Duke Energy Helps Protect, Enhance Natural Resources in Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky With $115,000 in Grants

CINCINNATI, October 19, 2022 /3BL Media/ - Today, the Duke Energy Foundation awarded $115,000 in grants to 12 organizations in southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky to fund local wildlife conservation, healthy habitats and environmental projects, as well as environmental programs to help communities protect their natural resources and mitigate the effects of climate change.

This funding is a long-standing investment for the Duke Energy Foundation. Over the past four years, the Foundation has supported over 70 regional nonprofit organizations with more than $780,000 in grants to propel their environmental resiliency projects.

“We are committed to investing resources with our community partners so that future generations enjoy the benefits of nature and its beauty around us," said Amy Spiller, president, Duke Energy Ohio and Kentucky. "By supporting the organizations leading this important work, together we can help protect and restore our natural resources and provide quality environmental programs in our region."

The Boone Conservancy is one of this year’s recipients that will use the funding to remove invasive species on their property.

“The Boone Conservancy is grateful for Duke’s support of our Middle Creek Watershed Conservation Program,” said Christy Noll, executive director, The Boone Conservancy. “This grant enables the conservancy to remove invasive species and replace them with stabilizing native plants to create a biodiverse environment ensuring healthy habitat for our native wildlife.”

Another recipient of a Duke Energy Nature Grant is Great Parks of Hamilton County, that plans to restore outdoor trails and improve the nature habitat in the area.

“Great Parks continues to make great strides in recreation and trail developments across Hamilton County,” said Kara Schirmer, grants manager, Great Parks of Hamilton County. “With Duke Energy’s support, we’re able to restore the Lunken Trail Corridor. This grant will enable us to improve habitat in the floodplain of the Little Miami National Scenic River and provide an improved recreational experience for trail users.”

2022 Nature Grant Recipients

Kentucky:

• East Row Garden Club - $5,000. Funds will help the Newport Tree Revitalize Program plant new trees in Newport.
• The Boone Conservancy - $10,000. Funds will be used to create healthier habitats for native plants and animals, remove invasive species, and build a viewing platform to promote education at the Conservancy Park Habitat Restoration and Middle Creek Watershed Project.
• Thomas More University Biology Field Station - $15,000. The primary goal of this project is to address the number of threats to local aquatic resources, including water quality monitoring, aquatic species and environmental protection while engaging students in related STEM fields.

Ohio:

• BLOC Ministries - $10,000. Funds will go to the BLOC Farm to Table & Urban Garden Program, focused on horticultural learning activities, edible and pollinator gardens, beehives and equine activities. It will create sustainable healthy food sources in neighborhoods where food insecurity affects many. Participants will help plant and maintain a fruit tree orchard and organic garden as well as re-establish natural habitats for wildlife and pollinators.
• Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati - $5,000. Grant funds will be directed to the Re-rooted Program to increase the number of native plants and trees available for community and school gardens, public parks and homeowners in the region. Additionally, funds will assist the tree propagation program in which staff and volunteers grow plants from seeds that are sourced locally.
• Dan Beard Council, Boy Scouts - $5,000. Camp Friedlander’s freshwater and marsh habitat will be preserved with the funds which will provide youth in the region a location to learn about ecology, forestry, soil conservation, wildlife management and water safety.
• Great Parks Forever - $10,000. Funds will be used for the Lunken Trail Corridor Restoration Project to improve habitat in the floodplain of the Little Miami National Scenic River and improve the recreational experience for trail users of the popular recreation and transportation corridor.
• MetroParks of Butler County - $10,000. Funds will be used for the Nature’s Backyard Classroom Project. The program will increase learning opportunities within the park through the inclusion of a seating area, vernal pool, birding area, creek access, and a pollinator garden, all in an outdoor classroom setting surrounded by an accessible path. The goal is to create a space used to offer public and private programs.
• Mill Creek Alliance - $10,000. Funds will be used for the Mill Creek Outdoor Environmental Education Program where students will be tracking water quality and identification of the fish population on a recently restored mile-long park on Lick Run stream.
• Ohio River Foundation - $5,000. The organization will use funds for the Invasive Species Removal Strike Force, an effort to raise awareness of and control and reduce invasive species from the region.
• Taking Root - $20,000. Grant money will be used for the Tree Canopy Expansion Project. Twenty schools will receive 10 trees each to help restore their tree canopy. An additional 350 trees will go to neighborhoods in Clermont County that have been identified as the most in-need for refurbishment as well.
• Village of Evendale - $10,000. Funds will be used for the Griffin Nature Preserve Invasive Vegetation Removal and Management Project, which will enhance the health and resiliency of native-species and their habitat by removing invasive vegetation at the 26.4-acre park.

Duke Energy Ohio/Kentucky

Duke Energy Ohio/Kentucky, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, provides electric service to about 870,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in a 3,000-square-mile service area, and natural gas service to approximately 542,000 customers.

The Duke Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The Foundation contributes more than $30 million annually in charitable gifts and is funded by Duke Energy shareholder dollars. More information about the Foundation can be found at duke-energy.com/foundation.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 7.9 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 51,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 27,500 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy strategy to create a smarter energy future for its customers and communities – with goals of at least a 50 percent carbon reduction by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The company is a top U.S. renewable energy provider, on track to own or purchase 16,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2025. The company also is investing in major electric grid upgrades and expanded battery storage, and exploring zero-emitting power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune’s 2021 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list and Forbes’ “America’s Best Employers” list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy’s illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Contact: Casey Kroger
24-Hour Media Line: 800.559.3853

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