The Cleveland Museum of Natural History has completed trail and boardwalk improvements at Scheele Preserve, a museum-owned property on Kelleys Island. The work includes a new quarter-mile trail through shrub swamp and alvar forest, upgrades to existing paths, new boardwalks over wet areas, and interpretive signage.

The improvements were funded by the Ohio Environmental Education Fund of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Erie County Community Foundation, the Randolph J. and Estelle M. Dorn Foundation, the Mylander Foundation, the Clean Ohio Fund of the Ohio Public Works Commission, and Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio State Parks.

“These enhancements strengthen our ability to care for Scheele Preserve while also making its unique habitats more accessible and meaningful to the public,” said Julia Ross, Executive Director of Impact and Engagement. “They reflect our continued investment in Kelleys Island and in helping more people experience and understand this extraordinary place.” A free Welcome Day is scheduled for Saturday, June 20, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the preserve on Monaghan Road. Museum Research Associate and bird bander Tom Bartlett, who has studied birds along the Lake Erie coast for more than 30 years, will be on site. Registration is requested; the preserve is free and open year-round.

Source: https://www.cmnh.org/news/press-room/2026/05/26/museum-highlights-new-improvements-at-scheele-preserve-on-kelleys-island