Photo Monitoring

What is photo monitoring?

As restoration projects are planned, built, and allowed to grow, it is important to monitor them for needed maintenance and to track evolution over time. Join this community science program and help contribute to long-term monitoring of Cleveland Metroparks and partner projects with just the use of your smart phone camera and email.

Astorhurst Wetlands at Bedford Reservation

Thanks for helping us monitor this golf course restoration via www.chronolog.io/site/CMP104. Just uphill from Tinkers Creek, Astorhurst is an important location for improving water quality in the Tinkers Creek watershed. Restoration work created a wetland uphill from the pond to store additional stormwater when it rains. The wetland and the pond below it both capture water flowing off of the hill above and from storm drains along Dunham Road. By capturing more stormwater, the restoration can help reduce downstream flooding while also improving water quality by filtering contaminants like salt from Dunham Road. Photos from this site will help us monitor the function of this restored wetland. 

Euclid Creek Stream Restoration at Acacia Reservation

We also have an ADA-accessible photo monitoring station located at Acacia Reservation (www.chronolog.io/site/CMP103) to track progress on stream restoration. 

Before becoming a golf course, this site was an important part of the headwaters feeding into Euclid Creek. Wetlands and meandering small creeks would have slowed stormwater flow and helped improve water quality. Photos of the site will help us to show how the restored headwaters of Euclid Creek are improving stream health and water quality. 

Bonnie Park at Mill Stream Run Reservation

Restoration at Bonnie Park began in the spring of 2020 with a dam removal and wetland construction. The photo monitoring station CMP-102 is focused on the dam removal area. Station CMP-101 is focused on a wetland restoration area. You can see all the photos to date arranged in a playable timeline by going to www.chronolog.io/site/CMP101 and www.chronolog.io/site/CMP102. 

Nature Center at Shaker Lakes: Stearns Trail and All People's Trail

The Stearn's Trail was restored in the summer of 2020. Bridges, boardwalks and pathways were all replaced and upgraded. Habitat restoration of this riparian forest took place beginning that fall. This area was planted with native plants, trees and shrubs that will provide both habitat and resources for native wildlife. Just beyond the site is a bridge that crosses over the Doan Brook. Help us document the growth of this restored area. 

The All People's Trail is a stunning, 1/3 mile, elevated, ADA-accessible boardwalk that overlooks a native marsh and winds through a floodplain forest. It is open from dawn to dusk and free to visit. This Chronolog project is documenting the active habitat restoration by Natural Resources Specialist Nick Mikash, volunteers, and interns. Over time, we hope to see invasive plant species replaced by native plants. Native species attract and help native animals thrive.

You can see all the photos to date arranged in a playable timeline by going to https://www.chronolog.io/site/SLS101 and https://www.chronolog.io/site/SLS102.

Headlands Dunes Coastal Wetland Restoration Project

This project replaces frequently flooded parking lots with a coastal wetland dune/swale plant community at Headlands Dunes State Park. This restoration project removes approximately 7-acres of asphalt parking lots, moving sand to establish dunes and depressions, and planting native wetland species. 

You can see all the photos to date arranged in a playable timeline by going to https://www.chronolog.io/site/OHO130.

Martin's Run Wetland and Stream Restoration Project

This project restores and enhance 16-acres of wetland and 1,000-linear feet of severely eroding stream channel. It also restores Martin’s Run’s connectivity with its floodplain and riparian wetlands. The resulting restoration treats stormwater and reduce sediment and nutrient pollutant loading to Lake Erie. 

You can see all the photos to date arranged in a playable timeline by going to https://www.chronolog.io/site/OHO125.

The Bird Family Bog Rehabilitation Project

Wetlands have been restored along Breakneck Creek in the Cuyahoga River watershed. They filter nutrients from nearby farmlands, improving surface water quality upstream of a municipal drinking water source and will help to protect a sensitive and rare bog ecosystem.   

You can see all the photos to date arranged in a playable timeline by going to https://www.chronolog.io/site/OHO127.