Restoring French Park for Generations to Come
A Landmark Investment in Conservation, Trails and the future of Cincinnati’s Urban Forest
French Park is entering a new chapter.
Cincinnati Parks, in partnership with Cincinnati Parks Foundation, is undertaking a multiyear effort to restore the park’s natural landscape, strengthen its trail system and create a healthier, more welcoming experience for everyone who visits.
Made possible by a transformational $1.8 million gift from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous, the project represents Cincinnati’s largest forest restoration effort in a city park in nearly 100 years. The work beginning at French Park has the potential to become a model for restoring urban forests throughout Cincinnati and beyond.
Restoring the Forest
The long-term initiative will include:
Removing invasive plant species that prevent native trees and plants from thriving.
Planting and establishing a new generation of native trees.
Restoring wildlife habitat and supporting greater biodiversity.
Improving trails to promote safer, more sustainable use of the park.
Creating better access and opportunities for visitors to experience the miles of trails.
Developing a restoration model that can help guide conservation work in other Cincinnati parks.
This is more than a tree-planting project. It is an investment in the complete ecological health of French Park and in the future of one of Cincinnati’s most remarkable natural spaces.
French Park’s History
French Park began as the country estate of Herbert Greer French, a longtime Procter & Gamble executive. Beginning around 1910, French assembled several neighboring farms into an estate he called Reachmont Farm, eventually making it his full time home in 1931. At its center stood the brick residence now known as the French House. Parts of the house appear to date to the early 19th century, with later additions giving it the Federal and Colonial Revival character seen today.
Following French’s death in 1942, he left the estate to the Cincinnati Park Board. The property became a public park in 1943, preserving roughly 275 acres of forest, meadows, hillsides and streams at a time when the surrounding area was becoming increasingly developed. Today Cincinnati Parks lists French Park at approximately 281 acres, making it one of the largest properties in the city’s park system.
The historic French House remains the park’s architectural centerpiece. It underwent a major renovation in the mid 1970s and continues to serve as a gathering place for weddings and community events.
Beyond the house, miles of trails wind through mature woods, open meadows and along Amberley Creek, an area also known for exposed fossils. Today, Cincinnati Parks’ Conservation and Land Management team works alongside Friends of French Park and community volunteers to care for the trails, address erosion, remove invasive vegetation and restore sections of the trail system.
More than eighty years after becoming a public park, French Park is entering another important chapter. Cincinnati Parks and Cincinnati Parks Foundation are undertaking a major effort to restore its forest, remove invasive plants, improve habitat and strengthen the trail system, helping preserve the landscape Herbert Greer French entrusted to Cincinnati for generations to come.
Follow the Transformation
Restoring an urban forest takes time. Over the coming years, Cincinnati Parks Foundation will share project milestones, conservation insights, volunteer opportunities and stories illustrating how the landscape is changing.
Learn more about the work in French Park
A Gift with Lasting Impact
This extraordinary project was made possible by a donor who understands the importance of protecting Cincinnati’s natural spaces for future generations. The impact of this generosity will be visible across French Park for decades in healthier trees, restored habitat, improved trails and the experiences of every person who comes here to walk, explore and connect with nature.
Cincinnati Parks Foundation is deeply grateful for this visionary investment and proud to partner with Cincinnati Parks to bring the project to life.
Learn more about how you can impact Cincinnati Parks for future generations.
