KWLT Receives $1.17 Million Grant for Wetland Restoration
Killbuck Watershed Land Trust was recently selected to receive $1.17 million in grant funding for wetland restoration at Crane Swamp in Killbuck, Ohio. The grant was awarded under the highly competitive H2Ohio Statewide Wetland Grant Program.
Launched in 2019 by Governor Mike DeWine, the H2Ohio Program provides funding for high-quality natural-infrastructure projects focused on nutrient reduction and water quality improvement across the state of Ohio. Natural wetland creation has been shown to be a low-cost alternative for enhancing water quality.
“Our water is such an incredibly valuable resource, and building and restoring wetlands brings us closer to having cleaner water throughout the state,” said Governor DeWine in a previous release.
Crane Swamp is part of the larger Killbuck Swamp Preserve, a protected 443 acres of swamp, marsh and woodland just outside of downtown Killbuck. The land trust—also known as KWLT—began acquiring the land in partnership with Arc of Appalachia in 2021.
Restoration of Crane Swamp will include construction of several wetland pools to drown out the invasive Reed Canary Grass. Additionally, culverts will be placed along the former railroad bed to allow floodwater to spread across the entire floodplain, enhancing riparian wetlands. And where possible, drainage ditches will be modified and tiling disrupted to reduce flooding and erosion downstream by allowing water to be stored and slowly released.
“The combination of these enhancements will reduce sediment, nutrient and bacterial load in Killbuck Creek, improving its water quality,” said Randy Carmel, KWLT President and resident naturalist. “That leads to improved wildlife populations, particularly those dependent on shallow water and seasonally flooded wetlands.”
Along with improving water quality and wildlife populations, the restoration work will bring the added benefit of enhancing outdoor recreation possibilities. Plans are in the works to construct trails with observation areas at Crane Swamp, as well as a creek access point at Turtle Pond for kayakers and canoers to explore Killbuck Swamp Preserve. The restoration project will occur over the next two years, with the wetland preserve opening to the public in late 2025.
