Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) was recognized for their “Outstanding Project” by the Ohio EPA’s Ohio Environmental Education Fund (OEEF). Over 50 completed grant projects between the years of 2011 – 2015 were reviewed and eleven were selected as outstanding projects. Geauga SWCD’s project was a collaborative effort with the Northeast Ohio Public Involvement and Public Education (NEO PIPE) work group and awarded $21,900. Entitled From the Upper Reaches to Lake Erie’s Beaches: A Banner Year for Nonpoint Source Pollution Solutions, this regional stormwater initiative promotes watershed awareness and household habits to improve water quality for residents and homeowners in the Lake Erie Basin. Sets of collapsible banners were created with five unique themes, along with an accompanying brochure with stormwater pollution solutions. These displays have been replicated by several other organizations and continue to reach thousands of residents annually throughout seven northeast Ohio counties. NEOPIPE collaborators included Cuyahoga, Lake, Medina, Portage and Summit Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the City of Avon Lake, and the Black River Remedial Action Plan.
