MetroParks doesn’t have the resources or staff to open the area as a full fledged park at this time, said Dave Nolin, Five Rivers Conservation Director. “The land was purchased to protect rapidly diminishing open space now in an area likely to grow later,” he said. “A park for the future.”
For now, the land with frontage on Medlar Road is open for hiking and wildlife watching, but there are very few trails and limited access. The intent is to have more features and facilities as the area develops, said Nolin. There is limited parking available in a gravel lot off Medlar Road.
About twice the size of Cox Arboretum, the tract is close to the township’s Crains Run Nature Park and next to the Great Miami River. The aqueduct could be utilized at a later date to provide a trail to the Great Miami River and its bikeway.
MetroParks is calling the land the Medlar Conservation Area.
Five Rivers acquired the last 115 acres of the parcel earlier this month, spending about $1 million for two farms on the edges of newer subdivisions. State Clean Ohio Funds paid $770,073 of the amount. Some of the land has been in public hands since 1975 and other parcels have been added since then.
The public is welcome to hike or walk the land during daylight hours. Keep in mind there are no facilities. In 2011, Five Rivers will plant thousands of shrubs and trees on the land including oaks, sugar maple, poplar, hickory, walnut, cherry and lindens.
Invasive honeysuckle is being eradicated in an ongoing program.
The Medlar Conservation Area is the latest addition to the landscape for Five Rivers MetroParks, which has roughly tripled its holdings from the late 1970s when current executive director Charlie Shoemaker joined the organization. He’ll retire in February.
Shoemaker joined in 1977 when the organization held 5,857 acres. With the latest Medlar tract addition, Five Rivers owns or retains a conservation easement on 15,392 acres.
Medlar is one of two potential future parks. Another spot is 360 acres along the Stillwater River from Shoup Mill Road to Meeker Road, some of the area the site of the former Mumma Fruit Farm. Five Rivers has pursued conservation easements along waterways, which are key wildlife corridors. About 2,900 acres are in conservation easement, which prevents the land from being developed. Much of that is along the Stillwater River and Twin Creek near Germantown. The lion’s share of land acquisition in the past decade has been possible because of state Clean Ohio funds, Shoemaker said.
“A lot of what we have been able to accumulate has been to take advantage of opportunities without immediately opening public access,” Shoemaker said. “MetroParks is a long term proposition.”
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