SPRING 2008 - Western Reserve Land Conservancy

Gr i m m Pr o p e rt yin Newbury Township, Geauga CountyThis spectacular steep walled, cool water ravineflows into the Chagrin River from the Doodyproperty. The old growth trees along the scenicravine are adjacent to over 100 acres of preservedproperty in Hunting Valley. In late 2007, Rick andTamara Doody donated an easement on theirbeautiful 28-acre estate in Hunting Valley. We aregrateful for this extraordinarily generous gift!Fo rt h o f e r Pr o p e rt yin Huntington Township, Lorain CountyThe Grimm family and their friends have beenhunting in Newbury duck marshes for decades. To makesure future generations have that same opportunity, theygranted a conservation easement to Western Reserve LandConservancy and Cleveland Museum of Natural Historyto preserve their 77-acre property. Their marsh contains avery rare glacial fen community that contains at least tworare plant species: winged sedge (Carex alata) and autumnwillow (Salix serissima), which are listed as PotentiallyThreatened in Ohio.Ka l m a n Pr o p e rt yin Chatham Township, Medina CountyLarry and Marsha Forthofer are both veterinarians andthey both love animals and nature. In 2007 they donateda conservation easement on their 142-acre property justsouth of the Village of Wellington. They have managedtheir property over the years to produce many diversewildlife habitats. Approximately 75 acres are wooded withupland and lowland forest; 60 acres are enrolled in theFederal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) with severalfield areas planted and managed with switch grass andother warm-season grasses for upland game birds. Twoponds and three Black River tributaries are located on theproperty. The land has many different plant species includingJack-in-the-pulpit, wild ginger, and several uncommonmedicinal plants. What makes their property uniquelyspecial is that it helps to form a protected corridor of over1,800 acres collectively with the Lorain County MetroParks Wellington Reservation, Findley State Park, and theWellington State Wildlife Area. We are extremely gratefulto Larry and Marsha for preserving this very importantcorridor property for generations to come.Laura and Don Kalman enjoy the simple pleasurestheir 34-acre hobby farm in western Medina Countyprovides to them. They have donkeys that they enjoyriding on the trails through the property, and their adoptedwild mustang has a permanent home on the farm. Theyare beekeepers, and have sold honey and free-range eggs.Future plans include producing maple syrup and acquiringa team of oxen to work on the farm.For the Kalmans, the decision to preserve their landwas an easy one. The trees they have planted and nurtured,the wildlife habitat they have maintained, and the wildflowersthey enjoy each spring needed to be preserved socontinued on page 1413