Wesley Foundation
Maple canopy above. Living water below. Land worth caring for.
News
Stories from the land, grouped by what matters most right now.
Sugar Maples
The fan favorite — canopy, color, and the trees everything else on this land orbits around.
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.
Leaves, Raking, and Composting at Wesley Woods — Doing It Right
A mature Sugar Maple drops a significant amount of leaves each fall. At Wesley Woods, the Wesley Stump Family Foundation manages leaf volume deliberately — protecting native plantings, keeping trails clear, and composting all organic material on-site in a way that serves the land without creating a nuisance.
Water, Wildlife & Wonder
Living water, quiet habitat, and the long view of what this land is becoming.
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.
Wesley Woods: Log Retaining Wall, Portable Shed, and Certified Deer Habitat on the Wooded Slope
Wesley Family Foundation is developing the vacant lot slope at Wesley Woods with a 4-foot log retaining wall, a small portable shed, a walking path to a bicycle charging station, running water fountain, and bench — with certified deer habitat along a natural deer trail and a valley creek timber crossing over a 20-foot elevation change.
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 Classes
Hands-on training that stands on its own — tools, PPE, and knowing when to stop.
Safety & Adventure
Trails, bikes, creeks, and slopes — explored with skill, respect, and a plan.
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.
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.
The 2026 Plan: Why We Do This Work
The Wesley Stump Family Foundation shares its 2026 restoration plan for Wesley Woods in Strongsville — and the deeper reason behind every cleared vine, every planted tree, and every trail built by hand. This is about land that deserves to be cared for, and stewarded with intention.
Research Initiative: Slope Grading, Timber Support, and Wooden Bridges for Wooded Walking Paths
Wesley Family Foundation is researching practical methods for grading steep wooded slopes, building timber retaining structures, and constructing simple wooden bridges for walking paths — with a focus on Wesley Woods and similar properties with natural grade changes.
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