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The Indian Trails Wooded Wetland Area
 
Wetland Wetland
       This is one of several natural resource damage restoration (NRDR) projects being done as part of the Ashtabula River and Harbor NRD settlement which was finalized in a consent decree in July, 2012. Ohio EPA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (the NRD trustees) negotiated this agreement with the Ashtabula River Cooperating Group (ARCGll) and the Norfolk & Southern Railroad (N&S) for a package of habitat restoration projects, property acquisitions and cost recovery which total about $5.5 million. ARCGll is a group of settling companies including Millennium, RMI, Detrex, Oxychem, First Energy, Union Carbide, Gencorp, Acme Scrap and a number of other companies which operate(d) along Fields Brook. Fields Brook, a tributary to the Ashtabula River is a Superfund Site and there is a separate NRD settlement for that case which was used to purchase the property for this project. This project and the N&S project are major wetland and upland habitat restoration projects and there are six other restoration projects which are primarily property acquisitions of high ecological value habitat areas along the River.

 
Wetland Wetland
 
       This project consists of the acquisition a 37 acre propertyl, creation/restoration of a 7 acre wooded wetland attached to the river, a wooded vernal pool area, walking trail and a boardwalk out to the center of the wetland with an observation deck. There is also a small parking area and a canoe launch. The wetland area has been planted with a dense cover of trees, shrubs, and wetland plants which in time will develop into a fully functioning wooded wetland. It provides habitat for a very high quality amphibian community, invertebrates, upland and aquatic birds, mammals, reptiles and plant communities. It is the result of years of effort by the Trustees (with ODNR support), the Ashtabula Township Park Commission and ARCGll to bring together the resources necessary for this project. The project has been and will be entirely funded by the NRD settlement without the use of public funds.

 
Wetland Wetland
 
 
       This 37 acres is the only remaining undeveloped land in the lower Ashtabula River. It will be maintained as a unique natural area with full public access, operated and maintained by the Ashtabula Township Park Commission as part of the Indian Trails Park. It is entirely within the Ashtabula City limits, it provides the only free public access to the lower River for canoeing, fishing, hiking and bird watching. It connects to existing ATPC park holdings to provide more than 4 miles of public access to the River.

 
Wetland Wetland
 


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