I've wanted to visit Daughmer Bur Oak Savannah for quite some time and yesterday I finally made the trip. This site is very well-known and there is a lot of available information explaining the significance of the site. It represents the best example of the tiny amount of tall grass prairie and oak savannah remaining in Ohio.
The plan was to get there early, stroll the paths, and enjoy the majestic bur oaks. Measuring trees was not a primary goal because any serious measurement effort would require a lot of off-path walking, which isn't a good idea given the presence of threatened plant species. I measured a couple accessible trees and that was sufficient. All the trees can easily be seen from the path, so it's not difficult to get a feel for the size of the trees. I'll have to dig out my LiDAR file for the site, which provides a very close approximation of the modest heights.
I've read several sources discussing the historical significance of the tall grass prairies of the Darby and Sandusky Plains and one is left with the impression that there are just a handful of very small remnants that remain, mostly in very small state nature preserves. It's true that original tall grass prairie and oak savannah is exceedingly rare, but the part of the story that I'm not sure has been told is the abundance of bur oaks that were left behind. I was struck by the sheer number of ancient bur oaks located outside the boundary of Daughmer Savannah in the surrounding Sandusky Plains.
On my way back home I decided to stop at two well-known historical cemeteries (Smith and Bigelow) that are also remnants of the original landscape. Again, I was flabbergasted at the sheer number of ancient bur oaks in fields, yards and just about anywhere. Unknowingly at the time, I had been traveling through the heart of the Darby Plains on my way home and there are an incredible number of bur oaks scattered across the countryside. Is it possible that with so much attention given to the tiny fraction of untrammeled remaining original prairie that the significance of these surviving bur oaks, as a whole, has gone relatively unnoticed?
While determining tree age without coring can be very much of an estimate, I was able to count rings from a large branch cut fairly high up from a medium-sized bur oak and counted approximately 175 rings. The thick, gnarly branches high up in the crown also give a clue to their great age.
Most of these bur oaks may no longer be surrounded by the famous prairie sod and tall grass of the past, but they are truly survivors. Given the special nature of the trees, and considering that many of them are on private land with the possibility of further encroachment, I think there is benefit in raising awareness of the importance of privately held ancient bur oaks, similar to efforts occurring down in the Bluegrass of Kentucky. Their story of origination is very different from the Bluegrass trees, but their significance may be just as high. So, what I thought would simply be a pleasant trip to see an amazing bur oak savannah turned into what I think can be a documentation effort to raise awareness of the special nature of the Darby and Sandusky Plains bur oaks.
Now for some photos followed by the numbers from yesterday.
- Daughmer Savannah
- Smith Cemetery
- Bur Oak in London
Daughmer Savannah
17.88' x 70'
14.2' x 70'
Smith Cemetery
12.56' x 65.5'
11.57' x 65.5'
11.48' x 54.5'
Rosedale
11.77' x 80'
10.1' x 82.5'
10.45' x lost top
London
13.29' x 62.5'
Finally, here is a rough sketch of the Darby and Sandusky Plains and the associated counties. This is the area I'll focus on and of course any measurements/photos from other ENTS are welcome!
