Rural Action

Watershed Restoration: the team identified 133,465 acres of high quality wetland and stream restoration project sites in the Maumee River Watershed. Additionally, 45 Hellbender nest boxes were installed at three sites in the Walhonding Watershed. Sustainable Forestry: The team completed 18 site visits across 1,119 acres in nine counties and two states to assist landowners in non timber forest product cultivation and sustainable land management. Sustainable Agriculture: Access to fresh produce remained a critical need in 2022. 450,000 dollars was distributed to local farmers through the Chesterhill Produce Auction (CPA) sales, purchasing for CPA's Buying Club, produce prescriptions, and produce distribution. Rural Action helped provide thousands of produce prescriptions to Mid-Ohio Valley families to make healthy food more accessible. More than 5,000 bags of produce were provided to 285 households in two states through the prescriptions program, providing fresh produce, recipes and cooking supplies. Additionally, 79 Hopewell patients received Healthy Pantry shares, a shopping bag which includes spices, cooking oil, knives, a can opener, a colander, a veggie peeler and a cutting board. In response to the late July flooding in eastern Kentucky which destroyed local farmlands, the Sustainable Agriculture team delivered over 2,000 pounds of fresh produce to Hindman, Kentucky as part of the flood relief efforts.