Boundary along Petersen’s Woods, Lake Erie Middle Bass Island

The Lake Erie Islands Conservancy formally closed on the purchase of the Petersen Woods property on Middle Bass Island on March 3, 2004. This is the first successfully preserved land for our Conservancy!

The 1.5 acre wet woodland is near the Kuehnle State Wildlife Area and will add to the protected wetland acreage there.

The woods provides habitat for the Bald Eagles that have nested at the airport across the street as well as the federally threatened Lake Erie water snake. The woods provide important feeding and resting habitat for migratory birds.

Nesting Bald Eagles at Petersen’s Woods, Lake Erie Middle Bass Island

The acquisition was funded with grants from the Clean Ohio Conservation Fund, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife, and the Nature Conservancy as well as funds from our own local Conservancy.

A dedication program was held October 3, 2004. Former owners Pete Petersen IV and his wife Carla, John Ritzenthaler of Audubon Ohio, and Marlene Kromer of the Ohio Chapter of the Nature Conservancy spoke at the dedication and helped us celebrate.

Thanks to all of our members for their continued support and to those locally who wrote letters of support for our efforts including the Lake Erie Islands Historical Society, the Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce, the American Legion Sheible-Downing Post 542, the Ohio State University, Stone Laboratory, Representative Marcy Kaptur, Lake Erie Coastal Ohio, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Audubon Ohio, and Representative Chris Redfern.