Land for New Summit County Natural Area Protected

More than 137 acres in the Tinker’s Creek Headwaters will become a new Metro Parks, Serving Summit County natural area, The Trust for Public Land, the park district, the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, and the State of Ohio announced today.

The Ohio office of The Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national conservation organization, purchased the property from the Elsie M. TenBroeck Revocable Trust and has conveyed it to Metro Parks, Serving Summit County to manage. The conservation of the TenBroeck property was also a priority for the Cities of Hudson and Streetsboro (in adjacent Portage County) as trail and conservation features of their master plans.

“Summit County’s newest conservation area along Tinker’s Creek will be a beautiful natural destination,” said Bill Carroll, TPL’s Ohio state director, and also a Hudson resident. “We are grateful to Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, the state, and the TenBroeck Trust for committing to the conservation of this spectacular ecological and public resource.”

“This is more than just the sale of a piece of property. It is the conclusion of a 68 year legacy of land acquisition and preservation started by my parents in 1947. My parents once said ‘their marriage was a close one brought together by a love of nature.’ Now their vision will continue forever,” said Dirck Ten Broeck, trustee of the Elsie M. TenBroeck Revocable Trust.

Funding for the $2.2 million purchase price came from several sources. TPL worked with the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District to secure $1.05 million in Ohio EPA funding from its Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program. Other funding included $599,566 from the Clean Ohio Fund and $550,434 from the park district.

“Part of our mission is to conserve and manage natural resources,” said Keith D. Shy, Director-Secretary of Metro Parks. “The TenBroeck property provides a great opportunity to do that in this part of the county, with its wetlands and mature forests.”

“We are grateful to the Regional Sewer District for sponsoring this project along Tinker’s Creek, which will serve the region’s water quality and conservation efforts well” added Carroll. “Preserving these wetlands will help minimize future sewer infrastructure costs and retain storm water.”

More than 3,700 feet of Tinker’s Creek crosses the property, which also contains a remnant kettle hole pond. TPL and Metro Parks, Serving Summit County have now conserved more than 1,700 acres in the Tinker’s Creek watershed with this property and at Liberty Park.

“If they were alive today, my parents would be very pleased that the stewardship of this resource be passed to the oversight of Metro Parks Serving Summit County. Protecting this natural resource for future generations is an important part of what MetroParks does very well,” added Ten Broeck. “This transfer of ownership was made possible with the substantial help of The Trust for Public Land.”

Since it was founded in 1972, The Trust for Public Land has helped protect 3 million acres of land in 47 states. In Ohio, TPL has protected more than 12,400 acres valued at more than $128 million. TPL depends on the support and generosity of individuals, foundations, and businesses to achieve its mission to preserve land for people.

Metro Parks, Serving Summit County manages 10,500 acres, including 14 developed parks, six conservation areas and more than 125 miles of trails, with 21.5 miles of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. Annual attendance averages 4.5 million visitors.