· Restore the property’s natural wetland habitats (seasonally wet meadows, forested wetlands)
· Demonstrate the effectiveness of rain gardens and bio-swales as effective storm water best management practices
· Provide valuable recreational and educational opportunities for visitors.

Shor Park is the newest park within CCPD, dedicated in October 2010 by Slyvia Shor (the park is named in honor of S. David Shor).  The park is 53 acres in total area and is located in an urbanized area within the headwaters of Salt Run, a tributary of the East Fork Little Miami River.  Prior to the donation to CCPD, the fields were fallow for two years after being planted with corn and soybeans for several years.  The land had since become infested with non-native, invasive species, such as Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana), Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellate), Bush Honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.) and others.  Based on the soils and lay of the land, the fields are best suited for wetland habitat and prairie.
With funding provided by Ohio EPA’s Surface Water Improvement Fund, CCPD will restore areas of forested wetland, emergent wetland, and wet prairie or meadow habitats.  The wetlands at Shor Park are seasonally wet, having surface water typically in the winter and spring, and drying out during the summer and fall.  All of these wetland types provide enormous benefits to the surrounding community because they help improve water quality in local streams by trapping and filtering stormwater runoff.  Wetlands are often referred to as natural sponges of the land because they trap and slowly release surface water over time, which helps to manage local flooding and erosion.  Wet prairies and wooded wetlands also provide critical habitat (including vernal pools) for wildlife including, birds, butterflies, frogs, toads, salamanders,  among others.  The restoration of these sites will involve some subtle modifications to the land to improve hydrology and drainage, the removal of the invasive species, as well as the planting of native plants and shrubs.  The Shor Park project will also feature watershed friendly landscaping, including the creation of  a rain garden and two bio-swales designed to manage stormwater runoff from surrounding impervious areas.

Shor Park is a work in progress.  The park currently features three walking trails that wind through the many open fields on the property.  Much of the restoration work will take place along the trails and visitors will be able to see the different wetland habitats develop.  The Park’s close proximity to the Cincinnati Nature Center’s (CNC) properties enhances the connectivity of quality open space/protected areas, which will benefit local plants and wildlife, while also providing greater water quality protection for the Salt Run watershed.
The CCPD was able to open the park thanks to a partnership with the Union Township Trustees. The Trustees provided funding for the development of the parking area and walking trails.  CCPD’s Shor Park Restoration Project partners include the Clermont Soil and Water Conservation District, East Fork Watershed Collaborative, Carndo JFNew and Ohio EPA.