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The region sustains a mosaic of black oak savanna, oak woodland and wet prairie communities that persist on a series of post glacial beach ridges and swales. This area has long been recognized by naturalists as one of Ohio’s preeminent natural regions because of its rich diversity of vegetation. The region harbors more rare species than any other of a similar size in the state and sustains two globally rare communities, oak savanna and wet prairie.

Historically the Oak Openings Region may have covered over 1300 square miles, extending as far as neighboring Wood county in Ohio and Monroe and Wayne counties of Michigan. Although remnants of habitat do still exist in these outlying areas, conservationists focus primarily on the “Moseley” region. This is a portion of the original area identified by Edwin L. Moseley in his classic 1928 publication, “Flora of the Oak Openings”. At that time, and still today, this area represented the best preserved remnant of Oak Openings habitat in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.