Cleanup at Blue Heron Preserve In Memory of Janet Franklin Foster

Western Reserve Land Conservancy is working diligently on exciting new amenities and infrastructure that will make Blue Heron Preserve ready to open to the public once more!

Established in memory of Janet Franklin Foster, Blue Heron Preserve is a gorgeous 116-acre park between Newbury and Burton Townships in Geauga County. The property is located in the Cuyahoga River watershed and much of the land was used as a sand and gravel mine for 26 years before the Land Conservancy acquired the property and restored the site to a more natural state. The reclamation of the mine not only restored the property’s beauty but also helped provide an inviting environment for a diverse array of important and beautiful native plants and animals. Visitors to the preserve can expect to see plant species such as turtlehead flowers, bur-reed sedge, and great blue lobelia, as well as to watch birds such as seasonal warblers migrating through Northeast Ohio, loons, sandhill cranes, and bald eagles. An overlook provides an incredible view of the ponds, the large wetlands complex to the east, and the West Branch-Cuyahoga River valley to Burton hill. When improvements are complete, the preserve will offer scenic hiking trails, a shelter area and observation deck, and tremendous fishing opportunities for public access.

Our staff was pleased to partner with Budget Dumpster to host a clean-up as we prepare to welcome the public back to the stunning property. The team spent the day cleaning up litter and construction debris, completing trail maintenance, weeding, treating invasive species, performing tree maintenance, and more. Budget Dumpster generously donated a receptacle to hold all the unwanted materials, including delivery and pickup of the container free-of-charge. Many thanks to Budget Dumpster for making our clean-up a big success! We look forward to welcoming friends to encounter this special restoration project later this year.