jef at miakonda

The Maumee Corps project began by receiving a grant from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in late 2011 and on the ground work began in early 2013. Since then, it has exceeded our expectations. Partnerships with The MetroParks of the Toledo Area, The Nature Conservancy, The University of Toledo, and The Olander Park System allowed us to create 30% more full-time, seasonal, and/or part-time jobs than we anticipated, all focusing on habitat restoration in the region.  This crew of twenty-nine has addressed over 1,400 acres of restoration efforts including invasive plant species removal, native planting, and preparing for prescribed burning – putting us well ahead of our scheduled goals. Crews will continue to work well into the fall, and will pick back up next year continuing through next summer. There’s much more habitat restoration on deck for our partners, and we’re only half-way through the project. The Maumee Corps wouldn’t be the success it already is without the outstanding leadership and cooperation with our partners. Together, we’re shaping this project to be one of the most visible, on-the-ground cases for cooperation in the Maumee AOC.