Why are native plants so important to local wildlife? There are countless benefits to planting native species, but one you may not have thought of is that planting native species actually helps restore natural habitats.

Join us on our Facebook page Mondays through Fridays at 10 a.m. for a live video with Great Parks staff. Meet Shaker Trace Nursery Technician Tim. Today, Tim is telling us all about working at the nursery and how native plants and native seeds are crucial to Ohio wildlife.

Did you know that the Shaker Trace Loop trail at Miami Whitewater Forest is nearly eight miles of paved, shared-use trail that winds through prairies, wetlands and woods? Whether you run, walk or pedal, you’ll have an excellent opportunity to see the amazing flora and fauna in these habitats. Spring, summer and fall they are […]

Our native Northern Catalpa – Catalpa speciosa — seems to demand the attention of anyone near it. With its huge heart-shaped leaves — 6to 12 inches long and 4 to 8 inches wide — this guy will cast a very dense shadow. In May and June, beautiful, slightly fragrant bell-shaped orchid-like flowers will appear in […]

As the old saying goes, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” If there is one animal that truly puts this saying into action, it’s worms. These little creatures are nature’s version of the Greek myth of King Midas, who was said to be able to turn objects into gold just by touching them. Now, […]

2016 is winding down and it was another exciting and very productive year at the Shaker Trace Nursery. The harvest has been exceptional in both quantity and duration due, in part, to the amount of rain we received. Seed processing is still going on and we won’t know the total yield until later, but it’s safe […]