Monday, June 30, 2003
A proposal is pending to close part of a remote road used by offenders.
& lt;a href=mailto:leigh@vindy.com & gt;By NORMAN LEIGH & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
EAST LIVERPOOL -- Picture a 1,122-acre tract of forested land featuring towering hardwoods, rocky ledges and a valley that pitches steeply toward the sparkling waters of one of the state's most scenic creeks.
Sounds beautiful, you would think. Guess again.
This state-owned property in a remote section of St. Clair Township is being spoiled for public use because of a lack of funds to mark it and to pay for enforcement to bar the trash-dumping and off-road vehicle use that mars its scenic beauty, a state official says.
"It's a melting pot of problems," Dennis Cable, a forest manager for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' Division of Forestry, said of the property.
The problem is "we have no idea what we're going to do," Cable added.
The state spent $682,380 in 1998 to buy the land, which lies near Little Beaver Creek. The property was designated as part of the Beaver Creek State Forest, which already is established in other parts of the county.
Plans were to develop the land for hunting, hiking and horseback riding.
Area problems
Unfortunately, chronic illegal dumping scars the preserve and makes it an unattractive place to visit, Cable said.
He noted that the dumping goes beyond a few bags of trash. Using the twisting dirt road that passes through the area for access, people are tossing pickup truck loads of garbage, including tires, furniture and appliances.
The state has long been aware of the problem and has sponsored cleanups and enforcement actions.
But lawbreakers continue to return. A lack of state funding to pay for more aggressive enforcement emboldens the dumpers, Cable said.
His office has just two enforcement officers who must cover an area stretching from Columbiana County to Ashland County.
Another problem is posed by people who take all-terrain and four-wheel-drive vehicles on the property. The usage carves pathways into the land, damaging the forest floor and disturbing wildlife. The intrusion also contributes to the debris problem, Cable said. In one case, a vehicle was abandoned in the forest and set afire.
Cable noted that illegal dumping is a third-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.
Illegally taking a vehicle off-road carries the same penalty and can lead to seizure of the vehicle.
Proposed solutions
One solution being proposed by the state is to close a section of Grimm's Bridge Road, which passes through the state forest land.
If the closing is approved, a gate could be put across the road, barring access by vehicle, Cable said.
Department of Natural Resources officials proposed the closure in December. The matter remains pending, Cable said.
Yet another issue affecting the property is that the division of forestry also needs money to survey and mark the exact boundaries of the property so people can use it without fear of trespassing, Cable said.
Although the land is beset by problems, it's still open to the public and is used by a few hunters.
Remedying the issues affecting the property, though, would mean that many more people could enjoy this scenic corner of the county.