Morgan Preserve Wetlands & Stream Restoration

Click on map for close-up

This project restored 9.5 acres of wetland and 1,500 feet of stream channel. It was made possible by a Surface Water Improvement Fund grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.  With those funds, the Park District contracted with Davey Resource Group to do the project, which included planning, excavation and earthwork, killing alien invasive plants and coordinating the planting of 7,900 trees and shrubs and native grass seed on over 17 acres with the help of dozens of volunteers.

 

 Benefits of wetlands restoration                                  

• Improved water quality: wetlands help to filter excess nutrients, sediments and other pollutants before water runs into rivers or recharges the groundwater aquifer
• Improved wildlife habitat: wetlands ecosystems provide places for a great diversity of animals and plants to live
• Stormwater management: by slowing down stormwater and allowing it to soak in, downstream flooding potential is reduced
• Research and education:  restoration projects are great opportunities to learn about land conservation and management practices
• Learn more about watersheds and the value of wetlands protection and restoration HERE

Thanks Partners!

Kent State University created a special topics course focused on the restoration and provided work-study student liaisons to help coordinate between the students and the Park District. The students not only learned about wetlands restoration with a real project, they got hands-on experience planting trees. We look forward to a continued partnership with KSU researching, documenting and helping to manage the restoration project over time.

Davey Resource Group connected with Fairmount Minerals who helped to meet the company’s 2012 goal of offsetting their carbon footprint.  They donated and planted 5,800 trees and shrubs at a volunteer work day by their Quest for Eco-Efficiency employee group.

Student Liason funding was provided by the Western Reserve Resource Conservation and Development Council via its project CLEAN, the Collaborative Learning Through Environmental Action Network--special thanks to Glenn Odenbrett who facilitated the Network.  We acknowledge Congressman Steven C. LaTourette for his support of the Appropriation that made this CLEAN project possible.

This project and publication was financed in part or totally through a grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, under the provisions of the Clean Water Act.  The contents and views, including any opinions, findings, or conclusions or recommendation, contained in this publication are those of the authors and have not been subject to any Ohio Environmental Protection Agency or United States Environmental Protection Agency peer or administrative review and may not necessarily reflect the views of either Agency, and no official endorsement should be inferred.

Morgan Wetlands and Stream Restoration public tour on River Day, May 19, 2012