A Story of Staying Power

Peninsular Farms

Inside a deep curl in the Sandusky River near Fremont are about 500 historic acres that have been saved over and over again. They are now saved for good but it’s been a long and crooked path.

Peninsular Farms can trace its history to about 1782, several years before the first official settlement in the Northwest Territory. At that time, two English-born people, James Whitaker and Elizabeth Foulks, were granted 1280 acres by the Wyandot tribe who had held the pair for years. The gift from the tribe could have been ignored by the local government, but in 1830 Foulks was given official title, keeping it together as the Whitaker Reserve. After the death of Foulks and as years went on, the land was whittled away to development. By the late 1920s it was a series of small farms with separate owners. Then John J. Mooney, who raised harness horses, purchased all the farms, consolidating the land into the 480 contiguous acres, and named it Peninsular Farms. It was a working farm and horse stable for many years but then fell into disrepair on the death of Mooney. Again, there was danger of the land being broken up for development. In 1979, Don W. Miller, a businessman who lived nearby, succeeded in purchasing the land from Mooney’s son and heir. He’s the hero of this story.

Miller was a conservationist and preservationist. After he purchased the land, he was bombarded by developers but he refused to break up the property. He was bitten by its history and beauty and began to slowly rehabilitate the old buildings. He moved into the pre-1920 home and worked steadily to restore stream banks and plant thousands of trees. When the bald eagle population began to recover, Peninsular Farms was one of the first known nesting sites on the Sandusky River. It’s also home to deer and fox and other wildlife. The farms became a local landmark and the site of family weddings, neighborhood hayrides, and other celebrations. Occasionally Miller allowed Sandusky County Park District to host tours. In 2001, he took a big step and arranged to transfer ownership to the Black Swamp Conservancy after his death. He wanted to ensure that Peninsular Farms would never be sold off, split up, or developed.

But challenges to the farm and its preservation were not over yet. In 2014 First Energy proposed to use eminent domain to cut a swath through it to install transmission lines. The plan called for clear cutting a 60-foot-wide path and erecting 80-foot towers on the land. This would have broken up habitat permanently. Now the public rallied. Pushed by warnings of a conservation tragedy from the Black Swamp Conservancy, neighbors and friends of this special place wrote, called, and showed up at public meetings to make the case that the land should remain intact. They won. First Energy put the line elsewhere.

Howard Island – Sunset Landmark

Our Maumee River starts small and slow, creeping over nearly flat land, coming north and east. Then, between Grand Rapids and Providence, Ohio, the river is wide and hits its first fast water and its first islands. Standing in the middle of the Maumee River there, shaped like a fish swimming upstream, is beautiful 9-acre Howard Island. The waters of the Maumee roll around it from its nose to its tail and pick up speed falling around it down the shallow rocky riverbed.

This unique and beautiful island has just been purchased by the Conservancy from a private owner with funds from the H2Ohio program. It was one of the last Maumee River islands held in private hands and its acquisition is a rare opportunity to preserve it forever.

Visitors to the village of Grand Rapids and Mary Jane Thurston State Park are familiar with view of Howard island. It is in the center of the river, connected to both shores and to smaller Buttonwood Island by low roller dams. It is the sunset view for people in the village walking along the towpath trail between a side cut canal and the Maumee River.

The island is nearly untouched by development. There are a few narrow footpaths and previous owners have done some hunting, but all the trees, soil, and stone are as they have been forever. The Conservancy has no plans to build structures for people on the island but is looking into an intriguing idea that would allow fish better access to historical spawning habitat upriver from the dam.

While fish can now make it over the dam, it’s a challenge. Water flows continuously over its top, but the structure has a shape that holds water in a “keeper” flow. This shape slows and baffles water, which is helpful for preventing erosion, but fish need to fight their way through it. The Conservancy is investigating whether a fish ladder or passage can be constructed through the body of Howard Island. If a ladder is feasible, the Maumee’s walleye and whitefish would once again have easy access to about 21 miles of spawning habitat, as far west as the Independence Dam between Defiance and Napoleon. Giving the fish of the Maumee all this range would change the life of the river forever. It would be nationally significant.

The first step is to see if the idea is feasible. If so, funding and construction could take several years. But Howard island has all the time in the world. It is now permanently preserved and will remain a landmark in the big Maumee, nose to the west, swimming toward the sunset.

“Flowing Forward” – Telling the Black Swamp Conservancy Story

Mud-thick boots, cold farmers, an adze chopping holes for tiny trees in a huge field. These are memorable images from “Flowing Forward.” The new film by Christy Frank and Alex Goetz of Running Wild Media follows one recent restoration project of the Black Swamp Conservancy to tell the larger story of the history and mission of the Conservancy.

Frank and her team filmed a Conservancy project along Wolf Creek in Seneca County from the purchase of a farm field to final planting of a large wetland habitat. Watching the finished 15-minute documentary, viewers will learn how managing water in one farm field has an impact on drinking water for thousands of people. Along the way, viewers will learn some history of the Black Swamp region, how and why local people created the Conservancy, and about the ethics and science that drive Conservancy operations.

Christy Frank found creating the documentary hard but rewarding. She said, “It was a challenging subject matter, in that having land itself as a character can be difficult to portray.” The film shows that character as one capable of change. It starts as a flat cornfield but by the end is a dynamic environment of wetland, woodland, pools, and meadow. Where at first water shoots through the field to a ditch, at the end, water rests and percolates through the soil. Rainwater forms pools to feed native plants and to harbor baby frogs.

She added, “I hope our film shows the value of what Black Swamp Conservancy is providing to the region and how, as we learn more, we have the ability to improve the way we interact with our environments.”

Frank and Goetz are local filmmakers with national and international experience. Their work has appeared in outlets including National Geographic WILD, BBC, PBS Nature, and CBS Sunday Morning. “Flowing Forward” was funded by Land Trust Alliance as part of a grant that also funded a GIS program for the Black Swamp Conservancy.

A Place for Nature

There is a secluded area in rural Hancock County where the Blanchard River winds in its long-worn path. Where nut trees and white pines stand in quiet watch as they have for hundreds of years. This is a place that shelters owls, woodpeckers, and other wildlife and where a wide range of amphibians have a comfortable home. The Blanchard River Nature Preserve is left to them. Humans are allowed in to share the shade on a hot day, or to quietly watch what nature is up to. But this is first and foremost a peaceful place for wildlife.

The 64 acres of the preserve includes more than a mile of the meandering Blanchard River. This natural flow is untouched by ditches or channels. It wanders the lowlands of its floodplain acres, swelling with the rain and snowmelt and sinking low during times of drought. Places to hold water are critical to the environmental health our region. A floodplain allows water to naturally sink into the earth, absorbing and making use of nutrients that would otherwise find their way to Lake Erie. In the Blanchard River Nature Preserve, the wetlands support a riot of early flowers that carpet areas of the preserve in the spring. The area surrounding the preserve is highly agricultural and the floodplain captures excess nutrients that can flow off fields and farms. Retained rainwater also recharges the seasonal vernal pools in the preserve creating ideal habitat for chorus frogs, leopard frogs, spring peepers and other amphibians.

There are no paved trails in the preserve but a few rustic paths provide some accessibility. When the river rises up, intrepid paddlers can access the Blanchard River Water Trail. The water trail is 37.6 miles long and the Blanchard River Nature Preserve is the most upstream access point at river mile 84.1. The water trail has many scenic rewards as it flows north and then west through forested riverbanks. The observant kayaker or wader at the Blanchard River Nature Preserve access point might see some rare mussels in the riverbed or notice the mudball chimneys on the stream banks that tell you crayfish are at work. The preserve is home to endangered mussels including the round pigtoe and purple lilliput and the northern crayfish, which is listed as a species of special concern. In the forested area, the property includes at least one slow-growing rock elm tree which can live for 300 years and grow to 100 feet.

There is a world of contrast in this preserve. Sharing the property with sponge-like wetlands full of water-loving plants, it also includes an unusual dry habitat called an alvar, found in the U.S. only in the Great Lakes region and rare even here. Alvars are places where bedrock is exposed for most or part of the year. Because there is little to no soil in an alvar, plants found here are like those found on prairie grasslands that can survive with little water.

The Conservancy purchased the land in 2013 and transferred ownership to the Hancock County Park District while retaining the conservation agreement. The land will never be developed. While some of the Conservancy’s preserved areas are also places for recreation and education, the Blanchard River Nature Preserve will remain a refuge, a place of quiet, of age-old rhythms of the seasons.

Way too Much Information about Urban Trees

Your Tree Questions Answered

Recent storms and the coming winter have made local governments think about urban trees and tree management. The information I uncovered about urban forestry is valuable to elected officials and private property owners.

 Do Trees Make Effective Barriers for Road Noise?

That’s a qualified, yes. Jamie Kochensparger with Lucas Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) says that a walk through the woods shows you that trees baffle noise. However, Jim Carter with Wood SWCD notes that you would need to plant a lot of more mature trees to have an immediate benefit. Seedlings (12” to 18” above roots) could need 6 to 8 years of good growth before they would make a difference. Arbovitaes and other evergreens are best for year-round sound protection. Carter said that seed and fruit bearing trees (dogwoods, chokeberry) should also be considered. All the tree experts note that soil type is important to selecting trees for a site.

Stephanie Miller, regional urban forester with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, can help officials select trees for a particular site. She said, “Vegetation and trees absorb and break up the sound waves” while flat walls often erected in urban areas reflect sound. From a cost standpoint, she added, “They’re a LOT less expensive to install and maintain.” Mike Libben with Ottawa SWCD noted some other advantages. “Trees obviously have environmental benefits in producing oxygen, habitat for birds and animals and, with the right plant type, can help with stormwater reduction.” Planned use of trees is part of air pollution prevention planning.

PULLOUT: “Trees are like humans, kittens, and puppies, they each need specific care, training, and attention to thrive and grow to be good mature organisms.”

Stephanie Miller, regional urban forester ODNR

Who is Responsible for Maintaining Trees?

In general, trees in parks, boulevards, municipal cemeteries, and on the tree lawn (the grassy strip between sidewalks and road) are the responsibility of the city or village. Tree experts say that trees are valuable urban infrastructure and should be considered as important to a municipality as roads and sewers. Trees will also outlive most other urban infrastructure. State departments of transportation maintain trees planted in medians of state highways.

Recently, insurers have made it clear to cities and villages that they will not pay for damage caused by trees when that damage could have been avoided with basic care and maintenance. Many municipalities have an arborist on staff and some larger communities consult with an urban forester. Arborists focus on tree planting and care; an urban forester addresses a population of trees. Stephanie Miller praised the value of professional tree management. She said, “Once a city gets a professional urban forester on their staff, it will be one of the best investments they will ever make. The urban forester will be easily paying for themselves in reduced emergency cleanup, healthier citizens, greater stormwater management, and significantly fewer headaches to local officials.”

Grant Jones is the arborist for the City of Bowling Green with a master’s degree in horticulture. He and his staff work with every division of city employee, from sewers, to sidewalks, to the city-owned electric utility. He says that “Where there are trees, we have a role.”  In addition to pruning and fertilizing individual trees, Jones looks at the urban forest. The Emerald Ash Borer that killed off so many urban trees was a reminder that the urban forest should have a diversity of species. He noted that it is also helpful to have a diversity of ages of trees. A lovely city avenue of older trees may see them all coming to the end of their life at the same time, whereas thoughtful planting and replacement can maintain the living environment.

Trees in yards and on private property are the responsibility of the property owner. In general, the property owner is responsible for trimming trees and keeping them in good health. Stephanie Miller said, “Too many people plant trees with little knowledge about correct species, proper planting, and proper care. Trees are like humans, kittens, and puppies, they each need specific care, training, and attention to thrive and grow to be good mature organisms.” Homeowner insurance policies usually cover property damage caused when a tree is blown down or falls because of ice or snow. Insurance usually does not cover a tree that falls without damaging a structure.  

Trees that are close to electric lines or other utilities strung between poles are subject to trimming by the utility. In some cases, a property deed may have an easement that allows a utility to access and trim trees on private property.

SIDEBAR In August of 2003 a massive power outage affecting the eastern United States happened when an overloaded electrical transmission line drooped into foliage and an alarm system failed to alert operators to redistribute the electric load.

When Should you Plant Trees?

Small seedlings should be planted in the spring when there is plenty of ground water available. You could also mulch the seedlings to hold water and keep weeds away from the trunks. Support stakes may help the young trees grow straight and withstand storms until they grow solid roots. Remove the supports after the first year. A gator bag is one way to guarantee a supply of water for slightly bigger trees.

In the fall before the ground freezes is a good time to plant larger trees, Jamie Kochensparger said.  “Fall planting allows the roots to grow and get established without the stress of trying at the same time to produce leafage while surviving winds. For autumn planting, though, you would need to purchase potted/balled & burlapped or larger local-dug trees.” Support stakes can also be helpful for the first year for trees planted in the fall.

How to Learn More About Trees

Northwest Ohio has a lot of resources when it comes to tree information and care. Ohio is one of the only states with professional urban foresters who will work directly with villages and cities – for free – on their own turf. Stephanie Miller, regional urban forester with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources said, “Ohio’s Urban Forestry Assistance Program is the envy of most states and I’m fortunate to be a part of it.”

Landscaping firms are sources of expertise and often have relationships with a Master Gardner, a trained volunteer who will share their knowledge. University Extension services are another resource that is particularly useful for identifying disease and pests and recommending treatment. Many professional tree trimming services contract with cities and villages to manage municipal tree care programs.

Every county in Ohio also has a Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) that is staffed with conservationists and natural resource experts. SWCD staff sell trees and shrubs at low cost in annual spring sales. They often work with municipalities on large planting projects and help rural areas with windbreaks. Lucas SWCD has coordinated orders of both seedlings and larger potted trees for such projects as the James Colbert Park in Vistula and Sylvan Prairie for Olander Park System.

Mike Libben of the Ottawa SWCD reports that they have a wildlife specialist on staff and available to work with homeowners and municipalities to answer their questions and help plan a good tree planting program. The Ottawa SWCD has had an annual tree sale for more than 50 years and has donated trees to every fourth grade student in the county for most of those years. Cities and villages in the county may be eligible for discounts for large purchases of trees.

Thank You to:

Jim Carter, Wood Soil and Water Conservation District (jimcarter@woodswcd.com)

Grant Jones, Arborist, City of Bowling Green (gjones@bgohio.org)

Jamie Kochensparger, Lucas Soil and Water Conservation District (JKochensparger@co.lucas.oh.us)

Mike Libben, Ottawa Soil and Water Conservation District (mike.libben@ottawaswcd.com)

Stephanie Miller, Regional Urban Forester (stephanie.miller@dnr.ohio.gov)

Other Resources:

Arbor Day Foundation Planning Partner Program: Ashley Theimann (athiemann@arborday.org)

Ohio State University Extension Service. Look for County offices: (https://extension.osu.edu/home)

Woodlawn Cemetery and Arboretum (Toledo): (www.historic-woodlawn.com/trees-of-woodlawn-our-certified-arboretum)

Farming all year 'round

One in a series of articles looking at the business of agriculture in northwest Ohio.

Scientists have determined that agriculture is the source of more than 80 percent of the phosphorus that reaches Lake Erie and contributes to harmful algal blooms. This series shows how area farmers make choices during the year to both grow a profitable crop and protect the environment that is their livelihood. 

 Wrapping up the Growing Year – Planning for Next One

Brendyn George, who farms 2,000 acres in Wood County with his brother and a partner, managed persistent rain during both spring planting season and fall harvest time, with decent sunshine in between. All things considered, George sums up the year as a good one. Wheat and bean harvests were adequate and the corn is drying out in storage and looking very good.

Over the winter he’s planning for next year’s growing season, considering seed and nutrient purchases and waiting for results of soil sampling.  He talked with TMACOG staff about his year and about how best management practices affect his yield and protect water quality.

Managing Water, Protecting Soil

Harvest can’t start until fields are dried out. In October, George raised gates in his water control structures to let out water that has been standing in his fields all growing season. A wet field is subject to compaction when heavy equipment rolls over it, and compaction is an enemy of farming. Usually he would be able to get the combine on the field quickly but in 2018 rains came in October and wouldn’t stop. “Normally we have our work done by about election day in early November. But this year it’s mid-December and most farmers are just now wrapping up,” he said.

Even if the field is relatively dry, George can’t bring in his crop if the beans or corn are damp. On an October morning with a little frost or heavy dew, he has to wait until late morning for the moisture to evaporate before he starts on the beans. After harvesting a test row, monitors inside the cab of the combine show that moisture content is ideal and he’s anxious to start bringing in several acres of beans. The monitors also show him that the parts of the field that have held water – over tile drains and at the low end of the field – are giving him his best yields. “I can’t say whether it’s because that water held the nutrients where they were going to work best, or if it’s having extra water in general, but I can see my yield is improved (through use of water control structures).” George was able to defray the cost of water control structures through a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant administered by TMACOG in partnership with Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

Bringing in a harvest requires teamwork and decision making. George works with his partners to schedule his semi trucks that will collect the crops transferred from the combine. Trucks will deliver to a local elevator, a nearby ethanol plant, or to storage on the family farms. He checks on where the best price is. The ethanol plant might be paying a bit better for corn, but lines are two or three hours and he can’t keep his trucks out of service that long when he’s filling up his combine every few acres. George is keeping some of his beans back to sell later in the year, hoping for better prices over the winter.

Late in the season, bugs got into the soybeans and have caused some damage. Examining several sample plants, it’s obvious that some pods have been chewed open, causing the beans inside to wither. While most of the beans are healthy and green with four or more beans to a pod, a percentage are smaller with hard dry beans rattling in the pod. George says, “We’re getting docked pretty heavy at the elevator.” Beans that have significant damage are sold for animal feed as opposed to human use and purchased at a lower rate.

The corn harvest was easier and better. George says that corn in his storage is drying well. Fans are on constantly, sending air through the bins to dry the corn. Corn that doesn’t dry will rot and spoil. He prefers to air dry his grain rather than having it heated at the elevator. Heating corn almost cooks it while air drying makes a better product. He anticipates a good price for the corn he’s holding.

Planning Nutrients and Seed

In December, George is getting quotes on seed and fertilizer prices. He determines how much nutrients to buy based on soil tests. This year, he collected samples and sent in soil tests following the bean harvest and before he puts fertilizer down for the next year’s corn. However, samples have been at the lab for almost a month and he has not received results. Soil sampling to minimize use of fertilizer to only what is necessary is a best management practice that is being strongly encouraged by those concerned with the health of Lake Erie including some legislators. But George’s experience shows some problems. “If everybody goes grid sampling, then everybody has all these soil tests. How's this going to be done in a timely manner? There's only small windows of when you can take soil samples. So, the labs are going to have to gear up or they're going to have to build more labs if they want us to do it this way. So, I feel they got to work with us also, it can't be just us.”

He’s got some seed prices locked in with some more research to do but he’s waiting on purchasing nitrogen and fertilizer. “The nitrogen is just out of reach right now,” He says. “I’m hoping they realize that they’re out of price range for us and it’ll come back down. If not, I might not plant much corn next year because it’s not going to be profitable.”

Winter Work

Paperwork and maintenance will take up the rest of the winter months. Machines will be fixed, oil changed, blades sharpened, tires checked. Brendyn George, his brother Coy, and their partner Jared Rader will be working on welding, making stands for hoses and building tools that make working with the water control structures easier. They will also be watching the prices for beans and corn and taking their stored crop to market as the prices indicate. As they consider new investments in machinery, tools and information that help them limit the amount of fertilizer is a top priority, both for the expense and for the protection of the lake.   

Here's a fun thing I wrote about Chronologs

A new tool that uses technology most people have in their pocket allows private citizens to help document growth and other changes in areas where Black Swamp Conservancy stewards are eager to see conservation in action.

Chronolog camera stands are posted in strategic locations at eight Conservancy-owned sites. Visitors are invited to prop their phones in the supplied bracket and snap a photo at every visit. Instructions on the stand tell you how to email your photo to Chronolog. The company will then add your photo to others in chronological order and stitch the images into a time lapse video. Everyone who contributes an image will get a link to the Chronolog website and access to all location videos. There are currently more than 230 in the U.S., Canada, and one in Europe. See the locations of Black Swamp Conservancy Chronolog stands and view current videos here:  https://www.chronolog.io/project/BSC.

The Conservancy’s Executive Director Rob Krain said “Watching a time lapse of a landscape at different times of the year is just captivating. We learn a lot, but it’s also another way for people to appreciate these rare and valuable landscapes that are protected from development.”

Visitors are encouraged to add to the Chronolog story. The log for Pat & Clint Mauk’s Prairie (4825 Sugar Ridge Road, Pemberville), shows the spectacular blooming of a broad field of wildflowers. The camera location at Forrest Woods Nature Preserve (off US 24 east of Antwerp) is focused on a wetland restoration area. Land Steward Freya Bernston will keep an eye on that one looking for healthy growth and invasive plants. The vantage point at Carter Historic Farm (northeast of Bowling Green in Wood County) will show the continued growth of trees and shrubs planted as part of wetland restoration project on a part of this living history site.

Most Conservancy-owned properties are open dawn to dusk. See the Protecting Land tab for accessibility details at blackswamp.org

Writing with the windows open

Summer is staying around. It’s a pleasure to write about septic systems on a day when the air smells so very sweet!

September 27, 2021

working on an e-book cover design for the talented fantasy author Dee Maltby. Look for Larlion Series coming soon. Even more fun, partnering with the well-known voice artist Hollis McCarthy. Thanks Team Dee!