Plant yourself at Burning Lake

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A restored kettle lake at Burning Lake area in Pickerington Ponds Metro Park
One of three restored lakes at the Burning  Lake Area at Pickerington Ponds Metro  Park. (Tatiana Parfenova)

Grab your shovels and get your hands dirty for Earth Day. Come plant trees at the Burning Lake area at Pickerington Ponds on Saturday, April 13. In addition to helping create a wooded oasis at Burning Lake, volunteers will also take a tour of the 180-acre area afterward.

Conceptual map of the Burning Lake area at Pickerington Ponds Metro Park
The Burning Lake Area will feature lakes, trees and trails and provide habitat for a variety of wildlife.

Meet us at the Burning Lake parking lot, located at 4432 Gender Road, Canal Winchester, at 9am on Saturday, April 13. We’ll plant 2,000 trees, donated by Green Columbus, to reforest the area. Please register on the Green Columbus website and bring a shovel and work gloves. Metro Parks will provide water.

With your help, Metro Parks will plant seedlings of native deciduous trees, including various species of oaks, silver maples, sumac, spicebush and dogwoods.

A large swamp oak at sunset in Pickerington Ponds Metro Park
Some day, the seedlings planted at Burning Lake could look as impressive as this swamp oak in the Arrowhead Marsh area at Pickerington Ponds. (David Jolley)

By planting these trees, you’re helping Metro Parks restore Burning Lake to its natural habitat of wetlands, hardwood swamps and wooded areas. In the last two years, Metro Parks has created 2.5-acres of ponds for recreation and wildlife.

Fishing Pond in Burning Lake area at Pickerington Ponds Metro Park
Metro Parks will stock this lake with fish later in the year.  (Tatiana Parfenova)

 

Conceptual drawing of a boardwalk through a wetland
Sometime in the future, Metro Parks will build a boardwalk through the area so visitors can get up close with nature.

Thank you to all of our terrific volunteers and to you for helping at Burning Lake.