We’re 10 days out from Green Umbrella’s first benefit concert, and you should get your tickets NOW to catch the excellent acts below:

Ma Crow and Co.: This five-piece band weaves together bluegrass, country, blues, and early 20th-century roots influences into a high-energy, foot-stomping sound.

Pork City Slim: Delivering traditional acoustic blues with a soulful Americana edge, Pork City Slim blends blues and timeless storytelling.

Get Down River: Grounded in place and full of heart, Get Down River is a rich Americana mix of bluegrass, alt-country, folk, outlaw country, and traditional country.

Whether you’re a longtime supporter or new to our community, this is your chance to celebrate Earth Month in a way that is joyful, energizing, and rooted in hope. Get your tickets at the link below!

Does the national dialogue around politics and policy feel overwhelming? Forward your focus to local issues that can make a big difference in your community! Like many locally elected officials, County Commissioners play an important, and often unknown, role in the daily lives of communities. They manage county finances, partake in long-range planning, influence land-use zoning, budget development, and more.

The Greenspace Alliance, with partners The Hillside Trust and Tri-State Trails, is hosting a forum for candidates running for County Commissioner in Boone, Kenton, and Campbell Counties. Candidates will share their perspectives on how Northern Kentucky can support economic growth while protecting the natural spaces that make our communities healthy, resilient, and connected.

Attend the forum on Wednesday, April 22, from 6-7:30 pm at the Erlanger Branch of the Kenton County Library by registering for free here and submit questions for the candidates in advance here.

Through Hamilton County’s on-farm composting partnership, Camp Washington Perennial Farm, Common Orchard Project’s home base, has added a full-scale, aerated static pile demonstration site for composting. The upgrades include new composting bays, a concrete pad, an electrical subpanel, and water hookups.

The demonstration site will test multiple methodologies for aerating piles, monitoring temperature and moisture, and accelerating the breakdown process to produce higher-quality compost in less time. When fully operational, the upgraded system will have the capacity to process up to nearly one million pounds of food scraps per year.

Does this sound like something you could use on your agricultural space? Visit the link here to learn more about Hamilton County’s Partnership for On-Farm Composting.

For the first time, Green Umbrella has decided to recognize an employee for outstanding teamwork, exceptional collaboration, and overall good vibes: office dog and CCO (Chief Cuddle Officer) Molly Gallagher. Molly is a Very Good Girl who supports all-day treats, lunchtime walks, and laying down on the job. She would like to wish everyone a fun and not-scary April Fool’s Day.

Interested in hosting an event during Cincinnati Climate Week? We’re hosting a virtual info session to help you plan. Learn more and register here.

June 12: Midwest Sustainability Summit - Art Submissions Close April 13

From paintings and sculptures to interactive exhibits, the Summit art show features dozens of local artists throughout the day, while the Summit schedule integrates spoken word, music, and dance performances. We’re accepting submissions for inspiring visual and performance art that aligns with the Summit theme of “Adapt Today, Thrive Tomorrow!” Learn more and apply here.

What is the Sustainability Summit like? Check out our Communication Manager’s blog post from last year, “The View from the Summit: A Day at the Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit”, to learn about what it’s like to experience the Summit from start to finish.

June 13: Green & Healthy Schools Symposium - Early Bird Ticket Pricing Extended
In honor of Earth Month, Early Bird pricing for the Green & Healthy Schools Symposium has been extended through the end of April. Buy your tickets now to save!

If knowledge is power, Cincinnati Nature Center’s current series, “Neighbors in the Know”, is making power more accessible in Clermont County. 

Aiming to drive more grassroots advocacy, these online, monthly sessions are designed to help adults better understand township-level decision-making and how they can drive local action. Each month has a theme: roads and traffic in April, property rights in May, agriculture and farmland in June, and more, through November of 2026. Learn more and register for sessions here.

The City of Cincinnati Office of Environment and Sustainability (OES) is excited to announce the launch of year three of their Green Cincinnati Plan Seeds of Change Grant Program. This funding aims to bring the Green Cincinnati Plan (GCP) to life through resident-driven sustainability, equity, and resilience projects with an emphasis on the neighborhoods hardest hit by climate change. Applications are due on May 1, 2026. There is an optional information session on Thursday, April 2 from 5:00-6:00PM. Register here to access the meeting link.

The Ohio Power Siting Board recently denied a permit for the Crossroads Solar Grazing Center, which would combine solar panels with sheep grazing in central Ohio’s Morrow County. Although the project otherwise met all legal requirements, the board concluded that it “fails to serve the public interest.” Critics of the decision are troubled that the regulators basically shrugged off the fact that a substantial number of public comments filed in opposition to Crossroads Solar were duplicative, anonymous, or seemingly faked.

April 3 | 3:00 - 4:30 PM

Join Green Umbrella’s Greenspace Alliance and Cincinnati Parks for part two of Meet A Greenspace Hike: Spring Ephemeral Series at California Woods!

California Woods is a 151-acre preserve with more than 53 tree species, more than 200 herbaceous plant species, and numerous animal species. During the springtime, it is home to an array of wildflowers known as spring ephemerals.

These miniature forest blooms can be found for a limited time along the forest floor in the window of warmth and sunlight before trees and shrubs put out their leaves.

The hike will be easy to moderate, 1-1.5 miles, with some hilly and strenuous sections. Please dress appropriately, bring water, and snacks (if you need them).

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

April 18 from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Whether you’re a long-time supporter of the Common Orchard Project or brand new to our work, this is a great opportunity to connect with others in the community while helping care for and grow one of our shared orchard spaces.

We host volunteer days on the third Saturday of each month to support ongoing orchard and site development. Volunteers may help with seasonal tasks such as composting, planting, nursery work, and general site care. No prior experience is needed; everyone is welcome.

This is a hands-on, community-focused workday where you can learn more about the orchard and how the site is cared for while contributing to its long-term health.

The City of Cincinnati’s Office of Environment and Sustainability (OES) is excited to announce multiple OES Fellowship roles for 2026! These team members will play key roles in supporting the implementation of the Green Cincinnati Plan (GCP) as we work together to build a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient Cincinnati.

OES seeks young professionals between the ages of 18 and 24 interested in gaining experience in public-sector environmental efforts. The ideal candidates will be detail-oriented, dependable, mission-driven, and positive team players, as they will support the execution of key departmental priorities in a fast-paced environment. 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.