Rotary Riverside Preserve

A former agricultural site along the Maumee River converts to a 57-acre working landscape of hummocks, hollows, and wetlands that reduce nutrient pollution while providing abundant fish and wildlife habitat.

With funding from Ohio’s H2Ohio program, the Black Swamp Conservancy sought to restore 57 acres of active floodplain along the Maumee River. The site, which included a 4.5-acre mature forested wetland, 21 acres of forest, and 35 acres of actively farmed land, was subject to seasonal flooding from the Maumee, and was in need of ecological uplift to improve water quality and habitat. The Conservancy selected Biohabitats to implement the project in a design-build capacity.

Building upon the Conservancy’s restoration concept, which involved restoring wetlands and riparian woods, and establishing floodplain connectivity, Biohabitats’ design transformed the site into a working landscape of hummocks, hollows, and oxbow wetlands. Together these features slow down and naturally filter excess sediment and nutrients from polluted stormwater while providing abundant fish and wildlife habitat. This includes habitat for one of the rarest fish in Ohio, the Pirate Perch. The design also avoided a cultural resource site, eliminating the need for a costly Phase II investigation thus allowing more budgetary support for additional hummock and hollow grading, habitat features and plantings.

Working with subcontractor Meadville Land Service, Biohabitats will manage construction of the project. This will include construction oversight of all earthwork, habitat features, and planting efforts. Biohabitats also coordinated with BSC’s graphic designer to develop two interpretative signs focusing on hummocks & hollows and oxbow wetlands.

TAGS

• Ecological Restoration