The Nature Conservancy leads $1.2M collaboration with private sector to protect water in Central Ohio

TNC will collaborate with Licking County Soil and Water Conservation District to restore the wetland and expects the effort to begin in early 2026. Maps of the project area (above) are available online.

“This collective funding model is the result of the private sector coming together for nature,” said TNC in Ohio State Director Bill Stanley. “AWS, Google, Bath & Body Works and Ryan Companies see the valuable role of nature in protecting our irreplaceable freshwater sources, which are critical for drinking water, recreation and our way of life.” 

Under the project, water currently flowing through a straightened agricultural ditch will pass through a restored wetland, naturally treating the runoff from farm fields before the water flows downstream to Buckeye Lake. The project builds on the success of past collaborative efforts that have been effective in reducing nutrient pollution and harmful algal blooms in the lake in recent years.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture estimates this project has the potential to remove 6,107 pounds of nitrogen and 315 pounds of phosphorous preventing it from being delivered into Buckeye Lake each year, helping to preserve the health of Ohio waters.

“There are tangible impacts we are experiencing from climate change, including warmer summers and heavier rainstorms, which are washing fertilizers and sediment from farms and into the water creating ideal conditions for harmful algae blooms,” said Adam Lehmann, Central Ohio water manager for TNC in Ohio. “Wetlands act as nature’s kidneys, filtering out excess nutrients and sediment, and by restoring this crucial natural infrastructure, we can help reduce the extent and severity of these algal blooms and improve water quality by using nature as a solution.”

"Amazon’s goal is to be a good water steward everywhere we operate and at AWS we are on a path to become water positive by 2030," said Will Hewes, Water Stewardship Lead, Amazon. "By collaborating with The Nature Conservancy and others this new project will restore 11 acres of wetlands and reduce nutrient pollution in Buckeye Lake. It is one of more than 20 projects AWS has invested in globally that will return over 7 billion liters of water each year to our communities and the environment."

“Google is proud to call Ohio home,” said Ben Townsend, Head of Infrastructure Strategy & Sustainability at Google. “We are committed to our water replenishment ambition and will continue to invest in the health of watersheds in the communities where we operate.”

“Central Ohio has been home to Bath & Body Works for more than 34 years, and we’re honored to join The Nature Conservancy and other likeminded companies that are working to protect and preserve this region’s precious water resources,” said Jeff King, Group Vice President and Head of ESG at Bath & Body Works. “We look forward to seeing the progress of this project as we support a brighter future for our local community and planet.”

“At Ryan, we are committed to sustainable solutions that protect and restore our planet,” said Joe Rozza, Chief Sustainability Officer, Ryan Companies. “We are proud to partner with likeminded partners to support efforts focused on restoring and protecting vital ecosystems in ways that benefit local communities; by bringing together the size and scale of our organizations we can drive significant impact.”

This project, which is expected to be the first of many for the region led by TNC, stems from a grant awarded to TNC by Amazon, Google and Ryan Companies last year to identify projects in the Columbus, Ohio area that would protect drinking water quality and improve and restore the health of streams, lakes and wetlands. This is the first funded project among several identified by TNC in this region.