TIRE DUMP REMOVAL FROM MEILKE ROAD SAVANNA

WILDLIFE AREA COMPLETED

FINDLAY, OH – A joint project between the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA), Division of Solid and Infectious Waste Management, Scrap Tire Management Unit resulted in 1,500 abandoned tires being removed from the Meilke Road Savanna Wildlife Area in Spencer Township, Lucas County.  The 22-acre wildlife area provides important oak savanna habitat to a number of rare species found no where else in Ohio.

Funds for the cleanup were administered by the OEPA which contracted with Liberty Tire Services of Ohio, LLC for the removal of the tires.  Liberty Tire Services used low ground pressure equipment to minimize disturbance to this rare habitat.  Cleanup of the site took approximately 5 days to complete.  Doug Soards, Wildlife Area Supervisor, states “This is an excellent example of two state agencies working together to accomplish the mission of both agencies.  The removal of the tires by OEPA from this rare habitat will assist the Division of Wildlife in the management of the oak savanna.”  The Division of Wildlife will now monitor the site to determine if native oak savanna vegetation returns to the former tire dump site.

An additional 2500 tires were removed from 2 neighboring private properties under the same contract.  Thus a total of 4000 scrap tires were removed from the immediate area and hauled to an approved scrap tire recycling facility. 

Persons interested in the scrap tire removal program my contact Harry Smail, Ohio EPA at 614.728.5323.  Information on the Meilke Road Savanna Wildlife Area may be obtained by contacting the Division of Wildlife at 419.424.5000.