November 2009 update

Welcome to the November 2009 update
If you have a contribution or input for this update, please let me know at jeanette.evans@sbcglobal.net.

Some of the items covered in this update include:

* November meeting recap
* Upcoming events
* Save Tuesday, December 1 for our holiday party
* FOEC member writes Ohio Senate Bill
* More on the Dike 14 Nature Preserve

The image is from http://www.cuyahogaswcd.org/.



November meeting recap

• Our November meeting took place the first Tuesday in November at the South Euclid Community Center.
  
• Claire Posius provided us with an update on Euclid Creek projects. Claire works as a watershed conservation planner at the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) at http://www.cuyahogaswcd.org/.
  
• Contact Claire at 216 524 6580 x16 or cposius@cuyahogaswcd.org for details about Euclid Creek projects.The mission of the Cuyahoga SWCD to promote conservation of land and aquatic resources in a developed environment through stewardship initiatives, education programs, and technical assistance.
• Claire discussed the goals of the Euclid Creek Watershed program. She explained about the dam removal project on the East branch of the Euclid Creek and other projects that are top priorities for the coming year.
  

Upcoming events

Sat., Nov. 7 - VFW Hike - 10AM - 29512 White Road, Willoughby Hills

• Get ready to visit another great location in the Euclid Creek watershed.
• Join the adventure of a guided tour of the VFW grounds on White Road.
• Ron Puera, FOEC member and VFW Post Commander will lead us on an exploration of the creeks, beaver ponds, and woods in this large and unique tract of land.
• Don't miss this special invitation to explore the property.
• This is on the South side of White Road between Bishop and Rockefeller about 1500 feet West of Rockefeller. The driveway is marked with 4-foot high stone posts and a VFW sign. Take the long gravel driveway to the parking lot where we will gather. Plan to be there 10AM sharp. The hike should take about an hour.
• We should be done by 11:30. This is a rain or shine event.
• Regular walking-in-the woods shoes are fine unless it is especially wet.

Save Tuesday, December 1 for our festive holiday fundraiser

• Annual FOEC Holiday Party, pot luck dinner, and fund raiser
• Mayfield Village Hall - 6621 Wilson Mills Rd
  (NW corner of Wilson Mills and SOM, behind Mayfield Village Fire Dept.)
• Please contact Barb Pophal 216-481-4397 on what you can provide for the pot luck.
• Please provide one or more donations for door prizes.
• Doors open at 6:30. Dinner starts at 7:00.
• The $20 door charge covers dinner and drinks.
  Make checks payable to Friends of Euclid Creek
  For a response card please contact Jeanette at jeanette.evans@sbcglobal.net
  RSVP by Nov. 25th. Silent raffle. Good music. Good food. Raffle prizes.
  Great cause! Great company!
  

The image of American Holly comes from the http://www.wildflower.org/ gallery.

Save Tuesday, December 1 for our holiday party!

FOEC member writes Ohio Senate Bill

At our November meeting, Fran Hogg noted that FOEC Treasurer Ken Messinger-Rapport worked with Senator Tim Grendell on a bill in the Ohio Senate.

Ken is law director for the Northeast Ohio Gas Accountability Project (NEOGAP). He requested at our November meeting that we consider asking our state senators to support Grendell’s bill 196 and oppose Niehaus bill 165. Ken described how the Niehaus bill could lead to practices that are hazardous to the Euclid Creek watershed. Grendell's bill bans drilling in residential neighborhoods unless local residents approve. Ken explained that Grendell's bill could lead to better protection of the environment and Euclid Creek watershed.

Please contact Ken if you have any questions.

Rain gardens help maintain watershed health

The image comes from
http://cuyahogaswcd.org/grantfunded-raingardens.htm which explains that rain gardens help maintain watershed heath, keep water clean by filtering runoff, alleviate flooding problems, and provide habitat for wildlife.


At our November meeting, Claire Posius notes that some of her work deals with determining better practices in our lawns and landscapes. Some of her recommendations:

• Use a rain barrel
• Landscape with native plants
• Mow high and let it lie
• Manage pet waste properly
• Dispose of expired medicine properly

More thoughts on the Dike 14 nature preserve

Our September meeting concerned the Dike 14 nature preserve where individuals identified over 280 species of birds, numerous butterflies, 16 species of mammals (red fox, coyote, mink, deer), two species of reptiles, 26 Ohio plant species (wildflowers, grasses), and nine species of trees and shrubs. The coyote track image comes from Ohio.gov.

The coyote image comes from Ohio.gov.

Good non-invasive choices for landscapes

A coneflower is a good choice (image from http://ohioprairienursery.com).


Black-eyed susans make the list of non-invasive plants.


The spicebush image comes from ohio.gov and is another good choice.










The image of a dwarf goldenrod - another good choice - comes from http://ohioprairienursery.com.



Are Eastern Hemlock trees native to Ohio?

According to http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/ the Eastern Hemlock is a popular landscape tree found in urban areas throughout the state of Ohio. However, as a native tree, it is only found in the eastern half of Ohio, primarily in Appalachia.

Eastern Hemlock is native to southern Canada, the northeastern United States, and all of the Appalachian Mountains down to Georgia. In the wild, it thrives on the north slopes of hills and mountains or tucked into ravines, where there is more shade, cooler conditions, and more moisture in the acidic, organic, well-drained soils of slopes.


Some photos of note

http://photos.cleveland.com/photogallery/2009/03/fall_euclid_creek_metropark.html



Some more about wildlife in Ohio



The Eastern gray squirrel graphic comes from http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/ .

http://www.flipseekllc.com/wildohio2008bird.html shows common birds of Ohio. The American robin is one of Ohio's most abundant breeding birds.


The American tree sparrow is a northern species that visits the United States in the winter. The American tree sparrow can tolerate very harsh winters and low temperatures if the food supply is good. The image comes from http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/



The image of the Canada goose comes from Ohio.gov.
See http://ourohio.org/home-gardens/animals/other-animals/too-many-canada-geese/
which states that the Canada goose is native to Ohio and that Canada geese were not common in the state during the first half of the 20th century. Efforts by federal and state wildlife officials beginning in the 1950s brought populations of Canada geese back from near extinction. Increases in wetlands habitat and a proliferation of urban areas where hunting is not permitted has resulted in a present-day abundance of Canada geese.