Preserving Our Natural Heritage
Protecting what we have so future generations can enjoy the unspoiled land, and the clean air and water that we enjoy.
Metroparks actively works to preserve the best examples of northwest Ohio’s natural areas for public enjoyment. Protecting forests, grasslands, rivers, and wetlands, promoting sustainable use, is the most important work that we do.
Water and Air Quality
Being in such close proximity to Lake Erie, northwest Ohio residents are concerned about water quality – and rightly so. However, Metroparks Toledo’s greatest opportunities for improving water quality don’t lie in Lake Erie, but on the many lakes, rivers and waterways that speckle our region.
Invasive species removal along banks at Neis Ditch, the rerouting of Blue Creek, the restoration of a former agricultural space to a stream in Cannonball Prairie, and preserving the banks of the Maumee are all ways Metroparks Toledo is turning the tides for water quality in the region. Thanks to projects like Howard Marsh and Middlegrounds, in addition to work through the Blue Creek Native Nursery, native species are returning to the area in droves, and the region becomes a healthier place to live – both for your peace of mind and for your drinking supply – with every non-native plant replaced with a native one.
Metroparks is taking an active role in restoring air quality. Fortunately, planting natives and supporting local wildlife, which Metroparks Toledo initiatives do, improves air quality as well.
It’s a natural progression: As your water and earth become cleaner, so does the air. Metroparks Toledo’s commitment to planting only native plant species and removing invasive and non-native species like pine trees and honeysuckle encourages a healthier circle of life. Air quality is part of that circle.
Habitat Loss and Fragmentation
Habitat loss, either due to invasive species taking over or because of human intervention, is a major concern here at Metroparks Toledo. But the destruction of animals’ homes isn’t the only concern; it’s also important to think about habitat fragmentation.
Think about it this way: it’s better to have one 1,000-acre patch of a habitat than to have 1,000 one-acre patches of land. By providing species with an interconnected, open space, we enable those species to thrive, living as normal lives and as free from human impact as possible.
One example of how Metroparks is working to reduce habitat fragmentation in Northwest Ohio is our Oak Openings Corridor. By acquiring and protecting parcels of land throughout the Oak Openings region, we are rebuilding the natural landscape to connect separate larger protected areas, from the Oak Openings Preserve to Secor Metropark, allowing wildlife to move freely through the region. This landscape-scale corridor improves the health and resilience of our native ecosystems.
Land Protection
In 2002, nearly two-thirds of Lucas County voters approved a land levy for the exclusive purpose of Metroparks purchasing additional property. Since then, Metroparks has put intentional emphasis on protecting northwest Ohio by increasing its holdings. Over the last two decades, Metroparks Toledo has grown by over 5,900 acres. Today, Metroparks maintains nearly 13,000 acres throughout the region, including at least one park within 5 miles of every Lucas County resident [Details]. Once new land is acquired, Metroparks employees and volunteers set to work to restore what once lived there. A key goal of our land acquisition and protection is restoring the Oak Openings Corridor [link to that page], by connecting existing Metroparks with other protected areas, such as Irwin Prairie State Nature Preserve, Kitty Todd Preserve, and Maumee State Forest.
In 2002, nearly two-thirds of Lucas County voters approved a land levy for the exclusive purpose of Metroparks purchasing additional property. Since then, Metroparks has put intentional emphasis on protecting northwest Ohio by increasing its holdings. Over the last two decades, Metroparks Toledo has grown by over 5,900 acres. Today, Metroparks maintains nearly 13,000 acres throughout the region, including at least one park within 5 miles of every Lucas County resident [link to the story map [VIEW]. Once new land is acquired, Metroparks employees and volunteers set to work to restore what once lived there. A key goal of our land acquisition and protection is restoring the Oak Openings Corridor [link to that page], by connecting existing Metroparks with other protected areas, such as Irwin Prairie State Nature Preserve, Kitty Todd Preserve, and Maumee State Forest.