O H I O R I V E R F O U N D A T I O N

River Explorer Passes 17,000 Student Milestone and Looks to Expand to Other RegionsOur River Explorer education program has now reached more than 17,000 students in Ohio,Kentucky, and Indiana. Students from more than 48 schools (see list posted at www.ohioriverfdn.org) have participated in our unique hands-on approach to environmental learning. Teachers and students routinely comment that the River Explorer experience is the best field trip they have ever had! Teachers relate that this program clearly enables students to better understand difficult concepts, and their improved math and science test results underscore the benefit of participating in River Explorer. This is truly a premier STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) enrichment program.

With seed funding from companies like Scotts MiracleGro, Ohio River Foundation is working to launch River Explorer programming in other watershed cities. “River Explorer only needs a good creek or river and specially trained staff to provide students with an amazing learning experience. The popularity and success of the program is clearly on display in Greater Cincinnati where it continues to grow every year. Teachers and students love it!” comments Julie Rizzo, River Explorer Coordinator.

Special thanks to the following for their support of River Explorer: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Charles Dater Foundation, Cargill, Sunny D Beverage Company, and Ashland, Inc.

CELEBRATING 13 YEARS OF PROTECTING WATER QUALITY FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY

NOVEMBER 2013 VOLUME 10

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FOR YOUR COMPANY TO HELP FUND RIVER EXPLORER

OR TO REGISTER YOUR CLASS FOR A FIELD TRIP

CONTACT US AT WWW.OHIORIVERFDN.ORG

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Since our founding in April 2000, ORF has led efforts in watershed conservation and environmental education. Here are some of our accomplishments:

CONSERVATION(2013) Students perform more than 1,500 hours of habitat restoration and protection projects in Hamilton and Campbell Counties and two national forests.

13 Years of Accomplishments

From the Executive DirectorA key goal of Ohio River Foundation is to educate and train the next generation of environmental stewards. Our unique programs, River Explorer and Youth Conservation Teams, are growing exponentially and changing the way kids think and interact with the environment.

Ohio River Foundation is first and foremost a regional watershed organization. It is imperative that we not get comfortable with organic growth in our home region of Cincinnati. Our contact database now spans the watershed (and the country) and increasingly educators are asking for us to bring River Explorer to their region. Coupled with our recent success with Youth Conservation Teams this past summer in Bloomington, IN, two regions of KY, and Hamilton County, OH, the time is right to start bringing these programs in other regions of the watershed.

Through site partnerships and support from corporate and private donors, we will begin to lay the foundation for success and sustainability of these programs across the watershed. We expect to announce several new partnerships and program launch sites during the next 12 months. It’s another exciting time at Ohio River Foundation. Be part of our success. Support ORF with your financial gift today so we can continue this important work!

From the River,

Rich

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Send address changes to:

Ohio River Foundation

P.O. Box 42460

Cincinnati, OH 45242

Board President: Rob Shimp

Executive Director: Rich Cogen

River Waves Designer: Hanna Firestone

Printed on recycled paper

River Waves is published by the Ohio River

Foundation. Ohio River Foundation is a

citizen led, non-profit, non-governmental

organization that works through education

and conservation programs to protect and

improve the natural condition of the Ohio

River and its tributaries for the health

and enjoyment of present and future

generations.

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(2013) Formal launch of Corporate Volunteer Program – MillerCoors volunteers install 1,500 sq.ft. of native habitat.

(2012) US Department of Interior selects Youth Conservation Team program from 280 applicants for $28,000 grant to work in Hoosier and Boone National Forests.

(2012) Ohio River Foundation receives $10,000 grant from MillerCoors and performs Great Miami River restoration project with 30 MillerCoors volunteers.

(2011) $100,00 USFWS grant awarded to ORF to work with Harrison County, KY on fish barrier removal and Beaver Creek restoration.

(2011) Youth Conservation Team program begins in summer with ten high school students. Program saves local park districts $35,000.

(2010) ORF secures $1.3 million funding for West Milton, Ohio for low head dam removal and river restoration project.

(2007-present) Community Rain Garden Program. Installed 10 stormwater rain garden projects in Ohio and Kentucky totaling more than 12,600 sq. ft.

A lot can be accomplished by a group of dedicated workers. So it was this past summer when twenty-two high school students were selected from 160 applicants to be the latest Youth Conservation Team crew members. Led by crew leaders Sarah Borgman, Gabe Haidle, and Xia Meng Howey these students worked under sometimes difficult weather conditions to restore and protect habitat in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky.

In Kentucky, two teams of students removed invasive species, moved footbridges to reduce erosion, installed runoff diverters, and cleaned up a creek. In Ohio, another team planted native trees, re-graded trails to reduce erosion, and removed invasive species.

One Thousand Five Hundred Hours Last but not least our only all-girl team worked in Indiana to create a bee habitat, install runoff diverters, and stabilize creek banks to reduce erosion.

All teams surpassed our expectations and those of the property partners: Hamilton County Park District, Campbell County Conservation District, and Hoosier and Boone National Forests. Congratulation to all team members for a job well done!

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To sponsor a team for 2014, please contact us at

513-460-3365 or orf@ohioriverfdn.org

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Planting tree in the Ohio River floodplain.

HNF crew with constructed bee habitat.

Some of the Boone National Forest (BNF) crew.

Special thanks to the following for their support of our Youth Conservation Teams: National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, Toyota Motor Manufacturing – Kentucky, Duke Energy – Indiana, The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, NLT Foundation, Ashland, Inc., and American Modern Foundation and American Modern Insurance Group.

GORP weekend, September 14-15, was another beautiful autumn weekend. The 10th anniversary Great Ohio River Paddle had more than 100 registered paddlers, and the kaleidoscope of colors paddlers’ boats brought made for a beautiful sight on the river. After an educational paddling day on Saturday, the paddlers went through the Markland Lock entertaining onlookers with a splash of color as they effortlessly glided into the lock. It was a wonderful experience and a treasured memory for all.

Special thanks to the following for their support of GORP: Toyota Motor Sales, Whole Foods, REI, Lykins, and BioGreenChoice.

Great Ohio River Paddle Visits Markland Locks & Dam

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Sunset over GORP at Warsaw, KY campsite.

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Fog bound paddlers. Paddlers exiting Markland lock.

Paddlers came from seven states and two countries.

Duke  Energy  Convention  Center  NOVEMBER  9,  2013  8:00  p.m.  to  Midnight      

DUKE ENERGY CONVENTION CENTER NOVEMBER 9, 2013

Ohio River Foundation has been selected as a beneficiary organization for the Rusty Ball concert on November 9, 2013. Almost half of ticket proceeds goes to beneficiary organizations like Ohio River Foundation. At the Rusty Ball website you can buy your tickets and select Ohio River Foundation as the designated beneficiary. Go. Have fun. And benefit ORF at the same time!

Rusty Ball

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Watershed OutreachOhio River Foundation has had a busy year expanding our visibility and outreach. Thousands of people met ORF staff and volunteers at events such as Four Seasons Boater Appreciation Day, Ohio River Paddlefest, and Cincinnati Riverfest.

Trustee Bruce Henry signing up a new member.

ORF staff (Sara Luse, Allison Cone, Sarah Borgman) greeting passersby.

Please make a donation today to Ohio River Foundation!

Go to www.ohioriverfdn.org

Ohio River Foundation is receiving an increasing number of requests from companies interested in involving their employees in improving the environment where they work and live. To meet these requests, ORF has begun a corporate volunteer program. Volunteer activities can be river cleanups, tree plantings, invasive species removal, or storm drain labeling. To get your company involved, contact us at orf@ohioriverfdn.org.

Special thanks to MillerCoors for their participation in this event and generous donation.

Ohio River Foundation Launches Corporate Volunteer Program

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Restoration Project Update

BEAVER CREEK

Final supplemental funding has now been committed to the project and permit approval is pending on this habitat restoration project. We expect permit approval this fall and the road to be replaced by a bridge, restoring creek flow, before the end of 2013. Look for updates and photos at our website.

WEST MILTON

Permit approvals for major projects, like dam removals, take a long time. This project is no different. The timeline to remove the dam by this fall has been pushed back one more year to fall 2014, as different state and federal agencies continue their review of permit applications.

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Finishing planting at Edgewood High School. MillerCoors employees planting native habitat at Edgewood High School.

MillerCoors ORF work team.

ORSANCO is at it again

Just when we thought regulations were meant to have some certainty, ORSANCO is now having second thoughts about one that would end toxic waste discharges into the Ohio River. Companies have had 10 years to plan, invest, and update their processes. However, now ORSANCO has voted to extend the regulatory deadline to 2015.

Around the watershed: ORSANCO, WRDA, Fracking.

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Please Make a Donation Today to Ohio River Foundation!

Go to www.ohioriverfdn.org

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Water Resources Development Act

The Senate passed its version and the House is now considering its version of the multi-billion dollar legislation that funds restoration, beach re-building, and other projects. The devil will be in the details of the final legislation where we have concerns about some of the proposed project and language that targets “streamlining” the permit approval process by weakening environmental requirements. Look for activity to resume on WRDA in 2014.

Fracking

Natural gas hydraulic fracturing, a/k/a fracking, is a hotbed of discussion in the watershed as concerns mount about the relative environmental safety of the procedure. A recent Duke University study showed evidence of radioactivity of waste and contamination of receiving waters. Increasingly, evidence is pointing towards the need for stricter regulation and oversight of hydraulic fracturing activity and waste disposal.

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Ohio River FoundationP.O. Box 42460Cincinnati, OH 45242

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