At the September 14th Bioregional Working Group gathering, RAPID 5’s CEO, Luke Messinger, reminded us how powerful collaboration can be. By expanding access to green space, restoring ecosystems, protecting land, and re-imagining our relationship with nature, Central Ohio can ensure the wellbeing of its communities for generations to come.
Together, we explored how individuals and organizations can work side-by-side to care for our bioregion—the waterways, farmland, forests, and communities that define Central Ohio. Below are five key ways (and actions you can take right now) individuals and organizations are transforming our shared home.
1: Increase Pedestrian Access to Nature
RAPID 5—founded in 2021 through a collaboration between MORPC and the Urban Land Institute—builds on the 2015 Central Ohio Greenways Plan. Their bold vision: every resident should live within a 10-minute walk (½ mile) of a park, trail, or natural area.
Accessible green space boosts health, deepens community ties, and reconnects us to our waterways. To make this real, RAPID 5 is expanding green corridors along the Scioto, Olentangy, Big Walnut, Big Darby, and Alum Creek rivers through a regional land trust. As Central Ohio grows, balancing increased access with the protection of sensitive habitats will be essential.
(Tip: Check out the Central Ohio Greenways Regional Vision Map below to see current and future trail connections.)
2: Restore Our Ecological Legacy
Ohio’s ecosystems have been reshaped by two centuries of logging, draining wetlands, oil booms, and highways that fragmented habitats. These changes created today’s challenges—habitat loss, loss of tree canopy, water pollution, and urban sprawl.
RAPID 5 works with cities and developers to embed restored green space into development, restore riparian areas, and increase native biodiversity. Messinger encourages us to “imitate and increase the diversity of plants already in our region.” A thriving, diverse ecosystem is our best defense against climate extremes and pollution.
3: Protect Land Through Conservation Easements
In 2023, RAPID 5 launched Central Ohio’s first regional land trust to help communities and landowners preserve farmland, forests, and open space. Through conservation easements, landowners can permanently limit development to protect natural resources while retaining ownership and even receiving potential tax benefits.
Interested? Visit RAPID 5’s General Inquiries Page to begin a conversation. Your land—or land in your network—can be safeguarded for generations to come.
4: Build Active and Passive Recreation Areas
RAPID 5’s vision includes interconnected parks and trails for kayaking, running, biking, and more—linking neighborhoods, cultural sites, and local businesses. Community hubs with gardens, sports facilities, and learning centers can serve as gathering places, spur local tourism, and strengthen our regional economy. Outdoor adventures inspire us, but they also ground us—restoring our connection to the Earth, our neighbors, and ourselves.
5: Bioregionalism Begins at Home
The most powerful change starts right outside your door. RAPID 5’s vision of a thriving network of parks and waterways is supported by bioregionalism and begins with what we plant and protect in our own backyards. By replacing lawns with native species, finding regenerative alternatives to pesticide and herbicide use, and sharing these practices with neighbors, we create the living links that make Central Ohio’s regional corridors more resilient and vibrant. Even small patches of prairie plants or wildflowers can rebuild soil, support pollinators, and regenerate ecosystems. Search Simply Living’s Local Business Directory for a native plant nursery near you.
About the Central Ohio Bioregional Working Group
Bioregionalism is the practice of living in harmony with the land, water, and ecosystems that sustain us. It’s about reconnecting with our natural surroundings, learning the unique rhythms of our home region, and working together to strengthen our local community.
The Central Ohio Bioregional Working Group was established in June 2025 with the encouragement and guidance of the Great Lake Erie Southern Shore Bioregion (GLESS). The Central Ohio Bioregional Working Group is a growing collaboration between local individuals and organizations, such as the Ohio Community Rights Network (OHCRN), Leaves for Wildlife, the Central Ohio Reuse Coalition (CORC), the Care and Share Time Bank, and Simply Living.
The Central Ohio Bioregional Working Group gathers regularly to explore how we can align our daily lives with the ecological and cultural realities of our area. We’ll look at hyperlocal systems—like food, water, transportation, and energy—and discover ways to nurture a resilient, thriving place to call home.
Join us to share ideas, learn from one another, and take meaningful steps toward living simply, sustainably, and rooted in our bioregion.
I really appreciate learning about the good work that RAPID 5 is doing. So nice to read good news. Great newsletter!
Yes – more attention must be paid to all of the good being done in our region!