ODNR celebrates Gorman Heritage Farm H2Ohio wetland project
As part of Governor Mike DeWine’s H2Ohio initiative, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) recently celebrated the completion of the Gorman Heritage Farm Treatment Wetland System with a ribbon cutting.
The Gorman Heritage Farm project creates a three-celled treatment wetland system to slow down and filter water from a 23-acre drainage area. The treatment train reduces the amount of nutrients and sediment that flow from the farmed land to Mill Creek.
The Gorman Heritage Farm is a working farm in the Village of Evendale with a mission to cultivate a healthy community through farm-based education and experiences about food, sustainable agriculture and the natural world.
“Teaching our young people and others about the importance of wetlands will help Ohio keep the momentum going when it comes to improving water quality in our state,” said Governor DeWine. “The water issues in our lakes and rivers developed over several decades, and they will take time to fix. We’re educating the students of today on how to be stewards of Ohio’s water in the future.”
“This H2Ohio project is yet another example of how we can not only improve water quality but to teach people along the way,” ODNR Director Mary Mertz said. “By utilizing Gorman Heritage Farm’s reputation as an educational resource, more people can learn about the best practices to keep our waterways clean.”
The farm is implementing other best management practices for water quality on the land, including a second grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agencies Nonpoint Source Pollution Control funding. With this grant, the farm will restore a creek bed downstream from the H2Ohio wetland site as well as remove around 20,000 square feet of impervious asphalt to be replaced with native plants.
In addition, Gorman Heritage Farm practices a five-year biological crop rotation on 30 acres, which yields crops that require less intensive management and improves soil health and retention.
“Gorman Heritage Farm is excited for the opportunity to partner with the H2Ohio team in order to restore our site's watershed, as well as protect and improve the water quality that originates here, at the farm,” Gorman Heritage Farm Operations Manager James Blanchard said. “This project will not only help improve our water quality but will also provide an incredible space for us to educate students and visitors on the benefits and necessities of wetlands.”
The wetland project is about a quarter of an acre and cost $293,296.
Governor Mike DeWine created H2Ohio in 2019 as a comprehensive, data-driven approach to combatting algal blooms, enhancing water quality, and improving water infrastructure over the long term. H2Ohio operates in partnership between the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and the Ohio Lake Erie Commission. The initiative focuses on encouraging agricultural best management practices, restoring, and enhancing wetlands, upgrading outdated water infrastructure and replacing lead pipes. For more information on the H2Ohio initiative, visit h2.ohio.gov.
ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.