AgBioResearch Corey Marsh Ecological Research Center

From here, do you see any animals or insects? How about nests or tracks? Or anything else that might be from someone other than humans?

Let’s stop now and take 2-3 minutes to look for signs of wildlife, or critters.

Did you find anything? If you're with others, take a minute to show and tell each other what you discovered. 

The Corey Marsh Ecological Research Center is full of plants and animals, also known as flora and fauna. Once the farming operation stopped, native flora and fauna started returning to the marsh and reclaiming it for their homes.

In fact, at the most recent bio blitz, when community volunteers come out to observe and count plants and animals, 436 different species were identified, including prairie voles and Blanding's turtles, which are pretty rare. When this was a farm, the fences were used to keep wildlife out, but now they're being removed to encourage wildlife to move back in. Posts that once held the fence in place are now purchase for birds, plants that were once considered weeds and remove to improve farming have returned, such as milkweed, stinging nettles and dogwood. Let's listen to some thoughts from the former farm manager about weeds.

Now let’s keep moving and make our way to the back of the former plots. As we walk, look around and think about how much this area has changed in just a few short years from a farm to what we see today.