This week we bid a fond “See you soon!” to our outgoing Executive Director, Ryan Mooney-Bullock, as she joins the excellent team at Gorman Heritage Farm. Ryan composed a farewell blog post on our website that details the incredible work Green Umbrella has accomplished under her leadership in the past 8.5 years.

Read the blog here, and support the next chapter of Green Umbrella by contributing to our Leadership Legacy Campaign here.

The Greater Cincinnati Regional Food Policy Council created a Guidebook for Resilient Regional Food Systems to make it easier for organizations to procure food from local sources. Join us on March 4 for a free, virtual training session on how to put the Guidebook into action at your organization.

Whether you’re an organizational leader or a food systems advocate, you’ll gain insights into collaborative approaches, resource-sharing, and innovative solutions to foster community resilience through increased local purchasing. Click here to register.

At last week’s Annual Impact Celebration, we officially announced the launch of Cincinnati Climate Week, happening June 8-14, 2026 — and you’re invited to be part of it!

The week will be anchored by two of the region’s signature events: the Midwest Sustainability Summit (June 12) and the Green & Healthy Schools Symposium (June 13), alongside a dynamic lineup of partner-hosted events across Greater Cincinnati.

Start brainstorming what your organization could host, virtual or in person, and save the date now. Event submissions open in mid-March. Subscribe to our Featured Events emails stay in the loop.

Join Green Umbrella’s Greenspace Alliance and the Banklick Watershed Council for a free Meet a Greenspace Hike on Friday, February 20, from 3:00-4:30 pm at Brushy Fork Nature Preserve.

The 43-acre property was initially purchased by the Banklick Watershed Council and transferred to the Kenton Conservancy in August 2014. It is a prime example of the importance of urban conservation for flooding reduction and watershed protection. Learn more and register here.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has formally rescinded the 2009 greenhouse gas endangerment finding, the legal foundation for regulating climate pollution under the Clean Air Act. The change eliminates federal greenhouse gas standards for vehicles and could trigger broader rollbacks affecting power plants and major industrial sources, and could undermine much of the federal government’s authority to regulate climate pollution. Legal challenges to the rollback are widely expected.

This decision makes the work of local communities significantly more difficult by removing a key federal regulatory framework. At Green Umbrella, we remain committed to advancing science-based climate solutions locally — work that continues to grow in importance amid ongoing changes at the federal level.

The Ohio Legislature is weighing Senate Bill 294, which puts restrictions on new energy development in Ohio. The bill requires energy produced to be clean, reliable, and affordable - however, as written, the bill’s definitions of clean, reliable, and affordable exclude renewables while promoting fossil fuels and nuclear energy. The bill identifies natural gas and nuclear power as “clean”. Opponents of the bill, including Save Ohio Parks, the Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, and several citizens, testified against the bill at a hearing on February 10.

Keep Cincinnati Beautiful's Roots to Boots program pays and trains young adults from neighborhoods with low tree canopy, poor air quality and high rates of gun violence to manage green spaces. The program was previously funded by a federal grant, though it was cancelled by the current administration. A grant from Cincinnati’s Office of Environment & Sustainability is helping Roots to Boots move forward, but they need new funding to keep the program going past 2026.

Bonnie Mitsui and Melinda O’Briant of Turner Farm in Hamilton County received OEFFA’s 2026 Stewardship Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the cultivation of sustainable agriculture. The awards were announced February 13-15 at OEFFA’s 47th annual conference.

From 1994 until her passing in 2013, Bonnie Mitsui assumed the ownership and farming of Turner Farm, hiring 

Melinda O’Briant in 1996 to help manage the farm. Bonnie and Melinda led the farm through years of hard work — rejuvenating lackluster soil, becoming a nonprofit in 2005, and incorporating community gardening, farming internships, classes, and more into Turner Farm. Our congratulations go out to the entire team at Turner Farm for this well-deserved recognition!

Mark your calendar for Cincinnati Earth Day on Sunday, April 19 at Washington Park — a free, family-friendly celebration of sustainability and community. The event will feature exhibits, hands-on activities, local resources, and a Green Career Fair. Event organizers are also working toward an ambitious goal: representation from all 52 Cincinnati neighborhoods in a dedicated Resilience Area highlighting the Green Cincinnati Plan!

Organizations and businesses are invited to host booths to showcase their work, connect with thousands of attendees, and demonstrate leadership on environmental and community resilience. Highly discounted booths are available if your organization wants to represent one of Cincinnati’s neighborhoods! Sign up here or email info@cincinnatiearthday.org.

Click here for the full Events Calendar. Members can submit events in the Green Umbrella online portal here.

Join The Common Orchard Project for our annual Winter Pruning Blitz! This collaborative event brings together volunteers from across the region to learn hands-on pruning techniques while caring for community orchards in Walnut Hills, East End, North Side, and Colerain.

All tools and safety equipment are provided. No experience necessary—just bring your enthusiasm and dress for the weather! Please register prior to the event.

The Millcreek Valley Conservancy District (MVCD) is seeking an Executive Director (ED) to oversee the implementation of its forthcoming assessment process. This initiative is projected to span 36 months, culminating in MVCD obtaining an assessment to meet its operational obligations. Funding for this objective has been secured. The ED role will be structured as a two-third part-time position for the initial six months, transitioning to full-time status for the subsequent 30 months. Learn more and apply here.

Have an event, volunteer opportunity, or job posting to share? Green Umbrella members can submit them via the online Membership Portal. To learn more about the benefits of becoming a member, click here.