March 2002

Marietta nears ownership of wetlands
BY TIM BRUST
Special to The Times

Marietta city officials expect to take formal ownership of a wetlands area near Acme Street in the next couple of months.

Kroger is donating the property, located directly behind its store, to the city. A committee of concerned residents is already working on ideas on how best to use it as a recreational and educational site.

At a meeting Monday night, committee member Marilyn Ortt said she and several city officials met with a Kroger representative last week. According to Ortt, the only real hurdle to clear now is finalizing the language in the agreement between

Kroger and the city. Until that happens, she said, the group can't move ahead with plans for parking, signage and other projects.
"I think we're pretty much on hold now," Ortt said.

The group believes a wetlands area near the interstate will serve as a permanent green gateway to the city. Ortt said while the public generally has a negative opinion of wetlands, they serve as homes for a wide variety of wildlife and are "wonderful, wonderful places."

Ortt said Ohio has lost 90 percent of its wetlands. Various agencies have money available for their acquisition and preservation.

While the city will formally own the land, the wetlands area, and what eventually becomes of it, will be almost entirely up to the public.

"The city is not going to open the treasury to make this happen," council member Michael Mullen told the group Monday night.

Mullen said once the city officially accepts the land, its future involvement will probably be limited to being a facilitator for efforts to obtain funds and possibly to some minor work there from time to time.

The group has put together a list of possible projects; a number of them directly involve community groups and organizations. For instance, the committee has investigated the possibility of having Boy Scouts who are working on their Eagle Scout badges take on projects such as building steps and fashioning a trail.

Even before its formal donation to the city, the wetlands area will serve as a laboratory for a group of science students. Joyce Kronberg of West Virginia University at Parkersburg said she has grant money for a program to give high school girls hands-on experience in science-related projects. She said a group of 24 girls from Williamstown High School is expected to take samples of the water from the five ponds on the property and analyze them.

Other ideas for the wetlands include the planting of various trees and the building of a bridge and boardwalk.