Conservationists Seek To Connect Ohio Woodlands

DAYTON, Ohio
Conservationists are trying to connect a state forest in southern Ohio with a nearby nature preserve to create the largest block of protected woodland in the state.

The Nature Conservancy said Friday it has begun efforts to merge Shawnee State Forest with the Edge of Appalachia Preserve System to expand wildlife habitat, protect trails and streams, and pump up tourism in a part of the state with high levels of unemployment.

The conservancy is a private group that works to protect land and water. It is using a recent $750,000 grant and a $1 million private donation to acquire property.

If completed, the tract will be cover more than 80,000 acres. The effort is expected to cost nearly $12 million and take six to eight years.

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