Friends Of The Lower Olentangy Watershed Flow

TREES FOR SCHOOLS - FLOW CONTINUED OUR TREES FOR SCHOOLS PROGRAM THAT WAS STARTED IN 2015. OUR GOAL IS TO INCREASE THE TREE COVERAGE AT SCHOOLS FOR OUR YOUNGEST RESIDENTS AND CREATE SHADE FOR PLAYGROUNDS AND PARKING LOTS. IN 2022, WE EXPANDED OUR PROGRAM OF PLANTING BALLED AND BURLAPPED TREES AND PROVIDED 3000 INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED BLACK CHERRY TREES TO FIRST GRADERS IN OUR WATERSHED. THIS GIFT WAS ALSO ACCOMPANIED BY A PRINTED COPY OF "THE ABC'S OF TREES" BY SCOTT ZANON. NATIVE TREE NURSERIES - FLOW CONTINUED OUR MAINTENANCE OF TWO TREE NURSERIES WITH THE GOAL OF RAISING SEEDS AND SEEDLINGS TO A SIZE MORE SUITABLE FOR PLANTING IN THE WATERSHED. FOR OUR FALL TREE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, WE TARGET AREAS WITH LOW TREE CANOPIES AND LET PEOPLE SIGN UP TO RECEIVE 15 TREES AND OVERSEE THE DISTRIBUTION OF FREE TREES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. IN 2022 WE EXPANDED OUR PROGRAM BY GIVING AWAY 650 TREES. POLLINATOR PATHWAY- FLOW CONTINUED OUR CREATION OF POLLINATOR AREAS BY CREATING 4 NEW POLLINATOR GARDENS IN ADDITION TO MAINTAINING THE GARDENS ALREADY IN PLACE. WE CREATED A 0.5 ACRE GARDEN ALONG THE OLENTANGY RIVER AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, A 1 ACRE POLLINATOR GARDEN AT THE SLYH RUN STORMWATER BASIN, 0.25 ACRE GARDEN AT GALIPAULT FIELD, AND A 0.5 ACRE GARDEN AT THE OHIO SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF. OLENTANGY RIVER SWEEP - FLOW USUALLY CONDUCTS LITTER CLEANUPS BUT AFTER COVID, THERE WAS AN EXCESS OF HUMAN AND WIND-BLOWN LITTER TO DEAL WITH. OUR GOAL WAS TO CONDUCT AS MANY CLEANUPS THROUGHOUT THE WATERSHED AS POSSIBLE. IN 2022, WE HAD 29 LITTER CLEANUPS AND COLLECTED 10,549 POUNDS OF TRASH. GREENSPACE ENHANCEMENTS- THE OLENTANGY GREENSPACE LEVEL IS ONLY AT 9% (INCLUDING TURF GRASS LAWN IN PARKS). THIS IS BELOW THE 15% LEVEL RECOMMENDED FOR "LIVABLE CITIES" BY THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED EXISTING GREENSPACES AND PRIORITIZED LAND FOR IMPROVEMENT, PRESERVATION AND FUTURE ACQUISITION. FLOW'S GOAL IS TO EDUCATE RESIDENTS ABOUT THE NEED TO REDUCE THE 40% TURF GRASS AND CREATE AREAS THAT PROVIDE MORE ECOLOGICAL SERVICES (LIKE NATIVE PLANTS WITH DEEP ROOTS AND TREES). OUTREACH AND EDUCATION - FLOW FOCUSED ON EDUCATING THE OLENTANGY RESIDENTS ABOUT ISSUES RELEVANT TO HAVING HEALTHIER GREENSPACE, HEALTHY SOIL AND HEALTHY YARDS FLOW'S LONG TERM GOAL IS TO REACH ALL THE RESIDENTS IN OUR 157 SQUARE MILE WATERSHED AND EDUCATE THEM SO THAT THEY WANT TO BECOME STEWARDS FOR ALL OUR WATERSHED LANDS