In addition to the 280 bird species recorded at Dike 14 Nature Preserve, there have been 29 species of butterflies, 26 native plants, 16 mammals, 9 native tree and shrub species and 2 reptiles documented at the site. This is pretty remarkable considering that from 1979 to1999 sediments that were dredged from the Cuyahoga River and Cleveland Harbor were deposited at Dike 14.

It wasn't long ago that there was talk of opening up this area to more dredging or of creating a recreational park on the site with facilities to those already found at nearby Gordon State Park. Mayor Campbell's decision to go a different direction and emphasize the natural values of the area was an act of courage. Audubon Ohio is encouraging everyone to send their appreciation to Mayor Campbell for acknowledging this great natural treasure right in the heart of Cleveland.

Audubon Ohio is part of the Dike 14 Environmental Education Collaborative, which is composed of the leading education and conservation organizations in Cleveland. The Collaborative was formed in 2003 to promote responsible stewardship of Dike 14 along with providing environmental education for teachers, students and families.

The Collaborative has hosted some "Sneak-a-Peek" events to allow the public to take nature walks through areas of the future nature preserve that are not yet open to the public. The next public event will be in May of 2006. The Collaborative has also created a comprehensive and user-friendly field guide that explains the history of the Dike that helped create the preserve that we have today, in addition to inventorying the various birds, plants and other wildlife found there.

If you are interested in finding out more about Dike 14, or if you would like to receive a field guide, please contact: Marnie Urso at 216-246-7150 or murso@audubon.org. More information on Dike 14 Nature Preserve can also be found at: www.dike14.org