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PMP General Information Brochure

Putnam Marsh, a newly created nature preserve part of East Sandusky Bay Preserve MetroPark, is located along the southern coastline of Lake Erie near Cedar Point Amusement Park. The 966 acre preserve is a protected natural area because of its importance as one of the last undeveloped naturally functioning marshes on the southern Lake Erie shoreline and it is a critical habitat area for plants and animals.

Putnam Marsh is open daily, year-round 8 a.m. to dusk, unless otherwise announced and posted. A parking lot off of Cleveland Road near Cedar Point Road will be completed in the near future, however, there is currently no parking area available at this site. No drinking water or restroom facilities are available in the preserve. Parts of the marsh are seasonally hunted, by Special Permit, in a program co-managed by Erie MetroParks and the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

Plans for public use of Putnam Marsh need to be carefully balanced with the need to protect the wetlands and open water of Putnam Marsh. Wetlands are among the earth’s most diverse andproductive environments. They can be compared to coral reefs and tropical rain forests in the diversity of species they sustain. Putnam Marsh is greatly influenced by the level of adjacent Lake Erie. A majority of the preserve is usually underwater.

Putnam Marsh is renowned for its abundant waterfowl. It is also an important stopping site for migratory birds as they make their long trek across Lake Erie in the spring and fall. The preserve is located at the intersection of two primary bird migratory routes, the Mississippi and Atlantic flyways. Migrating birds depend upon the wetlands and associated uplands to provide them with the food and rest they need to complete their migration. The marsh is an excellent site for year-round bird watching. A biological survey of plant and wildlife species living in or visiting the preserve is in progress.

Several rare plant species, including the American Lotus, the endangered Engelmann’s spike-rush and Tuckerman’s panic-grass grow in the preserve.  The rare coastal marsh also provides habitat for American Bald Eagles nesting nearby and numerous waterfowl.

Careful planning will ensure that this special wildlife habit remains protected. It will also give visitors an opportunity to appreciate and enjoy the natural beauty of Lake Erie and particularly East Sandusky Bay. Future plans include scheduled ecology.

Putnam Marsh Nature Preserve acquisition was made possible through partnership in 2003 between the Trust for Public Land, The Nature Conservancy, Erie MetroParks, local landowners and community leaders, the Clean Ohio Conservation Fund, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program.