Minshall Preserve

A few miles offshore of Sandusky in Lake Erie, Kelleys Island harbors rare wildlife, peaceful forests, and distinctive bedrock grooves carved by long-melted glaciers. We conserved 25 lakefront acres on the island and transferred the land to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, which added it to the institution’s system of nature preserves that dot northern Ohio.

The Minshall Preserve harbors a globally rare habitat type known as alvar habitat. Alvar habitat is found only in formerly glaciated areas where very thin soil lies above limestone. Biologists have identified several rare and threatened plant and animal species on or near the site. The Cleveland Museum will offer controlled public access for hiking, nature observation, environmental education programs, and ecological research.