October 2010 update

Welcome to the October update

If you have any input for these updates, please let me know at jeanette.evans@sbcglobal.net. This issue covers:

* Save the first Tuesday of each month
* In the Spotlight: Steve Albro
* Ohio Lake Erie Commission Award
* Photo Contest Deadline is Oct. 5, 2011

Thank you to Frank Skala for providing the picture from the recent Euclid Creek walk.

Save the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30

Our meetings are still at the South Euclid Community Center. They now start at 6:30. Save December 7 for our annual holiday party. A big thank you goes out to Barb Pophol for organizing this wonderful event. Details are coming. Please start thinking about what you can contribute for prizes.

Thank you to Claire Posius and Barb Holtz for speaking at our October meeting. Claire updated us on sewer district work. Barb updated us on issues in the South Euclid Land Conservation group.

Ohio Lake Erie Commission Award goes to FOEC

An Ohio Lake Erie Commission award for organization of the year was presented to FOEC on September 22 at the awards event at Shore Cultural Center. Cleveland City Councilman Mike Polensek (of Ward 11) nominated FOEC.

See the Lake Erie Commission award site for more details and the statement that the efforts of the Friends of Euclid Creek have led to:

"increased stakeholder involvement in the restoration and protection of the watershed, leading to tangible projects such as the Lower Euclid Creek Greenway project, East Branch dam removal project, rain garden implementation project and purchase of conservation easements for important riparian and wetland habitat."

This is a winner in an Ohio Lake Erie Commission photo contest.

Thank you to the Albros

Thank you to the Albros for setting up the walk along the creek as our September outing.

The September 18 walk covered the Liberty Run trail along Euclid Creek and refreshments with the Albros after the walk. The photo comes from the walk.

$1.3 million goes to Euclid Creek in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funds

The Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation district recently announced the award that funds the Lacustrine Refuge. The photo comes from the conservation district site.

Thank you to all who helped at Lyndhurst Home Days and Richmond Heights Fun Day

A special thank you goes to Larry McFadden for organizing the Lyndhurst Home Days event and especially to those who set up the new tent (much appreciated during the downpour Saturday night) for our display.

Thank you to all who participated at our table at Greenwood Farm on Sept. 25 for the Richmond Heights Fun Day. The photo comes from the Richmond Heights home page.

In the spotlight: Steve Albro

Steve Albro has been a member of FOEC since 2007 and on the FOEC board since 2009. Living in South Euclid, Steve is also a member of the GCRTA Citizens Advisory Board (1999-Present), GCRTA ADA Committee (1994-Present, Chair 1996-2010), Rail Users Network (2001-Present, Board 2003-Present), and South Euclid Shade Tree Commission 2006-2009.

Concerning his interest in the Euclid Creek, as Steve puts it, "I have lived in the Euclid Creek Watershed for 36 years, with the last 22 years the creek bordering my residence. Since childhood I have an interest in nature particularly birding, trees, and the watershed. My father-in law spent his career as a soil conservationist for the Department of Agriculture in Kansas. My daughter-in law, Kristen Albro, was the Sewer District Coordinator for Friends of Euclid Creek. I am recently retired and want to be involved in conservation projects with FOEC."

Congratulations to Steve on the Plain Dealer article about Steve's wonderful work at the Cleveland Sight Center (http://topics.cleveland.com/tag/steve%20albro/index.html).

Proposed 2011 FOEC meetings

Here is the proposed list of meetings for 2010/2011.

• Nov. 2 - Diane Bickett, Director of Solid Waste District
• Dec. 7 - Holiday/Christmas Party
• Jan. 4 - Alliance for the Great Lakes (Kristy Meyer for Fresh Water Futures)
• Feb. 1 - "Food Inc" film
• March 1 - Gas Well presentation
• April 5 - Tom Meyer, URS, on Lower Euclid Creek plan
• May 3 - Tour of Cuyahoga River (Thompson township to channel)

This is an entry from our current photo contest

Plan landscapes around natives

It is always a good time to plan your landscaping around Ohio natives like butterfly weed and maidenhair fern.
Butterfly weed (image from http://plants.usda.gov) - an Ohio native - grows in dry fields and prefers sandy, gravel soils. Flowers attract butterflies. Caterpillars of monarch butterflies feed on the foliage. One of its commons names is Pleurisy Root which refers to its medicinal use for lung congestion (from Native Plants of Ohio).
Maidenhair fern (image from http://plants.usda.gov) - an Ohio native - prefers moist, rich, wel-drained woods. Hardy and easy to grow, it can form large colonies of a pleasant medium green (from Native Plants of Ohio).


20 October 2010 Steering Committee Meeting Minutes

Frank, Fran, Claire, Barb Holtz, Ginny, Rick, Jeanette, Gary, Kyle, Ken, Lou, Kathy, Carolyn attended.

• Discussion with Manager of Watershed Programs - Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells opened the meeting by talking about watershed support grants. She is Manager of Watershed Programs, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NORSD). Frank thanked Claire for her help in applying for the grant. Kyle also updated us on the NORSD stormwater management program.
• Coordinating with S.E. Land Conservation group - Frank talked about coordinating with the work of the South Euclid Citizens for Land Conservation. Barb reported on how she has been working on conservation easements with this group. Ken said our 5013C status could apply if we work together and Frank suggested a Greenspace Committee within FOEC with Barb the chairperson. We discussed a letter to the editor to raise awareness. Advocacy in each city would be the topic. We discussed devoting a FOEC meeting to this topic with maps. We could do this at most meetings, combined with a speaker, possibly once a quarter. Barb will ask her group to work with FOEC and head up a subcommittee.
• Membership - Fran reported that Ken updated the membership list. We reviewed the copy she provided and discussed membership. She also talked about the 2010 membership letter and holiday party invitation. We discussed and authorized purchase of envelopes.
• Computer - Rick updated us on how Microcenters and Microsoft are handling return of the Office upgrade. Frank noted we can store the computer at a member's home.
  

The following are some entries from our current photo contest.