and restoring the preserves it owns along Cedar Run.  The purpose of this work is to restore riparian areas, expand areas that support unique habitats and rare species, enhance surface and groundwater resources, and provide natural buffers for Cedar Bog. 

• The 31-acre Koerner Preserve upstream of Cedar Bog conserves 1,530 linear feet of the West Branch of Cedar Run and its riparian corridor. The West Branch is a high-quality, spring-fed coldwater habitat headwater stream which is the primary groundwater source for Cedar Bog.  AOA is converting agricultural fields on this Preserve into sedge meadows and upland prairies.  

• The 73-acre Newell Preserve is also adjacent to the West Branch north of Cedar Bog. AOA is currently restoring 15-acres of agricultural fields in this Preserve into early succession wetland and upland prairie habitats.  Stewardship work on the property has included invasives removal, mixed blend seeding, tree planting, and maintenance mowing.  Seventy trees have been planted and tubed along the West Branch including burr oak, swamp white oak and American hawthorn. 

• The 48-acre Clark Preserve on the south side of Cedar Bog protects 1,450 linear feet of Cedar Run riparian corridor which has high-quality wetlands. AOA has performed extensive invasive control and reseeding of Clark Preserve.  Its stewardship work has focused on removal of reed canary grass, poison hemlock, and other invasives and the planting of native trees, prairie vegetation and sedges.  Sedge seeds were collected from Cedar Bog in cooperation with ODNR, Division of Natural Areas and Preserves staff and planted on Clark Preserve.   

AOA has also been cooperating with U.S. Fish and Wildlife staff who are evaluating populations of Eastern Massasauga rattlesnakes in Cedar Bog and our preserves with the goal of encouraging their spread into new habitats. 

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