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Parks reports volunteer surge, invasive-species fight and biochar facility plans; asks for more staff and a work-order system
Summary
Parks Director Jason Baron highlighted 3,700 volunteer participants, plans to remove invasive species across multiple parks, a biochar facility project moving into construction-document phase, and the need for additional natural-resource staff and a work-order system.
Jason Baron, director of Cincinnati Parks, told the committee the department manages roughly 5,000 acres — about 10% of the city — and reported volunteer activity worth an estimated $1.6 million in volunteer hours last year. Baron described priorities including forest conservation, invasive-species removal, improvements to park infrastructure and a planned biochar facility.
Parks said its volunteer program tallied about 3,700 volunteers last year. The department uses a volunteer “train-the-trainer” conservation-stewards program to expand capacity; Parks noted the program won statewide recognition and said partners include the Cincinnati Parks Foundation and the Civic Garden Center.
Baron said urban-forest management is a major workload: the land-management team includes four full-time staff and the department has created a new classification, natural resource specialist, to hire personnel focused on forest and habitat management. The department said it is interviewing for a third natural-resource specialist and requested a fifth position to increase capacity.
Parks reported recent and planned invasive-species removal projects: roughly 10–12 acres at Stanberry Park and roughly 20 acres at Inwood Park, with additional contractor-supported removals where large-area work is needed. Baron described how extensive honeysuckle growth complicates off-trail access and requires both volunteer and contracted work.
On biochar, Baron said Parks will locate the facility at the S& T operations center in Eden Park. He said most equipment has been ordered and paid for, construction drawings are expected this summer, and the project will likely be bid in two phases (biochar facility and renovation of the operations center). He said most funds appear secured but the department may need to return with a small supplemental request once final estimates are available.
Baron also described systems needs: Parks lacks a modern work-order system for field crews and must pay to give field staff direct access to the CSR system. He said improved work-order software would speed repairs, asset tracking and CSR closures.
Ending: Parks asked council to consider adding a natural-resource specialist to expand land-management capacity, support ongoing invasive-species removals, and to back efforts to complete the biochar project and a modern work-order system.
