Green Practices

What it Means to be "Green"

Cuyahoga Valley National Park in partnership with Conservancy for CVNP, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR), and Countryside are committed to pursuing the highest standards possible focused on sustainable operations and projects. We have collectively accomplished the following starting in 2012.

 

The Holland House renovation, now part of the Trapp Family Farm, included green building practices and sustainable materials.

NPS

Green Maintenance for Buildings:

• Certified wood from sustainable forestry
• Low emitting fume paint (low VOC)
• Reuse or salvage of building materials during rehabs: doors, windows, trim, hardware, wood flooring, brick, stone, wood framing, light fixtures
• Recycling of some construction debris, such as metals
• Insulating walls, ceilings, and attics where possible in historic structures
• Installation of energy efficient windows and/or storm windows and doors
• Conversion to 96% efficient furnaces in over 40 park buildings
• Replacement of standard HVAC to Zone Systems for energy efficiency

 

Porous pavement acts as a filter as water passes through a series of aggregates before exiting.

NPS

Green Maintenance for Roads:

• Porous paving filters the water to pass through a series of aggregates before exiting into the watershed thereby reducing pollutants and slowing the movement of water into the surrounding environment. No freezing or thawing occurs so less deicer is used within these areas - a benefit to our natural resources.
• Stabilized turf parking allows for a green parking area with aggregate base.
• Locations using the porous pavement are the Rockside Railroad Boarding Station parking lot, Brandywine Falls parking lot, and the Cancasci House at the corner of Route 82 and Chaffee Road.

 

Volunteers help to install a fiberglass bridge at Blue Hens Falls.

NPS

Green Maintenance for Trails:

• Sustainable trail design to reduce impacts to the resource
• Utilize natural stormwater management by slowing water down
• Fiberglass or FRP (fiber reinforced polymer) bridges have less impacts to natural resources during installation, lower maintenance, less stream impacts with clear span and cost reduction using volunteer workforce

 

Cuyahoga Valley reduces its carbon footprint with a modified mowing schedule that leaves grass growing longer.

NPS

Green Maintenance for Grounds:

• Modified mowing schedule targets higher service to visitor use areas
• Mow areas reduced around park to lower carbon footprint by decreasing mowing emissions, pollutants, noise, and vehicle mobilization
• Native grasses are better for habitat – birds, animals, and pollinators (butterflies, bees, dragonflies)
• Low-mow grasses used to reduce mowing frequency

 

Farmers use solar panels to reduce energy usage.

NPS

Countryside Initiative green farming practices:

• Riparian buffers
• Rotational grazing
• Cover cropping
• Solar powered fencing and water pumps
• Minimal use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers
• Direct marketing to consumers
• Crop and livestock diversification
• On farm composting
• Cooperative purchases and equipment use to reduce carbon footprint