Putnam Marsh, is located near Cedar Point Amusement Park and is greatly influenced by the level of adjacent Lake Erie. A majority of the preserve is usually underwater. 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. Several rare plant species, including the American Lotus, the endangered Engelmann’s spike-rush and Tuckerman’s panic-grass have been found in the preserve.
This marsh is also renowned for its abundant waterfowl, including Tundra Swans in spring and fall. It is also an important stopping site for migratory song birds as they make their long trek across Lake Erie.
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, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program, and The Mildred Andrews Fund.