Hiram – “We are excited to offer a guided hike of the unopened Eagle Creek Greenway property in Hiram,” the special event as noted in Portage Park District’s monthly email newsletter. The explanation shared details of what the Park District refers to as ‘Preserve Peeks,’ programs that provide a limited number of explorers an opportunity to visit the District’s unopened properties and preserves with a park staff member. Around 25 people responded for the opportunity to be among the first to hike a portion of the 325-acre property located on the south side of State Route 82 in Hiram Township late last week.
The Park District’s Natural Areas Steward, Bob Lange, led the hike, for which visitors were advised to dress for uneven terrain, since no developed trails have been constructed. Hikers traversed over fallow farmland, slowly being reclaimed by tall grass, sedges, and wildflowers to a wooded area, then crossed a shallow section of Eagle Creek to explore a wooded portion of the property. The guided hike lasted approximately an hour and a half, during which Lange shared the progress made since Portage Parks acquired the land in 2021.
The Park District refers to this new property as the Eagle Creek Greenway, the working name for the new preserve. He noted that they’ve begun working to restore the property with reforestation and meadow restoration projects. Some projects have been completed by Park District staff, while some were accomplished in tandem with Hiram College students, since the college owns adjacent land.
According to Lange, projects have included the planting of around thirty tree species including oaks, maples, hickory, iron and muscle wood. Trees were planted near the existing woods, which border both Eagle and Silver Creeks. The Park District aims to expand the forest in order to increase biodiversity on the preserved land.
Portage Park District Executive Director Christine Craycroft shared that the property, part of the Eagle Creek watershed, was purchased from the Carlisle family. She noted that the siblings, now in their 60s and 70s, were pleased to see the land they were raised on preserved for future generations. According to Craycroft, they cut 5% from the $1.5 million sale price; the cost was paid through a combination of Clean Ohio Funding and local tax dollars.
At one point during the hike, Lange pointed out the work of an industrious beaver colony, barely visible through a stand of trees. He noted that during the spring, park staff was surprised to see what looked like a perfectly dug ditch to connect the waterways. He surmised that the beavers’ civil engineering project would allow the colony to expand, much like the housing developments springing up throughout the county. Luckily for Portage County residents and the generations who follow, only beavers, wildlife, and Park staff will be developing this 325-acre preserve in Hiram Township.
To find out more about Portage Park District programs, visit them online at www.portagecounty-oh.gov/portage-park-district or follow them on Facebook.
