Today, much of the vegetation consists of farm crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat. Locally, a small but valuable remnant of the original woodland remains. Beech and sugar maple occupy a large portion of the wooded area in Van Buren State Park. Mammals found in the area include red fox, red squirrel, white-tailed deer, raccoon, skunk and opossum. Other animals found are the eastern garter snake, spring peeper, eastern bluebird, eastern meadowlark, cowbird, woodcock and short-eared owl.
Wildflowers abound in the fields and woodlands of the area.
Dutchman's breeches, spring beauty, thimbleweed, daisy fleabane and chicory are commonly found around the park. The Van Buren State Park region was originally inhabited by the Shawnee Indians. Banished from their homeland in south-central Ohio, this was the last stronghold of the tribe before they eventually departed for lands west of the Mississippi River. Indian artifacts and relics can still be found on what used to be Indian Island, located in the northwest section of the lake. Van Buren is located just north of the town of Findlay which was founded in 1821.