Cranberry Bog State Nature Preserve

This sign greets visitors as they are about to enter the nature preserve.

Cranberry Bog State Nature Preserve is the only floating island bog in the world. Once known as the “Big Swamp,” it is located on Buckeye Lake in Licking County, Ohio.  It is significant to Ohio, evidenced by its designation as one of the state's first National Natural Landmarks in October 1968 and its classification as a State Nature Preserve in 1977.[1] Cranberries are grown in bogs, which are wetlands mostly made up of peat and decaying plant matter. They are normally oxygen and nutrient-poor.[2] This bog, in particular, is one of the remnants left behind by Ohio's glacial activity, and although it is referred to as a “floating bog,” it has many layers underneath that are not visible to the naked eye.[3] As the name suggests, large quantities of cranberries can still be found on the bog today. This island is also home to various plant and animal species and serves as a tourist attraction that can be visited by the public.

  1. ^ Denny, Guy. "Cranberry Bog world's only known floating bog" (PDF). ONAPA News. 7 (1).
  2. ^ "Bog". education.nationalgeographic.org. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  3. ^ "Cranberry Bog State Nature Preserve". ohiomemory.org. Retrieved 2024-10-30.