The Maumee Area of Concern Advisory Committee was invited on three tours this summer, highlighting restoration projects with different partners. In August, MAAC members went on an Eastern Maumee AOC tour of projects focusing on addressing BUI 14b (loss of wildlife habitat). This area is comprised of critical coastal wetlands and adjacent upland ecosystems. There were four site visits including: Howard Marsh Phase II, Toussaint Marsh State Wildlife Area Phase II and III, Toussaint Parcels West and East, and the Navarre Unit at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. In September, MAAC members went aboard the Sandpiper to tour several Maumee River restoration projects in the downtown area. Presenters included the Toledo Metroparks who talked about recent and future Metropark projects along the river, The Mannik & Smith Group highlighted several brownfield cleanup and redevelopment projects along the river, and Hull Inc. discussed the Great Lakes Dredge Material Center for Innovation. Cherie Blair with Ohio EPA and Kris Patterson with Partners for Clean Streams facilitated discussion on the importance of the work and partnerships in the AOC and within the region to improve environmental conditions. The third and final tour showcased restoration sites in the western portion of the Maumee AOC, specifically the Oak Openings region and Maumee State Forest areas at nine site visits. Irwin Prairie, Sandhill Crane Wetland Restoration Project, Irwin Prairie PCA Acquisition and Restoration sites, and Maumee State Forest new Site 1 and 2 were all featured on the Western AOC tour. Thank you to those who presented their restoration projects and for those who attended the tours that exhibited the ongoing work within the Maumee AOC to address BUIs and improve local environmental conditions.
