The Lower Lake Erie Region CSI is a project of LEAP for Biodiversity. Our aim is to identify the species living in the southern Lake Erie region, including counties within northeast Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania and western New York. This is an interactive opportunity to make your nature observations benefit conservation efforts while connecting with other local naturalists.

Our boundary is based on an ecological concept. It includes southern Lake Erie, its adjacent lake plain (snow belt) and the glaciated areas between Buffalo NY and Columbus OH. It is generally defined by a temperate, lake-affected climate with an acidic sandstone-based geology. Without disturbance, our region's natural habitats are dominated by deciduous and mixed forests and marshes. However, farming and urbanization within the past few centuries has left a fragmented landscape with many new species and habitats. less ↑