MWCD wants to expand recreation areas around Wills Creek
The 298-acre land in Linton Township, known as Aster Ridge, was recreational land owned by AEP
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- The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District is expanding its Wills Creek-area recreation area to include 298 acres called Aster Ridge in Linton Township, a former AEP recreation area.
- MWCD owns about 9,000 acres of recreational land and the new portion would help connect other properties in the area.
COSHOCTON – The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District wants to expand its recreation area in Coshocton County by adding 298 acres in Linton Township, the former American Electric Power recreation area.
MWCD is working with the Western Reserve Land Conservancy to apply for a nearly $1 million grant from the Ohio Public Works Commission’s Clean Ohio Green Space Conservation Program. The funds will be used to purchase what is known as Aster Ridge. It is accessible via County Road 7 and Township Road 142.
It will serve as a connector to other recreation areas owned by MWCD in the Wills Creek area.
Last year, the MWCD received about $2 million from the same program to purchase 625 acres of land in the area north of Wills Creek. Not only is it connected to that land, but it also borders the Simco Wildlife Area, owned by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
The area is mostly forested, reclaimed land, ponds, wetlands and streams. Acquiring the property brings numerous conservation, recreation and public use benefits, according to Brad Janssen, MWCD’s director of natural resources and land management. These include water quality protection, hunting, trapping, fishing, hiking, bird watching, habitat improvement and protection, stormwater mitigation, conservation, economic and social benefits and other passive recreation opportunities, he said.
“Our main goal is to manage these lands primarily for recreational purposes and keep them open to the public for hunting and more,” Janssen said. “Our goal would be to manage them for these assets for the community and keep them open and accessible to the public.”
MWCD has about 9,000 acres of recreational land spread across the district. Janssen said from talking to residents, he learned that the area around Wills Creek is frequently used by hunters. He said in the future they would like to track who is using the land and for what reasons through a survey or some sort of counter.
MWCD is asking ODNR, Coshocton County Commissioners, Linton Township Trustees and the MWCD Board for resolutions of support for the grant. Janssen said this is one of the last pieces of land it is seeking in the area to create a contiguous conservation area.
“As our society becomes more densely populated and people restrict their farmland for leases and things like that, it really prevents the average person from participating in outdoor activities,” said Commissioner Dane Shryock. “I think green spaces are very important, whether it’s hunting, fishing, parks or whatever.”
