OHIO — A new collaboration of Central Ohio companies alongside the Nature Conservancy to help reduce the pollution of lakes and restore streams in the Buckeye State. 

Within the partnership are Google, Bath & Body Works, Amazon Web Services and Ryan Companies Inc. which are providing $1.2 million for the project. 

What You Need To Know

  • Google, Bath & Body Works, Amazon Web Services and Ryan Companies Inc. are providing $1.2 million

  • The project is expected to divert runoff from more than 700 acres of farm fields through a restored wetland
  • The Nature Conservatory will also establish regional priorities for stream and wetland restoration in the region
  • The project will help move water currently flowing through an agricultural ditch into a restored wetland, treating the runoff before the water reaches Buckeye Lake

“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.”

The project is expected to divert runoff from more than 700 acres of farm fields through a restored wetland. The goal is to use the restored wetland to filter and store the runoff before it heads into Buckeye Lake, preventing chemicals and sediment from entering. 

“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 at Amazon, in a news release. “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.”

The Nature Conservatory (TNC) will also help establish the regional priorities for stream and wetland restoration in the region. TNC will collaborate with Licking County Soil and Water Conservation District to restore the wetland. Efforts are expected to start in 2026.

“This collective funding model is the result of the private sector coming together for nature,” said TNC in Ohio State Director Bill Stanley in a news release. “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.”

The project will help move water currently flowing through an agricultural ditch into a restored wetland, treating the runoff before the water reaches Buckeye Lake. The goal is to reduce nutrient pollution and algal blooms.

“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.”

The Ohio Department of Agriculture said the project could potentially remove 6,107 pounds of nitrogen and 315 pounds of phosphorous.

“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.”

The project is expected to be the first of many for TNC is funded from a grant by Amazon, Google and Ryan Companies last year to identify projects in the Columbus area to protect drinking water quality, improve and restore the health of streams, lakes and wetlands.

“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.”