Wesley Foundation
Maple canopy above. Living water below. Land worth caring for.
News
Stories from the land, grouped by what matters most right now.
Using Fallen Logs Crosswise on a Grade to Slow Erosion and Storm Runoff
On wooded slopes, a six-inch log placed on the contour — crosswise to the flow of water — can intercept runoff, trap leaves and sticks, and hold soil in place without concrete or heavy equipment. Here is how log erosion barriers work and how to place them on Foundation property.
New Trails and Handcrafted Structures Open Up Steep Terrain at Foundation Property
The Wesley Stump Family Foundation has transformed a challenging 25-foot hillside at its Strongsville restoration property with hand-built walking trails, log retaining walls, twine handrails, a timber footbridge, and a rustic maple bench — making the slope safe, accessible, and beautiful.
The Channel Takes Shape: Foundation Files Strongsville Permit for Historic Canal-Inspired Waterway at Mill Hollow
Wesley Stump Family Foundation has filed Building Permit #26001679 with the City of Strongsville for a private canal-style water channel at Mill Hollow — connecting Ground restoration, Learn programming on Ohio valley history, and a front deck overlooking yellow lilies below.
From 360 Video to 3D Site Maps: How Immersive Capture Helps Permit Plans
Google Street View proved you can turn camera paths into 3D world models. The same idea — 360 cameras, walk-through video, and photogrammetry — is now practical for private site plans, grading, drainage, and building permit submissions.
Sugar Maples
The fan favorite — canopy, color, and the trees everything else on this land orbits around.
Maple, Oak, or Poplar? How to Identify Trees by Their Leaves
Standing on a wooded lot in Ohio, the canopy can blur together fast. Here is a plain guide to telling maple, oak, poplar, and river birch apart — starting with the leaf in your hand.
Strongsville Volunteers Battle Invasive Vines to Save Beloved Sugar Maples
The Wesley Stump Family Foundation is leading a targeted removal effort to clear invasive red poison vines strangling the property's mature Sugar Maples — freeing the trees to rebuild root systems and deliver vivid fall color for years to come.
Light from Above: A Minimal Solar Post Proposal for the Maple Woods at Wesley Woods
The Wesley Stump Family Foundation is exploring a low-impact solar post installation at Wesley Woods — a single 8-foot post with a small solar panel mounted at the top, requiring only a minimal canopy opening to access sunlight. The proposal prioritizes the health of the maple canopy above all else.
Water, Wildlife & Wonder
Living water, quiet habitat, and the long view of what this land is becoming.
Deer Safety: Big Animals in the Woods, on the Streets, and Worth Watching For
White-tailed deer are everywhere in Northeast Ohio — in the woods, in yards, and crossing streets at dusk. They are a great woodland creature, especially memorable around Christmas. Here is how to respect them and stay safe.
Yellow Lilies and Living Water: Foundation Names Creek and Wetland Restoration Its Top Summer Priority
A thriving pond of yellow water lilies fed by a concrete culvert at the Foundation's Strongsville property has been named the top restoration priority for Summer 2026 — with plans to expand lily coverage, protect the wetland margins, and steward the full creek corridor.
Harvest & New Growth
Apples in hand, roots in soil, and the satisfaction of land that feeds you back.
Walk the Land, Pick an Apple: The Simple Joy of Growing Your Own
Apple trees are one of the most rewarding additions to a private property — producing abundant fruit, supporting pollinators, and giving you a reason to step outside. Here's everything you need to know about planting, watering, siting, and harvesting apples, centered on the pure pleasure of walking your land and eating something you grew yourself.
Wild Crab Apples Spark Orchard Vision at Strongsville Restoration Site
Restoration workers at the Wesley Stump Family Foundation's Strongsville property discovered wild green crab apple trees near the creek — and the find has sparked a full orchard enhancement plan to plant diverse eating apple varieties alongside them to support pollinators and wildlife at the private restoration site.
Safety Systems
Warm light under the canopy, voice, LCD signs, and private trail infrastructure — protected without feeling like a parking lot.
Under the Maples: A Canopy Security Node with Warm Light, Voice, and a Sign That Speaks
The Foundation is designing a central canopy node at Wesley Woods — warm glow lighting beneath the Sugar Maples, ambient sound, a calm voice channel, and an LCD sign post that states the rules without shouting. Private land, protected quietly.
Lights On, Eyes Up: A Private Trail at Dusk, Guarded by Solar and Quiet Care
At Wesley Woods, the private historic-tree trail now has a formal step behind the glow — Building Permit #26001680 filed with Strongsville for a solar-powered, low-voltage lighting and camera system that keeps the path closed, the maples undisturbed, and the evening walk something you can actually take in peace.
Safety Guides
Published safety instructions you can read before you work — PPE, tools, and when to stop.
Safety & Adventure
Trails, bikes, creeks, and slopes — explored with skill, respect, and a plan.
Class 3 E-Bikes: Safety, Utility, and the Law in Ohio
Class 3 e-bikes can assist up to 28 mph and carry real utility on hills and longer trips — but they come with stricter rules, sharper safety needs, and trail limits that every rider should know before the motor kicks in.
Crossing the Creek: Wesley Stump Family Foundation Files for Bicycle Bridge Permit at Wesley Woods
The Wesley Stump Family Foundation has submitted a variance application to the Strongsville Board of Zoning Appeals for a low-impact bicycle and pedestrian bridge over the creek at Wesley Woods. The structure would connect the restored trail system to the property's ChargePoint bicycle charging station — and the Foundation's application makes a clear case on all four required variance criteria.
Hands-On Stewardship
Research, grading, mulch, and the patient craft of shaping land without breaking it.
Potential Dirt Driveway and Culvert Could Smooth the Front Yard at Maple Wesley Woods
The Foundation is evaluating a low-impact dirt driveway and culvert at the front of Maple Wesley Woods — shaping the tree lawn grade, handling storm runoff, and improving access without paving the maple canopy.
What Is a Tree Preservation Plan? Strongsville Chapter 1025, Explained Plainly
Before you move dirt or cut a tree six inches or wider in Strongsville, you may need a Tree Preservation Plan. Here is what that means, what the city requires, and how modern lot maps can make the whole process clearer.
Community & Commitment
People gathering, programs launching, and the work extending beyond one parcel.
Roots & History
The Ohio valleys and forests have a long story — canals, frontier labor, and the systems people built to move through this land. Part of the Learn program.
Our Programs
Discover how we support and empower communities through various initiatives.
Ground
Return to the earth — preserve it, experience it, learn from it
Nourish
Mind, body, and spirit — starting with what we consume and how we care for ourselves