55 Acres Along Grand River Protected

Painesville, OH – The Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced the conservation of a significant portion of shoreline along the scenic Grand River to provide more than 3,300 feet of public access to the water. The acquisition is part of a cooperative effort to create Beaty Landing, a new 55-acre park along the Grand River. The Grand is the most biologically diverse river in the entire Lake Erie watershed and one of the best steelhead rivers in the region. Beaty Landing is expected to be open to the public in 2007 or 2008.

The 55-acre site had been listed for sale and is nestled in an area of increasing condominium and apartment development. In 2005, Lake Metroparks requested TPL’s assistance to purchase the property. “Because the property was on the market, we had to move fast to conserve it,” says Lake Metroparks’ Director David Noble. “With TPL’s assistance, we were able to seize this opportunity and act quickly to purchase the land in a fairly short period time. Painesville residents will soon have access to nearly a mile of undisturbed river shoreline to enjoy.”

Beaty Landing will provide expanded recreational opportunities for the public and will help protect the river’s water quality. Land located along bodies of water like the Grand River is particularly sensitive, and has a direct effect on nearby surface waters. Development of such lands can negatively affect not only the aesthetic value of the area, but the wellbeing of fish, wildlife, and water. Protection of this sensitive natural resource has become more important as the population grows into outer areas including Lake County that surround the Greater Cleveland area.

This acquisition was made possible through funding provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program, which was secured by U.S. Senator Mike DeWine, and by Lake Metroparks, through a TPL-supported county levy passed in 2005.

“This is an extraordinary wetlands area on the Grand River and I am proud to have helped secure federal funds to protect it for future generations to enjoy,” said Senator Mike DeWine, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “The protection of these 55 acres will build on efforts to protect Ohio’s abundant natural resources including its vast wetland acreage, many rivers, and Lake Erie. I will keep fighting to make sure Ohio continues to get money to fund great projects like this one.”

“TPL would like to thank Senator DeWine for securing critical federal funds for this projection effort. This site along the Grand River is home to extraordinary scenic and recreational opportunities,” says TPL Project Manager Dave Vasarhelyi. “By conserving land along the river, we help protect water quality, wildlife, and the natural beauty that attracts people to this area. Thanks to our partners Lake Metroparks and NOAA, this natural haven will be open for everyone to enjoy.”

The Beaty Landing project is part of The Trust for Public Land’s greater effort to create a network of parks and natural land along the rivers that descend from the Appalachians to Lake Erie and the Ohio River. This green infrastructure would provide recreational opportunities as well as protection of water quality.

Since its founding in 1972, the Trust for Public Land has helped protect more than 2.2 million acres of land in 46 states. In Ohio, the Trust for Public Land has protected more than 9,500 acres valued at $60 million. The Trust for Public Land depends on the support and generosity of individuals, foundations, and businesses to achieve its land for people mission and receives leadership support from the George Gund Foundation, the Cleveland Foundation, the Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation, and the George B. Storer Foundation. Click here for more information about Trust for Public Land’s work in Ohio.