Protecting East Point: A Family’s Story of Stewardship

Sitting at the far eastern edge of Middle Bass Island, only a hair’s breadth from Canada, lies the Middle Bass Island East Point Preserve, one of the island’s few remaining natural habitats. Part of the twenty-three islands that form the Lake Erie archipelago and one of the three Bass Islands, Middle Bass was once named Isle des Fleurs, the Island of Flowers, by explorer Robert La Salle for the wildflowers that lined its shores. Though its name shifted when grape cultivation was introduced in the 1800s, spring still brings blooms of those same wildflowers along East Point’s protected shoreline.

Hackberry, walnut, buckeye and Kentucky coffeetrees stretch across the preserve, offering food for more than 120 bird species that migrate through the island each year. One of the last islands before hitting the large expanse of Lake Erie, Middle Bass Island is a critical stop way for the thousands of migratory birds that cross Lake Erie in the spring and fall as they travel to their breeding and wintering grounds respectively.

Until just over a decade ago, all of East Point was in private hands. In the early 1920s, Cleveland attorney and assistant secretary of state Harry F. Payer bought the entire point. He built the East Point Manor, carved a golf course and polo field across the land, and even added a grass runway.

Over the years, the property was divided into parcels, and developers set their eyes on East Point for multi-story condominiums.

That path shifted in 2007 when Ron Helman bought the manor and six surrounding acres. By buying the East Point Manor, he inadvertently discouraged development on the neighboring eight-acre parcel. That land was soon after secured by the Put-in-Bay Township Park District, with support from the Black Swamp Conservancy and our former islands chapter, now its own conservancy. Together, they ensured that this piece of shoreline would remain a natural habitat forever.

A Legacy of Care

The Helman family was involved in the management of the preserve from the beginning. Delighted to see the land protected on an island that faced a rapid decline in green spaces and natural shoreline, Ron worked with the park district to design a walking trail and replant native trees. He volunteered for years to mow the trail until he could no longer travel to the island.

That’s when his son, Chris Helman, picked up the torch. Chris, much like his father, already had a history and enjoyment working outdoors. Every year, members of Black Swamp Conservancy staff get the pleasure of spending time with Chris during annual monitoring visits, and this year we got to ask Chris first-hand about his experience caring for the preserve. “I grew up working outdoors on my grandfather’s and father’s farms, building brush piles for wildlife and tending to natural areas. Caring for the preserve felt like a natural extension of that.”

For years, Chris traveled to the island to mow and trim the trail, all voluntarily like his father before him. After Chris retired from his position on the police force, Lisa Brohl, the CEO and a founding board member of the Put-in-Bay Township Park District, approached him to officially join the park district staff. “What began as volunteer mowing turned into a much larger role; trail upkeep, storm recovery, habitat restoration, and community education.” Though it is hard work, Chris enjoys it, “Working up here on the island is better than playing [on the farm] at home.”

Challenges in Caring for a Living Landscape

Chris has tackled everything from replanting young native trees to clearing trails after violent storms. One particular storm, three years ago, brought nearly 10 inches of rain and 90–100 mph winds, toppling mature trees across the preserve. The loss of old growth trees was a devastating blow, but knowing that life still carries on, Chris pushed forward creating large brush piles for wildlife out of the debris, clearing trails, and planting new trees where old giants had fallen.

Not every challenge comes from nature. Because the preserve has one of the only sandy beaches on the island and a concrete dock, visitors sometimes mistake it for a public beach. Middle Bass Island’s only public beach closed when the airport was built, so people now seek out alternatives. “While many people are understanding when I explain it’s a preserve, others are less so. Fortunately, my professional background helps me communicate respectfully and clearly about why protecting the preserve is so important.”

For Chris, the work is about more than mowing trails. It’s about keeping natural places alive. “We need more land preserved for plants and wildlife where human contact is minimal,” he says. Preserved lands are critical refuges for plants and wildlife; especially on the islands, where development pressures are constant. “I’ve seen firsthand how vital these spaces are for migrating birds. Twice a year, I work with Tom Bartlett, Master Bird Bander for the US Geologic Survey, to record migration data. Prior to that experience, I never realized how essential Middle Bass Island is as a resting and feeding stopover before birds continue their journey. The more natural areas we lose, the more difficult those migrations and the survival of many species become.”

Take Action

The Helman family is an example of what care, family legacy and dedication can accomplish and the progress it can support. “We’ve been fortunate that East Point was preserved instead of developed,” says Chris, “But conservation takes ongoing effort. I want to encourage people to:

• Volunteer your time: help with trail maintenance, tree planting, or habitat care at a local park or preserve.
• Share it with your family: show kids the importance of giving back to nature.
• Support financially: conservation and stewardship take resources, and every contribution matters.”

Thanks to the Helman’s legacy and the work of many partners, East Point will remain a sanctuary for the plants and wildlife that depend on the Lake Erie islands.