Gates Mills Land Conservancy
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September 13, 2022 | Newsletter Issue #2 |
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"Fall River" by Jamie Morse |
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The River Corridor's geography is essentially those properties within sight of the Chagrin River, usually bordering on it. These properties can be viewed on the map below highlighted in red. Some of the conservation issues along the Chagrin River are unique to riverfront properties and the Land Conservancy’s plan recognizes this, assigning them to a special corridor and to their own committee. |
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Many thanks to everyone in the community for your interest and support of our newsletter, and to our new friends who have subscribed on our website! Throughout Spring and Summer our board has been inspecting each property to ensure the health and stability of the woodlands, streams, and meadows. Now as fall approaches, our attention moves from inspections and walking tours to the preparation for winter.
This newsletter focuses on the River Corridor, the lifeblood of Gates Mills. It is the migratory path of birds and eagles, and home to many animal, fish and plant species. Our protected River Corridor in Gates Mills is a designated "Bird Sanctuary" and is listed as an Important Bird Area by the Audubon Society. The river also served to create the Dams and Mill Runs, bringing other life to this area. We hope you enjoy reading about the curious landmarks, historical accounts, and the natural neighbors hidden in the Gates Mills River Corridor. We hope you will attend our upcoming Annual Meeting in October; and join our membership as we move forward into a new era.
Gratefully,
Rob Galloway
and the GMLC Board
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Tom Liederbach at Wicks Woods |
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Tom Liederbach, Honorary Member |
Tom Liederbach is a founding father of the Gates Mills Land Conservancy, and our President from 2004-2005. Through his leadership and conservation efforts, the Land Conservancy procured the Wick Property and Beecher’s Brook, adjacent to the Metroparks North Chagrin reservation. The purchase of both properties came through Tom’s efforts with Clean Ohio, an Ohio funding initiative, which preserves open spaces, sensitive ecological areas, and river and stream corridors. There were 4 grants being offered by Clean Ohio, with 14 other land conservancies asking for grants. In a first-time request, Tom’s impassioned presentations to Clean Ohio convinced their board to give GMLC two $500,000 grants for the purchase of each property.
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The Legend of the Swinging Bridge |
Along the Chagrin River just south of the village was a swinging bridge that led across the water to two houses on the other side. It is a curious site that elicited many questions. How did the people get to the houses in the winter? How did they get heavy or large items across a narrow foot bridge? And what made them build a house in that place to begin with?
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"River Autumn" by Jamie Morse |
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Establishing a Land Trust |
According to a 1988 Special Report by Mayor Dan Collister, a concept to develop a Land Trust in Gates Mills “has been growing for some time in the village”. Then in the summer of 1988, Councilman Rick Bole proposed the idea of an Environmental Committee to make recommendations to Council for preserving remaining open spaces within the village. A Preliminary Statement of Purpose was as follows:
“Open land is a diminishing resource… and once land is developed it is changed forever. The purpose of the Gates Mills Land Trust is to create a vehicle by which concerned private citizens can preserve the traditional rural aspects of our village.”
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Endangered Dark Eyed Junco |
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An "Important Bird Area", determined by the National Audubon Society, is a “site where significant numbers of birds concentrate for breeding, migration, or wintering.” The Chagrin River Corridor IBA is a relatively intact contiguous riparian corridor surrounded by developed residential area, which includes Holden Arboretum, Penitentiary Glen, North and South Chagrin Reservations, Chapin Forest, and the Audubon Sanctuaries in Aurora and Willoughby Hills. The Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland has begun an initiative to concentrate conservation and monitoring efforts within this IBA.
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A Perspective from
Jamie Carracher, GMLC Board Member
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As a new resident to Gates Mills, I was drawn to its quiet charm, the extraordinary beauty of deep woods, and to the beating heart of our village… the magnificent Chagrin River.
Many are aware of the ample wildlife that call the river home, including phenomenal runs of steelhead trout from the lake each spring and fall. The Chagrin River Watershed is also home to Ohio’s only remaining native brook trout population. Brook trout populations depend on cold, clear, well-oxygenated water of high purity.
I have watched the brook trout in nearby streams where they hang on desperately. Development, pollution from chemicals and fertilizers, warmer temperatures and more severe storms are significant factors in the disappearance of brook trout from this native habitat. These small, speckled fish have called our area home for 10,000 years but are under extreme threat due to development. It’s just one more reason the Chagrin River must be protected.
Please partner with us to continue to protect the Chagrin River by becoming a Member of GMLC. Your membership provides resources we need to maintain and administrate these efforts. Remember, funds from our Levy only go to conservation easements or procurement of specific properties.
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Steelhead Trout w/ Jaime Carracher |
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"They are born in a river, spend a year or so there, and then migrate downstream to the ocean or, in the case of Great Lakes Steelhead, into whichever lake their natal river flows. They spend one or two years in this large and food rich environment and, when the urge comes upon them, they return to the river of their birth or where they were originally placed to spawn. When they left their river the first time, they were about six to eight inches long, but when they return a year later, they will have grown into a strong 17 to18 inch fish." by Jerry Tone
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In 1904 - The Spillway on the Mill Race, west of Maple Leaf Inn stables |
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A Piece of History - The River Dam and Mill Runs |
In the early 1800’s the areas known as “Mayfield Center”, “Wilson’s Mills” and “Gates Mills” had been discovered and cultivated mainly by farmers. The location of the Chagrin River running through these fledgling communities became quite desirable, and millers from the east coast began settling in the areas to establish sawmills and gristmills. To harness the power of the Chagrin River they built dams and mill runs, the channels carrying the swift current of water to drive a mill wheel. Historical maps identify that there were eleven mills throughout Willson’s Mills and Gates Mills.
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Sherman Road Wildflower Lecture
with John Reinier, Wetland Ecologist, Cleveland Metroparks
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The Sherman Road Preserve is a habitat of purple coneflower, prairie grass, goldenrod, asters, and common milkweed, a highly desirable native species and the host plant for monarch butterflies, which have just been red listed as a critically endangered species.
“I encourage anybody that owns property like this to cut back on the mowing a little bit and let things get like this. Then on a yearly or every other year basis, you can mow the whole area very late in the season. You're just setting it back so that you will perpetually have a renewed habitat, which is a very good ecological alternative.”
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We hope to expand on opportunities for the community to connect with GMLC by engaging in educational experiences, joining us on property walks, and seeking our expertise for your own properties. Come join us!
Annual Member Meeting and Lecture
Wednesday, October 19, 2022 - The Community House, 6:00-8:30 pm
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Subscribe at:
Gates Mills Land Conservancy
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