P
The
Since 1972
Prism Awards See page 17
Along Wolf Creek
RESS May 11, 2015
FREE
Serving More Than h 33 33,000 000 H Homes & B Businesses i iin 4 C Counties ti
Clay on top again See Second Section
M
Plants should improve water quality in lake By Kelly J. Kaczala Press News Editor kkaczala@presspublications.com
Source of pollutants Wolf Creek has been shown to be a source of nutrients discharged into Maumee Bay. It is mainly an agricultural watershed, about 16 square miles, that flows northeasterly through Northwood, Oregon and Jerusalem Township where it meets with Berger Ditch and drains into the Maumee Bay State Park boating marina and Lake Erie. Channeled stream sections with periodic bank erosion and frequent discharge from agricultural drainage tiles contribute to the nutrients’ release into the lake. Very little riparian - or green vegetated areas norContinued on page 2
Q
uote
of The Week
Conversely, a mind fed with excuses for failure actually seeks to sabotage success. Bryan Golden See page 10
Dog training
Over 100 police officers, dog wardens, park rangers and others who work with dogs attended a Canine Encounters Law Enforcement Training held in Woodville. Left, Woodville Mayor Rich Harman poses with Coral, a German Shepherd that was used during training sessions. At right, Vater Webb, Clay Center Police Department, chats with 88th District State Representative Bill Reineke. (Press photos by Ken Grosjean)
Global magazine editor says
America’s Biggest Week is a hit By J. Patrick Eaken Press Staff Writer news@presspublications.com One million bird watchers can’t be wrong. One of the greatest places on earth to bird is the shore of Lake Erie during spring migration, says Kirsten Sweet, senior editor of Birds & Blooms — America’s No. 1 bird and garden magazine with one million subscriptions globally. Wednesday, Sweet rode with staff members from the magazine’s offices in Milwaukee to Maumee Bay State Park, headquarters for the annual Biggest Week in American Birding Festival currently under way. The fest brings about 75,000 visitors from around the world for a once-a-year opportunity to spot migratory bird species as they stop off at the shores of Lake Erie before heading further northward. The festival, hosted by the Black Swamp Bird Observatory, began May 8 and runs to May 17. The festival includes birding workshops for novices and experts, tours of the Lake Erie shoreline parks and islands, a bird tattoo contest, concerts and entertainment, evening events at Maumee Bay State Park and more. Globally, Birds & Blooms’ subscriptions are estimated at one million, and Sweet be-
“
...I’ve been a few places around the country, and there really is no other place like the area — the Magee Marsh boardwalk, especially.
“
Oregon received a $20,000 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) grant from the Ohio EPA to enhance UT’s constructed wetlands at Maumee Bay State Park and the Wolf Creek Corridor Restoration and Sedimentation Pond Project that are expected to improve water quality in the Western Basin of Lake Erie. UT constructed both projects using GLRI funding. “UT’s project is just about complete,” said Oregon Public Service Director Paul Roman. “But most of their wetland plantings were placed in the Maumee Bay State Park area. Up to this point, we’re only planning to have just upland grasses in the sedimentation pond area, which is just upstream of our water treatment plant off Berger Ditch off Curtice Road. We were made aware of additional funding being available through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for Lucas County. We applied to see if we could get the money, and we did.” The city’s Wolf Creek Floodplain Enhancement Project seeks to build on UT’s projects in the Wolf Creek watershed and provide improved water quality to the Western Basin of Lake Erie. Oregon plans to plant about 4,000 wetland plantings of plugs and shrubs within the sedimentation pond area along Wolf Creek, said Roman. It is expected to help reduce the phosphorous that discharges into the Western Basin of Lake Erie.
lieves she can speak freely on behalf of all her readers. “Birders love it,” Sweet said. “From my experience, I’ve been a few places around the country, and there really is no other place like the area — the Magee Marsh boardwalk, especially. Everybody who I’ve spoken with, it might be their first time there but then they are going to be lifelong visitors. They all definitely want to come back — that’s how special the area and Magee really is.” Magee Marsh Wildlife Area has gained national recognition as a prime birding spot. USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice
travel award contest asked people to select from a long list of bird watching areas and select their favorite. After four weeks of voting, Northwest Ohio’s own Magee Marsh dominated. The BSBO launched a major social media campaign to remind people to vote every day. Kimberly Kaufman, BSBO executive director, encourages everyone to come out and go birding this spring, even if it’s something you haven’t thought about doing before. It’s easy to get started, she says. “The festival provides a wonderful opportunity for local people to discover the joy of birds and birding. It’s a wonderful family activity, gets us outside in the fresh air, and really helps us to see the beauty of the natural areas Northwest Ohio is fortunate to have,” Kaufman said. Kaufman is also proud of the conservation messages the Biggest Week helps to convey. “The festival helps us raise awareness of the economic value of habitat conservation in a powerful way. Residents of Northwest Ohio should invest in enhancing and expanding wildlife habitat at every opportunity. Doing so is an investment in the health and wealth of the area,” the BSBO director added. Continued on page 2
©2015 Hospice of Northwest Ohio
things are getting worse, again. Our experts ease the suffering of advanced chronic illness by managing disease symptoms and side effects of treatments – whether he expects a full recovery or continues to decline. We can help you help him. Starting right now.
A signature service of Hospice of Northwest Ohio