Protected open spaces are some of our most valuable assets. The map above indicates the locations of hundreds of open spaces preserved as parks and conservation areas, as well as other areas that serve private and public functions, such as cemeteries, golf courses, airports, and utility corridors.

These areas return valuable benefits to individual communities and the region as a whole. Among other things, the trees, plants, and water resources protected in open spaces can ensure:

• Better water quality by managing stormwater and flooding, filtering pollutants and recharging aquifers;.
• Better air quality by replenishing oxygen through the processing of carbon dioxide and the filtering of other air pollutants
• A stronger ecosystem through the biodiversity that unfragmented bird, mammal, fish and plant habitats provide; and
• A higher quality of life and stronger regional economy through tourism, agriculture, the aesthetics of preserved rural character and diverse recreational opportunities like hiking and fishing.

We're fortunate in this bioregion that we've preserved gems such as the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area (the largest area right in the middle of the region), the Cleveland Metroparks' Emerald Necklace, the Metroparks systems in other counties and the conservation areas around reservoirs in Portage and Geauga counties. The Ravenna Arsenal in the eastern half of Portage County is another large tract of protected land, though it is not publicly accessible, and private golf courses, camps, school grounds, riding and gun clubs provide other opportunities for individuals to enjoy open spaces.

Download a detailed PDF file of this map (998 KB).

Back to main Bioregional Plan

What's a bioregion?
Our bioregional names
Glacial legacies
Maps of natural features

Land cover image
Shaded relief
Watersheds
Wetlands/floodplains
Open spaces
Forest cover

Prepared by:
Northern Ohio Data & Information Service, a member of the Ohio GIS-Network
The Urban Center, Levin College of Urban Affairs, Cleveland State University, December 1998

Sources:

1. Highways/state routes: Ohio Department Of Transportation (ODOT)
2. Open water bodies: Cleveland Metroparks, from Ohio Wetlands Inventory (OWI), Ohio Department Of Natural Resources (ODNR)
3. Streams: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
4. Open spaces: Cleveland Metroparks, from Ohio Capabilities Analysis Program (OCAP), Ohio Department Of Natural Resources (ODNR)
5. Land cover: 1994 Landsat TM
6. Shaded relief: Ray Steiner, Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, 1994