Glen Helen Nature Preserve is seeking to annex about 425 acres of land into the Village of Yellow Springs, a move that officials say may help improve safety and security.
The land proposed for annexation, located in the northern section of the nature preserve, spans state Route 343 to Grinnell Road.
Nick Boutis, executive director of the Glen Helen Ecology Institute requested the annexation in a Sept. 29 memo addressed to the village council. He pointed to vandalism as one of multiple crimes being committed on the land.
“Disturbances such as public nudity, public drinking, drug use, and intoxication are also common, and not only cause discomfort to law-abiding citizens and visitors to the preserve, these behaviors challenge our ability to maintain safe schoolground conditions for the children we serve through the Outdoor Education Center,” Boutis wrote. “Littering is common, especially among those who come to party in the Glen at nighttime, and who then leave glass – often broken – on trails and around rock ledges. Visitors poach plants, some of which are Ohio protected species. More serious crimes, such as sale of narcotics, are less common, but happen from time to time.”
