Trella Romine Prairie Preserve

A Remnant of the Rare Sandusky Plains Prairie Habitat

This property was originally purchased by Ms. Trella Romine as a potential prairie remnant site and given to the Marion County Historical Society in 1996. The site contained rare Sandusky Plains prairie habitat with 20-25 native prairie species. For many years after 1996, volunteers for the Marion County Historical Society added more original Sandusky Plains prairie plant species to the property.

 

The property is located along both sides of the abandoned railroad located northeast of Green Camp, Ohio on the Little Scioto River floodplain in southern Marion County. The property is a long narrow parcel of 11.6 acres which is about one mile long by 100 feet wide which consists of a railroad bed of the original Marion to Springfield and later called Erie Railroad which was abandoned around 1981.

 

AOA was elated to provide permanent protection for the Trella Romine property in the year 2016. AOA renamed the property as the Trella Romine Prairie and Nature Preserve. The Preserve is home to 80 known prairie species of the Sandusky Plains prairie ecosystem including five State of Ohio listed species: Royal Catchfly, Leiburg’s Panic Grass, Savanna Blazing Star, Smooth Rose and Prairie False Indigo. There are also 70 non-prairie vascular plant species, 20 tree species and 4 shrub species in the Preserve.

 

The Preserve is an important resource for plant species native to the Sandusky Plains and the Scioto River watershed. It has served as a seed source for several native prairie restorations and will continue to provide seeds for future Scioto River watershed restoration projects.

 

AOA typically holds an annual seed collecting event at the prairie which is open to the public. In October 2021, seeds were collected from about 25 species of prairie plants. The seeds are used to improve prairie habitats throughout the State of Ohio.

 

Stewardship work on the Preserve includes invasive species management and periodic maintenance. Expansion of the prairie area and the Preserve is a long-term goal.