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Euclid Creek 3rd Annual Watershed Summit

The 3rd annual Watershed Summit on November 9 was a great success with over 40 partners attending to hear about how the Watershed is doing in 2017. This year’s focus was on 2017 accomplishments of the program partners - to see the agenda, presentation and program handouts: click here and scroll to the Watershed Council meeting date.

The purpose of the Summit is to gather all watershed residents, Watershed Council and Committee members, Friends of Euclid Creek members, and partner agency representatives in one room to meet and greet and to learn more about how each facet of the program works to create the whole Watershed Program. For years each committee had been meeting separately until the first combined Watershed Summit was held in 2015.

Lyndhurst’s Mayor Ward welcomed the group to the City of Lyndhurst and talked about the value the City places in the Euclid Creek Watershed. Chris Vild, Euclid Creek Watershed Council (ECWC) Chair representing Beachwood, presented the Euclid Creek Watershed Program overview and how all of the partners and committees work together. Next, Ken Messinger-Rapport, Friends of Euclid Creek (FOEC) President, discussed the all-volunteer groups' highlights. He highlighted the Day in the Life of Euclid Creek event in July and a new watershed collaboration with Chagrin River Watershed Partners, where FOEC is receiving administrative services from CRWP. Brian Gilbert, Chair of the FOEC Conservation Committee, gave an update on the development of the Dusty Goldenrod Management Plan in Highland Heights by the Davey Resource Group.

Max Herzog, the keynote speaker from Cleveland Water Alliance, discussed Erie Hack, an initiative new to the region and the great lakes in 2017. Erie Hack is a data and engineering competition that unites coders, developers, engineers, and water experts to generate enduring solutions to Lake Erie’s biggest challenges. The competition included $100,000 in prizes for the most creative and effective hacks. Working from challenge statements derived from ideation sessions with NASA representatives and regional stakeholders, teams were charged with creating innovative digital tools, hardware innovations, and engineering solutions that build “the Blue Economy”: the emergent economic sector dedicated to the sustainable stewardship of bodies of freshwater around the globe. Erie Hack provided regional high school students, college students, and professionals the opportunity to combine their own expertise with solid mentoring to create technologies with the potential to invigorate Lake Erie’s environment and economy.

Lastly, Claire Posius, Euclid Creek Watershed Coordinator with Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District discussed the annual education and watershed program highlights. From watershed projects, grant-funded projects, workshops and site visits it was another busy year for everyone involved in the program.

For the second year, an award was presented on behalf of the Euclid Creek Watershed Program partners to recognize a program partner who has contributed much time and energy to the Euclid Creek Watershed Council for the past 11 years. Mayor David Roche was presented the certificate for his leadership in shepherding watershed projects in Richmond Heights, ranging from rain gardens to a largescale green infrastructure at Greenwood Farm, to supporting land protection on ecologically sensitive ravines, to restoring streamside habitat, to planting trees in support of our urban tree canopy, to his leadership role on the Euclid Creek Watershed Council serving as Vice Chair for four years and as Chair for two years. We cannot thank Mayor Roche enough for his leadership role in the program.

We look forward to getting you involved in the program in 2018 and look forward to getting everyone together again next fall.

Blog Author: Claire Posius, Euclid Creek Watershed Coordinator

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