The Cleveland Museum of Natural History is excited to partner with SmithGroup to lead a master planning process for the Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve.
The Museum, in partnership with the City of Mentor and Lake County, has hired SmithGroup to develop a Master Plan for the Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve. This Master Plan will establish a clear, actionable framework to enhance the visitor experience, strengthen accessibility, improve essential infrastructure, and support long-term ecological health, while laying the groundwork for future investments and educational opportunities.
This marks the beginning of a thoughtful, 10-month planning process. The planning effort will unfold in three phases, with a community engagement component at the end of each phase to gather direct public feedback and ensure community voices help shape the process. The first phase of the process is focused on listening to stakeholders, learning from data collection, and evaluating future possibilities.
The Mentor Marsh Master Plan will serve as a visionary and actionable framework to:
This project is a collaborative effort. In addition to the Museum and SmithGroup, key partners at the table include the City of Mentor and Lake County, with support from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Ultimately, the goal of this master plan is to explore ways to strengthen both public access and long-term conservation at Mentor Marsh. At its core, this work speaks directly to the Museum’s mission by balancing conservation with connection—inspiring a deeper relationship with science and the natural world. It helps ensure Mentor Marsh remains both a protected natural resource and a place where people can experience nature in thoughtful, sustainable ways.
Learn more about Mentor Marsh.
Share Your Input
As part of this process, we welcome your input via this brief survey. Whether you visit Mentor Marsh regularly or simply keep tabs on its restoration, we value your opinion.
The survey will be open through July 3, 2026. It will take less than five minutes to complete and will inform and guide the development of the Mentor Marsh Master Plan.
If you'd like to contribute further, join us for the first Mentor Marsh Master Plan Public Meeting on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 at 6pm.
