Scientists in the Wild

Have you ever dreamed of meeting a scientist in real life? How about exploring a hidden greenspace? If either of these statements rings true to you, join the Greenspace Alliance, Cincinnati Parks, and the Center for Collaboration on Climate and Community for Health (C4H) for their Meet A Greenspace Hike at Badgley Run!

Join the Greenspace Alliance and C4H for this month’s Meet A Greenspace Hike on Friday, August 29, from 3:00-4:30 pm at Badgley Run in Cincinnati’s Northside Neighborhood.

Hidden Gems

Once slated for development as part of the I-74 expansion, Badgley Run is a 16-acre property owned and operated by the Cincinnati Park Board (CPB). Local community members successfully advocated for its protection. Initial funding acquired the original two parcels of land, and a comprehensive restoration initiative remediated extensive dumping, erosion, and invasive species on the site. The park is currently managed by Cincinnati Parks, along with Northside Greenspace Inc. and other regional stakeholders who are committed to improving the site.

To further highlight the success of this property, Badgley Run serves as an important greenspace corridor for both wildlife and residents. At the time of its initial purchase, Badgley Run aligned with the City of Cincinnati’s goal to link the Northside communities with nearby Mt. Airy Forest. Additionally, a property owned by The Hillside Trust, a non-profit dedicated to protecting the region’s hillsides, borders Badgley Run, further emphasizing its importance as a greenspace corridor.

C4H: Connecting Climate and Health in Cincinnati

The Cincinnati Center for Collaboration on Climate and Community for Health is a new research center under development at the University of Cincinnati. Often referred to as C4H, the Center will focus on understanding and reducing the health impacts of climate change on vulnerable populations, including first responders, outdoor workers, pregnant women, children, and senior citizens living in economically disadvantaged urban areas. As climate change continues to worsen, cities and the urban and suburban sprawl that forms around them will be subject to its impacts at higher levels. These communities often lack natural features like forests and native greenspaces that help mitigate the impacts from heat, air pollution, and storm events that are becoming more prevalent and extreme.

This Meet A Greenspace Hike will connect participants with scientists working to protect human health in a changing climate. Representatives from C4H will share how their work impacts individuals on both regional and national scales. This hike will also offer hikers the opportunity to communicate concerns they have about the intersection of health and climate change.

Explore Badgley Run!

We hope you’ll join us at our upcoming hike with Cincinnati Parks and C4H! The hike will take place on Friday, August 29 from 3:00-4:30 pm. It will be guided by staff from Cincinnati Parks along with members of C4H. We will meet at the Badgley Rd. entrance, located at 4300 Badgley Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45223.

This hike is part of our monthly Meet a Greenspace Hiking series. We hope these hikes will provide the time and space they need to reconnect with nature. If you have any questions, contact Green Umbrella’s Greenspace Alliance Manager Claire Carlson at claire@greenumbrella.org.