PICKAWAY COUNTY, Ohio — The Ohio River Foundation has received a $1.4 million grant from the state’s H2Ohio Program to construct a 30-acre wetland complex along the Scioto River, officials announced Thursday. “We applaud the landowner, Mr. Mullins, for having the vision and ambition these integral river protection and restoration projects require,” said Rich Cogen, executive director of the Ohio River Foundation. “Creating and restoring wetlands is crucial to environmental and public health.”Ohio’s waterways, including the Scioto River, have been increasingly impacted by commercial industries across the region. Unlike some isolated wetlands, the new Pickaway County wetland will be connected to the Scioto River via an open channel, offering additional protections under state and federal law despite recent rollbacks in federal wetland protections. The Ohio River Foundation said it hopes the project will encourage other landowners to participate in similar environmental restoration efforts, emphasizing both ecological and economic benefits.