Orwell Wildlife Area

Orwell Wildlife Area

Orwell, Ohio 44076

Official Website
Orwell Wildlife Area map

About this Location

The Orwell Wildlife Area is situated in northeastern Ohio, in the southern part of Ashtabula County, Orwell Township, 20 miles north of Warren. The area is bounded by County Road 6 (Windsor Road) to the south and the Western Reserve Greenway Trail to the west. US-322 is 1.5 miles to the south, OH-45 is one mile to the west, and OH-46 is three miles to the east.

The area is in the glaciated Allegheny Plateau region of Ohio. Soils are poorly drained and nearly level. Approximately 86 percent of the habitat consists of second-growth hardwoods. The timber stands consist of red maple, sugar maple, ash, hickory, pin oak, red oak, black cherry, and tulip poplar. Brushland makes up 12 percent and water two percent of the wildlife area.

The Orwell Wildlife Area was purchased in 1939 and has been developed as a forest management unit. Although small, Orwell furnishes a variety of hunting opportunities. A shallow water impoundment at the west edge is used by migrating waterfowl and nesting wood ducks are found in the nesting boxes provided. Wildlife management goals include maintaining a diversity of brush-forest openings to improve the area for grouse, deer, and a wide variety of migrant and resident bird species. To provide this diversity of timber and brushy cover types, a timber harvest rotation has been initiated. Squirrel production has been enhanced by erecting squirrel den nesting boxes.

Good populations of fox squirrels, turkey, ruffed grouse, and white-tailed deer utilize the area. Furbearers, particularly muskrat and beaver, are found in small numbers. Raccoons occur in good numbers throughout the area. A great variety of both nesting and migrant birds use the area.

Notable Trails

The All Trails website has a description and map of a hike on the Western Reserve Greenway Trails that traverses the Orwell Wildlife Area.

Features

  • Restrooms on site

  • Wheelchair accessible trail

  • Entrance fee

  • Roadside viewing

Content from Official Website