Nature center complex opens

BAZETTA -- Cortland resident Stacey Stewart said she and her family come to Mosquito Lake State Park at least once a month to enjoy an activity or event and now will have the newly opened nature center as an additional place for her family to enjoy.

Stewart and her son, Jonah Swiger, 11,were among many who were able to walk through the center and see the wildlife displays and exhibits.

"We love coming to Mosquito Lake for the events and programs. The nature center is something we will visit whenever we come here," Stewart said.

The nature center, located near the campground area of Mosquito Lake State Park, was officially opened Friday as a home for nature and conservation education.

Salim Fadzl, park manager at Mosquito Lake State Park,said the inland lake is the second largest in the entire state with 7,000 acres of water, 25,000 acres of wetlands and marsh, and 234 campsites.

He said the largest lake is Grand Lake at St. Marys State Park.

"This a very momentous occasion for the park. I have memories of when I came to this park and the experiences of seeing nature and the outdoors. The newest addition is the nature center for adults and children," Fadzl said.

He said having a nature center at the park has been a vision of the Friends of Mosquito Lake State Park and others.

Fadzl said the Friends provided between $30,000 to $40,000 for the center and $110,000 in state funds was appropriated by the state legislature.

Matt Balut, president of the Friends of Mosquito Lake State Park, said in 2023, the Friends members found two cabins at Pymatuning State Park that they acquired and were able to bring to Mosquito. He said volunteers did work and local businesses provided funds to transform the cabins into two buildings that sit on a deck area at the park.

The work included roofing, drywall and electrical wiring, as well as work on the deck.

"It was many people who stepped up to get this done volunteering their time and service," Balut said.

"The Friends group is the cornerstone of this park, playing a vital role in what we have at this park. The members and volunteers put in countless hours at community events and raise funds for improvements and additions such as the nature center. The Friends' impact can be felt everywhere you look," Fadzl said.

"Today we celebrate the opening of this great new space. There are 76 state parks in Ohio, which are the gateway to the outdoors. This center is another way to offer a reason for people to come to Mosquito Lake. We will continue to make improvements at Mosquito Lake making it a wonderful destination for outdoor explorers,"Mary Mertz, director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, said.

She said State Rep. David Thomas, R-Jefferson, was instrumental in getting state funds for the project.

Mertz said one building is the educational center where classes and programs on boating, hunting and wildlife will be offered. She said the building includes a library and lecture seating that will feature monthly talk from naturalists and training sessions for boating, hunting and trapping.

She said the second building is the nature center with a variety of wildlife displays and exhibits, including large aquariums with fish and turtles from Mosquito Lake. There is also a learning station area with microscopes and a large window for bird watching.

"There are a lot of fun things to see and learn about in both buildings. This is not just a nature center, but it is an entire complex that we're excited about," Mertz said.

Outside the buildings are pollinator gardens with native plants and a bird feeding station.

NEW PARTNERSHIP

Mertz said Mosquito Lake State Park has a new community partnership with the Raptor Hallow Sanctuary in Alliance, which will provide educational programs with live animals for the public. A sign will be at the nature center telling about Raptor Hallow Sanctuary and how to get there.

Josh Kuszmaul, executive director of Raptor Hallow, said they have conducted several programs at the park and look forward to continuing the partnership.

Thomas presented a commendation from the Ohio House of Representatives for the opening of the center.

Glenn Cobb, chief of the ODNR Division of Parks and Watercraft, said parks are designed to educate, unite and offer recreational opportunities for the public.

"The nature centers are extremely popular throughout our park systems. I thank all of those who made this center possible," Cobb said.

He said the state parks have 1.1 million people using the campgrounds overnight, which has increased in recent years.

Beth Carmichael, CEO of the Trumbull Tourism Bureau, said the nature center is another reason for people to want to spend time at Mosquito Lake Park.

"This nature center complex allows people to connect even more with the park. This center gives Trumbull Tourism something more to promote because it creates more opportunities for visitors and residents to connect with nature and conservation through programming, exhibits and hands-on learning. This center also gives the park what it needs with a more centralized location for education and programming," Carmichael said.

She and others praised the efforts of park naturalist Jason Lee, who has organized many programs and events at the park for the public.

"His passion for all things Mosquito Lake has been at the heart of this project. He had the vision and brought the people in to make this possible. The nature center will be something Trumbull Tourism will be able to brag about and I am completely fine with that," Carmichael said.

Following a ribbon cutting, the public was able to watch a nature program from Raptor Hallow Sanctuary and take part in nature activities.

There is also an archery range next to the center.