NEWS

Woodbury campground may open part of year

Eric Lagatta
Reporter
  • Woodbury’s campground may reopen between October and December after it was closed this January.
  • The state had closed the site along with four others in the district to reduce operational costs.
  • After public backlash, the state will vote to open the site part of the year to those with licenses.
  • The campground was originally open year round to anyone.

COSHOCTON – Public backlash over the closure of Woodbury Wildlife Area campground has led the state to propose keeping the site open for part of the year.

Woodbury’s campground has been closed since Jan. 1, but the Ohio Wildlife Council, part of the Ohio Division of Wildlife, will vote next month on a proposal that would open camping for two months of the year.

If the proposal passes in April, camping would be open between Oct. 9 and Dec. 7, when the bulk of campers visit the site for deer gun season. But, unlike when the campground was open to anyone, now campers must have a valid Ohio hunting or fishing license, according to the proposal.

The rule change also would establish 25 designated camping areas and move the site closer to a road more accessible to emergency vehicles, said Jim Hill, management supervisor for district four of the wildlife division, which includes Coshocton County.

“It helps us with our operational needs, certainly,” Hill said of the new proposal. “And it gives something back to the campers for that period of time when we see our peak use anyway.”

The wildlife council voted to shut down the campground this year, part of an ongoing effort to reduce operational costs and deter park vandalism and other crimes.

But state officials decided to revisit the issue after substantial public outcry over the campground’s closure, which previously was open all year.

Kevin Bernaciak, from Grafton, a city 84 miles north of Woodbury in Lorain County, has been going to the wildlife area with a group of bowhunters for 46 years.

“It’s a tradition for many of us,” The 59-year-old Bernaciak said. “We enjoy our park, all of us do.”

Bernaciak launched a Facebook page a couple months ago aimed at reopening the campground. More than 1,000 people have joined the group to date.

“The closing of the park is totally unacceptable,” Bernaciak said. “We’re devastated by this.”

In October, the council unanimously shot down primitive camping at all four wildlife areas in district four, which covers Southeastern Ohio. In addition to Woodbury, camping areas at Wolf Creek Wildlife Area in Athens County, Tycoon Lake in Gallia County and Monroe Lake Wildlife Area in Monroe County also were closed.

The wildlife division is funded by the sale of hunting, trapping and fishing licenses, and as such outdoor activity has been on a downward trend in Ohio, state officials have looked for ways to trim budgets, said district four Manager Tim Parrett.

“It gets more and more difficult to be able to do the things we used to as an agency,” Parrett said. “If you can’t do everything, then you have to decide and prioritize the things you’re going to do.”

District four also is the only district in the state that had allowed camping on wildlife areas, Parrett said.

While vandalism had been a problem at the other three sites, it hadn’t been so much at Woodbury, at least no more than is usual at campgrounds, Parrett said.

“There’s not much really to vandalize,” said Jerrod Allison, the state wildlife officer in Coshocton County. “Crimewise, a lot of times our biggest issues are going to be litter. ... It happens everywhere, and that’s an unfortunate thing.”

Woodbury’s campground would be the only site in the district affected by the proposal.

Parrett said the reaction to the campground’s closure wasn’t a surprise, but he said the new proposal is a good compromise.

“As with any of our rules, they’re going to affect someone in a negative way, and we understand that,” he said. “But the point we want to get across is we’re trying to be as responsible as we can with the public’s dollars.”

But while Bernaciak said he’s glad the state is working toward a compromise, he said he wouldn’t be satisfied with anything less than a complete, year-round opening of the campground to all.

“We appreciate it, but not good enough. That park is for everybody throughout the year,” Bernaciak said. “It’s just a piece of ground, so there’s really no upkeep except for cutting the grass.”

elagatta@coshoctontribune.com

740-295-3442

Twitter: @EricLagatta

If you go

What: Ohio Division of Wildlife open house

When: Noon to 3 p.m. March 7

Where: Southeast district four office 360 E. State St., Athens.

FYI: Officials with the division will be on hand to answer questions and address comments and concerns from the public.