April 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 39

close to the shore is a rare opportunity. "
With more than 6 miles of hiking
trails and another 6 miles of permanent,
deep-water channel for fishing and kayaking through nearly 600 acres of marsh,
the park will provide new recreational
outlets while creating habitat for migrating birds and spawning fish.
" Howard Marsh will be a special place
where people with varied recreational interests can enjoy the wonders of a
Great Lakes coastal wetland, " says Steve
Madewell, who was executive director of
Metroparks Toledo when construction
began and for whom a 1,300-foot boardwalk trail there will be named. " Without
a doubt, Metroparks is bringing an element to Howard Marsh that adds a wonderful dimension: excellent public access
for a broad range of activities. "
Expand the Natural Habitat
Adjacent to Howard Marsh is the Metzger
Marsh Wildlife area. Just down the road
are the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area and
the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
(Ohio's only federal refuge) and nearby
is Maumee Bay State Park. Combined,
these Lake Erie marshlands create a habitat complex that is critically important
because more than half the endangered
and threatened birds in the state require
wetlands for part of their life cycle.
Birds bring birders, which is good news
for local businesses too, especially during
the " shoulder seasons " (time between
peak and off-peak seasons) in spring and
fall when other forms of tourism are light.
There are nearly 2.4 million birders in the
state, and Ohio Sea Grant research completed in 2012 shows that bird watching
along Ohio's Lake Erie coast contributes
more than $26 million annually and 283
jobs to northern Ohio's economy.
Historically, 37 species of warblers and
more than 300 species of birds have been
seen at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area,

Photo courtesy of Art Weber, Metroparks Toledo

Fishermen wade into the Maumee River, casting for walleye that are migrating upriver.

making it recognized worldwide as a top
birding destination for songbird migration. Annually, 70,000 to 80,000 people
visit Magee Marsh in the six-week period
from mid-April through May during the
songbird migration. The Biggest Week
in American Birding, a 10-day event
that's based at Maumee Bay State Park
and sponsored by the Black Swamp Bird
Observatory, attracted visitors from 47
states and 20 countries last year!
Marshes are also important breeding
grounds for fish in a region that calls itself
the Walleye Capital of the World. Walleye
fishing on Ohio's 2.24-million-acre share of
Lake Erie is a $600-million-a-year industry.
Connect More People
with the Outdoors
In August 2017, with most of the groundwork completed but the marsh not yet
flooded, Metroparks invited elected officials to see the property, as they would
never again be able to see it. Under a large
tent to fend off the cold onshore winds,
local and state officials mingled with Metroparks supporters and a group of 50 visi-

tors on a tour hosted by Ducks Unlimited.
Also in attendance was Ohio Governor John Kasich, who spoke about the
recreational and tourism aspects of the
project. " We need to tell the world about
that, " Kasich said. " We need to do a better job of telling people what's here. "
For Metroparks, the economic impact
on the region helps build the case for support of the agency's conservation mission.
" More parks and trails will connect
more people with the outdoors, and
that's ultimately what we are all about, "
says Zenk, who has been with the park
system 11 years and executive director
for just more than a year. " We have to
keep upping our game, providing new
experiences to give people reasons to
keep coming back. Putting a park within
only a few minutes of every single person in the district breaks down a lot of
barriers and improves economic development across the county. "
Scott Carpenter is Director of Public Relations for
Metroparks Toledo (scott.carpenter@
metroparkstoledo.com).

W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G | A P R I L 2 0 1 8 |

Parks & Recreation

April 2018 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2018 - Parks & Recreation