Mowing for Habitat Management

With over 13,000 acres, Metroparks is tasked with placing priorities on certain park sites that require upkeep and management through mowing. Grassy right-of-ways, trail edges, ball fields, play areas, and other openings require consistent mowing regimes throughout the growing season to keep turfgrass in check.

In addition to these areas, Metroparks manages sites throughout the district that encompass restored, natural areas like wetlands, barrens, prairies, meadows, and savannas that require seasonal maintenance in order to keep biodiversity at its best. The vegetation that grows in these areas is typically composed of both native and non-native herbaceous and woody plants, with some species being invasive.

If no mowing or management occurs over a period of time, these sites will typically undergo changes through a natural process known as “succession.” Over time, the habitat will gradually progress from grasses and other vegetation to woody shrubs, and eventually to forest or climax community. If invasive species are present, massive spread most likely will occur, leading to a monoculture of vegetation, overtaking the habitat.

For thousands of years, Northwest Ohio’s ecosystems, through natural processes and indigenous land management, were able to maintain some of the rarest natural communities such as wet prairies, oak barrens, and oak savannas in an early successional state.  After Euro-American settlement, as the use of the landscape changed, the processes that maintained open habitats have been altered over time.

During the summer months, mowing of natural areas occurs for a few reasons and targets both woody and herbaceous invasives at just the right times. For example, canada thistle and sweet clover will spread very easily if allowed to go to seed. Spot mowing large populations of these species during June, July, and August effectively eliminates their seeds from spreading. Poplars (aspen and cottonwood) and Rubus (blackberry) are also controlled best by spot mowing during the summer months, due to their suckering tendencies. By hitting these woody plants during the growing season they expend more energy attempting to grow new leaves and stems, resulting in less energy stored in the root system.

During fall and winter, hydro-ax mowing, also called forestry mulching, is often used to tackle tough jobs that require taking down woody saplings, clearing areas, and allowing native herbaceous species a better growth advantage come spring. Some meadow or prairie sites are also mowed during the cooler months, slowing the likelihood of a successional transformation come springtime. Mowing sites like this during the dormant season also keeps impacts to wildlife and potential impacts to rare plant species at a minimum.

In order to preserve and protect these landscapes for future generations, Metroparks must selectively facilitate types of management that simulate natural processes. Consistent, seasonal mowing practices for targeted sites is critical for optimal, annual results, keeping areas open in early successional states. Timing is also critical and will lead to the most successful outcome for the targeted ecosystem as a whole—knocking back invasive species, controlling the spread of seeds and keeping open areas open.

Did You Know?

Annually, Metroparks mows 290 acres of turf (2.2% of all land) and approximately 1,000 acres of natural areas, utilizing regular mowers, the hydro ax mower, and the Marsh Master at Howard Marsh.