By Mike Johnson, Chief of Conservation
When the park district first acquired Liberty Park, we knew we had found some of the most pristine and untouched natural resources left in our region. We also inherited some pretty big problems. The biggest concern was the predominate waterway that flowed through the center of the site: Pond “Brook” was nothing like the name suggested. As far back as the late 1800s, Pond Brook had been ditched, dredged and devoid of life. When we acquired the property in 1999, we embarked on our most extensive and longest running restoration effort.
The Pond Brook Restoration Project seeks to restore several hundred acres of riparian wetlands, restore habitat and fish communities to over five miles of stream corridor, and enhance the overall ecological integrity of the park. While our focus is specific to fish and wildlife, healthy habitats create a healthy environment for people as well.
Two-thirds of the project has been completed. The entire area north of our parking lot on Aurora Road has been restored. The straight ditch has been reformed as a meandering channel. Riffles and instream habitat structures have been installed and riparian wetlands have been restored. Wildlife has responded well to the newly restored habitats. Otters, once absent from this area, have returned in force and Pond Brook is now one of the best opportunities in the Metro Parks to view these playful creatures. Native fish now flourish and invasive carp have been excluded. The riparian wetlands are extensive and have become a significant stopover for migratory waterfall. An avian study conducted several years ago found thousands of snow geese resting in the larger wetlands.
In addition to being good stewards of public land, Summit Metro Parks has been good stewards of public dollars. Most of the restoration work completed thus far has been funded by outside sources. Much of the project was funded via mitigation dollars through the Ohio Department of Transportation as part of the widening of State Route 8 in Macedonia. The Ohio EPA has also funded significant portions through their Section 319 grant. The final stage of the restoration project is happening right now and is being funded by the Clean Ohio Fund, Section 319 Fund, and the Water Resource Restoration Sponsorship Program (WRRSP). Once completed, the Pond Brook Restoration Project will be one of the largest contiguous stream restoration in the State.