Ouabache Trails Park

"What's Invading the Park?", is the theme of the "Second Sunday Nature Exploration" Series. The last week of February is National Invasive Species Awareness Day. We will start earlier in the month by taking a walk to learn about the plant species that occur in the park (some to a great extent), how to recognize them, why they are a problem, and what you can do about them. We will also learn about local efforts to control invasive plants. Plants…

March 8: Mosses and Lichens and Liverworts – Oh, My!! Meet in front of Park OfficeTrails 2 and 4 (and maybe 3) Mosses, Lichens and Liverworts grow on trees, stumps, old logs, rocks, and sometimes even soil. These small species can be easily overlooked, but they are powerhouses and “first colonizers” that start growing on those hard surfaces and provide places for other plants to take hold – as well as unique environments for specific, tiny animals to flourish. They…

April 12: Early Spring Wildflowers Meet in front of the Park OfficeTrails 1+ (if there are many wildflowers at the time, the walk moves more slowly, of course!) Ouabache Trails Park is splendid with wildflowers, especially in the woodlands in early spring, before the canopy shades the forest floor. There are many species, some occurring in large numbers. Enjoy this casual walk to find as many species of early wildflowers as we can. A checklist will be provided of wildflowers…

May 10: Birds!!! Meet in lower loop, near the start of the River Fishing Trail (Trail 8 on the map)Beginning of River Fishing Trail and nearby areas. This walk is for people of any level, from Never-Been-Birding-But-Am-Curious, to novices, to experienced birders. Local expert birders Gary and Lisa Bowman will be leading us on a casual walk to look for birds, learn how to find and identify them, and learn more about them in general. What is that bird doing?…

June's Fern Foray Nature Walk will be presented virtually.  Watch for details.   Ouabache Trails boasts a number of different fern species in a variety of interesting forms and sizes. Explore from wetland to upland forest, seeing how many kinds we can find. Learn how ferns grow and reproduce. One kind of fern is evergreen, but the others show up in spring or summer. A checklist will be provided of fern species that have been seen at Ouabache Trails Park.Lower Trail…

The Second Sunday Nature Exploration Walks at Ouabache Trails Park will resume (tentatively) on July 12, 2020, with a walk to the Wabash River. During the “Animal Tracks!” walk, participants will wander the River Fishing Trail (Trail 8) through the floodplain, roughly parallel to the big creek, down to the Wabash River. Walkers should be prepared for wet and muddy places! Along the way, we will be looking for signs of the mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians who were there…