Duke Energy Ohio and Kentucky has announced $105,000 in Climate Resiliency Grants to be awarded to eight organizations across the region.
Grant recipients include organizations that support water quality, habitat, forest restoration, and species conservation.
The 2024 Climate Resiliency Grants will be presented Wednesday between 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. during a ceremony at Northwoods Cider Company, located at 2075 Mills Ave. in Cincinnati. The ceremony will feature remarks from Amy Spiller, Duke Energy Ohio and Kentucky president, and Joe Klare, owner of Northwoods Cider Company and past grant recipient.
Summary of the 2024 grant recipients:
• City of Erlanger – $25,000 The Greenway Park at Dry Creek Park
The funds will be used to establish a new park and provide opportunities to interact with nature in a multitude of new and fascinating ways. From twenty miles of mountain biking trails to nature trails (both paved and elevated tree canopy walks), nature center/pavilion gather center to interactive creek education elements to traditional dog park and playgrounds with shelters.
• Thomas More University – $10,000 Water Quality Research on the Ohio River: Building Capacity for a Resilient Ecosystem
These funds will be used to support the longest-standing assessment and monitoring research on the Ohio River.
• Ohio River Cardinal Land Conservancy – $10,000 East Fort Wetlands Protection and Restoration
Funds will help to protect and restore a 67-acre parcel immediately adjacent to East Fork Lake State Park that contains high-quality wetlands and streams.
• Cincinnati Nature Center – $10,000 Native Habitat Restoration and Vernal Pool Establishment
The grant will restore a recently cleared agricultural area by replanting native vegetation and establishing vernal pools to prevent the reseeding of invasive species and enhance biodiversity at Rowe Woods.
• Cincinnati Parks Foundation – $10,000 Improving Climate Resiliency in Avondale Through Increasing the Urban Canopy
The grant will help enhance Avondale’s resilience against climate impacts by planting trees in response to work in Climate Safe Neighborhoods.
• Groundwork Ohio River Valley – $10,000 Growing our Future Green Workforce
In partnership with B the Keeper, the funds will help expand a pilot workforce and volunteer program for pollinator-centric climate resiliency projects in our most underserved neighborhoods and parks in Ohio and Kentucky.
• Metroparks of Butler County – $10,000 Invasive Species Removal in Elk Creek MetroPark
The grant will help increase biodiversity of plant and animal species present within Elk Creek MetroPark by removing invasive species that create monocultures and out-compete native species
• Millcreek Alliance – $20,000 Yellow Bridge Greenspace and Stream Access
The grant will be used for outreach planning and summer programming as well as surveying and maintenance repairs of the scour hole. MyWhy $10,000 Grow Where You Are Planted / Power of Produce The grant will support curriculum supplies for Power of Produce & Grow Where You Are Planted as well as on school site farm markets.
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