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Cranberry bog

NickHubbell

It’s a trap!
A couple of the members here will be visiting Cranberry Bog at Buckeye Lake Ohio today. What is interesting about this bog is that its the only floating bog in the world. More or less, its a floating island and is only 12 acres. It is also likely that this bog will be gone in the next 20-30 years as parts of it break off every year. I hope to get many photos to share with everyone.

Some info on this bog.

The island dates from 1830 when Buckeye Lake was created as a feeder reservoir for the Ohio & Erie Canal. A 50-acre portion of the lake's bed, once a thriving sphagnum bog, broke loose and rose with the waters. Cranberry Bog is what remains of that portion after 174 years. Rare orchids and an abundance of cranberry and pitcher plants grow wild on the island, as well as tawny cottongrass, scheuchzeria, mud sedge and round-leafed sundew. The island's grass-pink and rose pogonia orchids are traditionally at their peak in mid-June.

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/dnap/location/cranberry.html
 
What a great opportunity.
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I hope you all have a good time. I know you'll bring back terrific photos. Can't wait to see them. Also hope Ozzy got to go.
 
To show how rare of an opportunity this is, it is open only once a year and you have to enter a lottery to be allowed on the island. Only 480 people are allowed on. Yes I did enter the lottery. I entered once for me and once for Nick. Neither of us was chosen. But Nick was chosen as a back up when somebody canceled. So Nick can take up to 3 people. But he's taking Technoracer and Death66 instead of me. Even though I entered for him.
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[b said:
Quote[/b] ]What is interesting about this bog is that its the only floating bog in the world.

I am curious how you came to this conclusion? I used to live in northern Minnesota where around many old lakes (geologicaly speacking) these large thick floating mats of sphagnum, populated with pretty much the same vegitation develope. It is a very cool oppurtunity to go on the island though. I can remeber when I lived in Columbus how much I wanted to do that. But many trips through the BWCA have made it up for not being able to visit the island.

Enjoy the trip.
 
sounds cool! Wish I could go, but I live in Florida, Hope you guys have fun!
I get to go to my first botanical garden this week in Huntsville, AL!
P.S. Hey PAK When did you get your new puppy?
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (jhupp @ June 26 2004,9:19)]
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]What is interesting about this bog is that its the only floating bog in the world.

I am curious how you came to this conclusion? I used to live in northern Minnesota where around many old lakes (geologicaly speacking) these large thick floating mats of sphagnum, populated with pretty much the same vegitation develope. It is a very cool oppurtunity to go on the island though. I can remeber when I lived in Columbus how much I wanted to do that. But many trips through the BWCA have made it up for not being able to visit the island.

Enjoy the trip.
the thing is, this bog is floating in the middle of a lake!
 
Try to enjoy the wedding, Ozzy.  Hey, it's a party!
And PAK has had her puppy for over a week now.  (Where have you been?)  She started a thread "He's finally here..." to announce his arrival.  Like the new avatar, Suzanne, very cute!  
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I'm on vacation in alabama/tennessee, it is a very cute puppy, i hope it helps her with the loss of jonah
 
Hope you're having a wonderful vacation, Kirk.  Yep, he is a cutey for sure.  
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  • #10
I am going to post a few photos. Due to the nature of the bog visit, we were only able to spend a short amount of time takin photos. I will say that I saw some of the largest Sarracenia purpurea plants that I can recall from any of the other bogs. This was most likely due to the fact that they were growing in shaded areas (Sorry, wasn't able to get a photo).

FernsandThingsCranBog.jpg

A few of the West bog area.

S_purp_cranberrybog.jpg

Sarracenia purpurea

Potted_S_purp_w_Bugwater.jpg

Sarracenia purpurea potted for demonstration. Tour guide told about how the plant trapped insects and a bit about the trapping method. The jar contained the contents of the pitchers. We were told that it was tradition to drink from the jar of pitcher water. We joked that we would do it for $5 but no one showed us the money.

S_purp_orchids.jpg

Sarracenia purpurea growing along side Calopogon pulchellus.

The bog temperature was only 68°F below the surface of the sphagnum. The surface temperature was 110°F. We got to stick our arms in the bog to feel the cool water.

68degbogwatersurf110.jpg

Another member of our tour putting her arm in.

NorthBankBoggers.jpg

One of the donors for the boardwalk. A very interesting name.

Well, thats about it. I cannot seem to find my Drosera rotundifolia photo.
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  • #11
I would have drunk the picture water. It wouldn't have matter much I drank alot more than that tonight.
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  • #12
This was a great trip. The bog had some wonderful pitcher plants and sundews. My photos of the sundews did not come out right as I wasn't able to get close enough with all the people at the time.

I do have some good news about getting to the bog at other times of the year. Special permits are available and we should not have a problem getting one. The only catch is that we either have to pay for a boat ride or bring a boat over to get to the island.

Cranberry bog was created when the area was flooded for the canal system. When the swamp/bog was filled, the youngest portion of the bog floated up or lifted with the water table. The bog is actually attached to the lake bottom, but stretched 7-8 feed with the rize of the water. There is about 46 feet of peat/sphagnum under the bog.
 
  • #13
Here is a view of the island from our boat.

CranberryBogIsland.jpg
 
  • #14
Nick
What time were you folks there? I was there for an 11:50 tour but went early and was hanging around from 10:30 on.

Did you go take a look at the museum or visit Pizza Cottage (Best pizza in central Ohio).

I have some pics of the D. rotundifolia I will get scanned in and posted.
 
  • #15
yo yo kids here are some pix i took!!

first up is a good ol' pic of das pitcher plant..mmmm wild!
pics!%20024%20copy.jpg


second are some kinda poopie pix of the poor dry Drosera rotundifolia.. WATER ME PLEASE!
pics!%20028%20copy.jpg


some more DRY-sera..i mean drosera..=P
pics!%20029%20copy.jpg


o0o0o0 one of the bog orchids...i dunno what kind..but enjoy!
pics!%20032%20copy.jpg


these where some of the huge S. purpurea that nick mentioned...well i guess u just gots to be there..=D
pics!%20051%20copy.jpg


thanx nick and brian and MARK (fer tha hook up)!!!!!!! good times
XDouglasX
 
  • #16
I told you Doug, don't thank me, I didn't want to let you go in my place.
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But that's another story.
I noticed that the pitcher plants have very little purple color. I think I remember hearing Nick say that they grew in the shade. That would explain why.
Nice pics guys, I widh I could have been there.
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  • #17
There's always next year.  We should all send a postcard in to the lottery, even if you're not in the area, & the winner(s) give a ticket to Ozzy.
How was the wedding (or shouldn't I ask)?
 
  • #18
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]How was the wedding (or shouldn't I ask)?
The wedding was just like most weddings, short and boring.
The reception was another story. The parts I remember wasn't very good.
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