COLUMBUS, OH – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Natural Areas and Preserves will be purchasing land adjacent to the Lakeside Daisy State Nature Preserve near Lake Erie. This site, located on the Marblehead Peninsula in Ottawa County, is home to the only natural population of the Lakeside Daisy remaining in Ohio. The purchase will increase the Lakeside Daisy State Nature Preserve from 19 acres to 137 acres.
“Having the opportunity to expand a state nature preserve as unique and important to Ohio as Lakeside Daisy State Nature Preserve means that the Lakeside Daisy will be enjoyed by our grandchildren and future generations,†said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “Securing another 118 acres to add to the Lakeside Daisy State Nature Preserve will benefit Ohio’s ecosystem and tourism in the area.â€
For people interested in seeing the Lakeside Daisy in bloom, a public hike has been scheduled at Lakeside Daisy State Nature Preserve for Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 12, starting at noon and lasting until approximately 1 p.m. This will be an excellent chance to see this state endangered flower up close, providing excellent opportunities for photographs.
Acquiring this property will protect more than 700,000 Lakeside Daisy plants. This property will also protect valuable habitat for migratory bird species crossing Lake Erie, such as the federally endangered Kirtland’s warbler, bald eagle and many more.
Funding for this acquisition comes from both a sizable grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and donations from Ohioans using their state income tax refunds to support Ohio State Nature Preserves.
Lakeside Daisy was listed as endangered in Ohio in 1980 and was listed as federally threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1988. Acquiring this property will further enhance the ability of this species to survive in the future.
This is shared from the ODNR website.