Friends of the Sawmill Wetlands

06/08/2026

Saturday’s weather predictions may have kept our numbers down for the grand opening of our second story trail about Bea, the Queen of the Hillside, but those who came, including the last group who got very, very wet, had a great time! If you didn’t make it, the trail will be open throughout the summer. If you missed the first story trail about Skippy
the Flying Squirrel at Sawmill, you only have a couple more weeks to walk it!

06/06/2026

05/29/2026

Sawmill Wetlands Story Trail Welcomes Its Second Story: Queen of the Hillside — Bea’s Tale.

FLOW is excited to announce the next chapter of the Sawmill Wetlands Story Trail. On June 6, we will have the grand opening, at 10 to 12. Noon. You can follow Bea, an Eastern Common Bumblebee, through “Queen of the Hillside: Bea’s Tale”, a new kid‑friendly story that highlights the importance of pollinators in our urban ecosystems.

Bea’s tale invites families to explore the hillside from a bee’s‑eye view. Along the trail, readers learn how bumblebees forage for pollen, support their colonies, and help native plants thrive throughout the growing season. The story also introduces children to the many wildflowers that share the hillside with Bea.

The Story Trail is part of FLOW’s ongoing effort to connect the community with the natural spaces we protect and restore. It was funded through a conservation grant from Columbus Audubon. Sawmill Wetlands is one of the last remaining high‑quality urban wetlands in central Ohio, and the trail offers a fun, accessible way for families to learn about its ecology.

Queen of the Hillside will remain on display throughout the summer. Later this year, the trail will transition to its third story, Shimmer, featuring a tree swallow and the remarkable journey of migration.

The trail is open daily from dawn to dusk at 2650 Sawmill Place Boulevard, and admission is free. We invite you to visit, read Bea’s story, and experience the pollinators, plants, and wildlife that make this wetland such a special place.

04/27/2026

Earth Day 2026 at Sawmill

There was something for everyone- from the boardwalk story trail about Skippy the Flying Squirrel (created by our super volunteer Tim Bischoff) to Mort Schmidt’s tree walk, to native shrubs give away, to opportunities to talk to experts on honeysuckle eradication and restoration. David Williams was there discussing edible native plants. The Granby School shared information on milk jug planting and shared their seedlings with visitors. Thank you to members of the Worthington Hills Garden Club who were everywhere - setting up, hanging signs, monitoring parking, answering all kinds of plant questions and greeting all with big smiles!

04/03/2026

Before you cut that tree down, know what lives in it.

A single mature oak tree supports:

→ 500+ species of caterpillars (primary food for nesting songbirds)
→ 100+ species of other insects
→ Squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons (in cavities and branches)
→ Screech owls, woodpeckers, nuthatches (in holes)
→ Hawks, crows, jays (nesting in canopy)
→ Bats (under loose bark)
→ Fungi, lichens, mosses (on bark)
→ It produces thousands of acorns feeding 30+ species

A 75-year-old tree took 75 YEARS to become that.

You can't replace it. A new sapling won't support that level of life for decades.

BEFORE cutting any tree:

→ Check for active nests (it's illegal to destroy nests with eggs or young — Migratory Bird Treaty Act)
→ Have an arborist assess if the tree is truly hazardous or just inconvenient
→ Consider pruning instead of removal
→ If removal is necessary: schedule it September-January (outside nesting season)
→ Keep the stump (it becomes habitat for insects, fungi, and salamanders)
→ Plant 2-3 native replacement trees

A mature tree provides an estimated $50,000+ in ecosystem services:
→ Air filtration
→ Carbon storage
→ Stormwater management
→ Cooling shade (reduces AC bills 20-25%)
→ Property value increase

Your tree isn't a problem to solve.

It's a 50-year-old apartment building housing hundreds of tenants.

All of them pay rent in ecosystem services. 🌳