18-03-2025
Celebrate Mother's Day with a wildflower walk at Hazel Willis Woods
Ashland Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is hosting a Wildflower Walk on Mother's Day, 2 p.m. Sunday, May 11, at Hazel Willis Woods.
The event will be led by master naturalists Tim and Paula Lavey, who have identified over 50 wildflower species in the woods located near Mifflin, according to an announcement.
The Laveys, named 2025 Ashland SWCD Volunteers of the Year, have been leading the walk for three years.
More: Stark contrast in past and present at Hazel Willis Woods as upgrades, programming happen
Hazel Willis Woods, a 40-acre outdoor educational laboratory located at 1155 Township Road 2156, Ashland, was donated to Ashland SWCD in 1980 by Walter Willis in memory of his wife, Hazel. The property features a loop road, trails, a spring development, wildlife viewing areas, a pavilion and primitive restrooms.
The walk serves as an educational experience and a census of returning wildflowers, according to the announcement. It also will provide data on changes resulting from a selective harvest along the drive and loop roads last year.
The harvest removed mature trees from the driveway, opening up the area to attract more wildlife and birds. It also reduced the frequency of trees falling across the driveway and allowed for additional parking and pull-off locations, improving access for visitors.
The event requires pre-registration to ensure adequate parking. Free tickets are available at with an option to donate $5 toward the purchase of additional wildflowers for the property.
For more information, contact the Ashland SWCD office at 110 Cottage St. or call 419-281-7645.
This story was created by Jane Imbody, jimbody@ with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Ashland SWCD hosting Wildflower Walk at Hazel Willis Woods
