October 11, 2014, planting at the Highland
Heights property recently preserved by
Friends of Euclid Creek.
July 29, 2014 -
Land Protected
in Highland Heights
Press Release from Claire Posius
Press Release from Claire Posius
Cleveland,
OH – The Cuyahoga Soil
and Water Conservation District (CSWCD), in partnership with West Creek
Conservancy (WCC) and Friends of Euclid Creek (FOEC), has protected 12 acres of
wooded land in the City of Highland Heights after CSWCD’s proposal was awarded
funding from the Clean Ohio Conservation Fund. The land lies west of and
adjacent to the Highland Heights Community Park and fronts on Bishop Road just
south of Hawthorne Drive.
This wooded property includes mostly
native trees in a mature forest with sensitive headwater streams and three
wetland complexes that provide critical wildlife habitat and hydrologic
function. Protecting the streams and wetlands provides valuable floodplain
capacity by holding and filtering pollutants from storm water runoff. Conserving
our last remaining wetlands is critical as 95% of the watershed’s wetlands have
been destroyed.
In addition to the immediate
conservation value, the 12 acres combine into a larger conservation area with
Highland Heights Community Park and the Mayfield School Board-owned Dusty
Goldenrod property conserved in 2008 with Clean Ohio funds, totaling nearly 125
acres of protected greenspace.
The City of Highland Heights and
Council fully supported the grant proposal and have shown overwhelming support
for the now funded project, as well as residents along adjacent Hawthorne Drive
who are thrilled at the land protection. Highland Heights Mayor Coleman said
about the project, “On behalf of the City of Highland Heights and our City
Council, I would like to congratulate the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation
District, the West Creek Conservancy and the Friends of Euclid Creek for their
successful grant bid. We were pleased to provide our support to this mutually
beneficial conservation project, and we look forward to the additional
greenspace for our residents to enjoy.”
“Many thanks to the collaborative
partnership that brought this project to fruition! It's integral that we're
able to preserve vital greenspace within our communities, not only to expand
our park systems, but to also provide natural buffers for our streams and
wetlands. We're happy to help preserve yet another gem within the Euclid Creek
watershed”, said Derek Schafer, Executive Director of the West Creek
Conservancy.
The land will be owned by West Creek
Conservancy and CSWCD will hold the conservation easement. Immediate plans for
the property are to assess the property’s ecological health and to conduct
restoration where needed.
Project partners are planning a
volunteer cleanup day at the site on Saturday, October 11 from 10:00am - 2:00pm
in order to install plants, fencing and to clean up trash. Whether through a
monetary donation or a commitment of time and effort, those who participate in
this preservation day will truly be making a significant impact upon the health
and beauty of this special place in the watershed. Donations are also
appreciated to help with costs associated with the future maintenance of the
property.
For
more information contact the Euclid Creek Watershed Coordinator,
Claire Posius, at 216-524-6580 x16 or
Claire Posius, at 216-524-6580 x16 or
Twelve acres of Highland Heights property near community park to be preserved in perpetuity
One of our 2014 initiatives involves the property described in this article -
Land Conservation Opportunities in Richmond Heights and Highland Heights
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.
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