The Beaver Creek Wetlands Association has led more than 30 years of community effort to protect and restore the rare and unique Beaver Creek Wetlands corridor. Approximately 2,300 acres are currently protected through partnerships, community networks and public education. Our outing will visit two sites at the very source of the watershed: Pearl’s Fen and Oak Quarry Park. Eric Bee, an active member of BCWA, will be our guide for this outing. Pearl’s Fen is a peat wetland containing a rich diversity of plant and animal life that is maintained by springs that emerge from nearby glacial deposits. August and September are spectacular for blooming prairie and fen flowers and the diversity of habitats on this property make it a popular destination for birders and nature lovers. Visitors can view the diverse wetland area from a boardwalk and access nearby Oakes Quarry via a connector trail. Oaks Quarry includes foot trails that cross ancient limestone fossils, restored prairies and wetlands where they once naturally occurred, and glacial grooves, slides and polishings. Silurian Age crinoid fossils are considered among the best in the U.S. and represent an exceptional site worldwide. Additional information is available here: Beaver Creek Wetlands Association | Greene County, Ohio

If you would like to follow our trip leaders as they drive from Oxford, meet at the TJ Maxx parking lot located at 550 South Locust Street in Oxford at 7:30 am. If traveling directly, the destination address is 4535 Byron Rd, Fairborn, OH 45324. Please arrive at 9:00 am. Travel time from Oxford is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. Please bring a personal lunch if you would like to join us for an informal picnic mid-day. For those who want to see more, you can choose from several nearby BCWA sites to visit on your own after completion of the morning program.