KENT, Ohio— The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, with the help of the Ohio Valley Conservation Coalition and the Portage Park District, expanded the Tom S. Cooperrider-Kent Bog State Nature Preserve to protect an additional 75 acres.
The ODNR Division of Natural Areas and Preserves’ mission to protect the additional bog and uplands began nearly 10 years ago. ODNR worked with the Portage Park District and the Ohio Valley Conservation Coalition to find different funding sources to make the purchase of the additional land possible.
Last month, the 75 acres were formally dedicated as part of Cooperrider-Kent Bog State Nature Preserve, which increased the size of the preserve to 123 acres. The expanded preserve now protects rare sedge meadow habitat along with a shrub bog that harbors four state-listed species including few-seeded sedge, straw sedge, leather-leaf, and tamarack.
Portage Park District will continue to own and manage the new additional and the adjacent parkland, while the management of the rest of the preserve will continue to be handled by the Division of Natural Areas and Preserves.
