Western Reserve Land Conservancy

The Grimm Conservation Award was created in 2007 to pay tribute to the outstanding contributions of Richard and Susan Grimm and their family to create a means by which Western Reserve Land Conservancy can honor and recognize individuals and/or organizations who have made valuable contributions to advance the mission of the Land Conservancy. Specifically, the Grimm Conservation Award will honor a conservationist for his or her outstanding individual leadership and distinguished service to preserving and protecting our region’s natural and historic resources for the benefit of their community and for future generations. This year, Western Reserve Land Conservancy and the Grimm Family were proud to award two Grimm Conservation Awards. Our second winners were Dwight and Sandy Scheibe. Dwight and Sandy own a 66-acre recreation property in the scenic Mohican region. Mostly forested, the Scheibe property contains 42 acres of hemlock-pine-hardwood forest and 8.5 acres of floodplain forest. Mohican State Park and Forest (with nearly 6,000 acres) is within 2 miles of the property as is the 400-acre Miller-Valley Head Farm preserved in 2018 and a former Grimm Medal recipient. https://lnkd.in/exqTwqb7

The Grimm Conservation Award was created in 2007 to pay tribute to the outstanding contributions of Richard and Susan Grimm and their family to create a means by which Western Reserve Land Conservancy can honor and recognize individuals and/or organizations who have made valuable contributions to advance the mission of the Land Conservancy. Specifically, the Grimm Conservation Award will honor a conservationist for his or her outstanding individual leadership and distinguished service to preserving and protecting our region’s natural and historic resources for the benefit of their community and for future generations. This year, Western Reserve Land Conservancy and the Grimm Family were proud to award two Grimm Conservation Awards. Our first winner, James Tackett, owns 124 acres in Bazetta Township, which includes 74 acres he recently purchased that was slated for development. His interest in a conservation easement was spurred by the threat of development to the 74-acre property adjacent to his home. On a cool winter’s day in December, James awoke to see bulldozers pulled up to the property. When he confronted the individuals, they shared their intent to clear cut the forest habitat on the property. James sprang into action. He quickly negotiated, executed, and closed on a purchase and sale agreement with the landowner for purchase of the land within the span of a few weeks. This in turn saved the trees on the property. https://lnkd.in/eB--mYJa

Our mission is supported by so many great partners, and we hope you’ll join us in supporting one of the partners that contributes to our work. Chagrin Valley Upland Society (CVUS) is a local non-profit organization dedicated to conservation, camaraderie, and community. The Land Conservancy and the CVUS have partnered to clear a 17-acre portion of the Ashcroft Woods Conservation Area in order to create early successional habitat. The 17-acre area along Johnson Rd. is mostly comprised of non-native pine and invasives like multiflora rose and glossy buckthorn. After the removal of the trees, stumps, and invasives, the Land Conservancy will re-plant the site with native grasses, forbs, and shrubs to provide early successional habitat that is necessary to many of the wildlife we enjoy pursuing. On September 26, 2024, CVUS is hosting an event of fine food, drinks, sporting attire, art, and camaraderie that will promise to impress. Entertainment for the event will be provided by Grammy-nominated artist, Al Snyder. Funds provided by ticket sales will go a long way to help further the mission of CVUS throughout our community. CVUS is dedicated to making a difference here in northeast Ohio. Please reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions or check out their website: www.thecvus.com

We gathered on Wednesday at our Sugar Island Preserve to celebrate our Eastern Region landowners, donors, and partners for our annual Eastern Region Celebration. Over 140 attendees joined us for a beautiful and memorable evening, reflecting on the year’s achievements and how their collective efforts have made conservation happen. Go to https://lnkd.in/dNHYgZnH to learn more about this special project.

The Land Conservancy recently helped Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District acquire 622 acres in southern Coshocton County using Ohio Public Works Commission funds. The property is a critical link in a growing conservation corridor in eastern Ohio - bringing together a 7,800-acre block of protected land owned by MWCD. The property contains successional hardwood forests, rolling terrain, 20 acres of ponds and wetlands, and approximately 4,375 linear feet of streams. Beyond protecting critical habitat, the project also conserves a significant, publicly accessible portion of recreation land that will be used for hiking, hunting, fishing, mountain biking, and other passive outdoor recreation opportunities. As always, we greatly appreciate the Ohio Public Work Commission's and MWCD’s partnership to help conserve great pieces of land in Ohio!

One of our trail cameras spotted a Wood Stork on one of our protected properties in Ashtabula County this week. Not typically seen in Ohio, we're hopeful this visitor is just fueling up before heading back home!

This summer, our amazing tree crew went above and beyond, watering around 90,000 gallons to 700 trees! But that’s not all—they’ve also been hard at work pruning, mulching, and weeding over 1,200 trees as we transition into fall. We’re gearing up for an exciting planting season, planning to add about 175 new trees to our tree canopy! Stay tuned for upcoming planting events! 🌳

Thank you, Bank of America, for all of your support and an amazing day with volunteers!

Urban Heat Islands happen when city areas get much hotter than rural areas because of all of the hard surfaces of buildings and roads. This extra heat makes people use more energy, causes more air pollution, and leads to health problems, especially where there isn’t a healthy tree canopy. 🌳 At Western Reserve Land Conservancy, we're tackling Urban Heat Islands head-on! 🌡️ Our Reforest Our City program has started integrating temperature data into our tree maintenance reports. We're not just growing trees—we're gathering valuable insights to combat city heat.

Today, we cut the ribbon on a brand-new pavilion and ADA accessible walkway at Oberlin Preserve. The pavilion is adjacent to the parking lot and provides access for all visitors to experience the preserve. Stretching 63-acres, Oberlin Preserve is one of few prairies left in the region and provides access to a unique glimpse at native grasses, shrubs, and pollinators. The addition of the pavilion and walkway are just two of many improvements made at the preserve. Since its initial restoration planting in 2017, nearly 600 native wildflower plants, more than 200 native trees, and 30 acres of prairie and wildflower seed have been planted by corporate and community volunteers, as well as students from Oberlin College. In addition to prairie habitat, the preserve also includes fields, woodlands, wet sedge meadow, and forested vernal pools, and a boardwalk and overlook were built in 2022 to enable visitors to better access a rich vernal pool full of wildlife. We hope you will visit Oberlin Preserve soon! Learn more at https://lnkd.in/e-6ceyRt