As marshes were drained and forest cleared for farming and industry,as well as the use of pesticides, the birds habitat continued to shrink and so did the population of the Bald Eagles. In 1967, the U.S. government passed the Endangered Species Act to protect the plants and animals that were dying out. but in 1975, only four active nests were located in Ohio, all along the Southwestern shoreline of Lake Erie.
Now, the Bald Eagle population within the state of Ohio has greatly expanded in recent years because of the effective wildlife management skills of the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources. The Eagle Restoration Program, started in 1979, has concentrated on protecting existing and creating new habitats for the eagles existance. In addition, the O.D.N.R.has instituted a Bald Eagle Nests Monitoring program operated by volunteers that run through the nesting period between Feb. and June. The volunteers goals are to record incubation and hatch dates and to reconize any deviant behavior that may indicate problems for the nesting pair.
There are over 200 volunteers each season to monitor over 136 nests that are now in Ohio.
