From Lake Erie and the lake plains in the north to the Ohio River and the bluegrass region of the south, from the till plains in the west to the Allegheny Plateau in the east, there is great variety in the natural beauty of Ohio.
For the past six years the Logan County Land Trust has organized Summer Tour bus trips to explore the natural and historical diversity of our state. This year, thirty-six Logan County residents traveled south on a journey of exploration to visit Ohio’s newest state park, Great Council State Park, near Xenia, the regenerative agriculture center, the Greenacres Foundation, near Cincinnati, and conclude with a relaxing sternwheel paddleboat trip on the Ohio River.
Leaving the Benjamin Logan bus circle early last Friday, the group first enjoyed a tour of the interpretive center and prairie at Great Council State Park which opened in 2025. A park naturalist provided an introduction to the interpretive center which details the history of the Shawnee tribe and their eventual removal from Ohio. Two trails navigate the native plant prairie which stretches to the Miami River. Another guide described how the Shawnee made use of this land and cared for it so that future generations would benefit from their stewardship.
The Greenacres Foundation in Indian Hills was established in 1988 through the generosity of Louis and Louise Nippert. The foundation’s values are described thusly, “Generative is what we do. We build for the future in all ways. We build soil for agricultural productive capacity through our farming techniques, we build the woods by preserving them and protecting them from invasive species, we grow people through education of visitors to Greenacres and by on-going professional development of our staff. We do not inherit the earth from our grandparents, we borrow it from our grandchildren, and we must pay the loan back with interest. We must generate a better earth than we received.” Our group witnessed the impressive results of the employment of soil health building regenerative agricultural practices such as the use of cover crops, livestock integration into the ley field rotation, and the focus on ecological diversity.
Soil and water are two essential components that sustain life on our planet. A trip on the Ohio river, while relaxing, also allowed the tour participants the opportunity to reflect on how natural resources impact our daily lives. The boat captain’s revelation that in 1937 the Ohio River crested at seventy-nine feet was a sobering reminder of our species dependence on the natural world.
The Roebling Suspension Bridge opened in 1867. With a span of 1,075 feet, it was the longest bridge in the world at that time. A National Historic Landmark, the bridge in Cincinnati was designer Roebling’s predecessor to The Brooklyn Bridge.
The Logan County Land Trust sponsored this event with the generous financial assistance of the Milroy Foundation and the Tamplin Trust. We also appreciate the support of Benjamin Logan Local Schools and the Logan County Senior Center.