Scio Twp Land Preservation Purchases 93 Acres

From Barry Lonik

Scio Township’s Land Preservation Program recently purchased three non-contiguous parcels totaling 93.362 acres. The parcels are on the north side of Park Rd., west of Staebler Rd. and form an urban growth boundary on the south side of the Jackson Rd. corridor.

The property is a mixture of high-quality upland and lowland woods, wetlands, and farm fields and has frontage on two branches of Honey Creek. It connects conserved land to the west and south forming a block of over 660 contiguous acres that's been assembled in 15 transactions over 22 years. Plans are to install trails but for now, it's not publicly accessible.

Scio Township’s dedicated land preservation millage—which voters passed initially in 2004 and renewed in 2012, both by large margins—was the sole funding source for these purchases.

With this project, the Township program has been involved in protecting 1,585 acres, with more projects set to close in the coming months.