Howland to earmark ARP funds for creek preservation | News, Sports, Jobs

HOWLAND — Township trustees are using more than $10,000 of Howland’s American Rescue Plan money to preserve just fewer than 84 acres along Mosquito Creek.

Township Planning Director Kim Mascarella said the area the township is acquiring is one of the last large pieces of wetlands and floodplain along the Mosquito Creek corridor north of North River Road. The township has been working for about two decades to preserve areas along the creek, she said.

“Once purchased, these natural areas are protected forever. They can’t ever be clear-cut or developed,” Mascarella said. “They contain countless acres of high-quality wetlands, floodplains that are unique to our natural heritage, mature forests and a diversity of wildlife.”

The new property is adjacent to land owned by the Trumbull County MetroParks to the north and to the south connects with more than 100 acres already belonging to the township.

The total cost of acquiring the land is $164,334, with $10,463 of that coming from the township’s federal ARP money. The remainder of the funding comes from an Ohio Public Works Commission Clean Ohio Program grant. Mascarella said a large portion of the natural space acquired by the township has been possible through Clean Ohio.

The local match to purchase the land was deemed an appropriate use of ARP funding by Baker Dublikar, the law firm retained by the township to advise on ARP purchases.

The township was allotted about $1.7 million in ARP money. The township also has used ARP funds to replace an air conditioning unit in the township administration building and put $70,000 toward drainage upgrades at Howland Township Park, according to township Administrator Darlene St. George. The township also is planning to using ARP money to purchase a new ambulance and now is committed to the Mosquito Creek acquisition.

Mascarella said preserving that section of land is important because it is a floodplain, which is an area that stores water and slows runoff, reducing the risk of flooding.

The Mosquito Creek corridor is recognized internationally as an important migratory bird flyway. The Audubon Society lists the Mosquito Creek corridor as an “important bird area,” according to its website.

The metroparks land that abuts the new acquisition is behind the Walmart in Bazetta and was given to the park district by the developer, who had to set aside land for conservation in order to build there, according to metroparks Director Zachary Svette.

Svette said the park district and Howland officials have been looking into preserving the adjacent section for years.

“So we are really happy that Howland was actually able to acquire that and preserve it,” Svette said.

While most of Howland’s green spaces along the creek do not have official hiking trails, Mascarella said “passive recreation is the perfect land use.”

“Residents can enjoy nature photography, bird-watching or hiking along the corridor. However, hiking can be challenging at times because of the wet conditions,” Mascarella said. The township also issues a limited number of hunting permits each year.

The township someday wants to establish a network of hiking trails, Mascarella said, though the wet conditions along the creek could make that difficult and costly.