Ashland County Park District

Park Column 

Ashland County Park District Announces Hurdle Waterfowl Park Grand
Opening

By Joyce L. Ritchie
     Once in my college days, the wise professor shared with his students thevalue of the school's upcoming day retreat, "If you do not 'come apart',
you just may come a part." The admonition has remained with me over the years, while I have not always abided by it, the rewards when I have, are priceless. Of late, I have taken the easy path to the heart of the Hurdle Waterfowl Park that offers me a retreat from the tyranny of the urgent.It is now time for others to be afforded the same opportunity.

     The Ashland County Park District has set the Grand Opening of the Hurdle Waterfowl Park for Saturday, August 20, 2011. The dedication program is slated to begin at 10:00 a.m. and will conclude before the noon hour.This anticipated event will also include guided nature walks along the
nearly two miles of fairly easy walking trails near and around the three ponds dedicated to waterfowl habitat located on the sixty-six acre park
located at 293 Twp. Road 581 in Ashland County's northeast Sullivan Township. The sixty-five foot observation tower will be opened for this special event. An exemption on vehicle use in the park will be made for a golf cart available for those with difficulty walking on opening day.

     The park is ideally suited for casual nature hiking, fishing, and bird watching. The mature woods of soft maple, birch, oak, and hickory and the
button bush marsh in the low woods on the western edge, provides habitat for all manner of wildlife and the environment for woodland flowers and
creatures to abound. The spring and fall migration season will provide an abundance of waterfowl, warblers and songbirds to observe during their
brief stop on their flight path. In time and in season, limited hunting may be offered. Mr. John D. Storch, ACPD's volunteer Hurdle Waterfowl Park manager, has put in countless hours of tireless personal labor and materials to make the park usable for the public. He has been assisted, in part, by Tony Leonetti in shared time and skills, Pete Riley in shared equipment and labor on the parking lot installation, Gary Hollingsworth in his continuing grounds upkeep, Harold Zager in skill, labor and equipment and the members of the North Ashland County Wildlife Conservation League in their continuing on-going maintenance work. The ACPD is deeply indebted to their dedicated works of service.

     The volunteers of ACPD and Friends offer additional activities this late
summer. The deer gun and waterfowl lottery for a limited number of the multi-use parks will be offered on Tuesday, August 16 at the Ashland County Wildlife Conservation League Farm located at 1930 Co. Rd. 1035 between Hayesville and Miflin starting at 6:30 pm.On August 27, Tim Leslie will continue his guided Birdwalks at Byers Woods on the fourth Saturday from 9-11 a.m. each month. The Cooke Family Wildlife Conservation Area at SR 13 & 96 will be the site of the Annual Veteran's Shoot on Saturday, September 3 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. for all veterans, active duty servicemen, police officers and
firemen. A map can be found at www.ashlandcountyparksdistrict.com with
additional information accessed by emailing Gordon Garling at sgarling@hughes.net or phoning Gil Faircloth at 567-203-7652. This free fun activity is sponsored by the Ashland Pheasants Forever Chapter 442 in partnership with Fin, Feather, Fur Outfitters. Watch for additional park programs and Friends of the Park activities including the Backyard Naturalist programs in September, the Fall Hiking Spree with guided walks in eight parks beginning also in September, the booth at both Ashland County fairs and participation in the Ashland County Farm tour. Be sure to check out their Facebook page and the web site at www.ashlandcountyparksdistrict.com for ongoing and upcoming programs,photos and more.
Expecting to see you on the trail.

Today, Saturday, August 20, the public will be afforded access to a dream realized, a passion followed and labors of time, skill and resources
shared with the Grand Opening of the Hurdle Waterfowl Park of the Ashland County Park District located at 293 Township Road 581 near Sullivan. The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. followed with nature hikes and conclude before the noon hour. Provisions will be available for those with
difficulty walking for this special occasion.
But now, my mind drifts back in time, back to the days of 1988, when the dream of Jack Barensfeld and his wife Florence, began to come to life.
They wanted their farm to be a place where they could enjoy personal sanctuary for themselves and for the waterfowl they loved.  He approached the Ashland Soil and Water Conservation District with his ideas. Soon the SWCD staff had the draft prepared and the construction equipment began the work. They transformed his beloved farm to also
include two specialty wildlife waterfowl ponds; one would be shallow of twelve acres and include two islands and the other a bit more than six
acres specific for food and shelter, each etched out of the farm fields.The design was for the habitat the assorted visiting waterfowl prefer.
This would include the nesting areas, food plots and predator prevention.
The Barensfeld farm location was within the Mississippi Flyway and the sanctuary would be a valuable addition of wetlands used by many migratory
birds. Viewing the birds and waterfowl was made possible with the
building of a sixty-five foot observation tower that Florence was known
to use often. The couple was extremely passionate about their place and
spent most of their later years enjoying it and adding improvements and
enhancements.
Sadly, the owner of the A.W. Stadler Rendering Company of Cleveland,
decorated World War II fighter pilot, Silver Star and fifteen Air Medal
recipient, passed away on June 24, 2009 following the passing of
Florence. The colorful Sullivan resident was an avid world traveler
completing many adventures especially in the cold Northwest and is still
fondly remembered by area residents. Their two sons survive. They are
Glen A. of Los Angeles and James W. of Medina.
In October of 2009, a public meeting was held in the Village of Sullivan,
to address the need of green space parks in Ashland County in keeping
with the Ashland County Comprehensive Plan of 2000 and the mission of the
Ashland County Park District. The proposed plan would add this nearly
seventy-acre property at that time held by Hurdle Enterprises with an
offering to partner with the ACPD, per additional funding through the
Clean Ohio Conservation Fund, into the park district.
The community was enthusiastically supportive of the proposed acquisition
and by November of that year, the grant application was in place. After
review and acceptance, the park would become the eleventh parcel of the
ACPD and the work to prepare it for public use would begin.
Without the careful husbandry of the couple, over time the preserve had
become untidy and tangled. Under the careful and skilled work of area
resident John Storch, who volunteered himself to attend to the task, the
work was undertaken. Armed with determination, persistence and a
gathering of like-minded skilled friends, the paths were cleared, the
overgrowth tamed, repairs made and most recently, a parking lot
installed.
Today I ask where is the huge rock that rests below the water surface?
Are the genetics of the birds that fly above or land or nest of the same
as those that Jack and Florence watched some twenty years ago? Will Merle
Young return to climb the tower he built? Will Brian Blessing and George
Smith walk about or throw a line in the ponds they once scraped out of
the wheat field? Will I embrace the challenge to maintain this legacy so
others may enjoy it for years to come? What other background stories lie
with the other opened parks and what will be the story be of the next to
come?
The Ashland County Park District and the Friends of the Parks are deeply
indebted to Park Manager Storch and the community. These include in part
Gary Hollingsworth, Tony Leonetti, Pete Riley, Harold Zager, the North
Ashland Wildlife Conservation League and friends.
This will be a public multi-use park with footpaths. Visitors are urged
to read the posted information in the kiosk that is placed near the
parking lot each time they visit. The observation tower will be opened on
special occasions.
A guided nature walk will be from 2-4 on September 25, 2011 and led by
Park Manager Storch. Additional information may be found at
www.ashlandcountyparksdistrict.com on this and other park locations and
activities.
____________________________________________________________

Sauers Farm of Pine Hill Park Grand Opening Held

By Joyce L. Ritchie

The Sauers Farm of Pine Hill Park is now open to the public following the
recently held Grand Opening on a recent beautiful day in August. This
addition to the Ashland County Park District is the northern 136 acre
portion of the Pine Hill Park found along Ruggles Township Road 1601
north and south of US 224 Highway is the 147 acre Crall Woods. Together
these two parcels afford the northwestern gems of the parks.

Ruggles Township is known as the area of the first white man born in
early settlement of the territory. Sauers Farms has a rich heritage with
its part in the early history of Ohio and the Crall Woods is a part of
the National Natural Landmark designated areas. Farm owners, the late Dr.
James Sauers and sister Dr. Adelaide Sauers felt strongly about the
preservation of the farm and in the course of events granted her support
into the Ashland County Park District and work together with them to make
the transition possible.

The long anticipated dedication and grand opening afforded those gathered
a history of Pine Hill Park, its current stasis and a glimpse into hopes
in its future.

The formal dedication ceremony was opened with Luke Stevens, a Life Scout
of nearby Greenwich, leading in the Pledge of Allegiance and Georgette
Gaston of the Greenwich United Methodist Church leading in the scripture
reading from Psalm 8 and invocation of blessing. The many special guests
present were introduced by Park Commissioners Tom Kruse, Sam Weyrick and
Bob DeSanto. The many volunteers instrumental in the preparations for the
day were also introduced including Harold Zager and Ken Rogers who serve
as the Pine Hill Park Advisory Chairmen.

The creation of this park began a short time after the Park District's
founding in 2002 with a conversation between Ashland County Commissioner
Marilyn Byers who was serving the county at that time and Adelaide during
a Nova Ice Cream Social. The casual meeting lead to additional plans and
soon other local contacts opened the possibility of two neighbors
preserving their unique property with in the Ashland County Park
District.

While for some eight years may seem long, within the historical
significance of the acreage it is a very short span. To Commissioner Tom
Kruse, Adelaide is a Fairy godmother granting him three wishes, the land,
the funding and a relationship with the Crall family. Funds to assist in
the capitol improvements and ongoing operational expenses, the Sauers'
opened an account with the Ashland County Foundation with the interest
gained for Pine Hill.

The early 1800's farm was secured by the Sauers family in 1932 and
operated as a traditional farm. Known as Pine Hill, there was a dairy
along with other traditional farm animals, crop fields and an orchard.
The old barns have been restored to reflect their history and provided a
pleasant setting for the ceremony. A portion of the fields have been
planted with young native trees, warm season grasses for wildlife
habitats, some retained for continued crop farming and some is the
heritage variety apple orchard. There are two main barns, two ponds and a
private resident house. An Agricultural Heritage Center is an option in
the plans for the park.

Adelaide, along with her close friend Kay VanScoy at hand, cut the
ceremonial ribbon while the Park Commissioners and guests joined in the
occasion. Immediately following, arborist and ACPD volunteer Eric Boyer
along with guests moved to the Memorial Forest for the dedication of two
trees in honor of the contribution of the siblings. A disease resistant
and favorite tree of the late Dr. James Sauers, the Frontier Elm was
planted and a Shingle Oak in honor of Dr. Adelaide Sauers was planted. An
engraved marker was placed at the base of each tree. Guests, including
Jim's Greenwich High School classmates of 1945, Clark Hunter and Don
Braucher, assisted with mulching of the trees.

The trails were christened, the displays investigated, fellowship was
shared, lunch consumed and the fruits of labor enjoyed.

For additional information, check out www.ashlandcountyparksdistrict

Meeting Minutes

Friends minutes 

Business minutes

Newsletters

Spring 2011

Updates

Bird Lists ( a list of birds sighted at each park)

News Release
     On Saturday's Ashland County Park District Bird Walk at Byers Woods, two new species were added to the birds seen at Byers Woods list, which is now at 142 species. The two new species were American coot and blue-headed vireo, both are widespread migrant's, but uncommon nester's in Ohio.  
 
Other birds seen or heard on the Bird Walk were; Canada goose, mallard, turkey vulture, Cooper's hawk, broad-winged hawk, red-tailed hawk, American kestrel, killdeer, mourning
 dove, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, northern flicker,
 eastern kingbird, white-eyed vireo, blue jay, American crow, purple martin, tree swallow, barn swallow, Carolina
chickadee, tufted titmouse, house wren, golden-crowned kinglet, ruby-crowned kinglet, eastern bluebird, American
 robin, brown thrasher, European starling, yellow warbler, palm warbler, eastern towhee, chipping sparrow, field
 sparrow, fox sparrow, song sparrow, swamp sparrow, white-throated sparrow, northern cardinal, red-winged
blackbird, eastern meadowlark, common grackle, brown-headed
cowbird, purple finch and American goldfinch.


 The guided Bird Walks are free and open to the public, birders of all skill levels are welcome to attend. The next
 Bird Walk will be on Sunday May 15th at Byers Woods, from 9:00a – 11:00a. Byers Woods is located on County Road 1754, just east of State Route 60, 4 miles south of Ashland or 3 miles north of Haysville.
 
  
 
Tim Leslie
 1619 S.R. 60
 Ashland, Ohio 44805
 419-289-2626
 leslie26_2000@yahoo.com
 
Byers Woods
671 C. R. 1754
 Ashland, Ohio 44805
 
Ashland County Park District
 1763 S.R. 60
 Ashland, Ohio 44805
 www.ashlandcountyparksdistrict.com 

News

Ashland County Park District Offers Turkey Hunting Lottery
By Joyce L. Ritchie
The Ashland County Park District has scheduled its annual spring lottery
for the 2011 turkey-hunting season. This year’s lottery will be held on
Saturday, April 9, 2011 beginning at 3 p.m. at the Ashland County
Conservation League located at 1930 Co. Rd. 1035 in conjunction with the
Ashland County Wildlife Conservation League's annual fish fry that will
start at 4 p.m.
There will be five Ashland County Park District parks included in this
year’s lottery. They are Black Fork Bottoms, Cooke Family Park, Cool
Springs, Esbenshade Tract and Gilliom-Cherp.
For a $10.00 fee, participants can put their name into the lottery. Each
winning lottery hunter will be able to pick the park and day they want to
hunt. They will also be allowed one hunting partner each day.
Participants must be present at the lottery to secure their hunting days.

A spring turkey youth season lottery will also be held. Youth with proof
of current youth hunting license may enter at no charge.
Any questions concerning the lottery please call ACPD volunteer, Tim
McMillen at 419-289-8056 or by e-mailing him at
Tmcmillen@zoominternet.net.
Check out the ACPD web site at www.ashlandcountyparksdistrict.com for
locator maps of the parks.