This planted prairie is named in honor of Jean V. Woodhull for her outstanding contributions to Five Rivers MetroParks. In 1962, she was instrumental in the creation of MetroParks. The prairie is an important part of Ohio’s native landscape that MetroParks actively manages to preserve. It is composed of plants that are seldom found in other habitats, including wildflowers such as coneflower, dense blazingstar, sawtooth sunflower, prairie dock and spiderwort. Prairies like the one at Possum Creek provide rare native habitat for birds, butterflies, insects, reptiles and other small wildlife yet require little maintenance and are long lasting.

Prairies were once common in southwest Ohio. They were remnants of a time some 6000-8000 years ago when western Ohio was drier. Prairie plants grow mainly in the summer and set seeds in the fall.

Most MetroParks prairies, like this one, have been planted on abandoned farm land.

Over 100 acres of degraded farmland and dumps have been cleared and planted into native Ohio prairie at Possum Creek. The prairie took years to establish, but now thrives on the poor ground. It is currently one of the largest and most diverse planted prairies in Ohio.