Project Summary
The Bronson Creek Forest property comprises five acres of almost entirely wetland area in Trumbull Township, Ashtabula County. The property is adjacent to the 1,064-acre Grand River Terraces Preserve, in the Grand River Lowlands region, owned and managed by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Together, these conservation efforts bring the total protected area to 25 acres, including a successful addition of five acres of high-quality wetlands. Acquisition of the Bronson Creek Forest property presented a strategic opportunity to expand the Grand River Terraces Preserve area, and to protect the high-quality water resources within the Grand River Lowlands. The Bronson Creek Forest property contains over 700 linear feet of Bronson Creek – a high-quality tributary of the State Wild and Scenic Grand River – as well as five acres of forested and riverine wetlands that protect and enhance water quality in Bronson Creek and downstream in the Grand River.
At the request of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, West Creek Conservancy pursued acquisition and permanent conservation of the Bronson Creek Forest property. Funding was secured through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant program, and the property was acquired in February, 2025. The Bronson Creek Forest has since been transferred to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History for long term ownership as part of the Grand River Terraces Preserve, and is preserved as a natural area in perpetuity.
Project Partners
West Creek Conservancy worked with Ducks Unlimited to pursue funding for this acquisition through the North American Wetland Conservation Act grant program. The Cleveland Museum of Natural History initially identified the Bronson Creek Forest property as a priority for acquisition, and is now the long-term owner and steward of this high-quality natural area.
Expected Outcomes and Benefits
Bronson Creek is a high-quality tributary to the Grand River. The creek flows east through the Bronson Creek Forest property, through a few adjacent privately-owned properties, and into the Grand River Terraces Preserve where it then enters the Grand River. The confluence of Bronson Creek and the Grand River is also the location of a high-quality freshwater mussel bed, which supports 11 species of freshwater mussels including the round hickorynut (Obovaria subrotunda, federally threatened and state endangered), the black sandshell (Ligumia recta, state species of concern) and the kidneyshell mussel (Ptychobranchus fasciolaris, state species of concern). With the acquisition of Bronson Creek Forest, over 4,100 linear feet of Bronson Creek is now under conservation. Protection of this high-quality tributary stream, including its riparian areas and associated wetlands, is critical to preserving water quality in the Grand River sufficient to support these rare species of mussel.
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