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Old Woman Creek
National Estuarine Research Reserve
About the Reserve
Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve is part of a network of 28 coastal reserves connected nationally through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to address state and regional coastal management needs through research, education, and stewardship. The National Estuarine Research Reserve System uses its network of living laboratories to help understand and find solutions to crucial issues facing America’s coastal communities.
Located in Huron, Ohio on the south-central shore of Lake Erie, Old Woman Creek is one of the state's few remaining examples of a natural estuary. As a transition zone between land and water, the site contains a variety of habitats including marshes and swamps, upland forests, open water, tributary streams, barrier beach and near shore Lake Erie. The Reserve supports a diverse assemblage of native plants and animals representative of freshwater estuaries.
Old Woman Creek Reserve is managed as a cooperative partnership between NOAA and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife. Old Woman Creek is also an Ohio State Nature Preserve.
The Reserve’s administrative offices are located in the Mike DeWine Center for Coastal Wetland Studies overlooking the estuary's eastern shore. The Center provides laboratories for ecological research and serves as a focal point for public visitation and education programs. A comprehensive renovation completed in 2003 incorporated many green building materials and construction techniques. |
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News
| Old Woman Creek NERR is seeking a part-time assistant for the Ohio Coastal Training Program. For a description of this position click here. |
 Visit the DeWine Center's Building Dashboard to learn about the Center's green features and view its energy consumption in real time.
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Former Research Coordinator Dr. Dave Klarer receives Ohio Lake Erie Award
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The Doctor Has Left the Building
Research Coordinator Dr. Dave Klarer retires after 33 years of service
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by Frank Lopez, Manager
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The year 1979 was a year to remember. Saddam Hussein was elected president of Iraq. Israel and Egypt signed the “Camp David” peace treaty. The Three Mile Island nuclear accident occurred near Harrisburg, PA. The Center for Disease Control reported the first case of AIDS. Margaret Thatcher became the English Prime Minister. Post-it notes were invented. ESPN began broadcasting and covered the Pittsburgh Pirate victory in the World Series (!)
 Lastly, in January of 1979, a young Dr. David Klarer became the first “research coordinator” at the Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Sanctuary, the first scientist in the national network of then-called “Sanctuaries.” Dr. Dave retired at the end of July after a 33+ year career as the first and only research coordinator of the Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve. David planned the laboratories and lured numerous investigators to the Reserve.
 During his tenure, David helped establish the Reserve as a Great Lakes center for coastal wetland ecological research. Researchers from many institutions around the Great Lakes and other countries have conducted wetland research at the Reserve, yielding over 200 scientific publications. On a national level, Dr. Dave helped develop the Reserve monitoring program and contributed his expertise to many Reserve system initiatives and projects.
Like a lot of supervisors with an experienced staff, I recognize that there are challenges (and opportunities) that arise by losing the institutional knowledge and experience of long-time employees. Since last October, our program has now seen four staff members, each with over 20 years of work experience at this site leave. To carry on our research and data gathering responsibilities, as well as setting David’s eventual replacement up to succeed, we are going to need to take a different approach. A team will take on discreet monitoring tasks and afford the new coordinator some flexibility to adapt research priorities to important issues identified in the Reserve’s federally-approved management plan, near shore research opportunities that supports the Lake Erie fishery and coastal wildlife management concerns, and his/her own coastal wetland expertise. So things will be different. I doubt the next research coordinator will be an expert at Scottish dancing like Dave, either.
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2013 community classes and events (click for PDF download of public programs)
Old Woman Creek NERR and conservation partners awarded $821,000 grant to improve urban stormwater management in Ohio's Lake Erie basin.
Documents and Links
Contact
Frank Lopez
Manager
Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve
2514 Cleveland Road, East
Huron, OH 44839
Phone: 419-433-4601
Fax: 419-433-2851 |
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