Mayor Robin Oda and Park Superintendent Jeremy Drake are proud to share that an upcoming parks project has received a $50,000 H2Ohio grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. These funds, secured through the collaborative efforts of the City of Troy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), will be used to remove and replace invasive species such as honeysuckle and Callery pear along the west edge of Duke Park. Staff from Troy’s Park Department, USFWS, and Miami County will plant over 2,200 native trees and shrubs, restoring the vitality of the floodplain.
Over the past several years, Troy's Park Department has worked alongside local bike clubs at the Troy Mountain Bike Area (TMBA) to combat these invasive plants along the mountain bike trails at Duke Park. This restoration project aims to create a more permanent solution, restoring a 64-acre piece of natural floodplain–essential habitat for native wildlife.
"The goal of the project is not just to remove harmful invasive species,” said Park Superintendent Jeremy Drake, “but to replace them with desirable native species to reduce the maintenance and trimming needed along the TMBA trails."
Drake said that the native trees will effectively control invasive growth, aid the rehabilitation of off-channel wetlands west of Duke Park and help to prevent flooding. Native vegetation plays a crucial role in balancing nutrients in the wetlands, reducing erosion, and providing vital habitat for wildlife.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife will generously cover the project’s remaining cost. A huge thank you goes out to the Miami Valley Mountain Bike Association and the Troy Mountain Bike Association for their dedicated volunteer work, in-kind donations, and materials, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for the grant funding, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for taking on this essential project.