THE CONSERVATOR |
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| Volume 15, Issue 1, February 2005 | Newsletter >> News |
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Historic Farmstead Protected Just east of the Medina City limits sits a stately and lovingly restored Victorian brick house surrounded by fields with grazing sheep - an oasis in the rapidly urbanizing landscape of Medina Township and the commercial development of Route 18. Thanks to the generous and far-sighted owners who recently donated a conservation easement on the property to MSLC, this bucolic and historic landscape will be enjoyed in perpetuity. The Conservancy is grateful that we can contribute to the preservation of our heritage - both in land and history.
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stately Victorian home graces the Ed Brown and Ross Trump purchased the former Foote farm in 1970. The beautiful farmhouse had been empty for some time and had been vandalized, necessitating extensive and scholarly restoration. Later, a second Victorian home, which was threatened with demolition because of construction of the Post Office parking lot on North Court Street, was moved to a site behind the brick house. It serves as a private library. In 2004, Trump and Brown decided to take measures that would preserve the house and meadows in the future. Thus began the process that would lead to the establishment of a conservation easement protecting the land. Brown and Trump worked with their attorney and the Conservancy to draft the conservation easement as part of their estate. When the final easement was complete, it was placed in escrow to be filed at the end of the year, or when the rest of their estate planning was completed. As designated in the escrow instructions, the easement went into effect when it was filed with the County Recorder's office on December 30.
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snowy day doesn't stop sheep Due to their location, on Route 18 next to Medina General Hospital, Brown and Trump have received many offers to purchase the property. Their commitment to preservation led them down a different path to an action that benefits us all. They christened their farm "Rus in Urbe," Latin for "country in the city." We thank them for making a wise decision that brings those passing by a little beauty and peace. The Winter Visitor Sometimes it takes an outsider to remind us why we’re in this business of protecting land and habitat. On a recent January day, a very uncommon Northern Goshawk landed in a tree outside the Conservancy office. This bird of prey, usually associated with remote and wild habitat, was just trying to make a living on one of the coldest days of the winter. And at the same time, its unexpected appearance in an urban setting served as a reminder of the imperative to protect the open space and natural areas that sustain us all.
Volunteers Needed We need help!!! We need volunteers to assist with putting out regular mailings, including the newsletter, membership solicitations and renewal notices, surveys, and other materials that are important to our outreach and membership services programs. It’s a great chance to get to know other members who share your passion for the land and to help further the Conservancy’s work. If you can spend a morning each week helping with mailings or can help by pre-assembling materials at home, please contact Bill Jordan at the Conservancy office at (330) 722 – 7313. |
Improvements and Additions at Adams Run Preserve The Conservancy has restored a major erosion site at its Adams Run Preserve in southeast Akron, adjacent to the Goodyear test track, and has completed the final acquisition in the first stage of the project. Grants from the Neighborhood Partnership Project, funded through the City of Akron and Akron Community Foundation, and the Summit County Trail and Greenway Fund, administered by the Ohio & Erie Canal Corridor Coalition, helped underwrite some of the restoration and acquisition expenses. A huge eroded channel at the end of Merrill Street was dumping untold tons of sediment and polluted runoff into Adams Run, which is a tributary of the Little Cuyahoga and ultimately the Cuyahoga River. Acting upon the stewardship ethic that is central to the organization, the Conservancy chose to take the initiative itself and fix the problem rather than trying to compel public agencies to take action.
The wetland retention basin is working as planned at the bottom of the rock channel, collecting and filtering runoff before allowing it to flow gradually on toward Adams Run. Vittum-Andrew
Associates, a landscape architecture firm, did the environmental engineering
and planning and oversaw the excavation. The channel was cleaned and
lined to stop the erosion, and a wetland retention basin was created
at the end of the channel to store and Volunteers will plant wetland plants in the spring to complete stabilizing the ground and provide a natural means of drawing the pollutants out of the ground and runoff. Acquisition of the final parcel at the south end of the preserve sets the stage for other improvements. Currently a proposal to create a master plan for a larger preserve is pending, awaiting funding sources. Eventually the Conservancy hopes to assemble and protect a large wetland complex and turn it over to a public agency for the public benefit.
A wetland is created at the bottom of the restored erosion site at Adams Run.
Conservancy Passes Audit of 2003 Financial Activity
Jean T. Lambert Jean T. Lambert, a long time member of the Conservancy and a strong supporter of education and conservation, recently passed away. We wish to again express our deepest gratitude for the lasting impact she has had through her support of Conservancy projects through her foundation, and to extend our sincerest condolences to her family and friends. |
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White
Horse Farm: Our sincere apologies go to Cynthia and Bill Oliver, owners of White Horse Farm. An editing error removed their barn from the Horse Barn Tour article in the last issue. Our faux pas, however, enables us to feature this truly unique property in this issue.
Beautiful gardens welcome friends to White Horse Farm When they first set eyes on the dilapidated century bank barn, Cynthia and Bill Oliver saw something others did not: potential. So they purchased the barn on 20 acres, with an 1841 stone house in Hinckley Township. They searched for someone to rehabilitate the barn, and no one wanted the job. In fact, they were advised to raze it. But the barn had so much history –milking stanchions for cows, an old pulley system in the loft for hauling hay with draft horses– the Olivers couldn’t bear to tear it down. Finally, a friend offered to help them rescue the barn. Working weekends, they replaced the corner posts, the rotting roof and floorboards. They spruced up the original siding and laid brick for flooring. The downstairs was converted into a tack and feed room and three stalls were built in a lean-to off the back. Four walkout stalls and a foaling stall were added later. Modern features include automatic watering, and the Olivers are particularly proud of the automated insect repellent system. It uses a natural chrysanthemum extract to mist the barn, keeping the bugs at bay during the summer.
Enjoying the pasture at White Horse Farm White Horse Farm is so named because most of its residents are white. Many of the horses are retired. They enjoy nearly constant access to the adjacent pastures, as well as the occasional trail ride. The barn has a beautiful sandstone façade, which complements the old stone house and maintains the integrity of the property –and the gardens are as remarkable as the buildings. A professional garden designer, Cynthia Oliver planned each one to enhance the beauty of the property as a whole. Her talent makes White Horse Farm, with its revived barn and gardens, a true gem. White Horse Farm was a favorite of tour goers. We are pleased the Olivers shared it with the public as part of the Horse Barn Tour.
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Board
Biography
No one can say that Cynthia Szunyog does not have deep roots in Medina County! A Medina native, she has lived in her home on Hamilton Road since she was five years old. Despite extended visits to other appealing places (four years at Smith College, another year at Middlebury College, where she earned an M.A. in French, several years in France and many subsequent visits to Europe, for example), she has always returned. One attraction is her beautiful l854 brick farm house and 93 mostly wooded acres. Equally important, however, is her devotion to the land and the area. Cynthia taught French at Lakewood High School for 30 years, retiring in the mid-l990’s to devote her time to civic activities. She has been a pillar of the local historic preservation movement and was an early member of the Medina County Land Conservancy. She served as president of the Conservancy during a critical period, l997-2001, when it merged with the Revere group and hired Chris Bunch as executive director. In recent years she has headed the Stewardship Committee and served as Secretary and a member of the Executive Committee. Leading by example, she has placed a conservation easement on half of her land and anticipates another easement on the remainder in the near future. On her death, the land will go the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. In the meantime, she and husband Al, a retired landscape architect, enjoy their 10 cats, two dogs and bucolic landscape. Annual Report of Activities For the Year Ended December 31, 2004
2004 Volunteers Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who volunteered in 2004. Literally hundreds of people dedicated their time to the Art Exhibit, Rally in the Alley and Horse Barn Tour, and to the butterfly, wildflower and owl walks. Though space doesn’t permit us to mention everyone here, your tireless efforts made those events tremendous successes. Special thanks go to the people who help get out our numerous mailings. Some helped with special event mailings and others contribute their time (and fingernails) weekly. This year they spent more than 300 hours stuffing, labeling, sealing and stamping postcards, invitations, newsletters and fundraising materials. They are:
Special Events Our sincere thanks to everyone who attended MSLC’s 2004 special events –the Art Exhibit, Rally in the Alley and the Horse Barn Tour. Though your names are too numerous to mention here, your support raised considerable sums of money and has helped us pursue our mission.
Earth Day Stop by and see us at the MSLC booth at Medina County’s 2005 Earth Day Festival at Buckeye Woods Park on Sunday, April 24th from 12:00 to 4:00 pm. If you can volunteer to help out at the booth, please call Bill at the Conservancy office at (330) 722-7313
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Sponsor Spotlight: HOLLAND
& MUIRDEN Jeff Holland and Marjorie Muirden established Holland & Muirden, Attorneys at Law, in 1990. Unhappy with the attitudes at larger firms, they founded their practice with the goal of treating every legal problem entrusted to them as though it were their own. Fifteen years later, their philosophy has paid off –for them and for the thousands of clients they have represented. Holland
& Muirden’s four attorneys practice employment, domestic relations,
bankruptcy, personal
2004 Annual Report Fortitude and adjustment marked the successes of 2004. Additional land was protected and other projects were undertaken even as circumstances required major modifications to actions and schedules. In 2003 the Conservancy launched a Membership & Development Initiative. Planning called for the initiative to begin producing membership and funding results by third quarter of 2004. The first stage of the initiative, developing the funding for staffing and implementation, was successfully completed in 2003. Adjustments became necessary in early 2004 with changes in staffing. Time dedicated to undertaking staff searches and delays in developing and launching campaigns put the initiative behind schedule, delayed anticipated revenue and caused unanticipated budget constraints. Momentum began returning in fourth quarter with a successful annual fund drive and progress in a related project to increase membership and fundraising opportunities. The spring Art Auction and fall Horse Barn Tour were highly successful. The Horse Barn Tour was a first time event in the region and enjoyed outstanding success –tickets sold out completely. The Conservancy reached a new constituency and enjoyed major publicity from the undertaking. The Conservancy began to develop a set of land acquisition priorities that will allow it to become more proactive in the future. The Landscape of the Future initiative is collating available scientific data in the region and placing it in a GIS format (computer mapping) for ease of access and analysis. Surveys will be conducted to identify the interests of the community and public agencies will be solicited for their interests. All of this information will be combined and assessed to develop the acquisition priorities. The Chagrin River Land Conservancy is providing technical support to the project. In addition to developing the acquisition priorities, the surveys provide opportunities for outreach, exposure and solicitation of support for MSLC’s mission. Completed land protection projects included conservation easements on parcels in Twinsburg and Medina townships. Closings on partnership projects with public agencies that depend on Clean Ohio funding were postponed due to delays by the State in financing the Clean Ohio Fund. Restoration of an erosion site and creation of a wetland was completed on the Adams Run Preserve, and acquisition of another addition to the Preserve will close early in 2005. The Conservancy received grants from the Akron Community Foundation, the Akron Neighborhood Partnership Program, The GAR Foundation, The George Gund Foundation, the Jean Thomas Lambert Foundation, the Land Trust Alliance/Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, The Medina County Fund and the Summit County Trail and Greenway Fund. The grants supported a number of projects including improvements and acquisitions at Adams Run Preserve, Landscape of the Future and the Membership & Development Initiative. 2004 was a year full of challenge. Through it all, the Conservancy remained focused on its mission to preserve local land. The organization has become stronger, broadening its base of support with new constituents and gaining exposure through outreach and publicity. Momentum continues to build with new programs and land acquisition projects. 2004
Annual Campaign, MSLC’s 2004 Annual Fund campaign was tremendously successful. We raised more than $20,000 toward operations, more than any annual campaign in the organization’s history. We attribute our success to our trustees who participated in soliciting constituents, and to our members and donors who believe in our mission and gave generously. Thank you for your support. |
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