Johnson County will spend $1.19 million restoring wetlands, prairies and woodlands across seven sites, the first grants ever awarded under the county's new Green Infrastructure Grant program.
The Board of County Commissioners approved the funding during the week of Aug. 11, according to a county press release published Aug. 17. The grants go to the Johnson County Park and Recreation District and two nonprofit organizations, which are contributing an additional $400,000 in matching funds for a combined investment of roughly $1.6 million.
Four of the seven projects are in Shawnee Mission Park, and two involve restoration along the Blue River corridor. A seventh, a $102,244 biodiversity planting at Thomas S. Stoll Memorial Park, is managed by JCPRD.
The full list of awards:
- Bridging the Gap, Inc. — $175,000 for riverbank corridor restoration on the Blue River
- Ducks Unlimited — $206,341 for wetland restoration in Gardner
- JCPRD — $257,819 for Mill Creek Wetland Restoration in Shawnee Mission Park
- JCPRD — $127,506 for Blue River Wetland Restoration along the Blue River Streamway Trail
- JCPRD — $120,470 for prairie restoration in Shawnee Mission Park
- JCPRD — $204,218 for woodland restoration in Shawnee Mission Park
- JCPRD — $102,244 for biodiversity planting in Thomas S. Stoll Memorial Park
"We are excited to work with new partners to be better stewards of our Johnson County rivers and streams," said Lesley Rigney, water quality specialist for Johnson County's Stormwater Management Program, in the press release.
The grant program is funded through the county's Stormwater Management Program, which has set aside money for water quality and green infrastructure projects since 2021. The program page notes that previous years' funding went "largely unspent," prompting the county to broaden eligibility beyond municipal stormwater departments to include park departments, school districts, nonprofits and private property owners.
The total funding pool is $1.5 million, with individual awards ranging from $75,000 to $500,000. Projects may receive 50% to 100% of eligible costs.
A second round of applications is open through Aug. 28, at 5 p.m. Eligible applicants include Johnson County cities participating in the Stormwater Management Program, park departments, school districts, nonprofits and private entities. Questions can be directed to Rigney at [email protected].
