We have a new look!
We’re so excited to share our new logo and tagline! The new design shows a plant growing from healthy soil, reflecting how our work starts with protecting the natural resources that support life. Our new tagline, “Conservation from the Ground Up,” reflects our mission: helping people implement real, on-the-ground conservation — from farm fields and backyard gardens to classrooms and community spaces. Our look has changed, but our mission remains the same: conservation that makes a difference.
While it was a little chilly, the rain stayed away for the 33rd Annual Spring Litter Cleanup in the East Fork watershed. Nearly 200 volunteers attended, including families, 4-H clubs, scout troops, and local businesses.
A huge thank you to the volunteers who came to help keep our watershed clean and beautiful. Thank you to the Adams-Clermont Solid Waste District, The Clermont County Park District, ODNR State Parks, East Fork and Stonelick State Parks, and the Harsha Lake Army Corps of Engineers. Also, thank you to our partners at the City of Milford, Miami and Union Townships, and the Village of Williamsburg. If you’re interested in learning more about litter prevention, call Connie Miller at (513) 732-7075 ext. 2 or visit www.springlittercleanup.com. If you couldn’t make this event, check out the Ohio River Sweep happening on June 28th.
There are many great reasons to plant native plants. Native plants are the backbone of our local ecosystems and provide an array of services for the wildlife and humans that share the same space.
Native plants require less maintenance than exotic landscaping species and turf lawn as they are adapted to survive to the seasonal changes of Ohio. This means that you will spend less time watering during the summer drought and you won’t have to protect them through the winter. Native plants also help with storm water management as they have deeper root systems to help storm water get into the ground faster. This will help to prevent puddling and flooding around your yard.
Native plants also provide vital habitat for wildlife. Many species of butterflies and birds are dependent on very specific native plant species to survive. Other pollinators like hummingbirds, moths, and bats also rely on native plants for food. Native plants also produce seeds, fruits, and nuts that many species rely on to get through the cold winter months. If you would like to attract more birds and wildlife to your yard, planting native plants is one of the best actions you can take. Check out our plant sale for some great native options!
Congratulations to Director John McManus for receiving the Water Management Association of Ohio (WMAO) 2024 Distinguished Service Award! John was recognized for his dedication to improving stormwater quality by implementing cost-effective nutrient reduction strategies and watershed plans/projects throughout Clermont County. His integrity, cooperative demeanor, and innate leadership abilities have fostered a diverse range of conservation partners and facilitated many innovative, science-based and cost-effective strategies benefitting local communities and landowners. A well deserved award – John, thank you for your leadership!
As of 9/23/24, Clermont County was listed as a contiguous county impacted by the 2024 drought making agricultural entities eligible for disaster assistance through the USDA.
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) have programs available that can help reduce the burden of drought. Please review the Disaster Assistance program packet below to learn more about the programs offered and reach out to your local NRCS or FSA for more information or to start an application to these programs (Clermont FSA/NRCS: 513.732.2181). Below, there are some additional fact sheets published by the USDA relating to their disaster relief programs.
Additionally the Ohio Department of Agriculture has set up a hay directory to help individuals find and purchase hay due to low supply caused by the drought. You can add your information if you are looking to sell hay or contact those listed to purchase hay: https://agri.ohio.gov/divisions/administration/resources/ohio-hay-directory
Resources
On September 10th Clermont County Soil and Water Conservation district in partnership with Pheasants and Quail Forever, OSU Extension – Clermont, and NRCS hosted a pasture walk on Steve Philip’s Cattle Farm in Bethel. During this event we enjoyed hearing presentations from Dr. Marília Chiavegato, an Assistant Professor of Agroecosystem Management for Food System Resilience at the Ohio State University, Jason Jones, the Ohio Grasslands & Grazing Coordinator with Pheasants forever, and Gigi Neal the Agricultural & Natural Resources Educator at OSU Extension – Clermont.
One of the draws to Steve’s farm was his relatively recent establishment of a warm season grass pasture. One of the main benefits of warm season grasses is that they provide forage during times when more common cool-season pasture grasses go semi-dormant and produce less biomass. Warm-season grasses can do this without compromising the quality of forage as long as you employ effective grazing management. Grazing when leaf proportion is higher boosts forage nutritive value and warm season grasses offer high leaf proportion during summer slump months when cool season grasses falter. Having a mixed pasture operation can reduce foraging stress on pastures because of this unique characteristic. Another draw unrelated to livestock is that these warm season grass pastures also offer great habitat for many native bird species, such as the northern bobwhite quail.
In 2021, Steve decided to establish a warm season grass pasture in one of his fields. His main reason in doing so was the increase of forage mass for his cattle. With help of NRCS and Pheasants forever after those first three years getting the site prepped and the grass established, Steve has a ended up with a beautiful stand.
If you are interested in learning more about warm season grasses or are interested in starting this practice, check out the resources below or reach out to the contacts below. You can also join the newly formed Southern Ohio Grazing Council to keep up to date on grazing news in our region. Reach out to conaway.adams.swcd@live.com to get on their mailing list. We want to offer a special thanks to Bill Wickerham and the Southern Ohio Grazing Council for helping to sponsor this event.
Many homeowners have watched as a lovely little stream running through their yard grew into a raging torrent after a big rain. This is often the result of land use changes upstream. Rainwater that once soaked into the ground or was caught and used by trees now runs off roofs, sidewalks, parking lots and roadways. This rainwater is then directed through storm drains to the very brooks that once babbled and now roar.
As a consequence, landowners may lose streamside property, as streams eat away at their banks and carry the now eroded sediment downstream. The least expensive method of slowing streambank erosion before it becomes catastrophic also happens to be the healthiest for the stream – planting and maintaining native plants along the stream edges.
Turf grass roots are quite short compared to native grasses, shrubs and trees. You have probably pulled up a clump of turf grass growing in a flower bed; it wasn’t that difficult was it? Turf grass roots don’t hold streambank soils as well as longer-rooted native plants do.
If you plant with native plants, you will receive the added benefit of many hours of wildlife watching. Birds and butterflies will appear when you plant their favored food and nesting plants. Planting non-native landscaping plants can also help stabilize the streambank, but they may require more nutrient input and pruning to retain the desired appearance.
If much of the stream bank is already exposed, plant dormant live stakes such as willow or elderberry. Live stakes are two or three-foot long sticks that will root along the stem once planted. They tend to form thick mats of intertwined roots that hold soil in place.
On July 12, Clermont SWCD staff were pleased to give a tour of recent restoration projects to the Greater Cincinnati Regional Watershed Network, an informal group that facilitates coordination and collaboration among watershed focused organizations in the Tristate Region. This tour – the first ever taken by Regional Watershed Network members – included stops at:
Jake Hahn presenting to the Watershed Network Tour group at Cornwell Farms
We are so excited for schools to start up again! In the 2024-2025 school year, we will focus on making lasting impacts on students and their understanding of conservation and the environment. To accomplish this, we will offer loaner trunks for K-6 programs instead of traditional classroom visits. Each trunk will be filled with hands-on activities, detailed lesson plans, and engaging materials on specific topics. These trunks aim to reach more students, offer a wider range of activities, and make a larger impact.
Additionally, we be putting more focus on field experiences. Our field trips will include stream sampling, macroinvertebrate identification, soil testing, and more. These hands-on experiences will enhance learning and foster a stronger connection to the environment. For upper-grade students, we will continue offering in-person classroom visits on topics such as sustainable agriculture, local environmental issues, and soil/water quality. These visits will feature interactive discussions, case studies, and hands-on activities to encourage critical thinking about environmental problems and solutions. We will also support extracurricular clubs and competitions, such as Envirothon teams, which foster teamwork, problem-solving, and a deeper understanding of ecological principles.
Want to request a program? Check out our School Program Guide to learn more and book programs!
We were so excited to bring our stream table out to Natural Resources Day at the Clermont County Fair this year. The stream table was a hit, demonstrating important processes like erosion and deposition, and helping visitors understand how water shapes the land over time.
Throughout the day, we talked with visitors about the significance of these natural processes and their impact on the environment. We discussed the benefits of planting vegetation, which helps to stabilize soil and prevent erosion, and how important keeping trash and pollutants out of our waterways is to maintaining healthy ecosystems.
Elea Cooper and Abbie Frazer demonstrating the stream table to fair visitors
