SANDUSKY, OH - A series of public meetings will be held this July to gather input for a federal-state conservation program that offers potential funding for the protection of coastal and estuarine lands within the Lake Erie watershed, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
The Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program was established to protect coastal and estuarine lands considered important for their ecological, conservation, recreational, historical or aesthetic value. Ohio’s eligibility for federal conservation program funding is contingent upon the development of a plan for conserving the remaining open and natural areas in the Lake Erie region.
“Public involvement by watershed residents and local and state organizations is a critical first step in developing a conservation plan,” said David Mackey, chief of the ODNR Office of Coastal Management, the office that is tasked with development of Ohio’s plan. “These meetings will provide a forum for interested persons to discuss priority conservation areas within the Lake Erie watershed.”
The public is invited to the following meetings:
- 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday, July 12 at The Ohio State University Wood County Extension Office, 440 East Poe Road, Bowling Green
- 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, July 14 at the Lorain County Visitors Bureau, 8025 Leavitt Road, Amherst
- 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, July 21 at the Mentor Beach Park Pavilion, 7779 Lakeshore Boulevard, Mentor
- 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday, July 26 at the Ottawa County Courthouse, 315 Madison Street, Port Clinton
For questions or comments about Ohio’s Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program Plan, please contact program Coordinator Sandra Kosek-Sills at 419-626-7980 or sandra.kosek-sills@dnr.state.oh.us.