H2Ohio will provide $500,000 to support the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s Mentor Marsh Coastal Restoration Project. The grant will be used to monitor and remove invasive species and grow native plants that will improve the overall health and quality of the wetland.
“The restoration of Mentor Marsh aligns perfectly with our water quality initiatives through H2Ohio,” said Governor DeWine. “Wetlands remove nutrients and other contaminants from the water and lessen the severity of algal blooms, so by continuing to restore this property, we’re contributing to a cleaner Lake Erie.”
This grant builds on Governor DeWine’s commitment to restoring the marsh, which was destroyed by salt pollution several decades ago. In 2013, while serving as Ohio’s attorney general, Governor DeWine filed a lawsuit against the entity responsible for the damage. As a result, the 801-acre wetland has largely been remediated. As a result, the 801-acre wetland has largely been remediated and can even serve as a healthy nursery for fish species such as northern pike, fry, and yellow perch fingerlings.