Nature Conservancy is funding creation of cascading pools

By Paula Pyzik Scott

From the front entrance of Motter Metro Park, a Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District property just outside of the Village of Bluffton, everything looks like business as usual on a sunny July morning. But if you are someone who regularly explores the 105 acres and 1.5 miles of mowed grass trails adjacent to Little Riley Creek, you may have discovered that changes are afoot.

In the southern reaches of the park, earth moving equipment began shaping new features beginning July 1. Thanks to some $500K funding from the Nature Conservancy, a wetlands mitigation project is underway that will improve wildlife habitat and add conservation value to 21 acres in the park.

The Nature Conservancy estimates that Ohio has lost 90% of its original wetlands. Now, when development projects remove wetlands they must pay fees to develop them elsewhere, like Motter Meto Park. The Nature Conservancy uses mitigation credits to determine how the project is funded and designed.

This project, which will benefit the local community and the Maumee River watershed that feeds into Lake Erie, is six years in the making, according to Tyler Black, the park district director.

A cascading wetland is being created that will develop hydric soils that can hold water and grow more types of plants. This will help manage runoff from farmland and catch water before it goes through the adjacent section of the village.

Black has provided two maps (Detail View and Overview) that show three pools of water to be created. Natural elevation changes will be used to pool water and create some open water in the park for most of the year. Purple and blue bands show the stair step effect that is being created. Green areas show where there will be new seasonal changes,

There will be some changes to current mowed pathways in this part of the park, with some new trails created. Planting is expected to take place in the fall of 2024.

The current work has minimal impact on park access. Hikers can still use the trails, which have markers where the paths are closed. The earth moving equipment is being brought in from north of Maple Grove cemetery, not through the restored prairie areas.

Motter Metro Park is located at 10740 Columbus Grove-Bluffton Road in Richland Township. Parking is available at the entrance, which is near the Village of Bluffton limits. A handicapped accessible gazebo is next to the parking lot.

The park was created by the purchase of two parcels of farmland in 2006-2009. The park has been planted in prairie grasses to create native grassland habitat.