
A Pickerington-based land preservation basis not too long ago bought 65 acres it intends to return to a pure state, along with one other 40 acres it is donated for a neighborhood park enlargement.
Since 2006, David Hague and Tammy Miller of Pickerington have bought roughly 920 acres in Pickerington and Violet Township, bordered by Pickerington, Allen and Busey roads, in a bid to take away invasive species, forestall future growth, agricultural use or chemical runoff and return and protect the land in its pure state.
To additional pursue their mission, the couple in June 2021 joined a number of different like-minded board of administrators to type the Invoice and Joyce Hague Basis, which honors David Hague’s mom and his late father, the previous proprietor of a Groveport water-softening equipment-sales enterprise. Joyce Hauge is also on the board.
The muse’s aim is to advertise human accountability to nature by way of preservation and restoration of pure areas and the promotion of moral stewardship of the land. In December, the group had one in every of its most efficient months.

Two Glaciers Park donation
On Dec. 13, Joyce and David Hague gave $160,000 to the Fairfield County Park District that enabled the district to buy 40 acres previously owned by Carl Luck at 3177 Clearcreek Street SW in Lancaster for $181,556.49. The county picked up the remainder of the tab.
Along with growing of the general acreage of Two Glaciers Park from 316 to 356, the acquisition is anticipated to allow the parks district to attach the 2 parts of the park that had been divided by the property.
“On behalf of Fairfield County Park District, I need to say that we’re enormously grateful for the Invoice and Joyce Hague Basis,” mentioned Marcey Shafer, Fairfield County Park District director. “Making the park district’s largest property a contiguous 356 acres is a present to wildlife and folks.
“Within the coming years, the wildlife habitat at Two Glaciers Park will proceed to enhance. Residents could have entry totrails that embrace forest, meadows, coated bridges, wetlands and unbelievable Fairfield County views.”
Based on a Jan. 6 Fairfield County Park District information launch, Two Glaciers Park guests normally have needed to drive to go to each Johnson and Hannaway coated bridges, that are within the separate areas of the presently noncontiguous park.
Connecting the park would enable for the event of trails that may make it doable to entry each on foot, in response to the discharge.
“In comparison with these at Mambourg Park and Smeck Park, trails at Two Glaciers Park might be for much longer and supply a really totally different expertise for hikers – one that’s extra rugged with the next degree of problem,” the discharge acknowledged.
Had the Invoice and Joyce Hague Basis not stepped ahead, the land buy and future connection of the park wouldn’t have been doable, in response to parks district officers.
Kimber Caito, a media coordinator for the parks district, mentioned the company had deliberate to buy land with the help an undisclosed grant. Nonetheless, a delay within the grant’s processing threatened to spoil the parks district’s potential to purchase the land because it was going available on the market.
“We initially had no clue the property was going to be obtainable to us,” Caito mentioned. “An sudden delay within the utility course of made it unimaginable to satisfy the agreed timeline with the vendor.
“We feared the chance to get the land had vanished.”
David Hague mentioned when the inspiration came upon in regards to the impending sale, it was blissful to come back ahead with endowment cash.
“Our function is to revive and defend,” he mentioned. “There are occasions it’s essential to act rapidly or alternatives are misplaced perpetually.
“We selected to assist Fairfield County Park District receive this piece of property because it connects the 2 sections of Two Glaciers Park. It was a simple resolution as a result of they’re good stewards of the land they already personal.”
Caito mentioned plans for the event of trails and different work on the land doubtless would start inside two years.
Hague Nature Protect
Along with the donation for the parkland buy, the inspiration on Dec. 27 accomplished the acquisition of 65 acres a mile south of Pickerington Metropolis Corridor on Hill Street South for roughly $1.65 million.
The land, previously owned by Howard Daugherty, does not have an official deal with however is inside Pickerington metropolis limits, with its western border alongside Hill Street.
These 64 acres wouldn’t be included into the close by Coyote Run property that Hague and Miller have been preserving since 2006. Nonetheless, it is going to be used for a similar function.
“This buy protects a forest and a portion of the Sycamore Creek watershed,” a basis launch mentioned. “Restoration will contain the removing of invasive plant species and safety of endangered bat habitat.”
As a nature protect, the land wouldn’t be made obtainable for public entry; it will be transformed into the Hague Nature Protect, an space the place growth wouldn’t be permitted.
Hague and different members of the inspiration are soliciting volunteers who can be granted restricted entry to assist take away invasive plant species from the grounds. These keen on volunteering ought to ship inquires to [email protected].
“The restoration will happen over a variety of years,” Hague mentioned. “There are invasives to take away, and that’s ongoing.
“There are additionally loads of timber to plant. I might guess, by way of restoration, that it’s going to take 5 to 10 years.”
Hague mentioned the land is sort of surrounded by his Coyote Run property, growing his native preservation efforts.
“It does not take you lengthy to drive by way of this space and see all the event that is happening,” Hague mentioned. “Nature is getting squeezed. So safety is essential.”
Ultimately, Hague mentioned, the Hague Nature Protect might host analysis tasks and academic packages led by college professors and different naturalists.
“The muse is a 501(c)(3),” Hague mentioned. “It is a nonprofit meant to learn the general public by collaborating in volunteer efforts to revive pure lands and thru academic packages placed on by naturalists.”
Though Pickerington officers are looking for new growth to supply higher assets and companies to residents and to deliver extra tax income to town, Metropolis Supervisor Greg Butcher mentioned he helps the inspiration’s effort to guard pure areas.
“Town of Pickerington has maintained a powerful relationship with David Hague and his household for a number of years,” Butcher mentioned. “The frequent thread between us is conservation and an appreciation of the surroundings and the way fragile it may well turn into if not managed correctly by private and non-private companions. Collectively, we have now labored on or are within the technique of engaged on tasks starting from litter pickup, invasive plant management and eradication and future conservation-themed land use.”
Hague mentioned his dad and mom grew up in rural West Virginia and Ohio and spent their lives constructing a enterprise that manufactured water-treatment tools. Along with their aim of offering good water to properties all over the world, they spent spare time climbing and studying to understand the necessity to defend nature.
“My father died two years in the past,” Hague mentioned. “High quality water was essential to him, and Sycamore Creek watershed runs proper by way of there.
“I believe my dad can be smiling proper now.”
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