River Fields

We are an independent nonprofit with a mission to protect our beloved Ohio River, its lands, and the natural and cultural wonders that belong to us all.

Today, we ask you to join us as we work towards an ambitious all-time high goal of $45,000 for our Give for Good campaign. We've set the bar high because we're fundraising for planting and maintaining 20-25 native floodplain-tolerant trees on Blankenbaker Corner, our lovely acres of green space open to the public at the corner of Blankenbaker Lane and River Road. Here are a few of the tree species we will plant:

Willow oak is among the most wildlife-friendly trees in the Mid-Atlantic region, providing habitat and food for countless species Swamp white oak is a keystone species notable for being drought and flood tolerantRiver birch features beautiful bark detailFew trees evoke a river shoreline like a sycamore

We envision not just a new green jewel along scenic River Road -- but also a model of flood-resilient land management. By planting tree species adapted to periodic inundation, like willow oak, swamp white oak, bald cypress, river birch, sycamore, and black tupelo, we will create a natural system that effectively absorbs and manages stormwater runoff. Our planting includes 7-10 different species of native trees that are flood-tolerant, low-maintenance, and fast-growing. This includes removing an allee of invasive, aging pear trees and replacing them with beautiful oaks that will thrive for generations while supporting an abundance of native wildlife. Your gift helps support the purchase and planting of trees, as well as a maintenance budget.

Teens in residential care at the Home of the Innocents discover an Eastern Box Turtle while on a guided walk of Edyalmoor, an Olmsted Brothers-designed landscape protected by a River Fields easement, June, 2026

 We're excited to focus this year's Give for Good campaign on our Blankenbaker Corner forestry project, but our work doesn't stop there. Your gift also makes it possible to:

• Improve our beloved Garvin Brown Nature Preserve;
• Protect forever 2,300 acres of forest, farmland, meadows, and waterways;
• Create engaging new nature programs for our members and our partners at the Home of the Innocents teen foster care program; 
• Serve you and the places you cherish as a trusted and informed local voice that speaks out against bad development ideas;
• Partner with other organizations to promote the Ohio River Basin Restoration Plan's advancement in Congress

Monarch butterfly on a native buttonbush shrub at River Fields's Garvin Brown Nature Preserve. Buttonbush is a critical wetlands plant that throughout the summer provides food and habitat for pollinators like the monarch, and later in the year offers food for more than 20 different species of waterfowl.

We envision a community in which we protect the Ohio River, its lands, and our common natural and cultural wonders.

Thank you for your support and your trust. 

P.S.: Want to see some beautiful places? 

Check out our gallery below and the next tab over to learn more about the lands we protect!

Ponds, streams, creeks - they're all part of the Ohio River watershed we help protect for future generations!

Happy nature explorers after an interpretive walk at Garvin Brown Nature Preserve. River Fields manages and offers public programming at the preserve, which includes wetlands, woods, wildflower meadows and unfettered river views.

A trip up Harrods Creek for our members to learn about this beautiful waterway's history and ecology

Everyone loves to learn about trees! With ace horticulturalist Renee Frith at Wolf Pen Branch Mill Farm in February 2025