Ginger Clark has taken over as executive director of the Little Miami Conservancy, the Loveland-based nonprofit that has protected the Little Miami River corridor since 1967.
The conservancy announced Clark's appointment June 29. She previously managed the Great Miami Riverway for the Miami Conservancy District, coordinating with more than 20 cities, counties, park districts and conservation agencies along the 99-mile Great Miami River National Water Trail.
"Rivers don't recognize boundaries, and neither does the work of protecting them," Clark said in June when the conservancy announced her hiring. She holds a natural resource tourism degree from Colorado State University and lives in the South Dayton area with her husband and three children.
When the conservancy announced the hire, Board Chair Rhett Rohrer said Clark brings "a collaborative leadership style" that fits the organization's mission.
The conservancy's fall newsletter also introduced four new board members: Dan Michel, Paul DeNu, Hannah Lubbers and Jana Marshall.
DeNu, who coaches track and field and golf at Milford, runs the YouTube channel Cincy Fish Dudes. He has spent hundreds of hours over seven years fishing the Little Miami and its tributaries. He joined the conservancy's Development Committee in 2023 before moving to the full board.
Michel, a retired banking and finance professional with a 30-year career, joined the board in January after two years of volunteering. He serves on the conservancy's Fish Monitoring and River Health team, doing in-stream sampling and database work. He and his wife Anne keep a cabin on the Little Miami in Warren County.
Lubbers spent 16 years monitoring surface water quality for the Clermont County Office of Environmental Quality. She holds a master's degree from the University of Cincinnati, where her thesis focused on headwater stream ecology.
Marshall, a certified naturalist for more than 15 years, grew up playing in the Little Miami River and conducted much of her field research there.
Fall Gathering fundraiser
The conservancy's annual Fall Gathering is set for Friday, Nov. 6, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Great Council State Park, 1587 US-68, Xenia. The evening will feature food, conversation and a look ahead as the organization approaches its 60th anniversary. Ticket information is available at littlemiami.org.
The nonprofit is also seeking community sponsors. Sponsorship funds support river corridor protection, ecological restoration and water quality monitoring.
River updates
The conservancy's Fish Monitoring Team collected samples from 25 sites spanning Clifton Gorge to Armleder Park during the 2026 summer testing period. The team uses eDNA technology to track fish species diversity. In 2027, the program plans to add water quality indicators including dissolved oxygen, phosphates, nitrates and pH.
Heavy summer rainfall forced the cancellation of several scheduled river cleanups. One remains. Roads, Rivers, and Trails is coordinating a cleanup Saturday, Oct. 10.
The conservancy's live eagle nest camera recorded two successful fledglings from the resident pair, Bette and Baker, during the 2026 season.
Upcoming events
- Saturday, Oct. 10 — River cleanup, coordinated by Roads, Rivers, and Trails. Details at littlemiami.org.
- Friday, Nov. 6, 6–9 p.m. — Fall Gathering fundraiser, Great Council State Park, 1587 US-68, Xenia.
