In 2018, the Village of Ottawa Hills, with assistance from The Nature Conservancy, published a 10-year environmental strategic plan for the Village (Envisioning a Greener Future). This plan was crafted after a group of concerned citizens came together to determine ways that the Village could improve the condition of the Ottawa River (and its watershed) as it runs through the Village. The four major components of the plan are community environmental engagement, Ottawa River watershed conservation, river ecosystem health and water quality, and floodplain health. A suite of initiatives and activities to address each component were determined by a resident-led Environmental Task Force. Partners for Clean Streams and The Nature Conservancy were involved in several stages of this work between 2018-2020, and helped to encourage and facilitate many of the associated activities.
Partnership Highlights:
- Community Rain Barrel Workshops & Sales
- Student-led Storm Drain Marking Efforts
- Stream Cleanups along the Ottawa River
- Ottawa River Floodplain Restoration Projects
- Ottawa River Watershed Conservation Collaboration (Inagural Meeting)
- Stewardship Education Through Community Newsletter & Factsheet Distribution
Village Newsletter Articles on Watershed Stewardship: