OUR WISH LIST: An update on the land campaign.
Read about the special properties we have been working hard to acquire. We are now 94% funded, and need only an additional $74,000 to complete our entire campaign.

 

LAND CAMPAIGN 2009-2010

Property Total: 9

Properties with Funding Complete: 7

Properties Still Requiring Funding: 2

Funding Still Needed: $74,000

Dollar Value of Entire Campaign: 1,170,000

Percent of Funding Completed to Date: 94%
 

The Complete List:

Four Properties in Highland County

• God's Country: Highlands Nature Sanctuary Expansion -- 90 acres
  Status: Funding Now Completed.
  Funds need to be raised as soon as possible to provide required matching funds to leverage a Clean Ohio grant.
  Importance:  For FIFTEEN YEARS we have been working to connect a forest corridor along the Rocky Fork Gorge, running all the way from Paint Creek State Park to Rocky Fork State Park. In the past several years we have been inching closer to Rocky Fork State Park but we haven’t touched it yet.  If we purchase this property, we will create a forest corridor from Rocky Fork State Park all the way to Black Gum Woods. This acquisition would bring the Sanctuary up to 2100 acres.
   
• Fort Hill Expansion -- 120 acres
  Status: Funding NOW completed!
  Over 200 acres of this original farm have already been logged and sold off for housing lots. Only 120 acres remain of undivided land.
  Importance: At 1200 acres, Fort Hill Memorial is the largest old-growth forest left in south-central Ohio.  The property for sale is  located on three of the four corners of SR 41 and Fort Hill road. Purchasing this tract would protect over a half mile of Baker Fork Creek which runs through the park, and a gorgeous swamp bottomland forest boasting pin oaks and hundreds of rare shellbark hickories, a tree that has nearly vanished from our landscape when its natural bottomland habitat was drained for agriculture during Ohio's early settlement days. Bakers Fork corridor also contains the rare and beautiful purple fringeless orchis. Currently the Arc is managing Fort Hill Memorial on behalf of the Ohio Historical Society. If you can help save this property, please call Larry Henry asap at 937-402-7309.
   
• Historic Brier Hill Schoolhouse, Leatherwood  & Hermitage
  Status: $74,000 STILL needed to finish the collective debt of these
  three properties.
  Importance:  These older notes are holding us back from moving forward on other important properties that are rapidly coming on the market. Our goal is to have these last of our historic debts completely paid in full by the end of the calendar year. Both Hermitage and Leatherwood have cottages overlooking the Rocky Fork Creek on Cave Road and are now available for visitor overnight lodging.
   

One Property in Ross County:

Spruce Hill Preserve Expansion – 30 acres
Financial Status:  funding completed
Importance:  This new property picks up nearly a half mile of forested road frontage contiguous to our current preserve. This acquisition brings Spruce Hill Preserve up to 270 acres. Clean Ohio funds assisted funding this project. Photo not shown

 

 

Three Properties in Adams County

• Rock Run Preserve Expansion -- 93 acres
  Financial Status:   funding completed
  Importance:  This acquisition adds contiguous protected forest in one of Ohio’s wildest watersheds, and protects some of most unusual habitats -- including sandy soils filled with prickly pear cactus, real quicksand and sandy springs, and wet meadows of of rare sedges and flowers, including one known Meadow Beauty.  This property provides the first road frontage for Rock Run Preserve, facilitating future trail development and eventual public hiking access. This brings Rock Run Preserve up to a stunning 355 acres! Clean Ohio funds assisted in the funding this project. Photo not shown.
   
• Kamama Prairie  Expansion -- 7 acres
  Financial Status:   funding completed
  Importance:  This ourchase removes a potential housing site on the periphery of Kamama Prairie. The site contains several state-listed plant species and protects native prairie glades. The acquisition brings Kamama up to 92 acres. Clean Ohio funds assisted in the funding of this project.
   
• Hope Springs Woods -- 108 acres
  Financial Status:   funding completed
  Importance:   This is now our newest preserve region– Number 14 on the map! This beautiful woodlands lies in the heart of the densely forested Mineral Spring region, and is adjacent to the renowned facilities of Hope Springs Retreat Center. Funding assisted by a Clean Ohio grant and a very generous bargain sale price offered to us by its non-profit previous owner, Hope Springs Institute. 

HELP US RESTORE FOREST WILDERNESS IN OHIO!!