Welcome to Oakwoods Nature Preserve, a 227- acre outdoor complex with diverse habitats, an interconnected system of nature trails, and two lakes – all anchored by the Richard S. “Doc” Phillips Discovery Center and located only two miles from downtown Findlay, Ohio, all waiting to be discovered. The Park, named for the giant oak trees found along Aurand Run, is a place of discovery where wetlands, birds and wildlife, interpretive exhibits, woods, and prairie are natural attractions in the Preserve and are featured in many environmental education programs. Watching the sunset from the overlook deck at Shank Lake, fishing in Dold Lake, or hiking the trails for seasonal changes and signs of wildlife are just a few reasons to keep coming back again and again.
Natural History and Areas
Melting glaciers millions of years ago left the Oakwoods area a flat, wooded landscape. Trees are only growing in inches of soil over bedrock. The “hills” are made from dirt and rock spoil from the old quarry (Shank Lake) and are now covered with natural, second-growth vegetation. A prairie was planted in October 1985 by a local Boy Scout Career Explorer Post from seeds originally collected from other northwest Ohio prairies. The bases were hardened (winterized), and then, during the following spring, 22 types of prairie plants were planted. Be sure to visit the Prairie all seasons, significantly when late summer breezes sway the tall grasses and colorful wildflowers. Meadows are managed for food and nesting cover for small woodland animals like rabbits, foxes, squirrels, and owls. The meadow areas are another prime example of the Hancock Park District in Findlay is committed to preserving and restoring high-quality habitats. Woodlands continue to transition as open areas reclaim themselves. The forested regions slowly change from softwood forests of box-elder, sycamore, hackberry, and poplar trees to hardwoods of oaks, walnut, and maple. Prime farmland still surrounds the Nature Preserve and will continue to be farmed for some time. In the future, the farmland will be allowed to return to its natural state along the edges surrounding the prairie area to provide more diversity to the site. Two old stone quarries are enclosed on the property. Dold Lake, 4 acres, and Shank Lake, 9 acres, were both quarried for stone for railroad beds. Both lakes provide good fishing, including bass, catfish, bluegill, and crappie, and are under a management plan with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. EZ Findlay Pest Control
What to Do
The Richard S. “Doc” Phillips Discovery Center is at the “heart of the park.” This year-round, multiple-use educational facility provides a centralized location for programming opportunities. The Discovery Center, which opened in 1994, is named in memory of the local friend of nature, teacher, author, and volunteer who helped preserve this area, now known as Oakwoods Nature Preserve. Exhibits “Wetland Window on Wildlife” viewing area, aquatic and reptile enclosures, and interactive stations will facilitate visitors as they explore the natural surroundings of the nature preserve.
Address: 1400 Oakwood Avenue, Findlay, OH
Check out other attractions like Van Buren State Park