As we enter this season of giving and reflection, we want to express our deepest gratitude for your unwavering support and dedication to our mission.
The holiday season is a time for us to pause and appreciate the progress we've made, the challenges we've overcome, and the lasting impact we've created together in the health and vitality of our watershed. We are especially proud of our hands-on educational programs for students and the strides we've made with green infrastructure projects.
We also hope you've had a chance to explore our updated Big Creek / I-71 Relocation and Restoration Initiative, which addresses vital environmental, economic, and community challenges in the Cleveland-Brooklyn area, proposing land use changes to improve these neighborhoods.
Your contributions, whether through volunteering, donations, or simply helping to spread awareness, are what make our work possible. It's because of your support that we are able to continue advancing our conservation goals and protect the natural spaces that sustain us.
As we reflect on the year, this season of hope reminds us that while challenges remain, every action—no matter how small—can spark positive change. Your involvement has been a testament to this, and we encourage you to continue supporting the causes that matter most to you, whether through environmental efforts, community engagement, or advocating for meaningful change.
We invite you to stay connected with our mission, as your ongoing support is vital to our shared success. Together, we can continue to build a future where our watershed thrives, ecosystems flourish, and communities grow stronger.
Thank you for being a vital part of Big Creek Connects. We wish you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season, filled with warmth, reflection, and optimism for the year ahead.
Mission
To conserve, enhance, and bring recognition to the natural and historic resources in and around the Big Creek Watershed and develop a recreational trail network that connects these resources to each other and the community.
Vision
- The connection of existing greenways such as the CanalWay Towpath Trail west and south to the Big Creek Reservation at Brookpark Road.
- Improved conditions of Big Creek and the natural environment throughout the watershed.
- Improved, safe and convenient access to the natural environment throughout the Big Creek watershed with increased educational and recreational opportunities.
- Successful promotion of the benefits of a healthy watershed, as well as important historical events, structures and sites within the watershed.
Watershed Management
Big Creek Connects and the former Cuyahoga River Restoration with support from the five largest watershed communities (Brook Park, Brooklyn, Cleveland, Parma and Parma Heights) and other partners developed the Big Creek Watershed Balanced Growth Plan. The watershed-scale land use plan was completed in 2010 and received state endorsement from the Ohio Lake Erie Commission in 2011. The plan set the foundation for further study that led to the development of the Big Creek / I-71 Relocation & Restoration Initiative. Through this plan and other sources as guiding documents and funding mechanisms, BCC has worked with project partners including the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, Cleveland Metroparks, and West Creek Conservancy to develop conservation, restoration, and green infrastructure projects throughout the Big Creek Watershed.
Greenway/Trail Development
Big Creek Connects, Cleveland Metroparks, and the cities of Cleveland and Parma joined the City of Brooklyn in the development of the Big Creek Greenway Trail Alignment & Neighborhood Connector Plan. The study sought to connect the Metroparks Big Creek and Brookside Reservations through the City of Brooklyn while identifying opportunities for ecological restoration. The plan was completed in 2009 and complements the Lower Big Creek Greenway Redevelopment & Restoration Plan completed the prior year. The Big Creek/I-71 Relocation & Restoration Initiative seeks to close gaps where these plans overlap and open up additional land use opportunities.
Big Creek Connects, in partnership with West Creek Conservancy and other entities, works to conserve parcels throughout the watershed—enabling the development of stream, wetland and green space restoration projects, and opportunities for an expanded trail and greenway system. BCC manages several watershed educational and outreach programs, including the School Stream Monitoring Program funded annually by the GM Foundation. BCC organized and co-chaired the Greater Cleveland Trails & Greenways Conference (gctrails.org) held biennially since 2010.
Conservation
Learn about FOBC's conservation initiative
HERE.
Join us
...if you have interest in—or concerns about—preserving greenspace, improving conditions of Big Creek and the natural environment, and improved quality of life for our residents. Here's how!
Support
Programs and operations generously supported by community members and:
