Wildlife Wednesday: Fun fact about eastern wild turkeys—they were almost our national bird! Eastern wild turkeys only lost out to the bald eagle by one vote in 1782. Their heads change colors, switching between red, white, and blue to communicate emotions like excitement, aggression, or fear primarily during mating rituals.
The Sassafras tree, an Ohio native, is a deciduous tree that can be found throughout the entire state of Ohio and along most of the eastern coast of the United States. With leaves that sometimes resemble mittens when they are two-lobed, Sassafras trees can often be easily identified.
Aside from their uniquely shaped leaves, they also release a distinguishably sweet scent when crushed or rubbed. Sassafras flavoring has even been used by people throughout history—in the past, the bark of Sassafras roots was used to produce Sassafras tea and root beer!
Next time you’re in the woods and spot the mitten leaf or the interlaced ridges of its bark, crush one of its leaves up for a whiff of its natural, sweet aroma.
It was Volunteer Day with Friends of Thurgood Marshall Green on May 5!
30+ volunteers from Green Sports Alliance came to remove litter from planting beds and paved areas, wipe down park signage and play equipment, hand-pull common weeds, and replenish mulch in the shrub beds and tree pits.
We were excited to provide an Operations & Maintenance guide to the Thurgood Marshall Green community as an educational resource that sets a precedent for citizen stewardship of the park. It was a successful day in the Hough neighborhood with the help of our guidance!
Last week, our staff was excited to get out of the office and head over to the Cleveland Museum of Art Transformer Station to view and discuss "Improper Frames". For this thoughtful and impactful exhibit, artists came together to use Cleveland Property Survey data (collected by Western Reserve Land Conservancy and City of Cleveland) to convey the stories of Clevelanders.
The exhibit ends May 10, so we encourage you to get out while you can to check it out. Learn more at /events/improper-frames
Western Reserve Land Conservancy currently has one open position! Head over to our website to learn more and apply to become a part of our team 😊 #linkinbio
Last month, we held our annual Adam's and Haley's Run Cleanup in Akron! Our tireless group of 20 volunteers removed invasive garlic mustard and picked up countless bags of trash, multiple tires, and pieces of scrap metal throughout the crisp spring morning, connecting with each other while beautifying the trails.
Thank you to our volunteers from @lkqcorp , Air Enterprises, @summit_swcd , Akron City Council, and the Greater Akron community for helping us remove litter and ensure this trail remains a welcoming community space.
After nearly seven years, the Niss Waterfall Preserve has been transferred to the Richland County Park District, who will own, manage, and open the property for passive public recreation.
The 287-acre property, featuring wetlands, forested upland, an open water pond, and restored agricultural field, was acquired in 2019 through a Clean Ohio grant and a generous donation from Dan and Brenda Niss. During the Land Conservancy’s temporary ownership, the former agricultural fields were seeded with native pollinator mix and planted with 27,700 bare root seedlings, a parking area was added, and a trail connector was built linking Trimble Road to the Richland B&O Trail. Thank you to our funding partners the Niss family, Ohio Public Works Commission, Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission, Arbor Day Foundation, the Black Family Foundation Fund, and NRCS EQIP.
Without this effort, the land likely would have been developed. Instead, it will remain a protected natural asset for the community and wildlife for generations.
@richlandcountyparkdistrict@ohiopublicworkscommission@arbordayfoundation
Last week we spent an afternoon on Storer Avenue in Cleveland's Stockyards neighborhood talking with residents about The Art Garden—a new public sculpture garden taking shape on three vacant lots. The project will feature three large metal sculptures by Cleveland artist @blackbraingroup , gathering space for neighbors and events, and around 40 new trees along the corridor.
Neighbors stopped by under the big maple to look at plans, ask questions, and share their hopes for the space. Thank you to everyone who came out, and to our partners making this possible: BlackBrain, @metrowest.cle (pictured), Councilwoman @jazzysantana7 and the Ward 14 office, and @cityofcleveland .
We had the best time planting 1,200 native tree plugs with @girlscoutsoh last weekend at a property we recently protected in partnership with Prairie Township in Franklin County. This important and beautiful natural area will be open for public use in the future, and these tree plugs, along with 550 potted trees and 35 acres of native pollinator seed, will be the perfect addition to the space—growing to provide shade and critical habitat for wildlife.
Huge thank you to the Girl Scout troops, @odnrforestry , @ohiodnap , @usfws , and the H2Ohio program for supporting the restoration!
(Pictures by @davidikephotography )
Join us for a unique volunteer event! Hike or canoe through scenic local parks while gathering unwanted waste along the way. We have found tires, beds, and many treasures during our 27 years of cleaning up the river. Who knows what you will pull out this year? Learn more and sign up using the link in our bio!
On Friday, April 24, RPM associates volunteered at Shiverick Preserve in Hunting Valley in honor of Earth Day. Employees from RPM’s Tremco, Euclid Chemical, and Day-Glo brands assisted in removing invasive species, clearing trails, cleaning culverts, and cutting brush. The group had a great time exploring this limited-access preserve and enjoying the sights and sounds of spring.
Looking to sneak in some springtime fishing this weekend? Check out Blue Heron Preserve in honor of Janet Franklin Foster, one of the Land Conservancy's signature parks!
Earlier this month, the Ohio Division of Wildlife stocked 1,002 rainbow trout in the preserve's lakes. These fish are approximately 12-18" in length and the daily limit is five for any Ohio licensed angler. All other species of fish are catch and release only.
