"Cedar Bog... Glaciers created the fen thousands of years ago. As the glaciers converged and then receded, they left behind water saturated soils and kettlehole lakes which eventually developed into bog and fen communities. As these cold water wetlands developed, they were able to sustain the life of the seeds the glaciers carried with them, creating a haven for rare and unusual plants species.
... Fed by underground water, the fen is home to many rare, endangered and threatened species of plants... that could not survive in a more acidic swamp. The combination of the constantly cool ground and water temperatures added to the slightly alkaline soils generates ideal conditions for... various orchid species... when you step onto the boardwalk and enter the fen, you enter the realm of Ohio during the Ice Age. Once past the guardian White Cedars, the landscape looks much like Ohio once did after the glaciers had receded, leaving the remnant plantings in their wake. Though it has survived for thousands of years, Cedar Bog is also a fragile place... Originally estimated to 7,000 acres in the early 1900s, Cedar Bog Nature Preserve now conserves 428 acres. ... Development of the land, pollution of the water and air and extraction of minerals all contribute to the loss of habitat for plants... Once gone, wetlands are difficult or impossible to replace. Once a species is gone, it will never come again... sightings of every species are documented and entered into a database. This information is compiled and analyzed to determine the status of each and every species. Every five years the list of Ohio wildlife is updated. The plant list is updated every two years. These lists of rare and endangered species are posted on the ODNR Web site at www.odnr.org. Plants... are given a status according to how healthy the existing population occurs in the state and in its local range. For instance, the small yellow lady's slipper orchid is an endangered species and the only known population in the state is located at Cedar Bog Nature Preserve. In other areas of our country, these orchids exist as commonly as wildflowers like trillium or violets, but for our area they are extremely rare. The prairie fringed orchid (also known as the ragged fringed orchid), which also can be found at Cedar Bog, is on the federal threatened list. This means that populations of this orchid are threatened in all areas of our country where they are normally found. ... a basic guide to the terms most commonly used.... EXTINCT: A species, family or other large group having no living members - www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/Home/resources/mgtplans/extinct/tabid/6457/Default.aspx EXTIRPATED: A native species that has disappeared from its entire range - www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/Home/resources/mgtplans/extirpated/tabid/6009/Default.aspx ENDANGERED: A native species that is on the brink of extinction - www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/Home/resources/mgtplans/endangered/tabid/6005/Default.aspx THREATENED: A species under stress, causing the threat of becoming endangered - www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/Home/resources/mgtplans/threatened/tabid/6006/Default.aspx SPECIES OF CONCERN: A species that is being watched and, if it continues to remain under stress, may become threatened - www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/Home/resources/mgtplans/specofconcern/tabid/6007/Default.aspx ... Plant species are defined as endangered, threatened, potentially threatened, and presumed extirpated. For all species, making sure that we are aware of the status of each species may save them from extinction" URL : http://www.urbanacitizen.com/main.asp?SectionID=3&SubSectionID=5&ArticleID=147864&TM=33480.49 ******************* Regards, VB _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [email protected] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
