Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory yesterday won the Gro1000 Gardens and Green Spaces Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors, bringing $25,000 to Groundwork Cincinnati/Mill Creek for its edible forest garden.
The award includes $15,000 in funding and $10,000 in Scotts Miracle-Gro organic products, and recognizes outstanding mayoral leadership in restoring urban green space and best practices that provide models for other cities to replicate.
"I am proud to receive this award recognizing the important and innovative work that we are doing to restore the Mill Creek and revitalize the surrounding neighborhoods," Mallory said. "The grant will help us create a forest garden that will be a great asset to the community."
Groundwork Cincinnati nominated Mallory for the award. The garden is a part of the Mill Creek Healthy People/Healthy River strategy that Groundwork Cincinnati/Mill Creek is developing this year.
"The edible forest garden will produce fresh vegetables and fruit; promote healthy living; provide excellent wildlife habitat; create critically needed greenspace along the river; filter and absorb urban stormwater runoff; improve air quality and increase carbon sequestration, as more trees are planted and mature; and create a green edge between a highly developed city and its river," said Groundwork Cincinnati/Mill Creek Executive Director Robin Corathers.
The edible forest garden will also serve to educate inner city youth in the planting and maintenance of natural gardens.
Groundwork Cincinnati/Mill Creek, part of a network of 20 nonprofit trusts under the Groundwork USA umbrella, has been recognized as one of ten National Urban Waters Fellows as being a national model for its ecological and educational accomplishments. It's been responsible for building a hike-bike trail , with a goal of extending the trail to the Ohio River.
DISCLOSURE: Building Cincinnati has provided photography for signage along the Mill Creek Greenway Trail.
Previous reading on BC:
Clean Ohio grants to further Mill Creek improvements (1/2/13)
Mill Creek nonprofit has new name, expanded scope (6/19/12)
Federal Office of Water head gets tour of Mill Creek, solidifies partnership (5/29/12)
MCRP makes pitch for Mill Creek trail funds (11/17/09)
Mill Creek greenway project wins $500K grant (10/12/09)
