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American Heritage Rivers |  |
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American Heritage Rivers Keystone ProjectCuyahoga River - 1Conservation Easements Project Summary Promote acquisition of conservation easements through publicity, education, endorsement, funding, and thorough understanding of the potential tax benefits to landowners throughout the watershed (Geauga, Portage, Summit, and Cuyahoga Counties) Project Benefit The upper portion of the watershed in Geauga and Portage Counties and areas along the tributary streams in Summit and Portage Counties is experiencing rapid urban growth. The counties, townships, and small cities lack the resources and legal expertise to cope with the development that is taking place. If key areas along these streams are not identified and protected through easements, the opportunity to do so will soon pass. The watershed also contains some unique natural heritage sites as identified by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. These include a number of bogs, fins, swamps, and glacial lakes along with their unique plant and animal communities that are representative of more northern latitudes. Although a few of these key areas have been acquired and protected by The Nature Conservancy and the local counties, there are many more sites that are unprotected. Some of these are in danger due to development and changes in runoff patterns and will be lost if action is not forthcoming. Current Partnerships
Project Stage/Status A few easements have been obtained in the upper watershed in Geauga County and in Tinkers Creek (a tributary in Cuyahoga County near Twinsburg). A detailed analysis of needs has been completed in Geauga County but is lacking in the other three counties. Funding for existing easements was acquired through State Natureworks Grants but the program is no longer available. Cost Estimate: $955,000 Resources Needed Federal grants or funding to identify key lands for easement acquisition in Portage, Summit and Cuyahoga Counties ($40,000). Federal grants that will fund education and publicity programs in all four counties ($70,000). Federal grants or funding for the purchase of easements in the identified lands in all four counties ($845,000). Champion Agency: US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service Champion Partners US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Political Support Ohio Congressional Delegation especially Congresswoman Sherrod Brown Initiatives Supported Wild and Scenic River Program John W. Hazel <jhazel@fs.fed.us> >, 304.285.1540 Cuyahoga - 2Coordinated Series of Signing and Interpretive Displays Project Summary A series of permanent displays and signs are proposed to be installed at various locations along the river, offering specific accounts of each particular section of river, telling the story of the Cuyahoga River and its designation as an American Heritage River. The interpretive displays will portray a comprehensive story depicting the history and life of the Cuyahoga. The displays will be designed with consideration given to the creation of a traveling exhibit that will utilize the same interpretive materials and format. Signs are proposed for identifying the river as an American Heritage River at road/river crossings and watershed boundaries. The AHR Partners are seeking funding for materials to develop and construct the site-specific displays. Project Benefits This project fits into the overall scope of the AHR program as being informative, educational, environmentally conscious, and interactive. Expected improvements include increased awareness by the general public of the historic, cultural, and natural characteristics and resources of the Cuyahoga River. The project will also instill a sense of pride in local residents of the importance, uniqueness, and quality of life enhancement that the river provides. This should directly lead to further projects to help protect and interpret the AHR corridor and improve the quality of life throughout the watershed. Current Partnerships
Project Stage/Status A letter was sent out to all Cuyahoga River Watershed Park Districts on June 21, 1999, requesting feedback on the project proposal and their support in developing, hosting, and generally collaborating on the project. Letters of support and willingness to assist/participate have been received from all county park systems and several city park systems in the watershed. The interpretive plan for this project has been completed for the entire watershed with funding from the USDA Forest Service. An interpretive plan for the Ohio and Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor (NHC) was also recently completed by a private contractor, which was funded by the National Park Service and local National Heritage Corridor non-profit Associations. The interpretive plan for the watershed concentrates on four themes: Ice Age Legacy, Western Boundary (history), Working River, and Enduring River. The interpretive plan for the Heritage Corridor centers around three themes also, which include "People at Work", " Industry at Work and "Nature at Work" and covers about 40% of the Cuyahoga American Heritage River Corridor AHR). The Cuyahoga AHR interpretive program is designed to tie into the themes and exhibits of the National Heritage Corridor. Funding is needed to develop a series of 40 watershed signs and 30 interpretive exhibits throughout the watershed area outside the American Heritage corridor. Cost Estimate: $460,000 Resources Needed Federal and non-federal grants for design, layout, and construction of the interpretive exhibits (most permanent, but to include several portable exhibits). ($300,000). Federal and non-federal assistance for the design and purchases of the kiosks to display the interpretive exhibits ($150,000). Federal and non-federal assistance for the design and placement of 25-watershed boundary information signs throughout the watershed. ($10,000) Proposed Champion Agency: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Champion Partners US Department of the Interior, National Park Service Political Support Ohio Congressional Delegation especially Congressman Thomas Sawyer, Congresswoman Sherrod Brown, and Congressman Dennis Kucinich Other Initiatives Supported Ohio and Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor River Navigator John W. Hazel <jhazel@fs.fed.us >, 304.285.1540
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