TRUMBULL COUNTY 100 acres will be preserved on Mosquito Creek

The land, difficult to develop because of the wetlands, will stay in its natural state.
HOWLAND -- Work will get under way this summer to build trails and boardwalks through 100 acres on Mosquito Creek, recently acquired by the township.
The property is in Warren. It was acquired by the Mahoning River Consortium with $150,000 in Clean Ohio conservation funds, and deeded to the township.
The land runs along the creek from East Market Street to Howland Township Park, and will be permanently preserved.
Maintaining its natural state
"Nothing will be built on it -- ever -- except for the boardwalk and trails," said Trish Nuskievicz, Trumbull County Planning Commission environmental specialist, and consortium president. She's also the county's flood plain administrator.
"This is a very unique project," added Darlene St. George, Howland Township administrator, noting the cooperation among the township, city, county, landowners and the state. "It was a cooperative effort because it was the right thing to do."
The parcel is part of a larger preservation effort. It completes a protected corridor along the creek from the recently repaired Warren-Sharon Road bridge to North River Road, including the township park.
At the township park, a trail connection to North River Road is completed. Those trails were made possible some three years ago, also with $600,000 in Clean Ohio money.
At that time, a 120-acre farm owned by the Sloas family was sold for preservation, rather than commercial purposes, St. George said. Sixty of those acres are wetlands.
"That's what Clean Ohio money is for -- to preserve land," she explained.
Altogether, grants have added more than 200 acres to Howland Township's nature preserve.
The image many people have of Howland isn't one of wetlands, but of bustling residential and business growth, and lots of shops and offices. "People think of us as all building up and throwing down asphalt, not thinking of us preserving as much nature as we can," St. George said.
'Diamond in the rough'
There are some rare plants to be found in the preserve, along with birds and other animals that can be viewed in their natural habitat. The creek is deep enough for canoeing; at some point that could be another possibility for recreation.
The best way to access the entire area is during daylight hours at the park's back pavilion. "It's open to the public at all times," St. George said.
"It's very rare to have that much pristine wetlands. It's like a diamond in the rough in Trumbull County that we didn't even realize we had," she added. "It's our responsibility to take care of it for the future. It's a great educational piece of property."
A cost for the boardwalks and walking trails in the latest 100 acres has not been determined. Some of the walkways may have to be elevated so as not to impede the flow of water. All of the work to be done by a contractor will be under the auspices of the Army Corps of Engineers so that it will be environmentally friendly.
The landowner who sold the 100 acres, Martin Finegold, head of Northern Development Co. of Howland, received a Conservation Developer of the Year award from the Trumbull County Soil & amp; Water Conservation District.
"By him selling it, it preserved a very critical flood-way area in Trumbull County," Nuskievicz said.
The land is within Mosquito Creek's 100-year flood plain and would be difficult to develop under today's environmental laws. Mosquito Creek runs from Mosquito Lake south to the Mahoning River.
Obtaining more land
Howland Township is hopeful that more state money might become available and that Finegold will part with an additional 15 acres right off East Market. This would provide desired frontage for parking, directions through the preserved area and eventually a nature center, St. George said.
The township also is hopeful that property owners on the north side of North River Road will donate land that can't be developed. Eventually a corridor through Bazetta Township to Mosquito Lake could be created, St. George said. Howland also is eyeing land along the creek south of East Market.
Land protection along Mosquito Creek also was secured through Clean Ohio approvals in recent years for the Trumbull County MetroParks between Elm Road and North River.