The Remarkable Restoration of Cuyahoga Valley National Park
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- Опубликовано: 1 июл 2024
- I've been wanting to tell the story of the restoration of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, literally, since the day I started National Park Diaries. This is a story that has captivated me since I first heard about it and is really a perfect fit for the types of stories I like to tell on National Park Diaries. I told myself though, that I would only do this story when I had the opportunity to travel to Cuyahoga Valley National Park myself... Well, the time has finally come! I made the trip to Cuyahoga Valley, saw the restoration with my own two eyes, and I'm here now to tell you its story. Enjoy!
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Sources and Resources:
www.columbusmonthly.com/story...
www.smithsonianmag.com/histor...
• The Cuyahoga River Fir...
• The Cuyahoga River Fir...
• Cuyahoga River Polluti...
• Celebrating the Comeba... ]( • Celebrating the Comeba...
time.com/3921976/cuyahoga-fire/
www.washingtonpost.com/news/v...
time.com/archive/6637266/amer...
www.cleveland.com/metro/2009/...
slate.com/technology/2012/12/...
www.ideastream.org/news/envir...
cuyahogaaoc.org/
www.nps.gov/cuva/learn/cuyaho...
www.nps.gov/articles/000/the-...
www.nps.gov/articles/000/cuya...
www.nps.gov/articles/000/remo...
www.nps.gov/articles/story-of...
www.nps.gov/articles/carl-sto...
www.nps.gov/articles/how-a-na...
www.conservancyforcvnp.org/wp...
www.nps.gov/articles/000/the-...
www.nps.gov/parkhistory/onlin...
• John Debo - Generation...
pshistory.com/publications/cuv...
www.nps.gov/articles/project-... of wells have been,properties that contained abandoned wells](www.nps.gov/articles/project-...
Images and Music:
Storyblocks
NPS
WKYC-TV
PBS 
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Having grown up on the edge of the Cuyahoga Valley and remembering the fire as a kid, I am so happoy that the river is healthy and alive again! thank you!
We really enjoyed our time in Cuyahoga National park a few years ago. You would never know it was there since it's sandwiched between two interstates. We stayed at the "grandfathered inn " bed and breakfast by Brandywine Falls - The transformation of the old car dump into a wetland was impressive. Loved walking the towpath and taking the train.
I've heard so many good things about the Brandywine Inn - going to try and stay there for my next visit! It's a beautiful park and I truly can't wait to go back!
Cuyahoga Valley is like when an addict finally gets sober and starts living their best life
🤘👊🖤
A great analogy 😂
Stories like these are necessary to tell in the modern day as environmental restoration and federal funding for said restorations have become even more important as there are plenty of landscapes and environments that need restoration whether they're on federal land or not.
Agreed. Cuyahoga Valley is like the poster child for these sorts of efforts and I think we can learn a lot from the efforts that went into bringing this place back to life.
Thanks for the shout out!! :D
Absolutely, can't wait to listen to the episode!
Cuyahoga Valley is a really special place, and I literally cannot overstate how important it is as a symbol of how it's never too late to try to fix our messes and build a better future. It bums me out when people dismiss it as unworthy of its National Park status, since it has such a crucial role in the history of the conservation movement and an incredible ongoing story.
Couldn't agree more! I made a video not too long ago about the problem of only focusing on scenery as a standard for how "good" our National Parks are, and I think Cuyahoga Valley continues to suffer from that very mentality. But, when you look at it as a symbol of recovery and what we can achieve by restoring degraded ecosystems, it's a really remarkable place and well worth its place in the National Park System.
@@NationalParkDiaries honestly its fine, I'll continue to laugh at their scorn and enjoy my smaller park for its quiet, resilient beauty. :D
@@lothlin right there with you 🤘🏻
I'm really glad you talked about how the fire wasn't something new and unheard of when it happened, a lot of videos that have talked about this don't.
Yeah, this was something I didn't really know about before I researched this episode. I only knew the story from the way it had been covered traditionally, so it was nice to learn about those restoration efforts being undertaken before the 1969 fire and cover them here in the episode.
Oh man, I had to hold back tears the entire time I was watching this video. The restoration efforts that have been put on by so many people in and around the Cleveland-Akron bring me such hope; CVNP and the two Metroparks systems that flank and intertwine with it have done so much to save and preserve the area from the encroachments of industrialization. In a world where the threat of climate change looms large and environmental regulations are slowly being picked apart by conservatives, their continued efforts to preserve and recover the space show that there truly are good, caring people left in the world. Once the Gorge dam comes down, the Cuyahoga River will truly get to flow freely again. People with more impressive parks rag on Cuyahoga Valley, but it holds truly such a large space in my heart.
The entire Seiberling family really deserves mention. John Seiberling, as pointed out in the video, really spearheaded the effort to establish CVNP, but he also helped push for the expansion of the parks nationally as well. His grandfather, Frank Augustus Seiberling, co-founded the Goodyear Rubber company as well as the Seiberling rubber company and had multiple patents that helped revolutionize tired production, really bolstering Akron's economy and putting it on the map as a major tire producer. He was also known for treating his workers well and working to establish safe neighborhoods for his employees to live in. He was involved with a truly impressive list of charities and community organizations (seriously check out the list on Wikipedia, it is long) and was a founding member for the Akron Metropolitan Parks (now Summit Metro Parks) and was appointed the park commissioner in 1925. Hospitals, educational institutions, park services, fair housing you name it - the man truly didn't forget his community and I don't doubt that his attitude influenced his grandson. F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm in Summit Metroparks is named in his honor.
The children of F.A. Seiberling donated their family home, Stan Hywet, to be preserved as a museum and to this day you can visit it, enjoy the beautiful gardens, the greenhouse, and the lovely architecture, and reflect on how much good can be done by people who actually care. The work the Seiberlings did is still having a positive effect on the Akron community.
Scribed above the doors of Stan Hywet Hall are the latin words 'Non nobis solum' ; 'Not for us alone.'
Words to live by.
❤Thanks for sharing these additional details of an awesome story. Great to hear this type thing in these trying times!
@@tompfeiffer2755 I'm really surprised that the Seiberlings don't get more attention as philanthropists; there's pros and cons of old-school upperclass philanthropy, but as far as I've ever read, the Seiberlings were the real deal and actually really cared about people and their community.
Bonus fact, Henrietta Seiberling, Senator John Seiberling's mother, helped facilitate the founding of Alcoholic's Anonymous and the first meeting of AA was held at Stan Hywet, and her and her husband were devoted supporters of the group.
Wow, you're passion and knowledge of Cuyahoga Valley and this area's history really shine through in this comment. Thanks for sharing and adding some further context to a truly remarkable restoration story. And thanks for watching!
@@NationalParkDiaries Well, full disclosure, I had to double check some of my facts because a lot of this stuff is things I've learned over the years.
It doesn't hurt that I work seasonally for one of the park districts (keeping it a bit vague intentionally,) my dad is in the tire industry and I grew up around it, and well, I got married at Stan Hywet and grew up visiting it. XD
I kind of have the perfect background to pick up these random factoids.
Well they're much appreciated!
So cool to get the historical context into this park!!!
I always love diving into the histories of these parks, it just enriches the experiences we have today!
Growing up my grandparents would take me out in the valley to see where the cranes would nest. I took one of my favorite field trips to Mary Campbells cave, the gorge, and the falls behind the Sheraton. The last time I saw a lot of my friends who I traveled to Australia with was at Beaver Lodge. I did a teambuilding retreat at the ledges near ice box cave. If I get my way I'll be holding my wedding at one of the cabins. Every part of that park has touched every part of my life, and I'm beyond grateful to all the people who worked so hard to make it a place where I could have those special memories. People truly don't understand the beauty this place has. This landscape is in my heart and soul, and it means so much to see those places brought to a larger audience.
I just went there. It was amazing I thought. Knowing that everything in the park was fought for and won makes it even more special to me. Top five favorite NP for me.
Cuyahoga really is such a special park. Even without the conservation success story, it’s a place that celebrates the subtle beauty of a Midwestern forest, which deserve much of the same respect we give to mountains or deserts. But within the context of the NPS aiming to highlight American history as well as natural places, it’s such an important place to highlight the modern conservation movement and the history of the time period that lead to its creation.
Totally agreed. Cuyahoga is a really well-rounded park. Nature, history, culture, recreation - it has it all. I love parks like that and think CV is very deserving of its NP status. Thanks, as always, for watching!
Perfect timing!!! We just spent a week there last week! Wonderful park! Hiked and biked nearly 90 miles! Tons of history! Thanks!
Big week! I didn't get to see nearly as much as I wanted during my visit, but the silver lining is that I know have a great excuse to go back, which I'm very much looking forward to. Glad you enjoyed your trip and thanks for watching!
It's so inspiring to see how far the Cuyahoga Valley has come in its restoration! It can feel so hopeless trying to work towards ecological goals but this helps give the larger perspective and showcases how much we can fix. The large river in my city has 25 sewage overflow outlets into the river, so it's not always safe to go into it, but they're currently trying to fix the water systems to not dump raw sewage upstream of the city, or at all.
I think Cuyahoga is an important reminder that no place is beyond saving. This was one of the most polluted places in America, and now its a National Park. Certainly, it stands as a shining example of the power of restoration. Thanks for watching and I hope your city's river gets restored soon.
Always great content! Thank you!
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for featuring my home park and the work that has gone into and continues to go into its recovery! 😀The nearby Gorge Dam in the Summit Metroparks is also undergoing a removal and remediation project. Once complete the Cuyahoga Falls, obscured by the dam for over 100 years, will be able to be seen again. This is another long-term project, but one that will certainly continue to improve the Cuyahoga Valley.
Saw that - so exciting! I'm happy for Cuyahoga Valley and all the people that made that happen. Here's to more restoration efforts!
I was able to do a short drive around the park and get a quick 1hr hike in, on a visit to Cleveland for a wedding. I wasn't overly impressed until I factored in what the area was, to what it is now. Astounding restoration of the area. Your video really sums up what this park is about.
Thank you for doing this video. I hike trails in the CVNP, sometimes as much as 10 miles. It is a beautiful gem, hiking trail after hiking trail, up and down the valley... A wilderness between two major metropolitan areas, it has become a gift to those who live here...
Thanks so much for watching!
Never realized how much active restoration was occurring here! I have seen closed off areas of restoration at other parks, but it is great that we can see the results at cuyahoga. Gives me hope for restoration efforts elsewhere
I couldn't believe it either when I started looking into this park! It quickly emerged as the main theme of this episode - Cuyahoga shows just what's possible when we choose to actively recover polluted and degraded landscapes.
Another great video! I didn't know anything about this park. Thank you for telling us about it. What a great story!
The Cuyahoga Valley Natl Park is a symbol of hope that we can right what we have wronged. "... create parks where people need them", what a great mantra!!!
The old Cuyahoga River sounds just like the old Chicago River. Both are healthy rivers now. The Los Angeles River is next (I hope).
People often treat parks as not a priority and balk at funding them, but they should be priorities. Just as healthy food is good for the body, healthy parks are good for the spirit and the soul, which is just as important. Good parks contribute to a city's economy by making a city attractive and a pleasant one to want to live and work in.
Right? I love the "parks where people need them" approach! I couldn't agree more on the physical, spiritual, and mental benefits of parks, of all sizes. Here's hoping our elected officials learn that funding them is a "high tide raises all boats" situation - they're good for everyone. Thanks for watching!
Wow, thank you. I live in Akron myself and honestly I had no idea what went in to making it the beautiful place that it is now. Always enjoy your content and I hope you visit again someday.
I'll certainly be back, don't you worry! Appreciate the support and thanks for watching!
I love CVNP. Thanks for your good report on it!
Thanks for the awesome content and great videos!
Thanks as always for watching!
one my favorite national parks went to it almost daily last year. live 30mins from it and work about 15 from the park. glad to see this video
It was such a delightful park, really enjoyed my time there. Can't wait to go back, as there was so much I didn't get to see! You're lucky to live so close!
I was literally at Cuyahoga Valley earlier today.
Cleveland native, many volunteer groups put work in, I have buzzards circling my neighborhood all summer long. Lots of animals are returning and the Cleveland Metroparks are their highway (The Emerald Necklace)!
Thanks
I, and many other National Park visitors, are very grateful to those groups - they've done a fantastic job, not just at Cuyahoga Valley, but across the Cleveland/Akron area. Major props to them!
❤Another fantastic video! Your content keeps getting better. Nat Geo quality. We have been there 3 times and had a wonderful experience each time. From the Towpath history to Brandywine Falls to the the Ledges Trail, all National Park type experiences. Thank you very much for this effort!
Thanks for the kind words, Tom! I knew immediately that I would have to go back to Cuyahoga Valley - there was so much I didn't get to see!
The Sandy River here in Maine used to catch fire like back in the 80s nothing huge but people would throw matches in cause the little floating fires
Great documentary video.
The Hackensack River up in NJ is still a huge task at getting it un-polluted. There used to be a swim club along the river, before it got too polluted for people to use it. It's still known to be a really bad river.
This is another comment to boost the algorithm, as this video is excellent and needs more views.
I love learning from you!
Thank you 😊
Love the story. A great recovery 🎉
Totally agree, thanks for watching!
amazing!!!
I didn’t know cuyahoga valley had such a rich history
Very! One of the more historically dense parks I've covered, especially when it comes to environmental and restoration history.
@@NationalParkDiarieslove the rehabilitation efforts put into the park, very fascinating too! Love ur videos!
Appreciate it, thanks for watching!
Wonderful presentation.
Thank you!!
Yuk. 39 seconds in, and your visceral description forced me to pause. I am now highly anticipating the redemption/resurrection!
How the heck did people think it was ok to dump toxins into a river?! And what did they do with all the contaminated soil that was removed? Great story, thanks. I’m so glad it was restored.
Inspiring.
Agreed!
Not important but I absolutly love The Blossom. Never been to a concert venue that FREE parking. Also Summit (County Akron is in) Metro Parks is removing a damn in the river this year. Very cool.
As a resident of Ohio I'm ashamed the Cuyahoga ended up like that.
Now it is a beautiful park with trails for hiking and all sorts of things to see and do...
The important thing is it's not like that any more and Cuyahoga Valley serves as a reminder of what we can achieve when we choose to restore places like it!
I love visiting the newer national parks...I've been to many of the western acclaimed national parks but feel like the historical, cultural and natural history of the eastern US has been ignored.
East Coast definitely has some underrated parks imo
Akron was not a megalopolis. It was part of the Cleveland metro area.
When a river catches on fire, what do you put it out with?
You either smother it with CO2 or take the heat away with water overtop of it. Sometimes a foam is used. It also depends on what exactly is burning. If it's a mix of stuff burning, you'd have to try a range of options until you find something that works.
My least favorite part of the myth of the burning river is that in the common mind set, people think that it was the only river ever to catch fire. 🙄
I look at this and cant help but to be reminded that we are the most dangerous animal the world has ever known.
burning the slug was standard for the river weird
So where did all that pollution get moved to instead? Especially the dirt
Where did all the polluted soil go from the illegal unlined diump site.
It was removed and taken to a proper waste-disposal facility
Spin was invented long before the wheel .
Akron was not a megalopolis. It was part of the Cleveland metro area.