BY NATURE’S DESIGN: EXPLORING OUR NATIVE WILDLIFE Digital Shorts

Learn about the importance of maintaining native species to the wetland ecosystem.

Robert Hamilton talks about the proper practices to use when visiting a wetland.

Zurijanne Carter defines what a native species is.

Lauren Kinsman-Costello defines what it means when a species is non-native or invasive.

Zurijanne Cartertalks about two apps that citizens can download to help identify species.

Learn about the native Elderberry plant and the ecosystem benefits.

Learn about the invasive species, purple loosestrife.

Learn about the native species, rough avens and buttonbush.

Learn about the native species, shallow sedge and arrow arum.

Discover how the team captures stunning footage of native wetlands found right here in Ohio.

Eric Saas talks about the harmful algae blooms that occur in the Western Basin of Lake Erie.

Lauren Kinsman-Costello talks about the drainage of the former Great Black Swamp.

Historically, it is estimated that the Great Black Swamp spanned 1,500 square miles from modern-day Fort Wayne, Indiana to the western shores of Lake Erie. (Which is 960,000 acres, so close to almost 1 million acres). The current map represents just over 8,000 acres (8,014.9 acres to be exact) of remaining/restored areas of the Great Black Swamp.