Conservancy, park district aim to preserve harbor front property on Put-in-Bay
PUT-IN-BAY TOWNSHIP – A local island conservancy and park district are asking for donations to preserve a historic home site and nearly 30 acres of forest, meadow and bayfront property on South Bass Island.
The Lake Erie Islands Conservancy and Put-in-Bay Township Park District are in the midst of a three-part acquisition program for property on the Duff homestead, just to the west of downtown of the village of Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island.
Undeveloped harbor front perfect for fish breeding
Built around the turn of the 20th century, the property owned and operated by the Duff family for decades is home to a house, a garage, multiple outbuildings and one of the last undeveloped pieces of Put-in-Bay harbor frontage.
“Since there’s no dockage there it’s a wonderful habitat for fish,” Lisa Brohl, chair of the Lake Erie Islands Conservancy, said.
The waters are perfect for rare breeding bowfins and submerged plants, she said. The site is also habitat for rare species such as the Lake Erie watersnake, the eastern fox xnake and melanistic eastern garter snake.
Three-Phase Approach
The Lake Erie Islands Conservancy formed in 2000 when a small group of volunteers banded together with one goal: to protect and conserve natural and agricultural lands on the South Bass and Middle Bass islands’ local archipelago.
They aim to protect natural lands from expanding commercial and private development encroachment for the benefit of this and future generations.
Together they have preserved, protected and provided access to more than 155 acres of natural areas on South and Middle Bass islands. LEIC became a 501(c)3 nonprofit in 2015.
The LEIC and Put-in-Bay Township Park District have broken the Duff homestead project acquisition into three phases.
Duff Woods Preserve completed in 2022
Phase One of the project was completed in 2022, as the conservancy secured the Duff Woods Preserve, which is now open to the public.
The 13.5 acres is home to island forest and karst features (wild caves, sinkholes and rock outcrops) with a trail and small parking area.
They are now in the middle of Phase 2, which is to protect a 6.5-acre parcel of property near to downtown Put-in-Bay and includes the harbor area.
The land features a mature forestland and two acres of meadow that will be used for pollinator habitat.
The property is an environment for a host of native resident and migratory species, including the monarch butterfly, bats and songbirds.
$200,000 needed for purchase, restoration work
LEIC and PIBTPD recently received a Clean Ohio grant of more than $1.3 million for the second phase and the PIB Township Park district has received $500,000 in pledges from LEIC, Julene M. Market Fund and others.
But $200,000 is still needed to secure the purchase, and LEIC and the Park District are seeking donations to restore the historic home site.
“It’s a significant location, right off of State Route 357,” Brohl said. “It’s a pretty big project. We just need a little bit more money.”
Ideally, the Duff homestead would welcome visitors from all over and the home itself would be perfect for a visitor’s center and the LEIC and Park District’s offices. The garage would be used for maintenance of the property, Brohl said.
Donations can be sent to the Put-in-Bay Township Park District, P.O. Box 177, Put-in-Bay, Ohio 43456 with “Duff Homestead” on the memo line.
Electronic donations can be sent on the Lake Erie Islands Conservancy website at LakeErieIslandsConservancy.org.
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Conservancy, park district seek to preserve harbor front PIB property
