Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Watershed news

Thank you to Claire Posius for providing this update. 

Restoration of wetlands, stream underway at Cleveland's Wildwood State Park: "Tuesday evening's open house at Wildwood State Park presented goals and challenges involved in restoring wetlands and stream meanders near the mouth of Euclid Creek..." For the full Cleveland.com story, click here.

Conservation Fund offers $14.75 million to buy, preserve Acacia Country Club land in Lyndhurst: "A nonprofit conservation group is chasing Acacia Country Club, a 160-acre swath of open space that has kept developers salivating for decades.  Shareholders at the private club are considering yet another deal to sell their land, a high-profile golf course property in Lyndhurst.  But for the first time, the would-be buyer isn't a real estate developer or corporation..."  For the full Cleveland.com story, click here.

City of Lyndhurst makes purchase offer of $16 million for Acacia Country Club property; would partner with a developer: "The city has countered an offer made last week by the Conservation Fund to purchase Acacia Country Club, offering $16 million for the 160-acre property bordered by Cedar and Richmond roads.  A week ago, the Conservation Fund, a nonprofit organization based in Virginia, offered $14.75 million for the country club.  The Acacia board is expected to vote on the Conservation Fund offer Sept. 6.  If that offer is accepted, the Conservation Fund plans to keep the property a greenspace..." For the full Cleveland.com story, click here.

Residents criticize plan to move South Euclid-Lyndhurst library from historic mansion: "Some residents in South Euclid and Lyndhurst are criticizing a plan that would move the library out of a historic mansion on Mayfield Road to a new building on Green Road..."  For the full Cleveland.com story, click here.

My Ohio: Concrete allows rain to soak through, sidesteps need for sewers to take away water - Cleveland sewer headquarters tries new pavement: "There are more the 1,400 miles of sewer lines criss-crossing in the world below the surface of Cleveland. The rain that falls finds its way to street catch basins, which gulp in the water bound for sewer lines that take the rain to Lake Erie.

However, there could be a cost savings if the concrete pavement actually were able to soak up the rainwater instantly, allowing it to soak into the soil below. 


That prospect excites Rachid Zoghaib, commissioner of Cleveland Water Pollution Control, the service that maintains Cleveland's sewer lines.  As part of an experiment, Zoghaib's group has laid a patch of pervious concrete half the size of a football field. 

Resembling a cake of Rice Krispies cereal, this concrete is porous enough to allow water to flow through. There is no need for sewer lines to take away the rainwater that falls on this part of the Water Pollution Control's parking lot. The water vanishes as soon as it hits the pervious concrete...."  

For the full News 5 Leon Bibb story or to see the video demonstrating the permeable concrete in action, click here.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Steering committee

Thank you to Frank Skala for providing these meeting notes about the monthly steering committee meeting.  

In attendance were Barb Holtz, Carolyn Suguichi, Lou Drasler, Frank Skala, Judy Dearden, Ginny Aveni, Gary Bloom, Kathy Schaefer, and Fran Mensch. Also attending was Tom Romito, invited guest of Barb Holtz. The meeting was called to order by Barb Holtz at 7 o'clock. 

Barb recognized Kathy and Fran and Fran's request to speak although they had not reached her prior to the meeting to ask to be on the agenda. They spoke about their request for support to oppose the moving of the South Euclid library from the present location to a new construction site on Green Road across from Notre Dame College. They requested $2000 from Friends of Euclid Creek to pay for a mailing campaign.


Next Carolyn Suguichi read a letter from Meg Martinez, Manager of the South Euclid Community Center, inviting Friends of Euclid Creek to participate on September 8, a Saturday, from 11 to 3 in the first annual Fall Harvest Fest. 


Barb reviewed the members' comments written onto the wall posters at the August 7 meeting. Barb then introduced Tom Romito, an expert consultant in strategic planning. Tom then addressed the group. He stated that he is retired from the military and also from the federal government, and has done extensive pro bono consulting in strategic planning for nonprofit organizations. He is also the president of the Audubon chapter in the local area for the past nine years. 

Tom presented flipcharts addressing the key elements of strategic planning. He stated that there are two important questions that an organization must answer before they can undertake the strategic planning process. The questions are: are you ready to commit to taking the time to develop a strategic plan? And what are the key issues facing our organization? 


At the conclusion of the presentation, Barb asked if the board was prepared to agree to work with Tom on the strategic planning process. Several people commented, and Barb said that she would follow-up by contacting those board members that were not at the meeting and getting their input also. At the next month's board meeting we would make a decision. 

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Survey 8/7

Thank you to Barb Holtz for transcribing these results from our 8/7 meeting survey. 

Outcome from Meeting Survey - August 7, 2012

What do we want people to know about Euclid Creek watershed - or - what is our take home message when talking to people about the watershed?
·         Most asked question: What is a watershed? How important it is to drinking water and health
·         That there is an organization helping the watershed - FOEC (5)
·         What you do in your yard can have an impact on Lake Erie (5)
·         Trying to find out. Also trying to find out group's attitude about deer.
·         it's not just a Metropark (5)
·         You are an owner
·         How does this affect me? Why should I care? (5)
·         You drink this water (2)

Who needs to know about Euclid Creek watershed - or - who is our audience & who should be our audience?
·         Homeowners - what they do on their property affect EC watershed (5)
·         All the homeowners who are too busy or tired to attend meetings such as FOEC (2)
·         Willoughby Hills (2)
·         Beachwood (no representation) (1)
·         Euclid & Cleveland
·         City councils & planning commissions (14)
·         Students (3)

Not serving now but should
·         Students a bit more (3)
·         Many business owners live elsewhere and seem unaware of watershed issues here (1)
·         Are all governments aware of us?
·         Cities and city councils in the watershed like Highland Hts. (2)

What do we do? How do we share the "good news" about Euclid Creek watershed? (sparsely  answered)
·         Educational events/outreach (5)
·         Some of us pass on what we have learned to those in other organizations or family members

                (Probably should be under category below)
o   Speak at council meetings once a year (14)
o   Feed them, entertain them and then they will come (1)
o   Find a celebrity person/high profile to endorse our watershed (Dick Goddard, Betsy Cling, Robin Swoboda) (12)
o   Speakers bureau to churches, temples (5)

What should we do but we're not?
·         Provide an incentive for membership
·         Target schools, churches and businesses  - fundraising, community service (2)
·         Ask for FOEC members to volunteer to have the monthly meeting at their house. This would put the meeting near or on a creek in many cases (1)
·         Have an article in places like the Plain Dealer or Cleveland Magazine, Sun Messenger (11)
·         Have a voice in community government decisions;  work to change ordinances , e.g., weed laws (4)
·         Have FOEC reps talk bi-annually at city council meetings (4)
·         Become more involved with Beyond Pesticides Ohio
·         Should rotate our meetings in different watershed cities to attract different people (1)
·         Social media and marketing (4)
·         Send invitations to meetings
·         Recruit more professionals - fundraisers, corporate heads, scientists, teachers (8)

Program or field trip ideas? Note: Ideas are very field trip based
·         Natural areas - little known
·         Stream walks at ECR
·         Partner with Cleveland Metroparks to have "watershed day"
·         Nottingham filtration plant
·         Marcella property program and field trip
·         East branch EC - Highland to Richmond
·         Litter campaign
·         Visit other watersheds
·         Need more social interaction with members
           
What do you enjoy most about being a Friend of Euclid Creek?
·         (activ) Learning about what is being done city-wide to help watershed and environment
·         (activ/sci) Positive conservation and restoration for the "common good"
·         (edu) Programs/speakers
·         (activ) Group gets project done/on the ground
·         (activ) Wanting to get engaged in local issue - have a brook in my backyard that drains into east branch, would like to see invasive species pull and mitigation to area
·         (activ) The fact that the dusty goldenrod meadow easement exists because of FOEC (my "backyard")
·         (edu) Learning what to plant to prevent erosion in my "backyard" where the creek is
·         (sci) Knowing we monitor water
·         (sci) Water testing

Any other comments or ideas?
·         Outreach to interested teachers/schools; lead trips to EC natural areas (11)
·         Long term goal; buy land that is long term, eastern creeks part of EC watershed (3)
·         Buy land around SE present library; make building a watershed center (6)
·         Meet with Cleveland  Metroparks re: future plans (7)

Saturday, August 4, 2012

August meeting

Mark your calendar for  our Tuesday, August 7 meeting. This meeting - as with most of our regular monthly meetings - starts at 6:30PM on the first Tuesday of the month at:
  • South Euclid Community Center
  • 1370 Victory Drive (north off Mayfield, next to Giant Eagle) 
Please come to the meeting prepared to discuss what you want the focus of our group to be in the upcoming year. Our new president is Barb Holtz. She wants input to help define our future as an organization. Be sure to attend this important planning meeting.  

President's message

Hello all,

I hope this message finds you enjoying the summer heat! I am excited to take on the role of the president for Friends of Euclid Creek. We have done such great work and I look forward to continuing that great work.

Our next meeting is Tuesday, August 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the South Euclid Community Center. I hope to see you there as we have some exciting work ahead of us. The agenda for the meeting includes:

Background on the FOEC Board's involvement with Business Volunteers United (BVU) seminars
Updates from the Board meeting
News from Claire Posius, our watershed coordinator extraordinaire
A chance for you to share any news or ask questions about FOEC or another watershed issue
PROGRAM - Begin the process of planning for next year 
+ An active exercise hearing from YOU about who FOEC is and what WE want to become!

We need your input...please plan to attend Tuesday. It's your chance to hear about upcoming projects, plans and better ways for us all to protect our watershed. If you wish to contact me, my e-mail is bluets5@yahoo.com and phone number is 216-382-3595.

Have a great day,
Barb Holtz

Ginny Aveni

This slightly adapted text comes from Euclid Creek Chronicles.  


We are spotlighting Virginia (Ginny) Aven
i for her outstanding contributions to the Euclid Creek Watershed and her environmental contributions at the state and local level.  


Ginny was an instrumental part of a group of concerned citizens who started Friends of Euclid Creek (FOEC), the watershed group organized to protect and raise awareness about Euclid Creek. 


This group came together while trying to protect a sensitive piece of greenspace at the headwaters (where streams begin) of Euclid Creek that was ultimately developed for retail. 


This core group organized a ‘Day in the Creek’ event at Euclid Creek Reservation in 2001 to raise interest in Euclid Creek, which led to the steering committee that worked toward getting FOEC’s non-profit status. Ginny’s leadership skills, background as a legislator and advocate have been an invaluable resource not only to Friends ofEuclid Creek, but to the entire Euclid Creek Watershed Program. FOEC continues to grow every year in members and capacity, holding monthly meetings, watershed hikes and stream cleanups, etc., thanks to Ginny and the founding FOEC members. 


Ginny’s forty year environmental career led to her outstanding leadership skills beginning in the early 1970’s when she served on the Cuyahoga County League of Women Voters Board. Her experience and accomplishments could fill this entire newsletter, but we’ll try and do her career justice in this brief article. She served as the chair of the first County Transportation Committee when RTA was created; she chaired Earth Day in 1970 and 1990; she was one of only two woman legislators in the Democratic Caucus; she was appointed Deputy Director of the Ohio EPA by Governor Celeste, heading up the Divisions of Air Pollution, Solid and Hazardous Waste; she helped create the Ohio EPA Lake Erie office; and she served as an adjunct professor at CSU’s Levin College teaching Environmental Policy and Administration. 


Ginny is most proud of her work at the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission where she helped develop two instrumental environmental programs, including the county Brownfields program aimed at helping redevelop our old industrial cities, and the County Greenprint, a regional greenspace plan aimed at encouraging communities to provide parks, trails and greenspace in close proximity to metropolitan Clevelanders. 
Ginny continues to serve on and advise multiple boards locally in addition to Friends of Euclid Creek. In her free time she is committed to her family and bird watching. A strong grassroots group like Friends of Euclid Creek is pivotal to a successful watershed program, so we can’t thank Ginny enough for her leadership and conviction for protecting our scarce natural resources. 


To quote Ginny, “I believe passionately that well targeted citizen action can make a huge difference in the quality of public life and have worked like that all my life.”


Conservation Symposium

Thank you to Meiring Borcherds for the following information concerning the event that FOEC is helping to sponsor, featuring a session on earthworm impact.

This year's Conservation Symposium, Forest Management: Seeing the Forest and the Trees, is from Thursday, September 6 through Saturday, September 8, 2012, with a full day of talks scheduled on Friday, September 7 at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. You can register today for only $15/person.

To register or read more about our event, visit: http://www.cmnh.org/site/Conservation/ConservationSymposium.aspx

On Thursday, we're offering a full day training session for resource managers on the Invasive Earthworm Rapid Assessment Tool (IERAT). Dr. Cindy Hale, University of Minnesota, will lead the workshop with classroom instruction on the history of the earthworm invasion in North America and their impact on the forest ecosystem, including the correlation between worms and invasive plants. She'll also host an afternoon field component that will include visits to several locations in Northeast Ohio which have varying degrees of earthworm impact.
...
A sincere thank you to our 2012 Conservation Symposium Sponsors: Cleveland Metroparks; Cleveland Metroparks Zoo; Cleveland Zoological Society; Friends of Euclid Creek; Geauga Park District; The Holden Arboretum; Lake Metroparks; Metro Parks, Serving Summit County; Native Plant Society of Northeast Ohio; Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District; Northeast Ohio Sierra Club; Ohio Biological Survey; Ohio Division of Wildlife; Ohio Invasive Plant Council; Robert Half Management Resources; The Nature Conservancy; The Trout Club of The Cleveland Museum of Natural History; and Western Reserve Land Conservancy.