As of May 1st, Crane Creek State Park is being transferred from Ohio
State Parks to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of
Wildlife to be managed as part of Magee Marsh State Wildlife Area that
has recently received national attention in Birders World and Wild Bird
magazines

The area will continue to be open to the public for wildlife
observation, fishing, and walking.  Access for fishing and birding will
be improved. 

Portions of the area will be allowed to grow up to become wildlife
habitat, including the beach and part of the existing parking lot.
Enough parking will be maintained for visitors during peak birding
seasons. 

Swimmers have the options of going to nearly Maumee Bay State Park ( to
the west) or East Harbor State Park to the east. 

The existing pit latrine will be removed and portable toilets will be
installed. 

The transfer will save Ohio State Parks about $20,000 annually in
maintenance and patrol expenses.  The Division of Wildlife will be
responsible for the maintenance and enforcement patrols.

This transfer will only be plus for birds and birders. 

Happy Birding
Mary Warren
Magee Marsh

-----Original Message-----
From: Ohio birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Bill Whan
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 2:01 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [Ohio-birds] Magee Marsh and Crane Creek


        I have been told on good authority that the Crane Creek State
Park property has been transferred from the Division of Parks to the
Division of Wildlife (Magee Marsh WA), effective 1 May 2008.
        I welcome correction from those who know more than I on this
topic. I assume press releases, etc., will be forthcoming about this
change. We will all learn more soon.
        What will the Division of Wildlife will do with this property?
Much of the the currently very rare wooded beach ridge habitat--what
makes the Magee Marsh bird trail so significant for migrant
passerines--was destroyed to make the extravagantly large State Park
parking lot. In fact, the whole area took quite a beating from three
governmental agencies--Parks, Wildlife, and the Ottawa Refuge--and the
public, over the years as they all had their separate ways with it. Some
rancor developed, but with time--and efforts by birders--migrant
passerines were generally recognized as the major beneficiaries of what
little remained. The fact that tourists came from around the world to
observe them did not go unnoticed either. Nor did the fact that we all
take our toll on the habitat.
        What's going to happen, I wonder, to that huge, dry, barren
parking lot, as well as any sand, etc., delivered to the site to support
the beach? Eliminating it could eventually lead to a doubling or more of
the critical habitat, with partial restoration of its role in the lives
of migrant birds. Seldom do Ohioans have an opportunity to actually
increase such an endangered habitat.
        But, some will ask, even if we have lots more habitat and lots
more birds, where will we park when we come to see them? A fair, if
selfish, question. There may be less critical areas off to the east
along the shore for fewer vehicles, but I recommend we follow the
Canadians and not use critical bird habitat for parking. At Point Pelee,
they run shuttle buses from parking lots in less important areas during
busy seasons. Probably during much of the year at Magee a much smaller
parking lot well east of the current one would serve. Or we could walk.
We'd probably see a lot more that way.
        I hope ODOW will opt for wildlife--especially birds--rather than
humans as they manage this property. Their record is spotty in this
regard. As for us birders, if we can't sacrifice a small convenience for
the good of birds, I don't see how we can expect anyone else to.  What
do others think? Bill Whan Columbus

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______________________________________________________________________

Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.

You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
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Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]