Killbuck Watershed Land Trust gets funding for new nature preserve

In a new partnership between the Killbuck Watershed Land Trust and the Arc of Appalachia, almost a half-million dollars in grant funding has been received to create a new nature preserve in Holmes County. The nature preserve has nearly ideal conditions for outdoor recreation with 135 acres of wetlands, 22 acres of woods and about 3/4 of a mile of frontage on Killbuck Creek.

Good projects take time to develop, and this one is no exception. Initial discussions on the wetland property go back two years when Randy Carmel, president of the KWLT board, first approached the landowner.

“I approached the Carpenter family. There were two sisters, though one is deceased now, that I contacted to see if they were ever interested in protecting this wetland property near the village of Killbuck,” Carmel said.

However, initial discussions with the landowners were unfruitful, as they were uninterested in selling the property at that time.

The KWLT had identified the property in the organization’s target watershed because the wetlands provided incredibly high conservation value and protect the Killbuck Creek riparian corridor. Plus, the site supports improved water quality, helping to reduce the sediment that flows into the Killbuck Creek while recharging an important aquifer for clean drinking water.

Because the site is near Killbuck, it offers the public a location for hiking, birdwatching, fishing and kayaking/canoeing, potentially attracting visitors to Killbuck.

Seeking funding

Although the landowner was not yet interested in selling the property, KWLT was working diligently to identify funding for the property and decided to pursue a Clean Ohio Grant. Fortunately, by summer 2020 the landowners decided to work with KWLT to sell the property at fair market value, and they were willing to participate in the grant process.

Any project that involves multiple partners, a governmental grant and over 150 acres of land will inevitably be complicated.

“We needed approval from the township and Village of Killbuck, (Holmes) County commissioners, and we received letters of support and encouragement from all levels of local government. On-the-ground local support is crucial in protecting a valuable natural resource, and KWLT wants to be a responsible landowner,” Carmel said.

“For instance, flooding is a real problem annually in the Killbuck Creek — when log jams get caught in the stream and lead to flooding upstream. It’s important to stay on top of community concerns and be good stewards for the local community,” said Robert Stutzman, a Wooster attorney and also a KWLT board member.

But there was a catch to preserving this property: the KWLT needed to provide a certain percentage of the total project cost as “match” to be eligible for the Clean Ohio Grant. Through a fortuitous phone call, the KWLT was connected with the partner it needed to overcome this last hurdle.

“The Arc of Appalachia identified the same wetland property we had targeted," Carmel said. "Nancy Stranahan, director of Arc of Appalachia, contacted the Holmes Soil and Water Conservation District and was told by them that there was already a Clean Ohio Grant going in for that property.”

The Arc of Appalachia is a land trust that owns over 7,000 acres of preserves in Southern Ohio.

“Arc of Appalachia called us and said they would consider partnering with KWLT and could fully cover the in-kind match on the grant," Carmel said. "They are a great potential partner because they do have more capacity in acquiring and managing nature preserves in Ohio. That really seemed like a good thing for us.”

“For us, this project in Holmes County was inspired by a woman in Knox County who wanted to donate over 250 acres, and she was the one who found the swamp for sale in Holmes County," Stranahan said. "She had a dream of expanding the preserves around where she lived. I hadn't even been aware of the substantial wetlands in the Killbuck Watershed until I heard about that property, which led us to Randy. We were out of our element. We hadn’t worked to protect wetlands before. And when you're out of your element, you get humble and you look for people to partner with.”

Arc of Appalachia and KWLT began working together in December 2020. “After a short introduction, we jumped right into writing grants. It's been a warm and satisfying partnership,” Stranahan said.

Killbuck Swamp Preserve

“We officially got word in February that we received the grant and were told by the review committee that our proposal received the highest score possible for our district. It helped that there were wetlands and sensitive species on the land,” Stutzman said.

The agreement with Arc of Appalachia allowed for the KWLT to expand the original purchase of wetlands to include 22 acres of bordering woodland, an oil well and an adjoining run-down cabin on a half-acre adjoining parcel.

“We also purchased an oil well to retire it. It could negatively impact the wetland habitat and the creek. By retiring this, we were able to remove the threat of an oil spill and any potential contaminants and improve the scenery on the preserve,” Carmel said.

The partnership with KWLT and Arc of Appalachia also allowed the purchase of yet another additional property. “We were able to purchase an abandoned property next to the preserve," Stutzman said. "We received money from an Arc of Appalachia associated philanthropist, and we will dismantle the structure and turn that into a second, small parking lot. The parcel is 22 acres and also has a historic stone quarry on it, and at the top is a beautiful view of the village of Killbuck and the wetlands.”

The future preserve will include a birdwatching trail, parking lot, canoe/kayak launch, interpretive signage and a hiking loop through the forested portion. The project is expected to be popular with both residents and visitors.

Community, nature come together

Carmel and Stutzman explained where the name came from. Killbuck Swamp Preserve was chosen because it aligns with the name locals are already using. It is already a common destination for local bird watchers, fisherman and the community to connect with nature.

Opening up the preserve officially for the community will be a boost to the quality of life for residents and visitors. The site allows the community to view the rich biodiversity of this region: bald eagles, trumpeter swans, sandhill cranes, waterfowl and wading birds, otter, beaver, and muskrat.

“I’m most excited about the 22-acre forest. There are steep slopes covered with wildflowers, and when you walk up the lane and ascend and look down at acres of shining wetlands sparkling in the sun, that means people can access the swamp without getting their feet wet. It lets them look out over the phenomenal landscape that many didn't even know existed in this state,” Stranahan said.

For more information on the project or to become a member of the KWLT, visit the new, updated website at www.killbuckwatershedlandtrust.org. Donations also can be mailed to its office at 133 S. Market St., Wooster, OH 44691.