Green Heroes Sought
12th Annual Environmental Conservation Awards Benefit Dinner
Do you know someone who has made a significant contribution to environmental conservation in Portage County?
The
steering committee for the 12th Annual Environmental Conservation
Awards Dinner is seeking nominations for potential awardees to be
honored at the upcoming event on April 10. This annual event
features dinner, music, entertainment, silent auction, and appetizers
made from locally grown products.
Nominees
for this year’s awards will be considered based on their efforts
advocating sustainable use of our resources, extraordinary efforts in
green business or green living, activism in environmental education,
community environmental efforts or environmental stewardship.
Nominations
should include the nominee's name and contact information, along with a
paragraph or two describing his/her/their contribution to environmental
conservation in Portage County.
Send
nominations to: Portage Park District, 128 N. Prospect St., Ravenna, OH
44266, or fax to 330-297-3472. Nominations can also be e-mailed to Susan Blair. Call the Park District at 330-297-7728 for information about this popular annual event, including how to make reservations.
Businesses who wish to sponsor or attend, please fill out this form.Download the nomination form.
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 Park
District Acquires 504 Acres in Shalersville
Thanks
to a partnership between government agencies, private donors and a
nonprofit land trust, 504 acres once slated for development will now be
the Portage Park District’s largest park.
The
Park District and Western Reserve Land Conservancy, a nonprofit
organization working to preserve natural areas and farms throughout
northern Ohio, have announced the acquisition of the Upper Cuyahoga Bog
Preserve, which is south of the Ohio Turnpike and east of state Route
44 in Shalersville Township. Christine Craycroft, Park District
Executive Director, said that because of the restrictions imposed by
the grants, which were for water quality protection and wildlife
habitat, plans for the property will be for passive uses such as
hiking, bird watching and educational programs. The property is home to
several rare and endangered species, including the yellow-bellied
sapsucker bird. The wetlands, woods and fields also protect 8,000
linear feet of a tributary to the Upper Cuyahoga River.
The
Land Conservancy will hold a conservation easement on the property,
which is an agreement that provides extra assurance that the natural
and scenic resources are permanently protected. “It’s a
beautiful
property that will provide value and enjoyment for the public for
generations to come” said Craycroft, who has headed the district since
1998. “Now we’re looking forward to developing management
plans
and seeking community support—donations and volunteers—to open it as a
park.”
The
opportunity to acquire the property was made possible with the
professional assistance of the Land Conservancy, which helped apply for
funding through the state’s Water Pollution Control Loan
Fund. In
this case, the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District sponsored
acquisition of the land as part of the loan agreement it has with the
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for improvement of its sewer
system. The program makes efficient use of EPA dollars for water
quality by linking watershed protection with sewer system funding.
Chris
Szell, Associate Director of regional conservation for the Land
Conservancy, said regional cooperation was the key to obtaining funding
for the park. Szell commended NEORSD for acknowledging that
stormwater runoff problems and watershed protection issues extend
beyond community boundaries. The Land Conservancy also
secured a
Clean Ohio grant for the project as well as funding from foundations
and partner organizations, however no funds from Portage County were
used. The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Ohio Native Plant
Society, Kent State University and Davey Resources Group each donated
expertise to inventory the biological resources.
The
park project also had the support of Shalersville Township trustees,
who have viewed conservation of the land as a cost-effective
alternative to the hundreds of acres of housing that had recently been
proposed for the site. Before that, in 1991, there was a
proposal
to build an international freight airport on the property.
Those
plans never materialized.
View an aerial photo and learn more
about our newest park!
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Park
District Seeking Applicants for Foundation Board
The
Board of Commissioners of the Portage Park District is requesting
applications from interested candidates for Trustee of the newly formed
Portage Park District Foundation. The Foundation’s mission is
to support the Park District, primarily by raising money. The
Park Commissioners will appoint a nine-member Board of Trustees who
will serve as volunteers for renewable 3-year terms to oversee the
Foundation and assist with fundraising.
“This is an opportunity to leave
a lasting legacy and make a huge difference to the future of Portage
County”, said Christine Craycroft, Executive Director, “there’s
tremendous potential here for establishing a system of parks, trails
and conservation areas that will provide invaluable benefits for
generations to come.”
Interested applicants should
contact the Park District at (330) 297-7728 for an application
packet. Applications are due by January 11, 2010.
For more information, contact Craycroft at the office number, or by
email at ccraycroft@portageparkdistrict.org.
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PARK
LOCATIONS - CLICK
TO ENLARGE
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Thanks and Happy New Year from
Portage Park District!
On
behalf of the Board and staff of the Portage Park District, we wish
everyone a happy and healthy new year, filled with new memories of
special times with family and friends – perhaps at your local park or
trail!
We
regularly hear stories of how people’s lives are changed by
parks. Such as those who lost weight and got on the road to
health through hiking and biking, or the couples who courted and
eventually married at Towner’s Woods. Eagle Scouts who have
completed their rank with projects in the parks, and youngsters who
caught their first fish or rode without training wheels for the first
time.
It’s
a group effort to provide these public places, and we thank all of the
many individuals, organizations and businesses over the year who have
supported our 4 person staff in the mission to conserve Portage
County’s natural and cultural heritage. We’re fortunate to
have
volunteers of all ages help with everything from trail maintenance to
office work, and donors who give from one dollar to thousands of
dollars. Of course, we wouldn’t be here without the
partnership
of other local agencies, especially the Portage County Commissioners,
Prosecutor, Auditor, Treasurer, Sheriff and Probate Judge Tom Carnes,
who appoints our volunteer Board.
But
like many, the Portage Park District is facing lean times with severe
cuts to our day to day operating budget that threaten our ability to
keep the doors open and manage the parks we have, not to mention pursue
additional opportunities.
You
can help to get us through this tough time. Please consider
making a donation to the Park District and volunteering your time and
talents. Perhaps you'd like to help with a
fundraiser.
Maybe you were one of over 30,000 people who had voted 'yes' for our
unsuccessful levy in 2008, but would be willing to donate your
'voluntary tax' anyway (the half-mill levy would’ve only cost $16/year
for a $100,000 home). Please give us a call to learn
more.
Together we can make a difference for present and future generations by
protecting the beautiful creation around us and providing parks and
trails for all to enjoy.
With warm regards, and wishes
for lots of fun in our winter wonderland, Christine Craycroft, Executive Director, Portage
Park District |