Beginning in 2003, the Dike 14 Environmental Education Collaborative joined together to provide exemplary environmental education resources and promote stewardship of the Dike 14 Nature Preserve. Following are some of our activities and accomplishments:
-Internal planning process - ongoing monthly meetings - Collaborative member survey
-Collaborative governance agreement; Earth Day Coalition to act as convener and fiscal agent
-General introductory brochure - button - logo
-Power point presentation
-Visit to Crissy Field (San Francisco) for case study with city planners, Collaborative members and local staff and planners
-Ongoing strategic outreach to schools, teachers and the nearby community
-Monitored and participated in the city’s lakefront development process
-Participated in the community task force reviewing the master plan
-Field trip/case study to Magee Marsh/Crane Creek State Park near Sandusky and Times Beach/Tiff Nature Preserve in Buffalo in summer 2006 for Collaborative members, city planners and decision makers
-Access agreement with the city of Cleveland and the Cleveland Cuyahoga Port Authority to increase community access until the site is open to the public
-Worked with Audubon Ohio to designate an Important Bird Area (IBA) and placed an IBA sign on site at the dike
-A kiosk-type information sign for the dike entrance is being planned
-Successfully completed "Field Guide-Getting Ready to Visit the Dike 14 Nature Preserve" project
-Successfully completed "Dike 14 Nature Preserve Discovery Pack" project
-Web site established at www.dike14.org
-October 2003 event for Cleveland Municipal School District teachers and students (100+ attendance)
-May 22, 2004 event for the nearby communities (+1,000 attendance)
-October 2004 IBA dedication ceremony
-May 21, 2005 Sneak-a-peek event (+400 attendance)
-September 17, 2005 Birds and Butterflies event (+150 attendance)
-May 20, 2006 Migration Mania event (+300 attendance)
-September 9, 2006 Migration Mania event (+265 attendance)
-Other on-site school and community on site visits including Cleveland Municipal School District schools like East Tech, Early College, Jane Addams and Glenville High Schools, and suburban schools like Gilmore Middle School (+200 in 2006)
-Sponsored Ohio Lepidopterists society long-term study of Ohio butterflies, skippers and moths documenting numerous species including three rare species, i.e. the Ocola Skipper. Over 1,000 cabbage whites were observed on one day alone. Five hundred fifty-five monarchs, all of the same species, have been seen on one day during the height of the summer peak
-In 2006 the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded a $25k grant from the Cuyahoga County Brownfields program and a $200k US EPA Brownfields grant to begin soil testing and the risk assessment on Dike 14. Securing these grants is a major step toward making Dike 14 a nature preserve with public access
-In 2006 Cleveland Museum of Natural History botanists began to survey the flora and institute baseline vegetation data for the Dike 14 site
-Richard Shatten Public Policy Case Competition, April 2007
-Butterfly study continues in 2007
-Sponsored Baldwin Wallace College invertebrate study on site, Spring 2007
-May 5, 2007, Cinco de Mayo Migration event (+465 attendance)
-September 23, 2007, Scenic Sunday event in conjunction with Walk + Roll and Red Ribbon Ride
-October 20, 2007, Bioneers Conference Nature Walk
Collaborative Recognition
GreenCityBlueLake Awards - August 12, 2006 at the Burning River Festival
Community Support
The Dike 14 Environmental Education Collaborative thanks each of our member institutions for their ongoing support.
The Dike 14 Environmental Education Collaborative gratefully acknowledges the following for their generous support of our projects, outreach events and publications:
Audubon Ohio
The Honorable Jane Campbell
The City of Cleveland
The Cleveland Foundation
Cleveland Cuyahoga County Port Authority
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Cuyahoga County Commissioners
Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District
Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District
Dike 14 Nature Preserve Committee
The Dolphin Foundation
The Dominion Foundation
Environmental Education Council of Ohio
Environmental Education and Training Partnership
The 1525 Foundation
The Garden Club of Cleveland
The George Gund Foundation
Glenville Development Corporation
Intercity Yacht Club
The Honorable Frank Jackson, Mayor
Joe Cimperman, Councilman Ward 13
League of Women Voters of the Cleveland Area
Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Ohio Environmental Education Fund
Ohio Lepidopterists
Ohio Sea Grant College Program
Sabra Pierce Scott, Councilwoman Ward 8
St. Clair Superior Development Corporation
US Bank
US Environmental Protection Agency
We also thank the scores of individuals and community volunteers who help with our community events and outreach. Your generous support and enthusiasm is deeply appreciated.