Restoration Work to Close Some Trails at Morgan Swamp Preserve While Natural Habitat Restored
Media Contacts
-
Sandra Svoboda
The Nature Conservancy
Phone: 313-574-0645
Email: Sandra.Svoboda@tnc.org
Visitors to The Nature Conservancy in Ohio’s Grand River Conservation Campus and Morgan Swamp Preserve should be prepared for some trail closures as well as seeing some construction equipment on site until Summer 2027.
The Bissell Nature Center, playground, natural play area, boat launch, and community center will stay open, and volunteers will be available to answer questions about the project. The Bliss Pond trail and a portion of the Grand River Trail will be available as well.
The construction is part of a restoration project that The Nature Conservancy will begin Sept. 21. When completed, it will return 26 acres to their historic wetland ecosystem and re-establish the popular trails.
The goal is to replicate that high-quality habitat across the project site, so it blends into the rest of the preserve.
As part of the project, heavy machinery will create depressions for water to naturally pool in different kinds of wetlands, including emergent marshes and forested wetlands, and more than 10,000 native trees and shrubs will be planted.
“The wetlands and forests that surround Morgan Swamp have been relatively undisturbed for the last hundred years, creating a haven for rare species, some of which are threatened or endangered,” said Derrick Cooper, northeast Ohio program manager for The Nature Conservancy in Ohio. “The goal is to replicate that high-quality habitat across the project site, so it blends into the rest of the preserve.”
The Nature Conservancy acquired what is now the Grand River Conservation Campus at Morgan Swamp Preserve in 2011. Previously, the land was used as farmland, a hunting lodge and youth camps.
During that time, drainage tiles were added for farmland, and dirt was hauled in, which flattened and evened out the landscape for cabins, playing fields and other camp-related uses.
“Using historical maps, TNC will act as nature’s detective to find and remove drainage tiles and return the land to its natural state, so it blends in with the surrounding habitat,” Cooper said.
Related Articles
Securing Clean Water for Ohio
From the shores of Lake Erie to the banks of the Ohio River, water sustains us. Learn how TNC is helping safeguard clean water so people and nature can thrive.
Restoring Streams and Wetlands Through the Ohio Mitigation Program (OMP)
The Ohio Mitigation Program is improving water quality and creating healthy habitats for wildlife to thrive by reviving the state's degraded streams and wetlands.
Conserving Ohio's Climate-Resilient Lands
Ohio's natural areas support a thriving recreation industry and an array of plants and wildlife. Discover how we're protecting climate-resilient lands for all.
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more resilient. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 86 countries and territories (41 by direct conservation impact and 45 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. For more news, visit our newsroom or follow The Nature Conservancy on LinkedIn.