A 23-acre undeveloped parcel of land along Brookside Road in Ottawa Hills has existed as a mowed patch of turfgrass and a few pockets of large native trees, with an established presence of invasive species of shrubs and grasses. Folks have utilized the site for picnics, walking their dogs, sledding, or as an informal recreation area.
That is not what Mother Nature intended for this floodplain habitat that borders the Ottawa River. It likely served historically as a giant strainer that filtered runoff before it reached the river and moved out into Lake Erie. A plan is in the works to take the tract back in time, with the village, its residents, the river, the lake, and the greater basin ecosystem as the primary beneficiaries. Waterfowl, other wildlife, native plants, and trees should flourish in the new “old environment.”
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and H2Ohio have awarded The Nature Conservancy with a $437,000 grant to restore the floodplain habitat into a forested wetland. Once established, the site is expected to capture and filter an estimated 33 million gallons of stormwater runoff from urban and residential sources before it reaches the Ottawa River.
Intercepting and cleansing this runoff will improve the health of the river, and ultimately, the lake, where an excess of nutrients is to blame for the algal blooms that have haunted Lake Erie.
Ashlee Decker, who serves as the project lead with The Nature Conservancy, emphasized that although significant work will be done at the site, the goal is to put the area back in a state where the “natural processes” that remove impurities from water and minimize flooding are imitated. She said engineers, mechanical construction contractors, and landscape architects will develop an initial design plan, and then invite the public for input at meetings in the next couple of months.
“Final designs should be completed by the end of the summer,” Decker said. “We will work on getting all of the necessary permits in place this summer and fall to ensure that we are not impacting wildlife, water quality, habitat, etc. We are hoping to start construction in early 2024 and be planting by late spring 2024.”
The crews involved in the project will remain involved until September of 2025 to monitor invasive species and do any necessary replanting of the native shrubs and herbaceous plants that will be added to the site to provide better wildlife habitats and enhance the hydrological function of the wetlands.
“Wetlands capture and store water after heavy storms, thereby reducing erosion and flooding,” Decker said, adding that industrial, commercial, and residential development in the area has had a significant impact on the water quality and aquatic life in the Ottawa River. With an extensive network of paved surfaces and numerous buildings rapidly pushing runoff toward the waterway, the harmful contaminants are pushed along for the ride. These surges of water cause erosion and send sediment into the river.
“Wetlands are often called nature’s kidneys because they can filter pollutants that accumulate downstream. Not only do wetlands do wonders for water quality, but they provide habitat for many different species, enhancing biodiversity and supporting recreation opportunities.”
Decker said the Ottawa River has suffered degradation due to the long-term impact of industry located along its pathway, and although work has been done over the last few decades to reduce this impact, the sediment and silt still reaching the waterway continues to have a damaging result on water quality. Development has channelized the stream and altered its natural course, and reduced the amount of streamside vegetation that is so essential to filtering out pollutants before they reach the river and reducing erosion of the riverbanks.
“Restoring habitat is key to the continued recovery of the Ottawa River,” Decker said. “In fact, this project site is one of the few sites available for habitat restoration and was identified in a 2008 study by TMACOG as a beneficial project.”
She said The Nature Conservancy expects to start preparing the site by removing invasive species such as reed canary grass and buckthorn, with the planting of beneficial native vegetation to follow.
“All life depends on plants,” she said. “So, by increasing the native vegetation on site, we can expect to see an increase in wildlife. Native plants provide food for native birds, and support native pollinators, including many butterflies, throughout their life cycles. Small pools that are wet in the spring and dry out in the summer provide habitat for amphibians.”
The trees selected to be added to the site will come from the group that is native to the greater Oak Openings Region. Decker expects the project will use locally sourced swamp white oak, pin oak, and silver maple, plus a variety of smaller trees and shrubs, such as spicebush and silky dogwoods. There will be wildflowers and grasses added to further enhance the habitat for a wider range of wildlife and pollinators.
Decker said that in the big picture, the transformation of the Ottawa Hills site will not eliminate or reduce the public's ability to utilize the area.
“In fact, we believe that the recreational area will be improved,” she said. “Excess soil that is displaced when establishing the wetlands will be used to create raised trails and elevated open space that will stay drier than under current conditions. I think that this project is a great example of how both people and nature can thrive together.”
First Published April 10, 2023, 7:07 p.m.
