Jackson Bog State Nature Preserve

Jackson Bog State Nature Preserve is a 57-acre wetland in Jackson Township where natural springs emerge from beneath a geological ridge along the northern boundary. The site contains alkaline bog soil with specific water chemistry that supports unusual plant communities found in this region.

The Jackson Township Local Board of Education and Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves established this site in 1980 to protect rare plant species. The creation reflected growing recognition that these specific wetlands housed plant communities found nowhere else in the region.

The preserve functions as an educational center where students and researchers study the ecological systems of alkaline bogs and their resident plant species.

A 3-kilometer loop trail with elevated boardwalk guides visitors through the site past information panels explaining the plants and geological features. The boardwalk protects the delicate wetland soil while allowing easy access for people of all mobility levels.

The site harbors more than 20 state-listed rare plants, including carnivorous pitcher plants that trap insects in their specialized leaf structures. These unusual species draw botanists and nature enthusiasts who find such examples difficult to locate elsewhere in the region.