By CARL E. FEATHER - Lifestyle Editor - cfeather@starbeacon.com
PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP — Even the sun and autumn-kissed trees showed up Thursday afternoon for the Ashtabula River’s coming-out party.
About 100 humans also attended the state scenic-river designation ceremony, held in the shadow of the nation’s longest covered bridge at Indian Trail Park.
With the flourish of his pen, Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Sean Logan designated 271⁄2 miles of the main stem, upstream from West 24th Street, as a “State Scenic River.” The designation also covers the 12-mile-long east branch and 9-mile west branch.
Logan, in comments to the crowd gathered for the ceremony, said he was “like a kid at Christmastime” when the designation study finally reached his desk earlier this year.
“I’m here to help you proclaim the Ashtabula River is protected forever,” Logan said in his remarks. “What wonderful words and a wonderful legacy we can leave for future generations.”
The “scenic” designation gives Ashtabula County the largest number of “scenic” or “scenic⁄ wild” rivers in the state.
The Grand River has 23 “wild” miles and 33 “scenic”; Conneaut Creek has 16.4 “wild” miles and 21 “scenic.” With the Ashtabula River designation, the county now has 139.69 designated river miles.
The Ashtabula River is the state’s 14th waterway to be designated since the Ohio Legislature created the program in 1968.
The state was a pioneer in creating the program, the mission of which is to preserve the natural qualities of Ohio’s finer streams for present and future generations.
A “wild river” designation applies when there is minimal human impact in the riparian corridor, or land along the river. The Ashtabula River did not qualify for “wild” status because, among other things, it has too many highway crossings.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources director is responsible for designating rivers as components of the Ohio Scenic Rivers System. ODNR Director Sean Logan said that while aesthetics are part of the designation, there are also rigorous quantitative benchmarks that must be documented to meet the criteria.
The effort to designate the river began in 2006 with the formation of the Ashtabula Watershed Steering Committee. Chaired by Mike Wayman, an Ashtabula Township Park Commission member, the steering committee brought together individuals and communities to support the designation process, which requires a study of the stream by ODNR.
Matthew Smith, assistant scenic river manager, was appointed to the task. Smith walked and canoed every foot of the river and documented its water quality, diversity of life, human impact, history and culture in preparation for his report.
“Basically, when we first started looking at it, there was no doubt in our minds that, from a quality standpoint, it met the criteria,” Smith said.
The stream supports 88 fish species, the most popular of which is probably the steelhead trout. Fishers report a significant increase in the number of steelhead in the river since the remedial dredging project on the industrialized section of the river was completed earlier this year.
Mark Winchell, executive director of the Ashtabula County Convention and Visitors Bureau, says there are tourism dollars in those fish. A study conducted in 2004 showed that each steelhead caught brought $37.70 into the economy. All three of the county’s scenic rivers offer steelhead fishing.
“It’s a huge potential,” Winchell says.
As a bonus, steelhead fishing is best in off-season months: October through spring.
“It’s hugely important,” he said.
“We can be assured that tourists will continue to discover Ashtabula is a great place to visit and a fine place to live,” said County Commissioner Daniel Claypool in his remarks.
Logan also pointed out the tourism and economic-development benefits of having three scenic rivers in one county. He affirmed natural resources as job and economic-development issues but only when part of long-term, sustainable development plans. He said proposals involving these resources must be measured in terms of “the most progress for the most people for the longest time possible.”
Logan also pointed out the scenic rivers’ role as part of the health-care system because of the mental and physical well-being benefits people receive by interacting with this environment.
“We are protecting this river, and Ohio’s 13 other scenic rivers, because we know that our economic and social health cannot, for long, be separated from the health of our air, water and soil.”
County Commissioner Joseph Moroski said the county’s wild areas are soothing places that offer an opportunity for residents to connect with plants and animals, much like the Native Americans did.
“They provide a great deal of opportunity for us,” Moroski said.
“If we didn’t have these assets, we would be demanding them,” Logan said. “I can’t think of a better resource than what we have today in Ashtabula County.”
Officials praised Wayman, Smith and the many others who worked on the project. Both commissioners and State Rep. Deborah Newcomb, D-Conneaut, thanked and congratulated them on their work.
“You are ambassadors to sell the rest of Ohio on the merits of the Scenic Rivers Program,” said Steve Maurer, chief of the Division of Natural Areas and Preserves. Maurer said the county can wear its distinction of having three scenic rivers as a “badge of honor that shows we’ve been doing something right for natural resources.”
Much of the credit for the designation went to Smith, who does not live in the community but, nevertheless, adopted it and the Ashtabula River with the passion of a native son.
“Matthew (Smith), with a positive attitude, has been an unofficial goodwill ambassador for Ashtabula,” said Wayman.
Smith will stay on as manager and is working on the watershed action plan for the river, a document that will guide the 10-member advisory committee as it works to protect the stream. He points out that the plan and designation will not have an adverse impact on the rights of private property owners along the stream.
Wayman says the designation will bring increased awareness of the park, which offers four miles of public access from more than 400 acres of public land stretching from East 24th Street to the Smolen-Gulf Bridge area.
“It’s very beneficial to the Township Park Commission because this designation will help us obtain grants,” Wayman says. The commission has an extensive plan to develop a trail along the river, including several pedestrian crossings.
Highway signs that note the river’s designation are handled by the Ohio Department of Transportation, working with the county highway department. They probably won’t go up until spring 2009, said Heidi Hetzel-Evans of ODNR’s Division of Natural Areas and Preserves.
Thursday’s celebration was sponsored by the watershed committee, Ashtabula Township Park Commission, Ohio American Water, James L. Smith Estate, Ashtabula County Parks Foundation and Kelly’s Gardens.
