Shiloh Woods Conservation Area

Shiloh Woods Conservation Area (SWCA) is a 365 acre undeveloped natural area along the Stillwater River in Montgomery County.  SWCA is located northwest of Dayton and southeast of Englewood MetroPark.  This beautiful land base contains 2 tracts of high quality upland forest, bottomland hardwood forest, meadows, shrubland, a large 80 acre planted prairie, a natural glade prairie, a pretty pond, and significant frontage on both sides of the scenic Stillwater River.  Several unmamed headwater streams flow into the park land.

Land acquisition started in 1995 and was completed in 2007.  However, a 23 acre tract now under contract will bring total acreage to 388 acres.

The story of Shiloh Woods begins with a couple who loved the land.  The Duncans donated their 57 acre wooded tract to the Shiloh Church on North Main Street.  The woods was (and is) a beauty with large upland and bottomland hardwoods, rich wildflowers, and a series of ravines.  The woods attracted the "Huck Finn of the Stillwater", naturalist Paul Knoop.  Paul was the Education Supervisor for the Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm for many years.   He thoroughly explored the Stillwater River corridor and advocated for protection of natural areas along its banks.  After discovering the "Church Woods" as he called it he made several approaches to them about the significance of the property and the living things there.  He was politely received but the tract was given no official protection.  Paul contacted me at the Park District, showed me the property and encouraged us to help protect it.   I went with him to talk to church leaders without any more results.  However, I made a point of writing a letter to them every year to make sure they knew of our interest.  The congregation and church leaders were not in agreement as to the best future of the very valuable piece of real estate.

Spring at "Duncan" Woods at Shiloh Woods Conservation Area

In 2000 we received a letter from the church announcing that the property was on the market for general sale.  An appraisal confirmed a rather high market value, and there was interest from local developers.  A stub street with full utilities borders the scenic land.  Coincidentally a grant fund was made known to the Park District (now Five Rivers MetroParks) called WRRSP.  This odd acronym stands for Water Resource Restoration Stewardship Program.  This program generates money from interest on loans made by the State to cities and jurisdictions for sewage treatment plants and sewer lines.  These needed facilities greatly improve water quality, but building them can have a negative impact on the streambanks where they are installed.  The fund sets aside funds to offset the damage with land protection along high quality rivers.  Metroparks applied for the fund to protect the Shiloh Church Woods as well as 4 other undeveloped tracts along the Stillwater River.  We were overjoyed when the 1.8 million dollar grant was awarded and we could protect these gems.  We ended up purchasing the Shiloh Church Woods for the appraised value in 2001.  WRRSP also funded the purchase of 4 other large tracts nearby including the beautiful "Wegner Woods".

Fall in Wegner Woods, Shiloh Woods Conservation Area

This woods was owned by 4 sisters.  Two wanted to protect the woods and the other two wanted to maximize profits from the sale of the land by selling to an interested real estate developer.  The issue was finally settled in 2005 with help of WRRSP and an appraisal that they all liked.
Another key property along the river was owned by a local law enforcement officer that wanted to build a country home along the river where he would raise his family.  He started the house and build a pretty pond.  Sounded good, but unfortunately he got into the unfortunate habit of  arresting prostitutes and asking them to forego the judge and pay their fine with him at a local fire station.  Of course he was caught, lost his job, lost his wife, and had to sell the land to MetroParks.  At the closing he blamed his wife saying she spent too much time with her friends!

Pond at Shiloh Woods Conservation Area

Another source of funding that helped with the rather expensive property in the Shiloh Woods area was the Clean Ohio Fund.  This fund, generated by a State bond issue approved by Ohio voters was instrumental in the purchase of 4 additional large parcels.  Much of the land adjacent to the Shiloh Church Woods was owned by the Developer Singer Properties/Harson Investments.  I visited them one day and asked them if they would be interested in selling.  The fellow chuckled and unrolled a large plan showing the whole area with streets, curbs, lots, and houses.  I left feeling pretty bummed because the old woods was doomed to be bordered by dense housing.  However, after a few weeks he called back.  In looking at their accounting they decided they would do better to sell the land to MetroParks at a fair price, take a tax deduction, and develop a commercial property instead.  Clean Ohio was available and the land was ours in 2002.

A big 80 acre tract was owned by a fruit farm business that went out of business and put the land up for sale.  It was bought by a real estate developer who wanted to make it into a residential housing plat.  Montgomery County also wanted the land for a wellfield so they bought the land from the developer for a very steep price.  They then found that is wasn't really a very good wellfield and sold it for the same price to MetroParks in 2007.  We used WRRSP funds and got the land with no out of pocket costs.  The next year Mary Klunk and her staff planted a prairie on it and now it is great grassland habitat.

Planted Prairie at former Mumma Fruit Farm, Shiloh Woods Conservation Area

Stillwater River flowing through Shiloh Woods Conservation Area

This Conservation Area has a rich diversity of habitats, wildlife, terrain and potential enjoyment opportunities by the public.  Someday it will likely be a popular MetroPark.