Winter 2003  

                                                                        Western Wildlife Corridor, Inc.   

                                                                                4739 Delhi Road

                                                                            Cincinnati, Ohio 45238                         

                                                                                    Phone:   513.921.WILD (9453)                                                  

                                                                                        e-mail:  wwc7@yahoo.com

                                                                            Website:  www.westernwildlifecorridor.org

                     Western Wildlife Corridor’s Annual Report 2002

                 Narrows Preserve Project Completes Successful First Year

                                       By Tim Sisson, WWC Land/Stewardship/Narrows Preserve Committee Chair

Publicity.  We generated a lot of publicity about the preserve throughout the year with activities such as a presentation to the Delhi Township Trustees, articles printed in both the Delhi and Western Hills Press and press releases to all major newspapers in the region.  Quarterly newsletters were published in winter, spring, summer and fall 2002 and winter 2003 that informed people about the project.  These newsletters have been included on the website of the Western Wildlife Corridor (www.westernwildlifecorridor.org) so that they may be read by everyone.  In addition, the annual meeting of Western Wildlife Corridor was held in the Narrows Preserve area and featured a hike led by local naturalist Dan Boone (yes, Dan Boone - and he is related to the original Daniel Boone!).  During the hike, Dan pointed out some magnificent trees that are remnants of the original old growth forest. 

Preserve signs.  Signs were designed which include information on Western Wildlife Corridor and let people know that the land at the sign location is part of the Narrows Preserve.  These will be installed at each end of the Preserve.

Property acquisition.  Nine individual parcels in the Narrows Preserve area were donated to Western Wildlife Corridor in the past year.  Eight of these are located in the “Sisters Hill” area (the abandoned stretch of Delhi Pike located immediately south of the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse), and one is located just to the east of the intersection of Anderson Ferry Road and Hillside Avenue.  In addition, discussions are continuing with eight other owners of property in the Narrows Preserve area that will probably result in the acquisition of additional property or conservation easements. 

Stewardship activities in the Narrows Preserve area.  This has included inspections during the past year of all the properties now owned by Western Wildlife Corridor to assure that they meet our requirements for preservation.  In addition, several volunteer projects were organized to return our properties in the Narrows Preserve area to a more natural state.  These projects involved removing litter from the properties as well as clearing invasive alien species such as Amur honeysuckle and garlic mustard.

 So; we have completed our initial phase on the Narrows Preserve; now what.  As the old saying goes – this is just the beginning!  We now plan to build on this beginning by following up with property owners in the preserve area regarding the possibility of protecting their land through acquisition or conservation easements.  We plan to look for opportunities for funding and partnerships that will permit more land in the preserve area to be protected.  And – we plan to spread the word about the preserve through a revved up publicity campaign and presentations.  Please help us as we continue to spread the word; let us know of opportunities for publicity and by all means, tell everyone you know about this great endeavor. 

            Delshire Preserve in the Narrows Region

      Photo by Cheryl Reinke Peck

                             Membership Committee Year End Summary

                                                       By Dee Sizler, SC,  WWC Membership Committee Chair

Our membership is growing.  More and more people are stepping up to care for our greenspace and protect our wild hillsides.  Thank you!  The WWC Board of Trustees welcomes our newcomers and happily appreciates our renewing members.  

WWC initiated a Membership Committee last summer after the Board saw the need to “organize the organization” better.  Currently there are seven active committee members:  Jeannette Bockhold, Marianne Brater, Nancy Cavanaugh, Linda Fry, Don Patrick, Cheryl Reinke Peck, and Dee Sizler. 

The committee used the WWC Mission Statement (see page 7) to form goals pertaining to the committee’s purpose.  Besides recruiting members, growing our membership as we call it, we also spread the word, which we see as the education arm of our mission.  Right now most of the “spreading the word” piece is still at vision stage.  As a member, hopefully you can give us a hand with this necessary work.  We want to sponsor sessions that let the public know that our hillsides are endangered and that there are ways to preserve this land.  We want to be available to speak at civic and church meetings.  And we would like to plan some fun activities. 

To date the growing our membership work has our attention.  We have not yet doubled our 2002 memberships but strive to do that this year.  (See page 5 for current list of WWC Members).   

Another goal is to get the businesses in the corridor to support the WWC mission.  All business owners reading this article, “come on board”, and become a business member now.  We have been making personal contacts to friends, neighbors, and businesses encouraging them to join in addition to four mailings sent to inform and recruit members. 

Our spread the word activity has included representing WWC at several conferences and seminars (Land Trust Alliance (LTA) Rally in Austin, Texas, LTA Seminar in Yellow Springs, Ohio and ongoing participation in the Regional Greenspace Alliance).  WWC Membership Committee members have been present at four site clean-ups when volunteers clean up the WWC properties we steward.  These are opportunities to inform volunteers of WWC’s broader mission and to invite them to join us as members.  

We would like to offer volunteer opportunities to our members.  On our membership form, there is a box to check if you would like to help in other ways.  This could be further defined by asking if members would like to assist us in some of the following ways:  graphic design, newsletter design, website design, stewardship and cleanup of properties, help sending out mailings, or involving school groups in WWC activities. Please call us at 921-9453 if you can assist us with these or other jobs.   

                                     Current 2003 Western Wildlife Corridor Members

                                                  Special thanks to our Lifetime Members:

                            Joan Friedland, Barbara Lush, Joseph Stahl, Rick and Diana Veid, and Dr. Richard Weber

                                Volunteer Efforts with the Western Wildlife Corridor

                                                                                   By Cheryl Reinke Peck

Many things can be accomplished with volunteers and we are grateful for the wonderful volunteers we have worked with.  The WWC Board is comprised of volunteers, giving of their time and talents in a variety of ways.  Other volunteers are WWC members who have made donations of land, worked on cleaning up properties, participated in mailings, and other duties.

In addition, we have other volunteer activities available such as graphic designers, website designers, computer assistance, stewardship and cleanups of WWC properties, assistance with mailings as well as other projects.  One of our goals is to involve school groups in WWC activities and get them involved in land preservation.

One of the most exciting volunteer efforts occurred on Saturday, October 26^th, 2002, “Make A Difference Day”, the national day for volunteerism sponsored by USA Weekend Magazine.  The Covedale Service Unit Girl Scouts, headed by leaders Katie and Teresa Hein, partnered with WWC members to clean up and beautify Woodside Preserve in Price Hill.  The preserve is a former playground located in the Woodside Homes subdivision and was donated to WWC to preserve it in its natural state and restrict development. 

Photos by Alan Baker, WWC Member & Volunteer

This beautiful 4.5 acre preserve was cleaned of litter, trails were laid out with wood chips, and wildflowers and native trees were planted.  The trails were developed, and the seeds and trees planted in the open, relatively flat area near the wooded edges of the property.  Birdhouses were hung from the crossbars of the swingset, one of the remnants of the former playground.  The girls made the birdhouses and then painted them (see photos below).

Unfortunately, vandals uprooted some of the trees and destroyed the birdhouses.  Some of the volunteers have continued to monitor the property and re-plant the trees and we are hoping that spring brings new colors to the Woodside Preserve. 

Approximately 100 Brownies and Girl Scouts (ages 5-16), parents, and WWC members participated in “Make A Difference Day” that drizzly fall day.  WWC thanks all of those participants in beautifying Woodside Preserve.

Note:  The Covedale Service Unit Girl Scouts and WWC Project has been ranked in the Top Ten in the State of Ohio by USA Weekend Magazine.  The award ceremony is scheduled for March 17^th in Columbus.  Watch for the USA Weekend Magazine Easter weekend to list the finalists.

                                                     Western Wildlife Corridor Mission Statement

The Western Wildlife Corridor, Inc. has been formed to protect, preserve, and secure from harm the greenway corridor that runs along the north side of and in the vicinity of the Ohio River, from Wilson Common in Price Hill to the Oxbow along the Great Miami River bordering Indiana. This corridor is a natural habitat for a wide variety of species of wildlife and plants, and because of the soil structure is extremely susceptible to slippage.  These wooded natural areas are vital in providing for the emotional needs of people, cleansing the air, helping regulate temperatures, and providing a natural buffer zone.

This effort will be carried out by:

·        Educating the public concerning this increasingly rare natural resource and its need for protection;

·        Researching the natural resources of the Corridor;

·        Developing a coalition of municipalities and environmental organizations, businesses and individuals working together to preserve the land;

·        Protecting the land through attaining conservation easements, donations, or purchasing it;

·        Working for legislation that will protect this area; and

·        Developing a land management plan for the Corridor.

                                                                                   Calendar and Events

WILD OATS NATURAL MARKETPLACE in the Rookwood Commons (2693 Edmondson Road in Norwood) has selected WWC as one of the recipients in the “Wooden Nickel” program.  When you bring your own bag you receive a wooded nickel to distribute to several organizations.  If you’ve never experienced this wonderful store, bring your own bag, make your purchases, and put your wooden nickel in WWC’s container!

                                 Mark your calendar for the following upcoming events:

Delshire Preserve Cleanup – April 12^th (morning)

Earth Day Celebration at EarthConnection – April 22^nd 3-8p.m.