21 Years of Conservation in Central & Southern Ohio
Our Conservation Achievement
Latest News
On a beautiful snowy winter day representatives of AOA hiked into the deep woods of Bison Hollow for a special event. ODNR Division of Natural Areas and Preserves held a signing ceremony with Director Mertz for the recently announced designation of core portions of AOA’s Bison Hollow Preserve as Ohio’s newest State Nature Preserve (SNP). Bison Hollow joins Kleinmaier SNP as AOA’s currently designated State Preserves.
Bison Hollow is one of the jewels of the distinctive Hocking Hills landscapes. It is covered in deep older growth hardwood forests with large stands of hemlock that provide homes for many native species that are becoming increasingly threatened or rare. The high Blackhand sandstone bluffs, gorges, rock shelters and caves, numerous waterfalls and relatively rare high-quality Coldwater habitat streams, are very worthy of conservation and protection from degradation.
Upcoming Events
Wildflower Hike at AOA’s Bison Hollow Preserve
Spring is in the air and the wildflowers are busting out at AOA’s Bison Hollow State Nature Preserve. Enjoy a springtime ramble through the gorge and admire the many native …
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Find out more »Volunteer Tree Planting at AOA’s Cackley Swamp Preserve
Join us for a volunteer workday on one of AOA’s beautiful conservation properties. AOA is sponsoring a volunteer tree planting at our Cackley Swamp restoration site this coming Monday, April …
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Find out more »AOA News and Conservation Victories
Year in Review
Our 2023 Year in Review has just been published and mailed. Check out the complete document at this link.
Conservation Victories
AOA has closed on 7 new properties in 2023! These exciting new properties include:
Cedar Run-Stinson: 70.57 acres in Champaign County adjacent to Cedar Bog.
Big Darby Creek-Smith Lakes: 76.6 acres in Union County adjacent to Big Darby Creek.
Bison Hollow-Jones: 42.75 acres in Vinton County adjacent to AOA’s Bison Hollow Preserve in the Ash Cave vicinity.
Adelphi Bluff: 35.816 acres near the Salt Creek Narrows in Pickaway County near Laurelville, Ohio.
Menchhofer (Nixon). A spectacular, 86-acre bluff-lined gorge with two high falls in the Queer Creek Conservation Corridor of Hocking Hills.
Bison Hollow-Medford-Ocker: 175 acres in Vinton County adjacent to AOA’s Bison Hollow Preserve in the Ash Cave Vicinity.
Hinkle Gorge Preserve: A unique 10-acre sandstone gorge along Helber Run in Northern Hocking County donated by the Hinkle family.