Irwin Prairie State Nature Preserve

The finest sedge meadow in Ohio

Irwin Prairie State Nature Preserve lies within the Oak Openings Region of Northwest Ohio. It is the finest example of a sedge meadow in the state of Ohio.

The sand is thin here. The layer of clay immediately below the thin layer of sand does not permit the groundwater to drain quickly as it does on the higher sand dunes. This means that standing water is typical most of the year. Trees are unable to grow in the standing water, except for an occasional pin oak. The result is a classic Oak Openings wet meadow or sand prairie.

Only a fraction of its original size

The wet prairie today is only 50 acres of what it was originally. Extensive drainage and development of the area has reduced the wet meadow to what it is today.

Historic accounts describe Indians canoeing through the standing water in search of waterfowl. Early settlers described the area as "marsh, grass, not timber." The entire wet prairie prior to it being drained was reportedly 7 miles long and approximately 1 mile wide.

It must have been quite impressive to see back then. Early accounts describe a very wide variety of waterfowl. Until the 1880s a large colony of sandhill cranes nested here.

The Irwin Prairie Boardwalk Trail

The Boardwalk Trail

Even after years of extensive drainage Irwin Prairie is a great place to see the unique wildlife of the Oak Openings Region. Its a great way to visit to see a wet prairie without having to get wet.

Parking is available on Bancroft Rd. A boardwalk starts here at the parking lot weaves through the preserve.

Click here for a map of Irwin Prairie and the boardwalk trail

From the parking lot the boardwalk sets off through a grassy oak savanna area which eventfully gives way to a swamp forest. Pin oak trees dominate the swamp forest.

Once through the swamp forest the wet prairie presents itself in full glory. Even though the prairie is a fraction of its original size it is still impressive.

The boardwalk then crosses Irwin road. At this point the wet prairie is pretty wide open and expansive. It is mostly grasses and an occasional pin oak tree. After walking for approximately a half mile the boardwalk then enters another swamp forest area. After a few hundred feet the forest opens up in to another section of wet prairie. This is called Grass Lake.

The Grass lake is very secluded. The wet prairie here is still quite expansive but it is surrounded by trees. This area is a good place to watch birds. An elevated observation deck adjoins the boardwalk providing a great place to see this part of Irwin Prairie.

This is the end of the boardwalk. Walkers go back the same way.

Some of the Wildflowers at this Preserve

Blue Flag Iris

Atlantic Blue-eyed Grass

Foxglove Beardtongue

Prairie Rose

Kalm's St. Johns Wort

Irwin Prairie Wildlife you might see

Typical of a wetland, there is a lot of different types of wildlife to see. In addition to mallards and wood ducks some of the more unusual birds that can be found there are: pied billed grebes, least bitterns, Virginia and sora rails, and common snipes.

Some of the turtles include the state endangered spotted turtle along with painted, snapping, box, and Blanding turtles.

Snakes that call Irwin Prairie home are the hognose, garter, Kirtland's ribbon, and blue racers

Five different plant communities

Irwin Prairie protects five different plant communities. These can all be seen from the boardwalk. They are:

The twig rush dominated sedge meadow
The shrub swamp dominated by dogwood and willows
The grass meadow which consists of blue-joint grass and northern reed-grass.
Pure stands of pin oak make up the pin oak community
The mixed oak area typical of woodland ares in the Oak Openings.

How to get there

The preserve is located between Bancroft and Dorr. The parking lot is on Bancroft across from Secor Metropark. The preserve is approximately 10 miles west of Toledo.

NW Ohio Nature Oak Leaf