Project Summary
West Creek Conservancy has acquired and protected approximately 361 acres in Montville Township, Geauga County, with funding from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program (WRRSP) and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). The property, now known as Spring Creek Preserve, is located in the Grand River watershed and contains mature hardwood forest, an expansive wetland complex and headwater streams that drain to Spring Creek, a tributary of Trumbull Creek and the State-designated Wild and Scenic Grand River.
Since taking ownership of the property, West Creek Conservancy has begun implementing a comprehensive management and restoration plan focused on improving water quality, enhancing wildlife habitat, and restoring natural ecological processes across the preserve. Initial restoration activities have included assessing and removing invasive species, stabilizing an existing trail system to support long-term stewardship and public access, and implementing a racoon management program to improve breeding success for ground-nesting birds and turtles.
West Creek has partnered with Ducks Unlimited to design and implement a network of water control structures that will maintain and enhance the preserve’s robust wetland complex. This ongoing restoration work will improve hydrologic function, increase wetland resiliency, and strengthen the preserve’s capacity to capture nutrients and sediment before they reach downstream waterways. West Creek has also worked in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and Holden Forests and Gardens to survey invasive species throughout the preserve, and to develop a long-term invasive species management strategy.
The successful conservation of Spring Creek Preserve has already yielded a remarkable impact on wildlife. The preserve supports a diversity of wetland- and forest-dependent species, including nesting sandhill cranes, bald eagles, osprey, green heron, snowy egret, and numerous species of migratory waterfowl that have been documented on the property. The property also has evidence of bobcat and river otter presence, and sightings of black bears and fishers – species previously extirpated from northern Ohio – underscores the regional ecological significance of the high-quality habitat on this protected property.
Project Partners
The Spring Creek Preserve project has been made possible with funding from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. Key partners including Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, and Holden Forests and Gardens have provided technical expertise in support of the design, funding and implementation of restoration activities on site, including wetland restoration and invasive species treatment.
Expected Outcomes and Benefits
West Creek’s successful conservation of Spring Creek Preserve has permanently protected one of the largest and most ecologically significant wetland complexes in the Grand River watershed, safeguarding critical habitat for rare, threatened and sensitive species while preserving natural flood storage and water filtration capacity that benefits the watershed at large. Wetland restoration and ongoing invasive species management will improve hydrologic connectivity, reduce nutrient and sediment loading in the Grand River watershed, protect water quality, and support continued succession of diverse, high-quality native habitat.
The Spring Creek Preserve project represents a long-term investment in regional conservation, ecological restoration and education. West Creek will manage the property in perpetuity as a Signature Preserve, with ongoing stewardship ensuring the continued health of the preserve’s wetland and forest ecosystems, and opportunities for guided nature hikes and other nature-based recreation and education cultivating a deeper appreciation for the natural heritage of the region.
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