The Bluegrass Region is Ohio's smallest region, but it packs a punch when it comes to biodiversity
Class Discussion Questions:
1) Compare agriculture in the Bluegrass Region to the rest of the state.
Read the Script:
Maybe you've heard of Bluegrass music, those twangy country songs. But did you know that Bluegrass is also a geographic region in Ohio? It's not a very big area but this land region has some special characteristics including its bluegrass which isn't actually blue.
See, the Bluegrass Region also called the Lexington Plain is the small triangle of land is southwest Ohio. It shares the same features as the bordering Kentucky lands. Almost all of Ohio's Bluegrass Region is contained inside Adams County.
The hilly land here is mostly forests and prairies, made up of several minerals including calcium-rich dolomite, limestone, and shale. A thin layer of soil on top means only certain plants and crops can grow here, compared to agriculture-rich central and northern Ohio.
What's really stunning in the Bluegrass region though, is the biodiversity. Biodiversity means the variety of life in a habitat.
In Adams county, a 16,000 acre nature preserve known as the Edge of Appalachia protects this variety of life and puts it on display for us to appreciate.
For instance, here you can find Canby's Mountain Lover. Sounds scandalous but it's actually a rare low lying shrub that can grow in rocky soil where not many plants can survive.
Or you can spot the Great Rhododendron, another shrub that is evergreen, meaning its leaves stay bright through the winter. Rhododendrons can grow up to 30 feet high, if they're in the right spot.
As far as animals go in the Bluegrass region, you can find the rare green salamander. These little guys are between three and five inches long. Their modeled green, gray, and brown skin keeps them camouflaged in the wild. They hide out in the cracks and crevices of rocks and logs. These bug eaters don't stay very far from their preferred environment.
The Bluegrass region is also home to the rare Allegheny woodrat. These furry rodants look more like mice than rats, since they have big ears and fur on their tails. And they're pack rats, meaning they like to gather items like sticks and wasps nests and candy wrappers. Really, whatever they can to build a nest. They like to live on their own and eat fruit, nuts, and mushrooms.
Many of the plants and animals in the Bluegrass region are only able to survive in the unique area. So while it might be a small spot in Ohio, it's got a huge impact.