Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program
Project Selection for Ohio
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) annually publishes a notice for the competitive funding process within the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP).
The notice solicits projects from the U.S. states and territories with federally approved coastal management programs and from National Estuarine Research Reserve locations. Each entity with a CELCP Plan is permitted to submit up to three projects to NOAA for funding consideration.
Based on all of the projects submitted, NOAA reviews the applications and sends its recommended funding priority to Congress. Selection by the state or by NOAA does not mean that funds are or will be committed to proposed projects, only that the projects have been passed on to the next phase of the funding process. Congress makes the final determination as to what projects are funded.
The table below outlines projects that Ohio has submitted to NOAA for funding under the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program. For project details, click on the name of the project.
Name: Kelleys Island Preserve
Applicant: Erie MetroParks
County: Erie
Project Cost: $2,953,500
Funds Requested: $1,476,750
Status: Submitted to NOAA as part of Ohio's request for federal CELCP funding.
Project Summary: Erie MetroParks and Western Reserve Land Conservancy (WRLC) are partnering to preserve 18.5 acres of rare red cedar forest habitat and a 59-acre globally imperiled Great Lakes alvar community on Kelleys Island, the largest American island in Lake Erie. The two properties Erie MetroParks is proposing to purchase are both adjacent to the Kelleys Island State Park and land owned by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (CMNH). In conjunction with these acquisitions, CMNH is donating conservation easements on three properties: the Woodford Woods Preserve, the Coleman Preserve, and the Glade Preserve. Therefore, this proposed CELCP project will lead to the permanent protection of 130 acres and contribute to the creation of an 825-acre interconnected system of protected property on the island, which would comprise almost 1/3 of the entire land area of Kelleys Island.
The first tract proposed for acquisition is an 18.5-acre property located at the intersection of Monagan Road and Woodford Road, adjacent to the 677-acre Kelleys Island State Park and CMNH’s 24-acre Woodford Woods Preserve. This property, referred to as Tract 1, is located 0.25 miles from the Lake Erie shore and is covered with red cedar forest which provides critical habitat for migratory birds.
The second property proposed for acquisition, referred to as Tract 2, is located at the intersection of Bookerman Road and Division Street. This property, which borders the Kelleys Island State Park and the CMNH’s 16-acre Coleman Preserve, is located approximately 0.33 miles from the shore. This 59-acre property was formerly used as a quarry, and contains a rare alvar biological community which is considered globally imperiled (G2). Surveys of the property conducted by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the CMNH have revealed 12 state-listed rare plant species and a rare snake species on site. As part of the project, CMNH will donate conservation easements on the Woodford Woods, Coleman and Glade preserves. These three properties are all located adjacent to the properties proposed for acquisition.
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Name: Lake Erie Bluff Preservation Project
Applicant: Lake Metroparks
County: Lake
Project Cost: $3,000,000
Funds Requested: $6,000,000
Status: Submitted to NOAA as part of Ohio's request for federal CELCP funding.
Project Summary: The project involves the acquisition of four properties located along Lake County’s Lake Erie shore. The 145-acre Shore Haven Property, the 35-acre Deming V. LLC Property, the 63-acre Perry Corporate Center Property and the 116-acre Lubrizol Property are contiguous lakeshore properties within Ohio’s Designated Coastal Management Area in Lake County near the Village of Perry.
The Shore Haven Property has 1,700 feet of frontage including bluff and beach, the Deming Property sits on the bluff overlooking the Lake Erie shore, the Perry Corporate Center Property has 4,400 feet of bluff and beach and the Lubrizol Property has approximately 2,800 feet of shoreline bluff. The parcels represent a contiguous, 9,000-foot, undeveloped shoreline covering a block of 350 acres of natural habitat along Lake Erie. This is the largest block of undeveloped coastal property along Lake Erie in Lake County.
A 1,700-foot wild sand beach area (approximately one-third mile) would also be protected. The beach area is of high quality and may contain multiple rare beach plants, namely American beach grass- Ammophila breviligulata (Threatened), Inland beach-pea Lathyrus japonicus (Threatened), Small-flowered evening primrose- Oenothera parviflora (Potentially threatened), Oake’s evening primrose- Oenothera oekesiana (Potentially threatened), Seaside spurge- Euphorbia polygonifolia (Potentially threatened), and Purple sandgrass- Triplasis purpurea (Potentially threatened). A brief check in May 2008 revealed the presence of Inland sea-rocket and either small-flowered or Oake’s evening primrose (both potentially threatened).
This project will address environmental resources through the protection of rare and endangered species and habitat associated with an important migratory flyway. The project will provide for the protection of ecosystem functions by preventing irreversible land use change (residential, commercial or industrial development) and the opportunity to restore coastal habitats and manage invasive species. Cultural resource protection will allow for trail construction, access to the sand beach, shoreline fishing and other appropriate passive recreation pursuits.
Currently, 6.23 miles out of Lake County’s 32.4 miles of Lake Erie coast are in public ownership. This project would address quality of life by providing public access to the shore and will draw local residents. Its location, less than 1 mile from the Lake Erie Circle Tour route, will provide an opportunity to those traveling through the area to easily experience natural and spectacular views from a Lake Erie bluff.
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Name: Sylvan Prairie Park Addition
Applicant: The Olander Park System (TOPS)
County: Lucas
Project Cost: $700,000
Funds Requested: $350,000
Status: Submitted to NOAA as part of Ohio's request for federal CELCP funding.
Project Summary: The Sylvan Prairie Park Addition is in Sylvania Township, Lucas County, within the Lake Erie Watershed. The 50.8 acre property is surrounded by The Olander Park System’s (TOPS) 106-acre Sylvan Prairie Park. The property has been valued at $700,000 by independent appraisal. TOPS will acquire fee interest in the property using $350,000 from CELCP with a $350,000 cash match from park funds. The parcel has a 3.2-acre man-made lake and is traversed by Sharp and Palmer Ditches, two first order tributaries of the Ottawa River within the U.S. EPA and Ohio EPA designated Maumee Area of Concern.
The property provides habitat for a large variety of wildlife, six of which are of conservation concern. These include: sharp-shinned hawk Accipiter striatus (state species of concern), pied-billed grebe Podilymbus podiceps, American black duck Anas rubripes, monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus, Northern leopard frog Rana pipiens and Northern Harrier. The site also provides habitat for the native Pawpaw tree Asimina triloba, that is in danger of being extirpated from Northwest Ohio. Located on the edge of the Oak Openings Region, this is also a stopover area for migratory birds. The property provides corridors of shrubs and trees along waterways and is home to a diversity of aquatic species. The site also contains wet meadow habitat, and 24 acres are designated as flood plain for Sharp and Palmer Ditches.
TOPS plans to implement an open space habitat restoration project on this site that will focus on:
- Protecting riparian, wetland and prairie habitats
- Preserving and restoring wetlands, specifically wet meadow
- Preserving and restoring functioning floodplains by restoring native vegetation to the floodplains and restoring natural stream function with two-stage ditching.
Additional project components include reducing non-native plants, restoring and preserving stream and lake habitat, and protecting water quality.
A developer currently owns the property and has approval to proceed with its development at any time. The development plan includes re-routing Sharp Ditch and confining Palmer Ditch to an underground culvert. Development would destroy existing floodplains and construct acres of impervious surfaces, creating runoff containing sediment and chemicals from lawns and driveways, a major threat to the health of aquatic ecosystems. By purchasing the Sylvan Prairie Park Addition, TOPS will protect 50.8 acres from becoming a 202 unit housing development in a township that is quickly losing its remaining open space.
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Project: Vermilion River Lakeshore Preserve
Applicant: Erie Metroparks
County: Erie
Project Cost: $1,908,600
Funds Requested: $947,000
Status: Not selected for federal CELCP funding. Clean Ohio funds secured. Additional funding needed.
Project Summary: Located in the City of Vermilion, the 1.68-acre Vermilion River Lakeshore Preserve property sits at the mouth of the Vermilion River, in the heart of the Harbour Town Historic District. The property is located within Ohio’s designated Coastal Management Area on the west bank of the river at the point where it meets Lake Erie. The property is adjacent to the Main Street Public Beach, the Inland Seas Maritime Museum (National Register Historic Places), and the Vermilion Lighthouse. These sites are highly visited destinations along the Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail, a National Scenic Byway (U.S. Route 6). Erie MetroParks hopes to acquire fee title to this key property to facilitate the creation of a larger, contiguous public park along the lakeshore, and provide new opportunities for fishing access along the Vermilion River.
The primary purpose of this project is ecological, but the project also has significant conservation, recreational, historical and aesthetic value. The property contains approximately 320 linear feet of Lake Erie shoreline and a 0.33-acre beach that connects directly to the 0.9-acre Main Street Public Beach. The beach on site provides habitat for two rare state-listed shoreline plants: inland sea rocket (Cakile edentula) and purple sand grass (Triplasis purpurea), which are both potentially threatened in Ohio. The property’s river-mouth location also makes it an important migratory stopover site birds. The Vermilion River has been designated an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society, and northbound birds travelling along the Vermilion corridor use the mature trees and shrub/scrub habitat on site to rest and feed before crossing Lake Erie.
This project will increase public access to the Lake Erie shore for swimming, walking and site seeing. If acquired, the property would also provide fishing access along 500 feet of Vermilion River frontage, and access to the river jetty that extends almost 800 feet off the property into Lake Erie. The Vermilion River is one of the premier rivers for steelhead trout fishing in Ohio and is currently being considered for designation under the State Scenic Rivers Program.
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Name: Middle Bass Island Wildlife Area
Applicant: ODNR – Division of Wildlife
County: Ottawa
Project Cost: $1,800,000
Funds Requested: $900,000
Status: Not selected for federal CELCP funding. A $50,000 Coastal Management Assistance Grant secured. Additional funding needed.
Project Summary: Lake Erie’s Middle Bass Island Wildlife Area will permanently protect 10.6 acres of exceptional Lake Erie shoreline and inland habitat on Middle Bass Island. The project contains approximately 1,600 linear feet of natural shore, which provides habitat for the federally threatened Lake Erie watersnake and the Eastern foxsnake (an Ohio species of concern) both of which have been found onsite. Habitat potential also exists for an Ohio endangered plant species commonly known as Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia), an extremely distinctive flowering plant that grows on rocky shores such as those found on the property.
This project will also preserve several acres of inland island habitat consisting of a combination of grasslands and maple/hackberry/basswood forest. This inland island habitat, in concert with the shallow shoals and reef immediately offshore of the project site, provide critical resting and feeding grounds for numerous migratory birds, including neotropical birds, songbirds and waterfowl. The site’s location along the juncture of the Mississippi and Atlantic flyways and its importance as a migratory bird stopover point makes Middle Bass, and the other Lake Erie islands, one of the best bird-watching locations in North America.
The project is located within the Ohio's designated Coastal Management Area and within the Western Basin of Lake Erie – the shallowest and most ecologically productive and diverse of the five Great Lakes. The property will be primarily used for passive public recreation activities such as fishing, hiking and bird-watching, and used for natural resource conservation. The creation of this new wildlife area and the protection of its natural resources may help increase island tourism by creating a new hiking and bird and nature watching destination on the island. The ODNR is already investing heavily in Middle Bass and the other Lake Erie islands by creating new state park facilities, upgrading the marina at the southern end of Middle Bass Island and by the recent creation of state park and wildlife areas on North Bass Island.
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Project: East Point Acquisition and Preservation
Applicant: Put-in-Bay Township Park District
County: Ottawa
Project Cost: $2,303,250
Funds Requested: $1,151,625
Status: This project was not selected for federal funding under CELCP; however was acquired using USFWS Endangered Species Act Section 6 Grants.
Project Summary: The East Point (Valore) Property on the eastern tip of South Bass Island includes two parcels, which together comprise about 8.6 acres with approximately 1/3 mile of Lake Erie shore. The area's rocky shores, shallow waters, and upland cover provide habitat for federally threatened, state endangered Lake Erie Water Snakes, migratory songbirds and waterfowl, and coastal plants. The site is located on South Bass Island, a key stop in two major eastern migratory bird flyways at the point where they cross Lake Erie. The Put-in-Bay Township Park District is applying for CELCP funds to purchase and protect this property and provide open space and public shoreline access for recreational pursuits such as walking, shore fishing, and bird watching. Purchasing this property will preserve the wildlife habitat values of the area and open possibilities for shore, wetland and upland habitat restoration efforts. It will also allow the community to have natural habitat accessible to the public for ecotourism pursuits.
Preserving this property would meet the goals of Ohio's CELCP Plan, the Ohio Division of Wildlife's most recent State Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, the Lake Erie Protection and Restoration Plan, and key recommendations of the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration. The conversion threat for this property remains high. Funding of this project would mean that this high-visibility, high-ecological value property would have protection for the future public enjoyment.
The Lake Erie Islands Chapter of the Black Swamp Conservancy will be assisting the Put-in-Bay Township Park District in finding funding for this acquisition.
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Project: Gateway to West Creek: Protecting the Confluence
Applicant: City of Independence
County: Cuyahoga
Project Cost: $2,200,000
Funds Requested: $1,100,000
Status: This project was not selected for federal funding under CELCP.
Project Summary: The Gateway to West Creek project involves the acquisition of 10 acres of developed land at the confluence of West Creek and the Cuyahoga River. The property includes approximately 850 feet of West Creek’s main stem, where it meets the Cuyahoga River, and approximately 250 feet of Cuyahoga River frontage. It is positioned at the northern end of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and will provide a public access point to the Cleveland Metroparks’ Canalway Reservation, Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail, and Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.
The property currently consists of an empty warehouse and parking lot with a section of West Creek main stem bisecting the property. West Creek has previously been channelized in this area leading to flooding, degraded stream and river habitat, and influxes of nonpoint source pollution from adjacent impervious surfaces.
The protection and restoration of this ecologically significant confluence area has been outlined in the City of Independence Master Plan (July 2004), the Cuyahoga County Greenprint (2003), the West Creek Valley Management Plan (2001), and the West Creek Watershed Action Plan (2005).
This project will herald in a new era for the Cuyahoga River floodplain, encouraging its restoration to a functioning floodplain with a high degree of ecological diversity, flood storage and habitat connectivity. Its acquisition presents a great opportunity to restore proper hydrology and aquatic resources to lower West Creek. It will create an expanse of urban floodplain wetlands that will reduce nonpoint source pollution while creating important habitat for waterfowl and amphibians. It will also reconnect the riparian habitat corridor currently severed by commercial development at the site.
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Project: Howard Farms Land Acquisition
Applicant: Metropolitan Park District of the Toledo Area
County: Lucas
Project Cost: $3 million
Funds Requested: $3 million
Status: This project was not selected for federal CELCP funding; however, this project was acquired in part using ODNR Division of Wildlife funds.
Project Summary: The Metropolitan Park District of the Toledo Area (Toledo Metroparks) intends to purchase 959 acres of land (known locally as Howard Farms) within Ohio's Coastal Management Area for a total cost of $6 million. This land acquisition project is the first phase of a long-term project by Toledo Metroparks to restore significant coastal wetlands, critical wildlife habitat, and functioning floodplains within Lake Erie's western basin. This 959-acre site will be one of the largest acquisition/restoration sites along the entire Great Lakes in recent history.
This project will provide the following benefits to coastal land conservation:
- Protection of 60 acres of existing habitat within a major corridor for migratory birds.
Long-term restoration of approximately 900 acres of Lake Erie coastal marshes providing critical habitat to numerous resident and migratory wildlife species.
- Long-term restoration of 900 acres of Lake Erie floodplain to directly improve water quality within Lake Erie.
- Provision of long-term opportunities for multiple recreational uses such as bird watching, hiking, fishing, and potentially hunting.
- Preservation of scenic views along the Lake Erie Coastal Trail National Scenic Byway.
Much of the project area is currently used for row crop agriculture (corn, soybeans). Approximately 60 acres (3.5 linear miles) of the project area consist of well-vegetated canals and waterways, providing critical resting and feeding habitat within one of North America's most important corridors for migratory birds.
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Project: Lake Erie Coastal and Riparian Forest Preserve
Applicant: Village of Bratenahl
County: Cuyahoga
Project Cost: $2,200,000
Funds Requested: $1,100,000
Status: This project received CELCP federal FY2007 funds. Acquisition to occur spring 2009.
Project Summary: The Village of Bratenahl seeks to acquire 19.5 acres of undeveloped land within the designated Lake Erie Coastal Management Area to create the Lake Erie Coastal and Riparian Forest Preserve.
The primary purpose of this project is to protect the ecological value of coastal habitat. Together, the two properties that will make up the Lake Erie Coastal and Riparian Forest Preserve contain high quality mature forest, a riparian corridor, the 100-year floodplain of Dugway Creek, and a rare estuarine environment on the Lake Erie coast. Both properties contain old growth woods that provide important habitat for migrating birds. A recent survey of both properties documented 40 species of birds (18 of which are migratory) and nesting sites of four neotropical migrant species. Many rare bird species have also been observed on site. The conservation value of the Preserve is enhanced by its proximity to Dike 14, which provides habitat for more than 280 species of birds.
In addition to its ecological values, the project will also meet CELCP's recreation goals by providing passive public access to the Preserve and the coastal area. In addition, the project will enhance aesthetics by preserving scenic views along Lake Shore Boulevard. Most importantly, acquisition of the Lake Erie Coastal and Riparian Forest Preserve will preserve one of the last remaining natural areas along Cleveland's coast.
This project is a partnership between the Village of Bratenahl and the Western Reserve Land Conservancy.
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Project: Port Clinton Lakefront Preserve Acquisition
Applicant: City of Port Clinton
County: Ottawa
Project Cost:: ~ $1,400,000
Funds Requested: ~ $700,000
Status: This project received CELCP federal FY2007 funds. Acquisition occurred in November 2009. Read Press Release
Project Summary: The Port Clinton Lakefront Preserve acquisition consists of approximately 12 acres and contains nearly 1,760 feet of Lake Erie shore. The natural features of the property include near-shore wetlands, coastal marsh and critical waterfowl and shorebird habitat.
The City of Port Clinton has partnered with the Trust for Public Land to work toward successful acquisition of the property. The property will be managed for restoration and enhancement of the site's natural features.
The addition of a nature trail will also allow public access and enjoyment of the Lake Erie coast.
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Project Title: Grand River Lowlands Acquisition
Applicant: ODNR Division of Wildlife
County: Cuyahoga
Project Cost: $2,260,000
Funds Requested: $1,130,000
Status: This project was not selected for federal CELCP funding. Project not completed.
Project Summary: Grand River Lowlands acquisition will permanently protect approximately 804 acres in the Grand River watershed. The natural resources that will be protected by this acquisition include several hundred acres of the highest quality, Category III, wetlands and both main stem and tributary streams of the Grand River. The Grand River has been determined to be the most biologically diverse and intact ecosystem in the Lake Erie drainage basin in both the United States and Canada. The property is currently owned by a sand and gravel quarry operator who is considering expansion of mining operations onto the site. Protection of these critical resources to ensure headwaters protection of the Lake Erie basin is vital to the success of any effort to protect Lake Erie coastal resources.
This project is a combined effort of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources - Division of Wildlife (DOW), the Trust for Public Land (TPL), Cleveland Museum of Natural History, The Nature Conservancy and Grand River Partners. The property is ideally suited for public ownership by the ODNR Division of Wildlife, as it is located in an area the Division has been expanding its conservation efforts for the protection of the Grand River's unique natural quality and for use and enjoyment by the public.
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