Funds request, March meeting at Lyndhurst Community Center

We are now accepting funds to support the purchase of two properties that save endangered greenspace in developed suburbs (Richmond Heights and Highland Heights).

Click HERE for more details about this property.    
Click    HERE    to access our  Donate  feature.  

Our March meeting  involves attending the following event at the Lyndhurst Community Center as explained in the following press release. We plan to move the member-to-member meeting from March to later in 2013.

CLEVELAND METROPARKS PLANS
MEETING FOR FEEDBACK

ON RESTORING ACACIA RESERVATION

Cleveland Metroparks is hosting a technical planning meeting on Tuesday, March 5 at 6:30 p.m. at Lyndhurst Community Center to discuss restoration design options for what was previously the Acacia Country Club.  In December 2012, the 155-acre property became Cleveland Metroparks newest reservation after a transfer of ownership from The Conservation Fund, a non-profit organization based in Arlington, VA.

“We are pleased to move forward with restoration planning and design efforts for this valuable green space,” said Brian Zimmerman, Cleveland Metroparks chief executive officer. “Restoration of Acacia Reservation will have invaluable environmental benefits, including reduction in storm water runoff and improvements in water quality, as well as public health benefits stemming from access to green space.”

Individuals with experience and interest in ecological design are invited to attend the March 5 meeting.  After brief presentations about the significance of Acacia Reservation restoration and specific restoration parameters, participants will be asked for input via small subject-matter discussion groups.  These groups include plant community dynamics, biomonitoring, restoration design, and general community interest.

“We plan to use this working session to inform a future request for proposals from consultants to design the restoration of Acacia Reservation,” explained Richard Kerber, chief planning and design officer. 

The Lyndhurst Community Center is located at 1341 Parkview Drive in Lyndhurst.

For more information on the technical planning meeting, call Jenn Grieser, senior natural resources manager, at 440-331-8679 or jmg2@clevelandmetroparks.com.

Cleveland Metroparks – part of your life, naturally!

This information is available on Cleveland Metroparks website:
www.clevelandmetroparks.com.

The media can retrieve this press release
from the “Press Room” icon location.

Euclid Creek Watershed Coordinator update

Activity in Euclid Creek is in full swing with many ways for you to get involved – from volunteering at events, to attending educational seminars, to donating for conservation - there is something for everyone to help improve the Euclid Creek Watershed! 

Here’s a quick summary of opportunities with more details below:

-       Wetland Planting Events (Cleveland)

-       Streamside Planting Event (Richmond Heights)

-       Invasive Plant Pull and Bioswale Service Day (Cleveland)

-       Green Cleaning Workshop for Inside and Out (Mayfield Village)

-       Rain Barrel Workshop and Sale (Euclid)

-       Rain Barrel Workshop AND Compost Seminar (Mayfield Heights)

-       Technical Restoration Planning Session for Cleveland Metroparks Acacia Reservation (Lyndhurst)

-       NEW Friends of Euclid Creek Conservation fundraising campaign to preserve two beautiful properties on Euclid Creek in Richmond Heights and Highland Heights

-       And, project public input sessions; County Airport runway expansion environmental assessment open house, South-Euclid Lyndhurst new library design session, and Wildwood Wetland & Stream restoration project celebration event

-       And much more to come – just check out the website to keep posted

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Volunteering in the Euclid Creek Watershed
(Do you need volunteer hours for school?  Here are four opportunities below.)

Euclid Creek Wetland and Stream Restoration Project – 2 Wetland Planting EventsSaturday, March 16        9am-noon                     Wildwood State Park, Cleveland
Saturday, May 4             9am-noon                     Wildwood State Park, Cleveland

Please join us for either or both of two planting events at the newly restored wetland in Euclid Creek at Wildwood State Park. 
This work will entail planting wetland plugs in water that is approximately 1-2 feet deep so bring clothes that can get wet and/or a change of clothes. 
Wildwood State Park is located at E. 174th Street and Lakeshore Blvd.  Meet at the pavilion behind the main project construction sign at 9am. 
     Please RSVP to Joel Bingham (jbingham@enviroScienceinc.com) for more details. 

Streamside Tree Planting in Richmond Heights
Saturday, April 27         9:00am-1:00pm              Richmond Heights City Hall

Help Reforest Richmond Heights! ReLeaf partners and volunteers will plant more than a hundred trees, some large, some small, along 770 feet of Claribel Creek, a tributary to the East Branch Euclid Creek in Richmond Heights.

Volunteers are needed for all kinds of work - planting, mulching, donut-distribution and more.
To volunteer, or for more information, please contact Cathi Lehn at 216-241-2414 x307, or email lehnc@crcpo.org. 

Euclid Creek Invasive Plant Pull Event & FOEC Bioswale Garden Service Day

Saturday, May 11          10:00am—noon             Wildwood State Park, Cleveland

Volunteers are needed to help remove invasive garlic mustard. 
Contact Claire Posius, cposius@cuyahogaswcd.org or 216-524-6580 x16 for more info.

Join us at 9:00am in main parking lot by Marina to learn about the Bioswale and help with maintaining the garden, weeding and trash removal in the landscaped median.

Workshops / Learning in the Euclid Creek Watershed

Green Cleaning Workshop for Inside and Out—Mayfield Village

Tuesday, March 12           6:30pm-8:00pm         Mayfield Village Community Room

Cost: $10 for price of materials, spray bottles and recipes

Registration required by March 5 - Call 216-524-6580x16 to register and for more details -
 click here for detailed flyer

National Wildlife Federation Habitat Stewards Workshop

April 8, 9, 13, 16, 17, 20 –

For questions and registration contact Amy Roskilly at 216-524-6580x22 - detailed flyer here

Rain Barrel Workshop and Sale—Euclid Historical Society

Saturday, April 13          10:00am-11:30am          Euclid Historical Society

Registration required by March 29

Contact Claire Posius to register and for details - 216-524-6580x16 -

click here for detailed flyer

Rain Barrel Workshop and Compost Seminar—Mayfield Heights

Thursday, May 30          6:30pm-8:30pm             Mayfield Heights Community Center

Registration required by May 23rd - for on-line registration, click here, or call Kathy at 216-443-3731 - Click here for detailed flyer.

Project Meetings in the Euclid Creek Watershed

Cuyahoga County Airport - Environmental Assessment Open House

Wednesday, February 27           3:30pm-7:30pm        Cuyahoga County Airport, 26180 Curtiss Wright Parkway, Richmond Heights, Ohio

This open house is a “drop in” event—there is no formal presentation scheduled so attendees may arrive any time between 3:30pm and 7:30pm.  The event is open to the public and the purpose of the event is to provide project information and an opportunity to ask questions and leave written comments.  Members of the consulting team will be available to answer questions and refreshments will be provided.  More information is on the project website: www.cuyahoga-airportea.com.

Cuyahoga County Library – South Euclid-Lyndhurst New Branch Design Session

Wednesday, February 27           7:00pm-8:00pm        South Euclid Community Center

CCPL is building a new home for the South Euclid Lyndhurst Library on South Green Road – share your ideas on specific library design elements at this community feedback session – read more here.

Cleveland Metroparks Acacia Reservation - Restoration Technical Planning MeetingTuesday, March 5                      6:30pm-8:00pm        Lyndhurst Community Center               

Click here for the Cleveland Metroparks Press Release

Euclid Creek Wetland and Stream Restoration Celebration!
Wednesday, May 15                  5:00pm-7:00pm         Wildwood State Park, Cleveland

Please join Euclid Creek Watershed Program Partners as we celebrate this exciting wetland and stream restoration project! 

            Call 216-524-6580x16 or email cposius@cuyahogaswcd.org to RSVP and/or for more details.

Donate to help the Euclid Creek Watershed

Friends of Euclid Creek (FOEC) announces first major Fundraising Campaign

Would you help Friends of Euclid Creek protect greenspace in your neighborhood?

FOEC announces its first fundraising campaign to raise money to preserve greenspace in two of our watershed cities, Highland Heights and Richmond Heights.  Friends of Euclid Creek’s goal is to expand greenspace and parks in every one of the 10 communities within the Euclid Creek Watershed.  FOEC immediately needs $20,000 to complete the purchase of the Richmond Heights parcel; and an additional $280,000 to fundraise to protect the Highland Heights parcel.  

§  More information here – for photos, maps of the properties and more details about the funding needed, click here.  

§  To donate on-line click here.

§  To donate by mail, download and mail the Donation Form, click here

Friends of Euclid Creek’s Facebook page is moving!  Please ‘like’ the new group “Friends of Euclid Creek” to keep updated on upcoming events, news, ETC. (click here for link)

Access our Donate feature

Click    H E R E    to access our Buy Now and Donate features.

Funds request, Feb. update

We are now accepting funds to support the purchase of two properties that save endangered greenspace in developed suburbs (Richmond Heights and Highland Heights).

The photo is just one that shows the beauty of the property we are trying to preserve. Any donation is tax deductible since we are a 501c3. Thank you to Connie Herron for providing the photo. Please let me know at jeanette.evans@sbcglobal.net if you would like to contribute.

February 5 Meeting Update 

This is a reminder from President Barb Holtz about our next Friends Of Euclid Creek meeting on Tuesday, February 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the South Euclid Community Center.

"Join us to hear highlights from Claire Posius, our watershed coordinator, and from your FOEC Board. Lots to update regarding strategic planning, our website and a new initiative to raise funds to protect property in Richmond Heights.

Our speaker for the evening will be Erin Huber on Drink Local, Drink Tap. Erin will speak to us about the birth of this organization, what Drink Local, Drink Tap is all about and how we can help the cause.

I will also be asking for volunteers to speak at our March 5 Member Talks. I hope you will consider sharing your expertise or passion for an environmental issue with other members."

February 5 and January 8 Meetings  Feature Great Speakers and Topics - South Euclid Community Center - 6:30  

• February 5 - Love Your Tap Water -  Erin Huber 
• January 8 - non-native earthworms - Cathi Lehn (Program Manager, Cuyahoga River Community Planning) 

Monthly General Meetings: FOEC normally meets the first Tuesday of the month at 6:30pm at the South Euclid Community Center, 1370 Victory Drive, 44121.

Great News from Our President about 2013 Programs 
Here is a reprint from an email from Barb Holtz to FOEC members that includes a list of tentative programs/field trips that should make for a most informative and enjoyable 2013.

Happy New Year, everyone!

I hope this e-mail finds you recovering from holiday fun and feasting and ready for a new year with Friends of Euclid Creek!

A reminder that our first meeting of 2013 is Tuesday, January 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the South Euclid Community Center. Our speaker will be Cathi Lehn, Program manager of Cuyahoga River Community Planning. She will share information with us regarding earthworms.

Earthworms? Yes...did you know there are essentially no native earthworms in Ohio? Might not seem like a problem but it can have devastating effects on an ecosystem.

I have listed below our tentative program/field trip schedule for 2013. Please mark the dates on your calendar now. When speakers are finalized, we'll be sending out a hard copy to everyone.

I hope you will join us for updates, education and social time together.

2013 FOEC Program Schedule/Tentative

January 8    Earthworm Invaders - Cathi Lehn

February 5  Love Your Tap Water – Erin Huber

March 5      Member talks - To Be Rescheduled Later in 2013 -
                    Check back soon for a special program  

April 3         Deer Overpopulation Geoffrey Westerfield, ODNR, Div of Wildlife (combined meeting  with HH Green Task Force; meeting place is HH Community Center

Note: Green Dream in Beachwood (need folks to staff FOEC table)

May 7           Strategic Plan Update and  FOEC Jeopardy!

June 4           Annual picnic

July 2             Visit West Creek Watershed Stewardship Center

August 6       No formal meeting – Boat Float boat workshop?!

September 3  Light Pollution

October 1       Fall Hike in Euclid Creek Reservation

Note: Greenwood Farm FunFest (need folks to staff FOEC table)

November 5    Sewer district speaker about water quality

December 3     Holiday/Fundraiser Party

Feb. 15, 2013 is last day to apply for our scholarship,

For details about our scholarship please see: http://foecnews.blogspot.com/2012/02/scholarship.html

Monthly General Meetings: FOEC normally meets the first Tuesday of the month at 6:30pm at the South Euclid Community Center, 1370 Victory Drive, 44121.

Strategic planning: January is when this will start. January 16 is to be the first meeting. We agreed that 6:00 to 8:00 PM will be the hours.The dates of our meetings are Jan. 16, 23, 30, Feb. 13, March 13, 20. [Feb. 25 update: please note the following from Barb Holtz about a Feb. 27 meeting:   

• Just a reminder that our next strategic planning gathering is this Wednesday, Feb. 27th. 
• Please take time to do your homework! Tom asked us to work on the SWOT Analysis chart ...
• If we all come prepared and get to the meeting on time (if traffic cooperates, that is), we may be able to finish up. Yay! Still keep March 13 and March 20 on your calendars please.]

Land conservation initiative 2013

Land Conservation Opportunities in Richmond Heights and Highland Heights (2013 Initiative)

The Friends of Euclid Creek in partnership with the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District (Cuyahoga SWCD) and the West Creek Preservation Committee is actively fundraising to protect two sensitive properties in the Euclid Creek Watershed.  

In December, 2012, the Cuyahoga SWCD applied to the Clean Ohio fund for money to purchase two properties, one in Richmond Heights and one in Highland Heights.  The good news is that we received funding.  The bad news is that we only received enough funding to cover the purchase of one of the properties.

Due to the amount of funding available, we decided to focus the funds on the Richmond Heights property, but we still are not able to cover all of the project costs like the final closing costs, survey, and land stewardship fees.  

We need ~$11,000 to cover maintenance costs, but immediately we need $9,000 for closing costs.  The owners want to preserve their land and leave behind a legacy of conservation for future generations to enjoy, so please help us realize that goal. 

Please consider sending a donation earmarked for this project to: Friends of Euclid Creek; P.O. Box 21384; South Euclid, 44121.

About the Properties:

A priority action of the Euclid Creek Watershed Action Plan (WAP) is to protect habitat along the sensitive headwater streams (beginnings of the stream) of the East Branch of Euclid Creek. 

The East Branch has some of the most natural streamside (riparian) corridor remaining in the watershed and both properties are identified as critical areas to protect in order to maintain, enhance and improve water quality in the WAP. 

Protection of these last remaining natural resources are essential for Euclid Creek to maintain its functions for pollution filtration, habitat maintenance, and reduction of temperature to name a few important benefits.  See the map below to see the location of both parcels within the watershed.

Photo contest

This image was one of the winners from our last photo contest.