Master Park Plan
The City of Columbus is home to state and national scenic rivers, diverse wildlife and wetlands, forests and prairies. The City of Columbus and its partners strive to ensure these significant areas are cared for responsibly.
Wildlife can find refuge in any one of the city's twenty nature preserves or parks covering more than 8,000 acres. Each of these areas is unique with significant features such as streams, wetlands, forests and more.
Invasive plants can crowd out native species that help to support a healthy, diverse population of wildlife. City staff and volunteers work to remove these plants which include honeysuckle and garlic mustard. Landscapes that include plants native to Ohio provide a variety of benefits for wildlife, water and air quality. For these reasons, the city has reduced traditional mowed grass lawns in favor of natural prairie landscaping. Two examples of this effort can be seen at the Department of Public Utilities Complex at 910 Dublin Road as well as Whetstone Park.
For more information, check out Recreation and Parks’ Master Park Plan.