Forest Park Community Advisory Group Concludes 2026 Workshop Series

Contributors: Bamidele Osamika, Kelly St Charles

Forest Park Residents Discuss Climate Action

Over the past two months, we brought together residents of Forest Park, Ohio for a Community Advisory Group workshop series as part of the Climate Safe Neighborhoods (CSN) partnership between Green Umbrella and Groundwork Ohio River Valley. Across five weeks of sessions, we developed ideas for a more climate-resilient future, a future that is grounded in real experiences, local knowledge, and shared leadership.

Residents led conversations across four critical issues: 

1. Heat and housing
2. Green infrastructure and air quality
3. Flooding
4. Food access

Using an equity lens, they asked the hard but necessary questions:

Who benefits? Who is burdened? Who’s missing? How do we protect people from displacement as we invest in solutions?

As a group, some observations stood out:

• Climate impacts aren’t felt equally. Our most vulnerable neighbors carry the heaviest burden.
• Solutions must go beyond infrastructure to include affordability, stability, and access.
• Community voices are not optional. They are the foundation of effective climate action.

Residents presented their ideas at a showcase on April 23, 2026 at the Forest Park Library. Presentations included expanding tree canopy and cooling spaces, as well as supporting energy affordability, flood resilience, and local food systems. The ideas were practical, people-centered, and grounded in real need. 

What’s Next?

A key takeaway from the work in Forest Park is understanding that equity isn’t an “add-on” to climate work; it’s the strategy.

From hands-on workshops to deep conversations about environmental challenges, adaptation strategies, and advocacy, the Forest Park Community Advisory Group was all about collaboration and lifting up community voices.

We’re continuing this work with residents by bringing these ideas to the City Council and moving toward implementation. This is just the beginning of a long-term effort focused on policy alignment, building local capacity, and sustaining climate action.

Acknowledgements

We’re grateful to the residents who showed up, shared their voices, and helped shape a more resilient future for Forest Park. 

Special thanks to the organizations and their team members who made this possible, including Groundwork Ohio River Valley, Green Umbrella, Historical Society of Forest Park, Forest Park Environmental Awareness Program, DataBloom, Tri-State Trails, and Forest Park Branch Library. 

More Information & Resources 

• Climate Safe Neighborhoods
• Groundwork Ohio River Valley
• Health Justice in Action – Soapbox Cincinnati Series