Western Reserve Land Conservancy partnered with Atira Conservation and Ashtabula County Metroparks to protect and restore 262 acres along Mill Creek in Ashtabula County, Ohio. The acquisition, known as Mill Creek Preserve, includes two contiguous properties in the Griggs Creek-Mill Creek watershed that will be protected in perpetuity.

The Mill Creek Preserve contains stable plant communities and exceptional natural habitats including wetlands, marshes, wet meadows, and maturing swampy forests with inclusions of upland forest. The maturing forests contain abundant loose-bark trees, including shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) and red maple, which benefit state and federally listed bat populations. The site is situated along 0.88 miles of Mill Creek frontage, which is a warmwater habitat designated tributary to the Scenic Section of the Grand River.

The Mill Creek Preserve is adjacent to the 162-acre Ashtabula County Lampson Reservoir Metropark and expands on this publicly accessible green space. Connecting the region through greenway bike trails for physical and mental health benefits has been a collaborative effort in the region, and this property will contribute to the regional greenways system. The newly protected properties are located along another newly planned greenway route that will connect users to additional locations and trails.

• Property Cost: $1.03 million
• Atira Conservation Funding: $35,000