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Kroger Wetlands offers nature’s treasures

PEYTON NEELY The Marietta Times Addison Spurgeon, 5, of Marietta, looks out into the Kroger Wetlands on Monday afternoon.

Less than a couple minutes from Interstate 77, you can find a hidden treasure full of vegetation, wild flowers and even a few animals along the way. The Kroger Wetlands located off of Acme Street in Marietta is an easy-to-find destination to get away from the traffic and loud noises of city life.

Kroger Wetlands comprises 20 acres, 14.5 donated by Kroger in 2001 and 5.5 from the contiguous Drayer tract, purchased in 2007. Now community members are working hard to preserve this unique opportunity Marietta has.

“There aren’t very many spaces like it that we have locally,” said Kathy Ortt, Kroger Wetlands volunteer. “Maintaining a green space adds value to the city. It ties in with our hikers and bike trails. If everything was cement then it wouldn’t be as pretty of a place on earth.”

A small group of volunteers tend to the Kroger Wetlands and assure that paths are clear. Jeri Knowlton, executive director of the Marietta-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said she became aware of the wetlands area during a harder time where there was a lot of overgrowth about four years ago.

“I went to my husband and asked him if there was anything we could do to help,” she said.

Since then, Knowlton’s husband, Christopher, has been in charge of mowing and maintaining the wetland trails so community members can enjoy bird-watching or just being one with nature.

“He really enjoys it, especially the feedback,” said Jeri. “Everyone is always so appreciative that he’s out there keeping the poison ivy out of the trails. When you’re out there, you don’t really think about the fact that you’re a breath away from the interstate. The accessibility is incredible and where it’s located, you may see ducks in the pond or butterflies and even deer.”

The Kroger Wetlands loop is approximately a half a mile and there’s even an extension off of it called the Drayer Spur Trail that takes you toward Phillips Street on a 0.2-mile walk. All trails of the Kroger Wetlands are flat and many of the trails are shady.

“It’s soothing being out there and almost healing,” said Becky Wright, Kroger Wetlands volunteer. “It’s the perfect opportunity to take in nature without driving too far out of the city.”

An informational kiosk is the access point for the public where the loop begins. There is also parking available. When you venture into the depths of the wetland, some of the scenery you may see includes the ponds where there are birds chirping, frogs and turtles. Interpretive signs provide information about the various plants, animals and ecosystems found in the wetland.

Marietta resident Carolyn Spurgeon, 41, said she enjoys taking her 5-year-old daughter Addison Spurgeon out to explore the wetlands.

“I want her to get some nature and get away from the television,” said Carolyn. “I grew up in Cuyahoga Falls and we had hundreds and hundreds of acres to explore up there and I want to instill that in her.”

Addison said she enjoys coming out to the Kroger Wetlands because she always sees exciting things.

“I like listening to the birdies chirp and seeing the frogs jump into the water,” she said. “We even saw a deer.”

A viewing platform extends out into the wetlands for a better view of some of the birds that might make their home there. This includes several species of ducks, Great Blue Herons, and other shoreline birds. Allison McGee, spokeswoman for Kroger’s Mid-Atlantic Division, said the wetlands set the Marietta Kroger apart from most of the 21 other stores in six states that this division covers.

“I had the chance to visit up there not that long ago,” she said. “It’s beautiful and so important to maintain for a number of reasons. The wetland is educational, a habitat for animals and plants, and it’s all open to the public.”

For more information about getting involved with the Kroger Wetlands, contact Kathy Ortt at 740-373-3372 or Becky Wright at 740-373-2132.

“It’s really nice to go onto the wetland trail and escape the real world. There are so many people that just drive by and don’t visit. It’s really like a little Zen moment away from the stresses of life,” said Ortt. “I hope more people gradually become aware of what Marietta has to offer with the Kroger Wetlands.”

Why wetlands are important

¯Wetlands help control soil erosion.

¯Wetlands are a critical stop for migratory birds.

¯Wetlands control flooding.

¯Wetlands filter pollutants from water.

Source: Environmental Protection Agency.

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