Black Swamp Conservancy 2022 Fundraiser Program

So Wild a Place

At Black Swamp Conservancy...

Black Swamp Conservancy is a land trust that works to permanently preserve and protect natural habitats and family farms in northwest Ohio for the benefit of future generations. Our preserved properties cover more than 21,000 acres of land and include 25 public parks and nature preserves.

We are currently working on numerous stream and wetland projects, which expand wildlife habitat and improve water quality in our region.

The Conservancy relies on the support of landowners, donors, volunteers, and partnerships with other conservation organizations. We strive to be a wise investment for our supporters, whether they are giving us their land, time or money

BLACK SWAMP CONSERVANCY P.O. Box 332 Perrysburg, Ohio 43552 419.833.1025

Schedule of Events

proudly support the Black Swamp Conservancy.

Thank You

Thanks to all those who have donated to make the event a success:

Ian Adams

Jonn Appold

Corinna and Kurt Bench

Keith Burwell

Greg Carson

Shawn Chowdhary

Conservation Realty Group

Jesse Daniel

Bill Davis

Design by m.e.p.

Ann and Brad Dysinger

John and Gretchen Gregory

Henry-Wood Sportsman’s Alliance

Hirzel Farms

Home Depot

Jimmy G’s BBQ

Christopher Jones

Labino Studio

Marco’s Pizza

Meredith Party Rentals

Metroparks Toledo

Jim Mollenkopf

Niese Surveying & Engineering

Baker O’Brien and Cheri Budzynski

Original Sub Shop & Deli

Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.

Steve Powell

Margo Puffenberger

Karen Pugh

Rusted Mare Farm

Sandusky County Park District

Scottwood Inn

Shared Legacy Farms

Signature Bank, N.A.

Stony Ridge Apiaries

Thorn Bottom Hunting

Toussaint Shooting Club

Walt Churchill’s Market

Weickert Farms

Wild Ones Oak Openings Region

Wild Side Brewing Company

And all our dedicated volunteers!

2022 Sponsors

BLANDING’S TURTLE LEVEL

FOUR-TOED SALAMANDER LEVEL

GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET LEVEL

Eastman & Smith, Ltd.

GreenFuse

Hirzel Farms

Hylant

Jupmode

Savage & Associates/Steve Milewski

Taylor Automotive Family

The Nature Conservancy of Ohio

Tolco Corporation

Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority

Waterford Bank, N.A.

OTTER LEVEL VENUE SPONSOR

New Concert Series

We hope you will join us for our new concert series at the Nehls Nature

Preserve on Catawba Island for three plein air concerts on Lake Erie’s scenic West Harbor! Each concert featuring highly acclaimed regional musicians will begin at 2:30 p.m. All events are BYOB. Tickets are $20 per performance or $50 for all three, and can be purchased at BlackSwamp.org

August 28th • Andrew Brown’s Djangophonique

Djangophonique is a virtuosic, instrumentally driven quartet led by guitar player Andrew Brown. With over a decade of national touring experience, Brown is no stranger to the stage and delivers every performance with personality and enigmatic charm. A true disciple of the style, Brown has spent countless hours immersing himself in the language of Django Reinhardt’s jazz manouche, and he’s joined on stage by bandmates that match his skill and passion for the material.

September 11th • The Frenchtown Playboys

Rooted in the jaunty rhythms and lyrics of “hokum blues” from the 1920s & 30s, a Frenchtown Playboys show has elements of comedy, nostalgia, and novelty, – blending low-down feelings and more in such a musically colorful and improvisatory way that no two performances are the same.

October 2nd • Warren & Flick

Warren & Flick explore the nuanced textures of a two-person ensemble. Using both original material and arranged standards from many genres, this ensemble finds new depth in the simplicity of a duo. Jacob Warren plays double bass, while Grant Flick plays violin, tenor guitar and nyckelharpa.

Live Auction

1 Hand-crafted Cedar Bench

Enjoy this unique cedar bench for both its artistry and practicality. Designed and hand-crafted by a master woodworker, this natural decay- and insect-resistant cedar wood bench will provide for years of sitting enjoyment.

HAND-CRAFTED BY: Christopher Jones

Live Auction

Elevated Cedar Garden Beds 2

Elevated garden beds are easier to plant, tend, and harvest than in-ground beds - no bending, stooping, or kneeling required! They have fewer pest and weed problems. Plus, they look fabulous!

At nearly 36” high, these handcrafted cedar planters are the perfect height for easy gardening. They are a generous 12” deep, so you can grow big plants, like tomatoes, and root crops, like carrots. With a combined total 16 square feet of growing space, there’s plenty of room for multiple crops, yielding a generous harvest. Set up these rectangular beds at the edge of your patio to create a convenient kitchen garden, or fill them with flowers for a stunning display.

DONATED MATERIALS BY: Home Depot and Hirzel Farms

HAND-CRAFTED BY: Rob Krain

Canoe Trip on Green Creek 3

Have a wonderful time on this private paddle along the scenic Green Creek! You and your 7 guests will start at Decoy Marsh, a Sandusky County Park District property protected by Black Swamp Conservancy, and paddle out to Muddy Creek Bay. Rob Krain, BSC Executive Director, will be your guide. Afterwards, you and your guests will enjoy lunch on the property. All equipment provided.

COURTESY OF: Sandusky County Park District

Live Auction

4 An Introductory Flight Lesson and a $100 Hamburger

Up, up, and away! This amazing air adventure will give you a bird’s eye view of many of Black Swamp Conservancy’s protected lands and shorelines. The lucky student will meet Instructor Bill Davis at the Wood County Regional Airport to learn the procedures required for a successful take-off, flight, and landing. Bill will engage you in the processes of checking the weather, fueling the plane, studying the panel instrumentation, starting the engine, and taking off. Once in the air, the student will have the opportunity to fly and also to help land the plane.

This 3 to 4-hour experience includes a flight to Port Clinton, OH, where a $100 “belly buster” hamburger at the Tin Goose Diner awaits you before your return flight to the Wood County Regional Airport.

DONATED BY: Bill Davis

5 Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Catch the celebrated Toledo Mud Hens from the best vantage point in Fifth Third Field - a suite! This package includes 12 game tickets and two parking passes. Your game will be arranged with the donor for a mutuallyagreed-upon date during the remainder of the 2022 season.

Food and beverage selections are available, but are not included in this package.

DONATED BY: Marco’s Pizza and Shawn Chowdhary

Live Auction

Star Gazer’s Getaway in Athens 6

This newly-renovated, kid friendly two-bedroom apartment is seconds away from Stroud’s Run State Park, and a short scenic drive from Athens and Ohio University. It’s a star-gazer’s dream with zero light pollution, new furnishings that include comfortable beds, a sleeper sofa, gas stove, dishwasher, fridge, and 55-inch Roku TV with Wi-Fi. A trailhead to Stroud’s Run State Park is a few houses down, and maps are available. Coffee is provided, and local eggs and bread are available upon request.

The two bedroom, one bath space is perfect for a family with small children, and can comfortably sleep up to seven. Everything is brand new! The entryway opens into a spacious living area and flows into the kitchen which is fully stocked and ready for cooking. A propane heater in the living area is a great way to warm up after a chilly hike in the winter. The bathroom features an extra-large shower and bath, powered by an in-demand water heater that ensures a large family has enough hot water for showers/baths! The master bedroom has a new plush, Kingsized mattress on a platform bed that is super comfortable. The second bedroom has a twin-over-full bunk bed that is perfect for small children or adults. There are ample kid toys and books in the space too, as well as childproof outlet covers and oven knobs. A travel crib also is available!

Accommodates up to 7 guests (2 bedrooms, 3 beds, and 1 bath) and can be reserved for any open date between 11/1/2022 and 4/1/2023.

DONATED BY: John and Gretchen Gregory

Live Auction

7 Thorn Bottom Hunting - Wild Pheasant Hunt

For the experienced sporting enthusiast, Thorn Bottom Hunting is offering a unique wild pheasant hunt. Comparable to any South Dakotan wild hunt offering, this 20-bird hunt package includes an experienced guide alongside welltrained hunting dogs, and includes bird cleaning. While all participants who are carrying a gun must have hunting experience, Thorn Bottom Hunting encourages guests of the hunters to walk along, take pictures, and enjoy the hunt and the diverse natural surroundings of Paulding County, Ohio. Wishing to recreate the wild hunting experiences of his youth, Brad Dysinger, along with his wife, Ann, have been operating Thorn Bottom Hunting for 24 years as a place to remember what hunting is truly about.

DONATED BY: Brad & Ann Dysinger of Thorn Bottom Hunting

8 Otsego Road Cabin Platforms

Spend two-nights camping in the trees while enjoying the view of the river from the new Otsego Road Cabin Platforms, the Liberty and the Freedom. The cabins accommodate up to 8 people inside (4 in each cabin), plus 2 in a tent outside on Liberty’s deck.

Combine your overnight experience with a paddle on the Maumee River Water Trail or a hike or bike excursion on the towpath. Then unwind in a hammock or relax by the fire at day’s end. The brand new Otsego Road Cabin Platforms are conveniently located just off of the Towpath Trail at Bend View Metropark and offer elevated scenic views of the beautiful Maumee River.

DONATED BY: Metroparks Toledo

Live Auction

Exclusive Tour of Toussaint Shooting Club 9

You and your 7 guests will enjoy an exclusive walking tour of Black Swamp Conservancy’s largest protected property. Incorporated in 1885, Toussaint Shooting Club hosts 1,100+ acres of coastal marshland. Lunch is included on the private sandy beach which runs along more than a mile of Lake Erie shoreline. This truly spectacular property is home to at least 41 endangered and threatened plants and animals and is a safe haven for migrating, nesting, and wading birds. The vast contiguous lakeshore marsh is vital to Lake Erie water restoration efforts. Limit 8 guests. Scheduled on a mutually agreeable date in 2022 – ideally in August, but can be flexible.

COURTESY OF: Toussaint Shooting Club

LUNCH DONATED BY: Original Sub Shop & Deli

Rockwell Springs Trout Club Fly-Fishing Day 10

“In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing.” — Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It

What is it that captivates and beguiles the fly-fisher? Find out, as you and two guests join host Keith Burwell, President and CEO of Greater Toledo Community Foundation, for a day-long fly-fishing excursion at the renowned Rockwell Springs Trout Club. From novice to expert, Keith will provide an engaging day as well as all fishing tackle. The day starts with an 8:30 am breakfast; lunch will be provided around noon. Located on approximately 125 acres, about two miles southwest of the village of Castalia, Ohio, Rockwell Springs Trout Club was formed for the relaxation and enjoyment of the trout fly-fisher. Enjoy this delightful spring or summer excursion!

DONATED BY: Keith Burwell

Live Auction

11 A Day at Rusted Mare Farm

Choose your own adventure with this eclectic auction package offered by Baker O’Brien and Cheri Budzynski. For you and your five guests, the basic package starts with a “cook’s tour” of the world famous Labino Studio, located on the Rusted Mare Farm near Grand Rapids, Ohio. During this tour, Baker will explain the various processes involved in creating her artwork. Not only the uniquely colored Labino glass, but also the colorful monotypes from glass plates and the wide range of custom jewelry which Baker also creates. This tour is where Art meets Science! Glassblowing demo included.

You will also receive a $50 gift certificate for the Wild Side Brewing Company, an American farmhouse brewery and restaurant in downtown Grand Rapids.

And here is where this package gets even more interesting! As you increase your bid, more options become available to you:

• Acquiring the glass blowing demonstration art piece.

• Receiving your choice of freshly baked bread or pizza, hand-made by Cheri.

• Guided tours with Greg Carson of the Carson Family Wetland & Oak Savannah and the Henry-Wood Sportsman’s Alliance Preserve (established in partnership with the Conservancy), showcasing their in-progress restoration projects.

• Bread baking and the science of sourdough; including sourdough starter for you to take home!

Bid high and win this entertaining and unique adventure with Baker and Cheri at Labino Studios and Rusted Mare Farms! Visit to be arranged at a mutually convenient time.

DONATED BY: Baker O’Brien and Cheri Budzynski

Live Auction

Whitewater Rafting and Appalachian Trail 12 Backpacking Experience

Explore the mountains and rivers of western North Carolina on this amazing adventure! Spend your first day whitewater rafting 9 river miles on the French Broad River. And if that didn’t scratch your adventure itch, we’ll spend the next two days hiking on the Appalachian Trail. We’ll cover 16 miles of the AT along an incredibly scenic section of trail overlooking the French Broad River valley. Enjoy scenic views, interesting rock features, river views, and get a 360 degree view from the Rich Mountain lookout tower. This adventure will give you the perfect experience of paddling and backpacking you’ve been looking for!

Please note that this overnight adventure is scheduled for Thursday, September 8, 2022 through Monday, September 12, 2022.

All equipment, camping permits, and transportation is included. Backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, pads, stove, and cook sets available to borrow. Meals are not included.

DONATED BY: Metroparks Toledo

Jesse Daniel Meet the

Black Swamp Conservancy

OFFICERS

Tim Schetter President Will Lewis Vice President Tim Minning Treasurer Eric Britton Secretary

TRUSTEES

Steve Bowe

Mary Fedderke

Virginia Keller

Brian Kennedy

Rachael Niemer

David Nunn

Dana Reising

Karen Ranney Wolkins

Josh Unice

Anne Yager

ADVISORY COUNCIL

Sara Jane DeHoff

Mary Krueger

Steve Pollick

Tom Reed

Deke Welles

Live Auction Number