TCWP received Clean Ohio Conservation Funds to protect Hawthorne Creek

This project is a collaboration between the Tinker’s Creek Watershed Partners (TCWP) and West Creek Conservancy (WCC).  Tinker’s Creek is the largest tributary to the Cuyahoga River, with a drainage area of 96.4 miles, capturing runoff from 24 communities. The mission of the TCWP is to protect and restore the water quality and habitats of the Tinker’s Creek watershed through community partnerships. WCC is a donor-supported land trust whose mission is to enrich the lives of people in Greater Cleveland by conserving natural habitats, restoring the ecological value and sustainability of urban lands, and expanding neighborhood opportunities to experience nature.

In 2015 TCWP submitted a Clean Ohio Conservation Fund proposal with extensive assistance from WCC to purchase two parcels totaling 16 acres, located off of Emery Road in Warrensville Heights. The property contains 3 acres of emergent and forested wetlands with numerous vernal pools scattered throughout the properties. In addition, the parcels contain 240 linear feet of Hawthorne Creek, a main tributary to Tinker’s Creek, and 215 linear feet of intermittent headwater stream. The parcels are covered in second growth beech-maple forest and mature red oak–hickory forest.

Protection of these parcels will ensure that the habitats continue to provide beneficial physical, biological, and chemical functions for this watershed and the receiving waters of the Cuyahoga River and ultimately Lake Erie. These benefits include improving of downstream waters through capturing of sediment, filtering runoff, flood retention, and protecting important wildlife habitat.

This project would not have been possible without the assistance of West Creek Conservancy and cooperation of the City of Warrensville Heights and the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission. We would also like to thank the generosity and the support of the sellers of the properties who helped to ensure the protection of this important resource. We are also thankful to the District 1 Natural Resource Assistance Council (NRAC) and Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) for approving our project for funding.