Clean Ohio Funds - Howard Farms

A new park – which will be the second largest park in the Metroparks of the Toledo Area system – was funded in part by Clean Ohio funds. Howard Farms is about 1,000 acres in Jerusalem Township near the Lake Erie shore, adjacent to the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge and near Metzger Marsh. Oak Openings Preserve, the largest metropark in the system, is 3,765 acres.

A public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 7, 7-9 p.m. at the Jerusalem Township Hall, 9501 Jerusalem Rd, Curtice. Staff of the Metroparks and contractors involved in the restoration and park development will discuss plans for the property. These plans incorporate comments collected at an earlier public meeting.

The Metroparks plan calls for the Howard Farms property to be restored as wetlands, providing habitat to waterbirds and other wildlife. The property was purchased with a combination of funds including the Clean Ohio fund, Ducks Unlimited, and the Metroparks land acquisition fund created through a tax levy. Ducks Unlimited will be working with developer SmithGroupJJR to restore the agricultural land to wetland. For more information on the public meeting, contact Scott Carpenter at the Metroparks: 419-407-9700.  

Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments | www.tmacog.org