Scenes from our Elegant Dinner

Last month, Three Valley Conservation Trust attended a picnic to celebrate the closing of an easement in Morgan Township. The 160 acre property, which was part of the Paddy’s Run Restoration Project, is rich in biodiversity—with over 100 plant species, as well as being one of the richest sites for amphibians and reptiles in Butler County. In our previous newsletter Stephen Gordon, a Paddy’s Run Conservation Project Subcontractor, wrote about the property and its owner’s lifelong dream to create a wildlife sanctuary. That article has been republished below. -- Charles ‘Chip’ Hafele is the quintessential work-driven man. By day he oversees two businesses, and when time allows he pursues his childhood dream. Growing up in Cincinnati, Chip envisioned a wildlife sanctuary that he and his family could enjoy and share with others. Twenty-two years ago, Chip’s dream moved closer to reality when he purchased 160 secluded acres in western Butler County. Challenges remained, however, as he had his businesses in Cincinnati to manage and a family to help support. There was precious little time for his 160 acre paradise, yet Chip managed to plant grasses and legumes for wildlife habitat. Fast forward to 2017, TVCT Trustee Ed Teets needed tree work done on his easement property, and Chip was called to do the work. The two men hit it off, and Ed mentioned the benefits of a conservation easement. A new chapter in CHip’s dream was being written. TVCT, Ohio EPA and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) staff began a series of property visits. Chip now laughs that during the first site visit staff hiked less than 300 yards during the first two hours. The reason: Chip’s property had such a rich diversity of plants. Over 100 plant species have since been recorded, that include spring ephemerals and 41 species of trees and shrubs. Field surveys by ODNR recorded 66 macroinvertebrates along Dry FOrk and 23 fish species on Dry Fork and Sours Run. Results from Jeff Davis’s initial field survey indicates that Chip’s Run ranks among the richest sites for herpetological species in Butler County. With such rich habitat and species diversity, the Paddy’s Run Conservation Project (PRCP) is funding several restoration projects. A five-year plan plan to retire three bottomland crop fields to grasslands, prairies and savanna began in March 2019 through the expert guidance of Al Gerhart. This conversion will facilitate Chip’s dream of increasing the property’s wildlife population and species diversity. Conservation and Woodland Stewardship Plans underwritten by the PRCP will provide a blueprint for best land management practices. This will be Chip and his daughter’s first spring living on ‘Chip’s Run’. A Chorus of spring peepers will fill the night with sound while turkey, deer, beaver and countless small mammals will increasingly populate the bottom fields. Native forbs and grasses will emerge from former corn and soybean stubble, and their seeds and nectar will foster insect and bird diversity. Removing invasive plants like honeysuckle will facilitate emergence of ephemerals and understory trees. Gradually, Chip’s Run will be transformed into a diverse, carefully managed sanctuary. Chip’s dream will have entered its final phase. Amidst the demands of work, Chip will set aside time to sit back and take in the sights, sounds and smells of a truly special place.