Wet Prairie

Pristine Wet Prairie, a Step Back in Time

I had a chance to walk through a pristine wet prairie for the first time this summer in the Maumee State Forest in Henry County. I felt like I was on a movie set where the film crew had carefully set the scene just so.

I literally walked on a small trail through chest high grasses toward what looked like a stand of virgin woodland. Grasses of different colors were gently blowing in the breeze. Trees in the full bloom of summer reached toward a clear blue sky in a canopy of greens and browns. Birds soared in and out of their hiding spots. Insects buzzed from plant to plant. It was pretty amazing for someone like me who grew up in the suburbs where nature – lawns, gardens, and trees – were carefully cultivated and manicured.

That experience made me wonder what Northwest Ohio must have looked like hundreds of years ago before it was clear-cut and drained as the country expanded westward. How liberating it must have been to walk in such an open and uninterrupted space (except for the mosquitoes, of course!).

It’s hard for me to imagine the sheer vastness of our corner of the state now. When I look in any direction I see signs of mankind.

I’m thankful that there are areas like the wet prairie I walked in so I can experience our environment in a somewhat natural state. I feel connected to the history of our area thinking that others who came before me might have walked the same path.

I feel a sense of legacy knowing that these spots will continue to exist after I’m gone thanks to the conservationists who serve as advocates for preservation. I hope that we all can learn to appreciate the history of our area through the natural spaces that continue to exist.

Three cheers to those who have made it their life’s work to preserve areas like this wet prairie!

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