Rural Action announces fall watershed tour

For Immediate Release

Rural Action is excited to announce this year’s three-stop Fall Watershed Tour in Tuscarawas County on Saturday, Nov. 5 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This drive-it-yourself tour will showcase three spots in the Tuscarawas River watershed where individuals working at those sites will be available for more information. The event is free to the public.

The first stop at the historic Zoar Levee will feature a talk with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about the levee’s ongoing restoration and the protection of this incredible national landmark.

The Zoar Levee is part of flood protection infrastructure throughout the Muskingum River Watershed, as it protects the nearby village of Zoar from Tuscarawas River floodwaters. Meet in the parking lot of Donnie’s Tavern, 162 Main St., in Zoar, Ohio, to attend the levee stop.

The tour’s second stop and meeting point will be the historic Magnolia Flouring Mills, at 261 N. Main St., in Magnolia, Ohio. Owned and operated by Stark Parks, the mill sits along the historic Sandy and Beaver Canal, dating back to the 1800s, and lies adjacent to Sandy Creek, a Tuscarawas River tributary. The mill’s hydropower provided an important economic service for the surrounding community.

The third and final stop of the tour will be Fry Family Park, also in Magnolia, at 2533 Farber St. SE — one of Stark Parks’ newest facilities! Straddling the divide between the Sandy Creek and Nimishillen Creek watersheds, Fry Family Park offers miles of hiking trails over rolling hills and a beautiful visitor center with numerous citizen scientist laboratory equipment available for viewing and use; A certified “Dark-Sky” facility, the park has earned recognition for being ideal for stargazing and astronomy exploration.

Meet at the park’s visitor center to hear from staff about the park’s past property development and future. Participants who tour at least two of the three sites will be treated to a free lunch featuring local foods at the Nest Café & Ice Cream Parlor, at 107 S. Main St., in Magnolia, Ohio.

Rural Action has partnered with regional watershed groups for over 25 years, and together we have contributed to the restoration of 74 miles of streams that were previously dead. This work strengthens communities and creates economic opportunities and employment options.

Rural Action is a regional community development organization with a 32-county footprint working with members and community leaders on a range of quality of life, environmental, and economic projects across rural Appalachian Ohio. Its mission is to build a more just economy by developing the region’s assets in environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable ways. Learn more about Rural Action at www.ruralaction.org.

This year’s Fall Watershed Tour is free, but donations are appreciated. Registration is encouraged but not required. It can be found online at www.eventbrite.com/e/fall-watershed-tour-tickets-439603274227/. Contact Sarah Robinson at sarahr@ruralaction.org or 330-859-1050 with questions.

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CONTACT
Alexandria Polanosky
Rural Action Media and Communications Director
alexandria@ruralaction.org
740 677 4047 ext. 140