Darrow Road Park Meadow is now in its fourth year of growth. Meadows need to be either severely cut or burned about every three or four years to keep woody plants from regrowing and to knock back invasive cool season grasses. A plan is in place to burn the back half of the meadow this spring and the front half of the meadow next year.
Darrow Road Park serves as one of the headwaters for the Tinkers Creek Watershed, and approximately 70% of the park is a designated wetland environment. Before the meadow was restored in 2020, it was filled with non-native invasive cool season grasses, Eurasian Bush Honeysuckle, Canada Thistle, Autumn Olive, flowering spiny Callery Pear, Common Teasel and Glossy Buckthorn. Unlike native plants, these non-native species that grew in the meadow before 2020, did not support the Ohio native birds, pollinators and many animals that inhabit the park.
The newly restored 5.5 acre pollinator meadow has reintroduced lost native flowers and grasses to support and restore native populations of bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects and increase the population of song birds that will use the meadow for seeds and insects and nest in the surrounding forest area. This restored meadow will increase wildlife biodiversity, improve soil and water quality and offer a beautiful meadow environment with a winding trail for park visitors to walk.
The Pollinator Meadow Project would not have been possible without the efforts of Marcia Carsten. Read more about Marcia here.
For a map showing Native Plant Nurseries go to the LEAP (Lake Erie Alleghany Partnership) Website
If you are thinking about adding some native plants to your garden or backyard this spring, check out Summit Metro Parks’ Native Plant Festival this Saturday, May 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Munroe Falls Metro Park, located at 521 S. River Road.
FOR MORE INFO ON SUMMIT METRO PARKS’ NATIVE PLANT FESTIVAL GO HERE