Protecting Open Space on Crowded Catawba Island
With new housing creeping toward what remains of the marshy shorelines and interior woods in this popular resort area, the Black Swamp Conservancy was pleased to recently be awarded a Clean Ohio grant for the purchase of two privately owned pieces on Catawba Island. One piece preserves 12 acres of pristine shoreline and the other is more than 19 acres of mature hardwood forest.
Howard Island: Sunset Landmark
Our Maumee River starts small and slow, snaking through nearly flat land, coming north and east. Then, between Grand Rapids and Providence, Ohio, the river is wide and hits its first fast water and river rapids. Standing in the middle of the Maumee River there, shaped like a fish swimming upstream, is the beautiful 9-acre Howard Island. The waters of the Maumee roll around it from its nose to its tail and pick up speed falling around it down the shallow, rocky riverbed.
Saving Seeds, Sowing Hope
Wading through tall ripe grasses and fading wildflowers is a lovely way to spend a fall day. It’s also an important way to support the restoration efforts of the Black Swamp Conservancy. Our volunteers collect the seeds that we’ll use next season to restore additional acres of meadow and prairie.
A Little Gem in Ottawa County
In Ottawa County, there is a jewel of marshland in private hands that is protected by Black Swamp Conservancy through a permanent conservation agreement. It is about 70 acres tucked between a marina and farm fields, sharing a Turtle Creek border with the iconic Magee Marsh. The property is currently named South Lake Hunt Club, but it won’t be used for regular hunting anymore.
Paradise in Paulding County: Little Auglaize Wildlife Reserve
There’s a hidden wonderland in Paulding County, Ohio where pheasants nest, chorus frogs sing and river otters splash. Little Auglaize Wildlife Reserve is a veritable Shangri-la for more than 70 different documented species.
Wolf Creek Restoration Project Nearing Completion
The workday starts early at the Conservancy’s new Clary-Boulee-McDonald Nature Preserve along Wolf Creek in Seneca County. Just after first light, heavy machinery starts moving, working to sculpt the landscape back to natural conditions.
Thanks for Getting Wild with Us
So Wild a Place was our first big public event in a few years, and it was a great success! Thank you to everyone who helped make this event possible by buying tickets or home celebration kits, volunteering their time and talent, and promoting the event. Special thanks to our auction donors and event sponsors, as well as Jimmy G’s BBQ for the delicious meal.
Annie Proulx’s Love Letter to the Swamp
Historical accounts of swamps are rarely kind. Their still waters were a breeding ground for disease-carrying mosquitoes. Swamp land also made travel difficult and prevented agricultural pursuits and commercial development.
Walking at Bell Woods
We had a great turnout for our first nature walk of the season with more than 30 people coming out to wade through black swamp muck and vernal pools to explore the early signs of spring at Bell Woods. Carpets of trillium lined our path through the woods, and we were treated to a myriad of ephemeral blooms along the way. And, the herons put on a great show, winging to and from their nests in care of their chicks.
Smile, You’re on Herpetology Camera!
Black Swamp Conservancy was recently chosen as one of only three organizations in the state to receive a temporary equipment grant from Ohio Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (OHPARC).
