Lake Erie Allegheny Partnership for Biodiversity (LEAP)

Overview

The Lake Erie Allegheny Partnership for Biodiversity (LEAP) is a consortium of organizations operating within a wide spectrum of conservation missions with regard to our natural world. The Partnership was first convened in March 2004. Our geographic boundary encompasses the glaciated lands and waters south of Canada from Sandusky Bay to the Allegheny Mountains. This region contains diverse habitats and rare ecosystems that harbor many unique and uncommon species. These natural communities are found within an extensive network of public and private lands throughout the glaciated region of northeastern Ohio, northwestern Pennsylvania, and western New York.

Member organizations of LEAP include government agencies, universities, research centers and conservation organizations involved with conservation of biodiversity, environmental education, and public outreach. We share a common goal: to enhance the biodiversity of our habitats and ecosystems. Our respective work involves identifying, protecting and restoring ecosystems and habitats in our region. We have formed this partnership in order to recognize and collectively address the issues (challenges, obstacles, opportunities) that impede each of us from conducting our work and achieving our shared goal. We agree to recognize three key issue areas:

* Communication and exchange of information among Partnership organizations;
* Organizational capacity of each Partnership member;
* Public awareness and engagement.

Our commitment to work collaboratively enables us to leverage available resources — human, capital, and informational. The Lake Erie Allegheny Partnership strives to initiate research and share technical information, conduct public education and outreach efforts, and to establish core volunteer groups; these strategic actions address the issue areas that we have identified.

Mission Statement:

We are dedicated to the identification, protection and restoration of biodiversity in our region and to the increased public awareness of biodiversity, through the support of our member organizations.

Land Protection:

Collectively, the Partnership has protected 247,799 acres:

* 209,490 by ownership,
* 38,309 by conservation easement or management contract.

Corporate Partner:

* Biohabitats, Inc.

Partners:

* Ashtabula County Metroparks
* Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland
* Brokenstraw Watershed Council
* Chagrin River Watershed Partners, Inc.
* City of Twinsburg
* Cleveland Botanical Garden
* Cleveland Metroparks
* Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
* Cleveland Museum of Natural History
* Cuyahoga American Heritage River Initiative
* Cuyahoga County Planning Commission
* Cuyahoga River Community Planning Organization
* Cuyahoga Valley National Park
* Doan Brook Watershed Partnership
* Geauga Park District
* GreenCityBlueLake Institute
* Hiram College
* Isaak Walton League, Western Reserve Chapter
* Lake Metroparks
* Medina County Park District
* Metro Parks, Serving Summit County
* Mill Creek Metroparks
* Mount Union College
* Native Plant Society of NE Ohio
* Nature Center at Shaker Lakes
* Ohio Division of Natural Areas & Preserves
* Ohio Division of Wildlife
* Ohio Invasive Plants Council
* Pennsylvania Environmental Council
* Pennsylvania Game Commission
* Pennsylvania Sea Grant
* Portage County Park District
* Presque Isle State Park
* Stark County Park District
* The Holden Arboretum
* The Nature Conservancy
* The Trust for Public Land
* The Wilderness Center
* U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
* Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
* Western Reserve Land Conservancy
* Western Reserve Resource Conservation and Development Council

(List of Partners as of March 09, 2010)

Northeast Ohio Green Map
updated 03/2012 by Northeast Ohio