The Western Wildlife Corridor is celebrating Earth Day with the announcement that it’s acquired 21.7 acres along Hillside Avenue, overlooking the Ohio River Valley in Delhi Township. The property will be named the William Forest Northcutt Nature Preserve after the previous owner who helped ensure it would be taken into conservation.
“We’ve been working on protecting these woods for over 18 months,” Executive Director Matt Trokan tells WVXU. “It’s over 20 acres of intact, mature hardwood forest. … It has been a forest for over 80 years and now, thanks to our efforts, it’ll be a forest forever, and future generations will be able to come and continue to appreciate nature, recreate and see wildlife and enjoy those scenic views.”
The nonprofit land trust closed on the property Monday and work is slated to begin soon taking down some structures. Trokan says there will be volunteer opportunities as soon as this summer to remove invasive species like honeysuckle, do habitat restoration and complete other work preparing the land to open to the public…