Location:
- Go north from Highway #3 onto Furnival Road
- Turn left from Furnival Road onto Silver Clay Line
- Joe’s Bush is located on the south side of Silver Clay Line
- Look for signage or use the 911 address which is 21597
Mr. Joseph E. Schmid, a retired jeweller and long time Rodney resident, bought this 50 acre parcel of land in 1944. Over the next few years Joe prepared the land for the planting, purchased and planted thousands of trees and spent the majority of his free time taking care of the planted trees. He did this at a time when forests were being logged and taken out for production of farming. In 1986, Mr. Schmid donated the land to the village of Rodney. Thanks to his vision and commitment to conservation, Joe’s bush is being enjoyed by nature enthusiasts from across the county.
Joe’s Bush is part of the Carolinian Life Zone and has many trees associated with the life zone. Some of the trees that can be found here are tulip tree, sassafras, black walnut, sugar maple, black cherry, butternut and white pine. As well, many types of ferns and wild flowers can be found growing on the forest floor.
A large collection of nesting birds lives throughout the woods. It provides a great home for not only birds, but mammals, insects, amphibians and butterflies as well. There is a small creek that runs through the forest and can be seen from all the trails. The variety of flora found here creates a good living environment for a large variety of wildlife such as white tailed deer, opossum, monarch butterflies, garder snakes and wood frogs.
Joe’s Bush has 3 interpretive trails through it. Each one of these trails is equipped with;
- Directional arrows
- Information stations
- Identification plates/signs
- A trail guide
- A common tree guide
These trails were designed to promote public awareness of the area and to increase an appreciation for nature. The property is dominated by vast Carolinian forest habitat. The site also has picnic tables available for day use.
