Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program
Project Selection for Ohio
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) annually requests submissions for the nationally, competitive funding process for land acquisition projects under the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP).
U.S. states and territories with federally approved coastal management programs and from National Estuarine Research Reserve locations are allowed to submit projects. Each of these entities that has a CELCP Plan is permitted to submit up to three projects annually to NOAA for funding consideration.
NOAA reviews all applications, ranks the projects for funding priority and submits this list 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.
(FY 2012)
Name: Wyandot Wetlands – Barnes Addition
Applicant: Erie MetroParks
County: Erie
Proposed Project Cost: $1.3 million Final Project Cost: $1.45 million
Funds Requested: $700,000
Proposed Acquisition size: 61.7 acres Final Acquisition size: 74 acres
Coastal miles: 1,400 feet (0.26 miles) on East Sandusky Bay
Status: Application withdrawn.
After being selected for partial FY2011 CELCP funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative supplemental to CELCP, partial funding was turned down by the Erie County MetroParks.
After reapplying for FY2012 CELCP funding, Erie County Metroparks withdrew the FY2012 application after site acquisition funding came in December 2011 from the Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program (OEPA) and the Clean Ohio Greenspace Conservation Program. The site was acquired by the Trust for Pulbic Land and donated to the Erie MetroParks who added the property to the Wyandot Wetland Meadows Preserve. (see press release)
Project Summary: Erie MetroParks seeks to acquire 61.7 acres currently owned by Barnes Nursery, Inc., adding the land to the adjacent Wyandot Wetland Meadows Preserve. Wyandot Wetlands is the eastern most portion of the multiple preserves that comprise the 1,200-acre East Sandusky Bay MetroParks which are along U.S. Route 6 (Cleveland Road West) between Sandusky and Huron.
The property to be acquired is north of U.S. Route 6, east of the Cedar Point Road intersection and bounded on the north by Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve’s territory in East Sandusky Bay. The property’s north tract includes over 19 acres of forested and emergent wetlands along the south side of East Sandusky Bay. South of the wetlands, there are upland forest and nursery-stock fields. A wide variety of birds are attracted to these areas for foraging, nesting and resting. During the past 15 years, the ODNR Division of Wildlife has recorded at least five eagle nests near the Barnes property. This year (2010), five eaglets have been reported in nearby nests.
Due to fluctuations in Lake Erie water levels, the property includes periodically exposed mudflats which provide vital shorebird habitat. As a naturally functioning coastal wetland, the project area is also a prime spawning ground and nursery for many freshwater fish species.
The East Sandusky Bay area supports a rare palustrine* silt plain plant community whose exposed mudflats are protected from wave-erosion by Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve’s barrier beach. If Lake Erie water levels lower over time due to climate change or other factors, additional rare wetland plant species are likely to emerge from the natural seed bank of the newly exposed mudflats.
Erie MetroParks (the applicant) has been expanding the East Sandusky Bay MetroParks for a number of years. The East Sandusky Bay MetroParks is an umbrella for several protected natural areas that lie adjacent and just west of the proposed acquisition site. As shown on the map, these areas include (acres as of 2010):
• Wyandot Wetland Meadows Preserve (84 acres)
• Putnam Marsh Preserve (966 acres)
• Steinen Wildlife Area (141 acres)
• East Sandusky Bay Metropark (92 acres) recently renamed, this includes the former Community Foundation at Eagle Point and the East Sandusky Bay extension sites.)
The project includes purchasing, restoring and adding the Barnes acquisition to the Wyandot Wetland Meadows Preserve.
The 465-acre Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve, managed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, is adjacent to the north and east of the proposed acquisition site is known to attract nearly 300 bird species. The state marsh has an abundance of wildflowers and provides habitat for 22 rare, endangered, threatened or potentially threatened species. Historically, the federal endangered piping plover used the Sheldon Marsh barrier beach at as a resting and nesting area.
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Name: Lake Erie Bluff Preserve II
Applicant: Lake Metroparks
County: Lake
Project Cost: $6,181,000
Funds Requested: $3,000,000 Proposed Grant Allocation from GLRI: $2,012.900
Acquisition size: 200 acres
Coastal miles: 5,900 feet (1.1 miles)
Status: Submitted by Ohio to NOAA for review and federal CELCP funding. May 2012: selected for FY12 funding through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative pending final EPA approval.
Project Summary: Lake Metroparks seeks to acquire 200 acres within Ohio’s Designated Coastal Management Area to enlarge the Lake Erie Bluff Project Area. This request builds upon the first phase of the project which resulted in the acquisition of 139 acres now known as Lake Erie Bluffs Park, a 2010 CELCP acquisition made possible with Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding.
The four contiguous properties to be purchased are at the north terminus of Lane Road Extension north of the U.S. Route 20 (North Ridge Road) intersection. The properties combine for 5,900 feet (1.1miles) of shore which consists of high bluffs overlooking Lake Erie, portions of which are fronted by a sand beach.
From west to east, the land to be purchased includes the 72-acre Lubrizol property, which is in Painesville Township, and the 54-acre Perry Corporate Center property and the 35-acre Deming V., LLC property, which are in Perry Township. The Deming property’s east boundary is along the Blackmore/Clark Road intersection and adjacent to the Lake Erie Bluff Preserve’s 114 acres along a quarter-mile stretch of shore. A fourth property, the 39-acre Shore Haven property, was acquired in 2010 and is being proposed as pre-acquired match for this project.
The Lake Erie Bluff Preserve II’s 200-acre acquisition will protect the largest remaining block of undeveloped privately owned coastal property in Lake County.
The Lubrizol property is mostly wooded. The northern half is young deciduous forest while the southern half of the property is intact palustrine* forested wetland habitat. High quality wetland areas in the southern half of the property may contain rare or uncommon sedge species and may be deep enough for Ambystomatid salamanders to breed. The project area supports bald eagles, which are present during most visits to the property. Within the Lubrizol property, approximately 1,500 feet of shoreline bluff would be protected.
This coastal bluff continues eastward throughout the 54-acre Perry Corporate Center and Deming properties for an additional 4,400 feet. The bluff becomes accented by a 2,800-foot beach where about 1,400 feet of wild beach exists equally among the eastern portion of the Perry Corporate Center and Deming Properties. The beach of the Perry Corporate Center and Deming properties is of high quality and contains several rare beach plants. These include: golden fruited sedge – Carex auerea (state threatened), inland beach-pea – Lathyrus japonicus (state threatened), small-flowered evening primrose – Oenothera parviflora (state potentially threatened), Oake’s evening primrose – Oenothera oekesiania (state potentially threatened), seaside spurge – Euphorbia polygonifolia (state potentially threatened), fringed gentian – Gentianopsis crinita (state potentially threatened), and inland sea-rocket – Cakile edentula (state potentially threatened) (Bissell and Pogacnik, June and July 2009).
Vegetative cover includes 31 acres of shrub-scrub, 16 acres of beech-maple forest, 6 acres of meadow, and one acre of shrub-scrub wetland. The mature forest extends along most of the bluff, a rare occurrence on the Lake Erie coast in Lake County. A female and two juvenile merlins (Falco columbarius) were observed on the property in the summer of 2009. This represents the first documented Ohio nesting record for this state-listed raptor since the 1830s. The Deming property provides a critical upland linkage between the Perry Corporate Center and Shore Haven (CELCP FY10) parcels.
The 39-acre Shore Haven Property is a mixture of scrub-shrub habitat of varying shrub density, forest, and meadow. There are numerous wet scrub-shrub areas scattered throughout the center of the property.
This project compliments Lake County’s Coastal Comprehensive Plan. The acquisition site is in close proximity to the Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail, Ohio’s National Coastal Scenic Byway. The 2009 State of the Ocean and Coastal Economies study indicated that 66 percent of Ohio’s “ocean economy” was the result of water-dependent tourism such as that supported via the Byway. It is envisioned that the project will become a local and regional destination for those looking to experience Ohio’s coastal area.
*Define: Palustrine - Relating to a system of inland, nontidal wetlands characterized by the presence of trees, shrubs, and emergent vegetation (vegetation that is rooted below water but grows above the surface). Palustrine wetlands range from permanently saturated or flooded land (as in marshes, swamps, and lake shores) to land that is wet only seasonally (as in vernal pools).
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(FY 2011)
Name: Wyandot Wetland Meadows Preserve – Barnes Addition
Applicant: Erie MetroParks
County: Erie
Proposed Project Cost: $1.3 million Final Project Cost: $1.45 million
Funds Requested: $700,000
Proposed Acquisition size: 61.7 acres Final Acquisition Size: 74 acres
Coastal miles: 1,400 feet (0.26 miles)
Status: Selected for partial funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative supplemental CELCP dollars, but funding was turned down by Erie MetroParks. Acquired as of 2/29/2012 with funding from the Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program (OEPA) and other funds. (see 2012).
Project Summary: Erie MetroParks seeks to acquire 61.7 acres currently owned by Barnes Nursery, Inc., adding the land to the adjacent Wyandot Wetland Meadows Preserve. Wyandot Wetlands is the eastern most portion of the multiple preserves that comprise the 1,200-acre East Sandusky Bay MetroParks which are along U.S. Route 6 (Cleveland Road West) between Sandusky and Huron.
The property to be acquired is north of U.S. Route 6, east of the Cedar Point Road intersection and bounded on the north by Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve’s territory in East Sandusky Bay. The property’s north tract includes over 19 acres of forested and emergent wetlands along the south side of East Sandusky Bay. South of the wetlands, there are upland forest and nursery-stock fields. A wide variety of birds are attracted to these areas for foraging, nesting and resting. During the past 15 years, the ODNR Division of Wildlife has recorded at least five eagle nests near the Barnes property. This year (2010), five eaglets have been reported in nearby nests.
Due to fluctuations in Lake Erie water levels, the property includes periodically exposed mudflats which provide vital shorebird habitat. As a naturally functioning coastal wetland, the project area is also a prime spawning ground and nursery for many freshwater fish species.
The East Sandusky Bay area supports a rare palustrine* silt plain plant community whose exposed mudflats are protected from wave-erosion by Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve’s barrier beach. If Lake Erie water levels lower over time due to climate change or other factors, additional rare wetland plant species are likely to emerge from the natural seed bank of the newly exposed mudflats.
Erie MetroParks (the applicant) has been expanding the East Sandusky Bay MetroParks for a number of years. The East Sandusky Bay MetroParks is an umbrella for several protected natural areas that lie adjacent and just west of the proposed acquisition site. As shown on the map, these areas include (acres as of 2010):
• Wyandot Wetland Meadows Preserve (84 acres)
• Putnam Marsh Preserve (966 acres)
• Steinen Wildlife Area (141 acres)
• East Sandusky Bay Metropark (92 acres) recently renamed, this includes the former Community Foundation at Eagle Point and the East Sandusky Bay extension sites.)
The project includes purchasing, restoring and adding the Barnes acquisition to the Wyandot Wetland Meadows Preserve.
The 465-acre Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve, managed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, is adjacent to the north and east of the proposed acquisition site is known to attract nearly 300 bird species. The state marsh has an abundance of wildflowers and provides habitat for 22 rare, endangered, threatened or potentially threatened species. Historically, the federal endangered piping plover used the Sheldon Marsh barrier beach at as a resting and nesting area.
* DEFINE: Palustrine - relating to a system of inland, nontidal wetlands characterized by the presence of trees, shrubs and emergent vegetation (vegetation that is rooted below water but grows above the surface). Palustrine wetlands range from permanently saturated or flooded land such as in marshes, swamps and lake shores, to land that is wet only seasonally such as in vernal pools.
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Name: Great Lakes Alvar Preserve
Applicant: Erie MetroParks
County: Erie
Project Cost: $918,000
Funds Requested: : $459,000
Acquisition size: 59 acres
Coastal miles: Zero miles (near, but not on the coast).
Status: Funded. This project was submitted to Ohio for review and submission to NOAA for federal CELCP funding. Prior to Ohio's submission to NOAA, the project obtained funding from the Sustain Our Great Lakes. Ohio will not submit to NOAA for funding.
Project Summary: Erie MetroParks and Western Reserve Land Conservancy (WRLC) are partnering to preserve a 59-acre globally imperiled Great Lakes alvar community on Kelleys Island, the largest American island in Lake Erie. The site is a unique polygon southwest of the intersection of Bookerman Road and Division Street and wraps south of the properties along Lower Cliff and Upper Cliff roads on the site's west side. (See map PDF)
This property acquisition will contribute to the creation of an 825-acre connected system of protected parks and preserves including land holdings by the ODNR (including the 677-acre Kelleys Island State Park), ’Cleveland Museum of Natural History's (16-acre Coleman Preserve) and Erie Metroparks’ FY 2010 CELCP acquisition of the 18.5-acre Kelleys Island Preserve. Once acquisitions are finalized, the acres will comprise nearly one-third of Kelleys Island.
This preserve site contains an extremely rare Great Lakes Alvar ecosystem. This community is characterized by exposed limestone or dolostone bedrock, thin soils with high pH levels, sparse vegetation, and limited tree cover. Due to the minimal amount of soil and tree cover in alvars, they are subject to drought, flooding and extreme temperatures, and contain distinct plant communities adapted to site conditions.
On August 27, 2009, a plant inventory of the site was conducted by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Western Reserve Land Conservancy and ODNR employee Tom Arbour. During the survey, several rare species were documented on the property. One state endangered plant, Caribbean spike-rush (Eleocharis geniculata) was discovered within the quarry flats. Another rare plant found in the quarry flats was the state potentially threatened blue willow (Salix myricoides), which is the first time this species has been documented on Kelleys Island. New populations of another state endangered plant, Philadelphia panic-grass (Panicum philadelphicum), were found in the non-quarried portion of the property. Two other species found on site were the state threatened Golden-fruited Sedge (Carex aurea) and the potentially threatened great plains ladies’-tresses (Spiranthes magnicamporum).
In addition to the many rare plants, the Eastern fox snake (text) (video), an Ohio Species of Concern, has been documented on the property.
Kelleys Island also plays a critical role in the seasonal migration routes of numerous Neo-tropical and North American bird species. Due to the island’s location along both the Atlantic and Mississippi flyways, thousands of land birds, waterfowl, water birds and shorebirds use Kelleys Island as a stopover point on their north- and south-bound journeys. The Kelleys Island Audubon Club's bird census data for the island has documented 239 bird species, including the federally endangered Kirtland’s Warbler, 10 state endangered species, nine state threatened species, nine species of concern and six species of special interest.
Kelleys Island is part of the Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail, a National Scenic Byway. Preserving this property, which is located adjacent to a major destination on the trail, Kelleys Island State Park, will help maintain the natural, scenic character of the island.
See also the Sustain Our Great Lakes webpage:
http://www.sustainourgreatlakes.org/Projects/ProjectProfiles/KelleysIslandPreserveHabitatProtection.aspx
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Name: Lake Erie Bluff Preserve II
Applicant: Lake Metroparks
County: Lake
Project Cost: $4,543,000
Funds Requested: $2,271,500
Acquisition size: 206 acres
Coastal miles: 7,200 feet (1.36 miles)
Status: Funded in part by $177,094 from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative supplemental CELCP dollars.
Project Summary: Lake Metroparks seeks to acquire 206 acres within Ohio’s Designated Coastal Management Area to enlarge the Lake Erie Bluff Preservation, a 2010 CELCP acquisition made possible with Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding.
The three contiguous properties to be purchased are at the north terminus of Lane Road Extension north of the U.S. Route 20 (North Ridge Road) intersection. The properties combine for 7,200 feet (1.36 miles) of shore which consists of high bluffs overlooking Lake Erie, portions of which are fronted by a sand beach.
From west to east, the land to be purchased starts just east of the Bacon Road terminus and includes the 117-acre Lubrizol property, which is in Painesville Township, and the 54-acre Perry Corporate Center property and the 35-acre Deming V., LLC property, which are in Perry Township. The Deming property’s east is along the Blackmore/Clark Road intersection and adjacent to the Lake Erie Bluff Preserve’s 114 acres along a quarter-mile stretch of shore.
The Lake Erie Bluff Preserve II’s 206-acre acquisition will protect the largest remaining block of undeveloped privately owned coastal property in Lake County.
The Lubrizol property is mostly wooded. The northern half is young deciduous forest while the southern half of the property is intact palustrine* forested wetland habitat. High quality wetland areas in the southern half of the property may contain rare or uncommon sedge species and may be deep enough for Ambystomatid salamanders to breed. The project area supports bald eagles, which are present during most visits to the property.
The Perry Corporate Center property is highlighted by a sand beach fronting eastern 2,500 feet of shore and is adjacent to the west of the 1,700-foot Shore Haven beach. Vegetative cover includes 31 acres of shrub-scrub, 16 acres of beech-maple forest, 6 acres of meadow, and one acre of shrub-scrub wetland. The mature forest extends along most of the bluff, a rare occurrence on the Lake Erie coast in Lake County. Perry Corporate Center’s high quality beach contains rare beach plants, including golden fruited sedge – Carex auerea (state threatened), inland beach-pea – Lathyrus japonicus (state threatened), small-flowered evening primrose – Oenothera parviflora (state potentially threatened), Oake’s evening primrose – Oenothera oekesiania (state potentially threatened), seaside spurge – Euphorbia polygonifolia (state potentially threatened), fringed gentian – Gentianopsis crinita (state potentially threatened), and inland sea-rocket – Cakile edentula (state potentially threatened). A female and two juvenile merlins (Falco columbarius) were observed on the property in the summer of 2009. This represents the first documented Ohio nesting record for this state-listed raptor since the 1830s.
The Deming Property rests atop the bluff overlooking the beach owned by Perry Corporate Center. This parcel provides a critical upland link between the Shore Haven (CELCP FY10) and Perry Corporate Center parcels. Vegetative cover includes 20 acres of beech-maple forest, 7 acres of swamp forest, and 7 acres of meadow.
This project compliments Lake County’s Coastal Comprehensive Plan. The acquisition site is in close proximity to the Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail, Ohio’s National Coastal Scenic Byway. The 2009 State of the Ocean and Coastal Economies study indicated that 66 percent of Ohio’s “ocean economy” was the result of water-dependent tourism such as that supported via the Byway. It is envisioned that the project will become a local and regional destination for those looking to experience Ohio’s coastal area.
*Define: Palustrine - Relating to a system of inland, nontidal wetlands characterized by the presence of trees, shrubs, and emergent vegetation (vegetation that is rooted below water but grows above the surface). Palustrine wetlands range from permanently saturated or flooded land (as in marshes, swamps, and lake shores) to land that is wet only seasonally (as in vernal pools).
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Name: Marblehead Lighthouse State Park Expansion
Applicant: Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Parks and Recreation
County: Erie
Project Cost: $800,000
Funds Requested: $400,000
Acquisition size: 0.8 acres
Coastal miles: 141 feet
Status: Submitted by Ohio to NOAA for review and federal CELCP funding. Not selected for CELCP funding.
Project Summary: The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Parks and Recreation (ODNR) seeks to acquire the last undeveloped property bordering the existing 13-acre Marblehead Lighthouse State Park, which is along Ohio’s Lake Erie shore at the northeast tip of the Marblehead Peninsula.
The Marblehead Lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places due to its distinction as the oldest continuously operated lighthouse on the Great Lakes; the scenic, coastal state park surrounding the lighthouse is one of the most visited parks in Ohio. The 0.8-acre project parcel is located entirely within Ohio’s Designated Coastal Management Area and contains approximately 141 feet of shore comprised of limestone bedrock shelves and outcroppings.
The land is also along the Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail, a designated National Scenic Byway (state Route 163 in Ottawa County). The parcel is is one of the last undeveloped, natural sites remaining along this road in the village of Marblehead given the intense development pressure the village and surrounding township have experienced in the last 20 years.
This site contributes to the scenic nature of this federally recognized road. Acquisition is needed to preserve the one of last examples of natural coastal habitat along this byway and prevent residential development from encroaching on the scenic Marblehead Lighthouse State Park.
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Name: Kelleys Island Preserve
Applicant: Kelleys Island Village Park District Recreation Board (original applicant was Erie MetroParks)
County: Erie
Project Cost: $706,106 (original project cost: $2,953,500)
Funds Requested: $332,500 (origional grant request: $1,476,750)
Acquisition Size: 18.5 acres (originally was 77.5)
Status: Acquired May 2012. Funded in part by $332,500 from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative supplemental CELCP dollars. (Read Press Release from March 12, 2010).
Project Summary: Kelleys Island Village Park District (was Erie MetroParks) and Western Reserve Land Conservancy (WRLC) are partnering to preserve 18.5 acres of rare red cedar forest habitat on Kelleys Island, the largest American island in Lake Erie. Located adjacent to the 677-acre Kelleys Island State Park and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History's (CMNH) 24-acre Woodford Woods Preserve, this property will contribute to the creation of a larger interconnected system of protected property that will comprise one-third of the land area of Kelleys Island. The project site is located 0.25 miles from the Lake Erie shore and is covered in red cedar forest habitat that provides critical habitat for migratory birds.
The tract proposed for acquisition is located at the intersection of Monagan Road and Woodford Road. (back to chart)
Name: Lake Erie Bluff Preservation I
Applicant: Lake Metroparks
County: Lake
Project Cost: $6,000,000 (original proposal)
Funds Requested: $3,000,000 (original proposal)
Status: Acquired in July 2010, funded in part by $883,700 from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative supplemental CELCP dollars. ( Read March 12, 2010 Press Release) As of September 1, 2010, planning is underway for public facilities and access.
Project Summary: The original project proposal involved 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 which are contiguous lakeshore properties within Ohio’s Designated Coastal Management Area in Lake County near the Village of Perry. Only the 97 acres of the Shore Haven Property were acquired with the partial CELCP grant award.
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: Not selected for federal CELCP funding. Acquired in 2010, funded in part by Clean Ohio Funds and the Land & Water Conservation Fund.
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: $1.8 million
Funds Requested: $947,000
Status: Not selected for federal CELCP funding. Acquired April 22, 2011 with funding from four entities/programs including OCM's Coastal Management Assistance Grants ($156,553), Clean Ohio Funds ($800,000), the Western Reserve Land Conservancy ($773,447) and the Land & Water Conservation Fund ($70,000).
Project Summary: Located in the City of Vermilion, the 1.5-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 Preserve
Former Name: Middle Bass Island Wildlife Area
County: Ottawa
Applicant when proposed for CELCP : ODNR – Division of Wildlife
Project Cost when proposed for CELCP: $1,800,000
Funds Requested when proposed for CELCP: $900,000
Acquisition size when proposed for CELCP: 10.6 acres
Coastal miles when proposed for CELCP:1,600 feet
Applicant who acquired land in July 2010 : Put-in-Bay Township Park District
Project Cost when acquired by PIB Park District: ~$1,000,000
Grant Funds when acquired by PIB Park District: $70,000 Coastal Management Assistance Grant, $70,000, $70,000 Ohio Land and Water Conservation Fund, $844,000 Clean Ohio Fund, and financial support from the Lake Erie Protection Fund, Ohio Ornithological Society, Frost-Parker Foundation of Sandusky, Friends of Magee Marsh, Firelands Audubon and many private donors.
Acquisition size when acquired by PIB Park District: 7.8 acres
Coastal length when acquired by PIB Park District: 600 feet
Status: Not selected for federal CELCP funding. Acquired in July 2010. As of September 1, 2010, the preserve is not yet open to the public. Access will be allowed after areas of the site have been restored and recreation improvements completed.
Project Summary: Middle Bass Island Preserve will permanently protect 7.8 acres of exceptional Lake Erie coastal and inland habitat on Middle Bass Island. The project contains approximately 600 linear feet of natural shore at the north east tip of the island.
The rocky beachfront and shallow waters provide 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 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. This site compliments other Lake Erie island access sites including and the Middle Bass State Park and new marina facilities at the southern end of Middle Bass Island.
Organizations participating in the acquisition included the Black Swamp Conservancy and its Lake Erie Islands Chapter, the Put-in-Bay Township Park District and The Trust for Public Land (TPL). The Put-in-Bay Township Park District owns the land and will manage the property as a nature preserve and kayak park. Black Swamp Conservancy, through its islands chapter, and the park district will have a perpetual land conservation agreement that will prevent the property from ever being subdivided or developed. The conservancy and its islands chapter will assist the park district with natural resource restoration and land management.
(Read Conservation Partnership Press Release from August 19, 2010)
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Project:
Scheeff East Point Nature Preserve
Applicant: Put-in-Bay Township Park District
County: Ottawa
Project Cost: $2,303,250
Funds Requested: $1,151,625
Status: Funded. 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.
View the Lake Erie Public Access Site Webpage
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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. Acquired with Clean Ohio, Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program and other funds.
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.
See the West Creek Preservation Committee Website for West Creek Confluence
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Project: Howard Farms Land Acquisition
Applicant: Metropolitan Park District of the Toledo Area
County: Lucas
Project Cost: $6,000,010 million
Funds Requested: $3 million
Status: Acquired Spring 2008. This project was not selected for federal CELCP funding; however, this project was acquired using funding from ODNR Division of Wildlife $3 million, the Ohio Public Works Commission ($1.8 million), Ducks Unlimited ($10,000) and Toledo Metroparks ($1.8 million).
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 in Jerusalem Township north of state Route 2 and south of Reno Beach. It was one of the largest acquisition/restoration sites in the Great Lakes region 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.
When acquired, much of the project area was used for row crop agriculture (corn, soybeans). Approximately 60 acres (3.5 linear miles) of the project area consisted of well-vegetated canals and waterways, providing critical resting and feeding habitat within one of North America's most important corridors for migratory birds.
According to terms of the grant agreement with the Clean Ohio Fund, 80 percent of the land will be used perpetually for conservation purposes and no more than 20 percent for recreational purposes, such as facilities, trails and parking.
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Project: Lake Erie Coastal and Riparian Forest Preserve (Phase II)
Applicant: Village of Bratenahl
County: Cuyahoga
Project Cost: $1,428,000
Funds Requested: $714,000
Status: Acquired spring 2009. This project received federal FY2007 CELCP funds. Acquisition occured spring 2009. (Read May 15, 2009 Press Release)
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 
Applicant: City of Port Clinton
County: Ottawa
Project Cost:: $1,465,018
Funds Requested: $665,000
Status: Acquired November 2009. This project received CELCP federal FY2007 funds and matching Clean Ohio funds. 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 partnered with the Trust for Public Land to work toward the successful acquisition of the property. The city of Port Clinton owns the property and Black Swamp Conservancy holds a conservation easement over the entire preserve, requiring that the land be permanently maintained as a nature preserve.
Port Clinton plans on seeking additional grant funding for removal of invasive plants and improvements to coastal marsh habitat.
Go to the Lake Erie Public Access Guidebook Webpage for the Port Clinton Lakefront Preserve
Watch the EcoTrak 11 story with footage of the preserve.
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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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