Supporting the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy 

Cuyahoga Valley National Park was founded “for preserving and protecting for public use and enjoyment, the historic, scenic, natural and recreational values of the Cuyahoga River and the adjacent lands of the Cuyahoga Valley.”  The Countryside Initiative will preserve the agricultural heritage of the Valley where historically 80% of the land was once farmed.  Thirty to thirty five farmsteads within the Park boundaries will be offered for 60-year leases to farmers who propose development of farms to be managed according to principles of ecological sustainability. This effort is the first time a national park has incorporated working agriculture into their management programs.  The initiative serves as a major educational program for the over 3 million annual visitors to the Park. Many of these farms have already been restored by the U.S. Park Service and have been leased through a competitive proposal process.

AMP members have worked with the Countryside Initiative in defining and developing information for the guidelines for farm restoration and the request for proposals and provided technical assistance for ecological assessment.  AMP has also had continuous representation on the Board of Directors of the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy (CVCC) since its inception. The CVCC is a “think and do tank” that manages the leasing process, supports beginning farmers, preserves farmland, and works to promote sustainable agriculture and food systems in Northeast Ohio.

Contact Casey Hoy, hoy.1@osu.edu  for more information.