Sauder Village has partnered with Fulton Soil and Water Conservation District, The Nature Conservancy, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife, and Ducks Unlimited to convert approximately 30 acres of agricultural fields into a publicly accessible wetlands area. Thanks to these partners and funding support from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Environmental Protection Agency under the provisions of Section 319(h) of the Clean Water Act, excavation work was completed in Fall of 2018.
Why were the Wetlands developed?
Sauder Village has constructed two wetlands and vegetative buffers in order to capture, store, and treat nutrient loads and runoff to the Tiffin River and ultimately the Maumee River and Lake Erie. These wetlands establish a natural habitat, minimize flooding, and provide pathways that serve as a public demonstration and education facility for ecological restoration and recreation.
What are Wetlands?
A wetland is an area where the land is covered by water, either salt, fresh or somewhere in between. Marshes and ponds, the edge of a lake or ocean, the delta at the mouth of a river, low-lying areas that frequently flood—all of these are wetlands.
The destruction of wetlands is a concern because they are some of the most productive habitats on the planet. They often support high concentrations of wildlife — including mammals, birds, fish and invertebrates — and serve as nurseries for many of these species. Wetlands provide a range of ecosystem services that benefit humanity including water filtration, storm protection, flood control and recreation.
What walking paths are at Sauder Village?
Approximately two miles of walking paths around the wetland dikes connect with existing walking paths through an oak savannah and natural areas, and around “Little Lake Erie”. Other agricultural best management practices implemented at Sauder Village include filter strips, riparian buffers, grassed waterways, and windbreaks. The wetlands & expanded naturalized areas include native warm season grasses and wild flowers as well as Oak Savanna trees.
About the Project - Fun Facts:
Constructed Wetlands
- 11 acres of wetland to store and capture upstream agricultural drainage
- 15 acre-ft of storage volume at high water elevation
- Emergency overflow routing to a grassed waterway and small lake
Naturalized Areas
- 5 acres of native warm season grasses & wildflowers
- 3 acres of Oak Savanna tree plantings
Vegetative Buffer/Recreation/Education Areas
- 30 acres of cropland converted to natural cover
- 2,332 linear feet of walking trail
This project financed in part through a grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
and the United States Environmental Protection Agency,
under the provisions of Section 319(h) of the Clean Water Act.