Black River Audubon Society/LCCC Meadow Preserve and Flora Interpretive Trail
Black River Audubon’s Harriet Alger was a moving force behind the preservation of the college’s meadow as a site for ground-nesting birds such as meadowlarks and bob-o-links.
Excerpt from April 2018 Wingtips
"In 1999, Jack Smith, President and founding member of the Black River Audubon Society, and Joe Strong, board treasurer, observed that bobolinks, which were on Ohio’s Audubon Watchlist, appeared every spring in the northeast corner of Lorain County Community College’s campus. They realized that if the area was not mowed until September, ground nesting species like bobolinks, meadowlarks, and Savannah sparrows would be likely to mate and breed in the meadow. They also saw that LCCC was blessed with a small wooded trail adjacent to the meadow with about 80 species of trees, plants, bushes and early spring wildflowers.
“Healthy colonies of bobolinks and meadowlarks and small families of Savannah sparrows began to nest in the grassland meadow in increasing numbers each year.”
Jack and Joe met with LCCC President Dr. Roy Church to suggest preserving and developing these areas to stimulate more public interest in conservation and to serve as resources for college courses. The meeting resulted in an agreement that the meadow would not be mowed during nesting season from April to September except for a trail for marathon runners. President Church also agreed that these areas would be known as the Black River Audubon Society/LCCC Meadow Preserve and Flora Interpretive Trail, with college permission required for any additions or changes. The Stocker Foundation provided matching funds for a display case in the meadow and a fence and guide boxes for the trail."
Images from Meadow Preserve