As you explore along the boardwalk, you’ll forget you are in a city. First, notice the several types of grasses and sedges growing throughout the fen. From spring to fall, many blooming plants will be on display, including skunk cabbage, queen of the prairie and jewelweed. Bird watchers will delight in the variety of species. Woodman Fen has one of the highest humming bird populations within Five Rivers MetroParks. 

A fen has rich peat soils fed by underground water and run off. Fens provide important benefits to the watershed, such as filtering run off. A fen is different than a bog. A bog is filled from rainfall and run off and has more acidic soils, whereas a fen is feed by underground water sources, typically higher in calcium, so it is less acidic. A fen can support more diverse plant and animal communities.