Ohio Conservation Achievements for 2002

Cleveland, OH?1/23/03?- Today, the Ohio Office of the Trust for Public Land announced a year of conservation achievements in 2002. The land protected this year will provide parks for children, trails for hiking, community parks, and other opportunities for people to connect with the land. The Trust for Public Land also reached the $1 million mark in funds raised for its Ohio Land Protection Fund, a revolving loan fund that allows the organization to quickly act on immediate conservation needs. Working with local park districts and communities, the Trust for Public Land brings together landowners, public officials and donors to pursue shared conservation goals. Every time land is protected by the Trust for Public Land, a countless number of people are responsible for its success.

Listed below are short summaries about these conservation achievements in 2002 by the Trust for Public Land and its partners:

Steiner Woods – Longtime Bath Township residents Rosalie Steiner and her late husband Homer envisioned conservation of their wooded property in northern Summit County for public enjoyment and learning opportunities. The Trust for Public Land helped the Steiners to realize that vision by preserving their 23-acre property in Summit County through ownership by the University of Akron. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Resource Restoration Sponsorship Program helped to fund this conservation success. The extraordinary wetlands located on the property are part of a nationally significant amphibian study by the University of Akron.

West Creek Preserve – Hundreds of volunteers from the Parma area’s West Creek Preservation Committee rallied to save 26 acres along the scenic West Creek corridor in the densely populated southwest side of Greater Cleveland. The Trust for Public Land assisted the West Creek Preservation Committee to protect these parcels as part of a vision to create a 400-acre preserve along West Creek that would connect to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The Trust for Public Land continues to work with the committee and City of Parma officials to acquire key properties along West Creek.

>Wayne National Forest – With the assistance of the Mead Paper Company, the Trust for Public Land protected 718 acres in the Wayne National Forest in Lawrence County. By consolidating this fragmented forestland, the Trust for Public Land helped to create more contiguous corridors for wildlife. Because of its proximity to the popular Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area, this conservation effort will also contribute to the recreational opportunities in the region including hiking, biking, fishing, swimming and bird watching. Rolling hills, wild streams and steep valleys tucked in the Appalachian foothills preserves the history of early American pioneers.

>Sawmill Creek – Located in Mahoning County, this key watershed property at Sawmill Creek is a major tributary to Meander Reservoir, which is the source of drinking water for over 400,000 Ohioans in the Youngstown area. This 153-acre property includes over 500 feet of frontage along the Great Lakes-to- Ohio River Bike Trail that will eventually extend 100 miles from Lake Erie to the Ohio River. Ohio EPA’s Water Resource Restoration Sponsorship Program made it possible for the Trust for Public Land to preserve the property, which has become part of the Mill Creek Metroparks.

The Trust for Public Land is a nonprofit organization that conserves land for people to improve the quality of life in our communities and to protect our natural and historic resources for future generations. Founded in 1972, the Trust for Public Land has helped protect more than 1.4 million acres across the nation. The Trust of Public Land has been serving Ohioans for more than 25 years and is most widely known for its role in the demolition of the Richfield Coliseum and the transfer of the property to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The Ohio Office of the Trust for Public Land is proudly supported by The Cleveland Foundation, the George Gund Foundation and many private foundations and donors.