If you stand at the edge of Mentor Marsh on a quiet morning, you can hear the rustle of native plants in the breeze, the splash of waterfowl, and the calls of migrating songbirds. These sounds tell the story of a habitat teeming with life. But not long ago, this landscape told a different story.
One of the largest natural marshes remaining along the Lake Erie shoreline, the 800-acre marsh began as an abandoned channel of the Grand River over 1,000 years ago. As the channel filled in with wet soils, plants, trees, and grasses began to thrive in a mosaic of swamp forests, wetland meadows, and winding streams. This dynamic ecosystem flourished well into the 20th century. Then, human activity changed everything.
Dead trees pictured at Mentor Marsh, 1967
By the mid-1900s, recognition of the marsh’s ecological importance was growing. As one of the most species-rich sites on the shores of the Great Lakes, Mentor Marsh was recognized as one of the nation's first National Natural Landmarks in 1966, and the marsh became Ohio’s first State Nature Preserve in 1971. But in the late 1960s, as the Cleveland Museum of Natural History was in the process of acquiring the marsh as part of its fledgling Natural Areas Program, it was discovered that salt-mine tailings were being dumped into Blackbrook Creek, a tributary of the marsh, leaching salt into the wetland.
The results of this contamination were devastating. Native trees and plants couldn’t survive the newly salty environment, and the wildlife that depended on the marsh’s ecosystem suffered in turn. As native plants died off, their loss created an opportunity for a salt-tolerant, invasive plant to move in—Phragmites australis.
Phragmites australis, also known as common reed, is an aggressive, non-native grass that grows up to 15 feet tall. Sprouting just inches apart, it forms dense monocultures that choke out native plants and block sunlight. As Phragmites took over the marsh, many songbirds vanished; amphibians declined; fish lost access to breeding areas; and the marsh, once abundant with life, became a veritable desert of reeds.
Beyond the impact of industrial waste dumping and biodiversity loss, the rise of Phragmites also brought another problem: wildfires.
Aerial view of the 2003 fire at Mentor Marsh.
When dry, Phragmites becomes highly flammable, creating the potential for dangerous and fast-spreading wildfires. And sure enough, the invasion of Phragmites caused Mentor Marsh to catch fire more than a dozen times over the years. The turning point came when, in 2003, a fire burned over 400 acres of the marsh. In the process, it destroyed the Museum’s Wake Robin Trail Boardwalk.
After the fire, as the Museum worked to rebuild the boardwalk, ecologists created a buffer zone around it—removing the invasive Phragmites to create room to restore and expand the boardwalk. What happened next was astonishing: the following spring, in the Phragmites-free areas surrounding the boardwalk, the green shoots of native plants began to appear in abundance.
This unexpected resurgence gave ecologists new hope for the future of the marsh and revitalized efforts to support its recovery. In 2015, the Museum began a large-scale restoration project aimed at beating back Phragmites—spraying low-toxicity, aquatic-approved herbicides from helicopters and drones under the guidance of Museum ecologists, as well as cutting and physically “mashing” stalks on the ground. It was an enormous effort, but slowly, the reed wall began to break.
Since then, thanks to persistent and ongoing efforts, the marsh has changed dramatically—but this time, for the better.
Why does restoring the marsh matter?
Mentor Marsh is more than “just” a patch of wetland in Northeast Ohio. Wetlands like the marsh clean water, buffer floods, store carbon, and provide critical stopovers for migratory birds that travel thousands of miles each year. They are biodiversity engines, nurseries for fish, and green refuges for people who want to connect with nature close to home. Losing the marsh would have meant losing all of that. Its recovery means gaining it back.
As patches of Phragmites died, more native plants reappeared. Today, 180 native plant species have returned. With them came the return of rare marsh birds, including American and least bitterns, Virginia, king, and sora rails, common gallinules, and even bald eagles, which now nest near the marsh.
The marsh is once again a breeding area for several fish that live in Lake Erie, including northern pike and yellow perch. And increasingly, other species that rely on the marsh—from waterfowl and wading birds to beavers, otters, and others—are returning.
Be part of the story
The story of Mentor Marsh is an important one for many reasons—but perhaps the most inspiring is that it shows us what can happen when we work together to protect and restore our natural environment, even under devastating circumstances. However, the tale of Mentor Marsh is not yet finished. Restoration is an ongoing process, and the marsh needs constant care to resist invasive plants and recover from decades of stress. That’s where you come in.
Volunteer opportunities provide ways to help support the marsh’s recovery and contribute to the health of this vital habitat and all the plant and animal species that call it home.
Whether you are a Cleveland Museum of Natural History volunteer or someone just looking to make a difference by volunteering to help Northeast Ohio’s natural areas, you can be part of Mentor Marsh’s next chapter. Join us for two upcoming volunteer events this fall:
No experience is needed during these free, family-friendly events—all tools and training are provided. You’ll also get a chance to hear directly from Dr. David Kriska, the Museum’s Restoration Ecologist, about the marsh’s history, recovery, and ecological significance.
If you’re interested in learning more about the amazing diversity of birds in Mentor Marsh, also check out the Headlands Birding Festival taking place this weekend through Sunday, September 21, 2025, at Headlands Beach State Park and Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve in Lake County. The festival will feature field trips to some of the region’s best migratory bird hotspots, with presentations on bird identification, migration, and related topics.
