Crites Preserve

The Crites Preserve was acquired in July 2025 and consists of 145 acres of Scioto River bottomland floodplain near the Village of South Bloomfield in Pickaway County Ohio. 

The Preserve includes 1.25 miles of river frontage, 1,700 linear feet of high bluff and 8 acres of upland terrace along the Scioto River.  The river in this reach exceeds Exceptional Warmwater Habitat quality standards and is classified as Superior High-Quality Waters. 

 Several wetlands are also located in the Preserve including a significant river oxbow wetland at the base of the upland terrace.

This property will be a part of AOA’s Scioto River Flyway Corridor Initiative. This Initiative currently includes 5,400 acres of land along the Scioto River and Big Darby Creek which has been acquired and stewarded by AOA and now includes 40 different properties.    This Initiative currently provides significant and valuable stopover habitats for waterfowl and other migratory species as well as nesting and foraging habitat for many native birds and pollinators. 

AOA plans to restore and rewild the original bottomland forest habitat in the Crites Preserve.  This will include reestablishing a forested upland riparian buffer along the flood plain.

The restoration of native bottomland and upland forests will help improve filtration of floodwaters, provide better aquifer recharge, and will create a natural riparian buffer. This restoration will also protect the river from nonpoint sources of contamination, while providing greatly improved native habitats for wildlife.