Saturday July 23, 2011
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Port Clinton, OH

OYBC members will assist experts with documenting all the flora and fauna found on the nature preserve.

Student members of the Ohio Young Birders Club, along with Black Swamp Bird Observatory staff and volunteers, and in collaboration with the City of Port Clinton, will conduct this biological study on July 23, during a season when we would expect to find the peak of biodiversity in the habitat.

Experts will be brought in from around the state to lead groups into the habitat to explore all aspects of nature, including: butterflies and other insects, birds, plants and trees, reptiles and amphibians, fish, and mammals.

The Port Clinton Lakefront Preserve is relatively new. The data collected on this bioblitz will represent a baseline for the preserve. The "before" snapshot. For the Black Swamp Conservancy and other partners involved in preservation of the area, this baseline data will assist them in evaluating the success of their ongoing restoration efforts.

Sign up for this exciting event by calling the BSBO at 419-898-4070 or e-mailing us at info@ohioyoungbirders.org

Excerpts from the ODNR Web site :

In November 2009 the city of Port Clinton finalized the purchase of the preserve, which includes 12 acres of coastal wetlands, marsh and a one-third mile sand beach.

The preserve is located north of East Perry Street (State Route 163). The road is part of the Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail of the National Scenic Byways Program; the land, part of the Atlantic and Mississippi flyways for migratory birds, is an Audubon Ohio designated Important Bird Area.

The land was purchased with funding from the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP) administered by the ODNR Office of Coastal Management, and a Clean Ohio Green Space Conservation Fund grant.

The city of Port Clinton, the Trust for Public Land and the Black Swamp Conservancy were integral partners in the land acquisition. The city of Port Clinton owns the property and Black Swamp Conservancy holds a conservation easement over the preserve, requiring that the land be permanently maintained as a nature preserve.

Excerpts from a November 2009 press release

“By preserving this waterfowl and bird habitat site, we have the opportunity to increase eco-tourism and create nearly a mile-long continuous stretch of Lake Erie public access by connecting Water Works Park on the west to Lakefront Park City Beach on the east,” said Port Clinton Mayor Debbie Hymore-Tester.

Only 16 percent of Ohio’s 312-mile Lake Erie shore is publicly accessible. This acquisition increases Ohio’s publicly accessible coastal miles to 48.9 at 144 sites. Just as the preserve links land, the purchasing process brought together partners at the local, state and national level.

“Lake Erie is a tremendous natural resource. The lake provides drinking water for millions of Ohioans and habitat for many species of fish, birds, animals and plants. Lake Erie also attracts thousands of visitors each year for boating, fishing, swimming and other recreational opportunities," said Kevin Joyce, executive director of Black Swamp Conservancy. "Our conservancy is extremely pleased to be able to partner with the city of Port Clinton, state of Ohio and The Trust for Public Land to protect the Lakefront Preserve in perpetuity for public use."

Photo at SwampBubbles.com