Friends of Metro Parks

Advocacy Issues | Ohio Legislators
Federal Legislators | Save the Gorge!

Friends of Metro Parks is a 501(c)(3) organization that supports the park district in many ways, including contacting legislators and educating visitors about important issues. Membership dues allow Friends to support the mission and programs of the park district.

YOU can help preserve and promote the parks you enjoy by becoming a Friend. Membership is tax deductible and good for one year. DOWNLOAD A MEMBERSHIP FORM

For more information: 330-865-1027, info@friendsofmetroparks.org.

Advocacy Issues
It is in the best interest of Friends to stay informed about the issues that affect our Metro Parks, including:

Clean Ohio Fund: VOTE FOR ISSUE 2! The Clean Ohio Fund will keep our state's drinking water clean, protect our lakes and rivers, clean up contaminated land, protect wildlife habitat, preserve working farms, and expand outdoor recreational opportunities for all Ohioans. Please vote for this bond program November 4. Renewal of Clean Ohio will enable state and local governments to be eligible for matching federal funds as well as other public and private funds, which may be used to clean up and protect the environment. Summary | Fact Sheet

Deer Management: Metro Parks is charged with managing natural resources, and a balance must be maintained between a healthy deer population and a healthy ecosystem. Friends of Metro Parks fully supports the park district's deer-density reduction plan, which has received approval from the Ohio Division of Wildlife, and similar methods have proven successful in other parks throughout Ohio and the United States. All harvested animals are processed and given to the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank. Learn more.

NEPA: The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee reported HR 1495, the Water Resources Development Act of 2007, on March 15. The bill is controversial and flawed. It contains language that would "streamline" and thereby weaken the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) provisions for Corps of Engineers projects. It reauthorizes many dozens of previously authorized pork barrel projects. It does not contain the peer review or mitigation reforms adopted by the Senate last year. For more information, view the NEPA alert.

Save the Gorge: Metro Hydroelectric Company, based in Fairlawn, Ohio, wants to generate electricity in Gorge Metro Park by utilizing the old Ohio Edison dam on the Cuyahoga River. Scores of groups are opposed to the project, including the Ohio EPA, the City of Cuyahoga Falls and Friends of Metro Parks. Learn more.

Ohio Legislators

Federal Legislators

A Leaf, Mitten and Ghost
The leaves of the sassafras tree come in three distinct shapes: a leaf, a mitten and a ghost.

Itty-Bitty Bat
The eastern pipistrelle is the smallest bat species in Ohio. When in flight, it can be confused with a large moth.