Morgan Preserve: 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.
