ODNR funding requests

Before approving nine Department of Natural Resources requests totaling more than $20 million, Rep. Redfern questioned where the agency's funding is coming from to pay for the numerous park and dam upgrades - especially since fracking won't be taking place under state park land.   ODNR's Chief Financial Officer Tom Johnston said the department has submitted requests to be placed in the capital bill. Any projects in that bill would be funded through general obligation debt, he said.   Tuesday's requests included funds for construction improvements to: the Pike Lake State Park dam; facilities within Middle Bass Island State Park; Roosevelt Lake Dam and Pond Lick Dam in Shawnee State Park; Deer Creek Lodge and Conference Center at Deer Creek State Park, and a water treatment system serving Pymatuning State Park.  The department also requested $6.25 million to fund Clean Ohio Trails grants.

Black Bears in Ohio Program slated

NEW PHILADELPHIA, OHIO – Laura Graber, Wildlife Research Technician with the ODNR Division of Wildlife, will present a program about black bears in Ohio at the 7:30 PM March 5 meeting of the East Central Ohio Forestry Association (ECOFA).

ECOFA is an organization of persons interested in improving their woodlands and in forestry-related topics.   The public is cordially invited to attend the free meetings which are held monthly at McDonald-Marlite Lewis Conference Center, 143 McDonald Drive NW in New Philadelphia.

Coyote Clinic Flyer

GSWCD Coyote Hunting/Trapping Seminar is March 13th

The coyote (Canis latrans), is not native to Ohio, but it is present throughout the state today. Love or hate it, the coyote has the ability to make the best of a bad situation to survive or even prosper. Usually, we associate the coyote with the open, deserted lands of the west. As its presence in Ohio shows, this versatile animal can make a home most anywhere. The coyote is generally a slender animal, very similar in appearance to a medium-sized dog. Since the coyote and domesticated dog are from the same family, Canidae, the resemblance is more than a coincidence. Coyotes have a bushy tail which is usually tipped in black and is carried down at a 45 degree angle as the animal moves, unlike that of its other cousin the wolf. The majority of coyotes are gray, though some show a rusty, brown or off-white coloration. The coyote stands about one and one half to two feet tall and is between 41 to 53 inches in length. Males of this species are larger than the females and weigh anywhere from 20 to 50 pounds.

Coyotes are monogamous breeders and breeding occurs January through March. Gestation lasts approximately 63 days. Litters are born in April and May and can contain 1-12 pups.  The coyote is a nocturnal animal, active during the nighttime hours. However, when it is less threatened by man, it will hunt and move from place to place during the day. The coyote will hunt in unrelated (non-family) pairs or large groups. Coyotes are omnivorous and typical foods include small mammals (voles, shrews, rabbits, mice), vegetables, nuts, and carrion

 While most wildlife species have avoided developed areas and often declined as a result of man's expansion, the coyote seems to have thrived.  As the coyote populations continue to grow in size, so will their interaction with man.   Unchecked, they will eat livestock, particularly sheep and chickens, but will also prey on young calves given the opportunity.  To help prevent overpopulation and  minimize the negative interactions with man and livestock the ODNR (Ohio Department of Natural Resources) has implemented an open season for coyotes.  Coyote hunting and trapping has no closed season with an unrestricted bag limit. Special hunting regulations for coyotes apply during the statewide deer-gun season, Dec. 2-8, and deer-muzzleloader season, Jan. 4-7, 2014.      

Guernsey Soil & Water Conservation District is partnering with Deerassic Educational Park, to host a Coyote Hunting &Trapping Seminar.  Join us in our partnership and learn how to assess coyote damage, the latest trapping and snaring techniques, as well as advances in hunting and calling techniques and equipment.  Whether you are livestock producer trying to protect your herd or a recreational hunter trying to bag more game, this event has something to offer you.  The event is open and free to the public.  It will be held Thursday March 13th from 6-9pm @ the Deerassic Educational Park on State Route 22.  A door prize of a FOXPRO® electronic game call valued at over 200 dollars will be given away.  For more information Call Wildlife Specialist Travis Smith at the Guernsey Soil & Water Conservation District (740) 432-5624

East Ohio Women in Agriculture Conference set for March 28

A conference offered by experts from Ohio State University's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences will give female farm operators the opportunity to learn more about on-farm leadership, strengthening agribusiness roles and available resources to help grow their operations.

Read rest of article  HERE

8th in a Series - 2014 Tree Seedling Sale - American Chestnut (Castanea dentata)

American Chestnut was once a climax forest tree in the Oak-Chestnut dry woodlands of the eastern United States, but since the recognition of the Chestnut blight in1904 in New York, the entire forest population has been destroyed. Most of the intact, living trees in the wild were gone by the 1950's, and all that remains today are a few stump sprouts that still linger (attaining heights of about 25 feet before they succumb to the fungus). The seedlings offered are grown in the West Virginia state nursery, and have shown some resistance to the fungus since 1980.

In Ohio, the central counties of the state on a north-south line marked the most westward boundary of the American Chestnut habitat in the state. American Chestnut was predominately located in the eastern half of Ohio, where the soils are more acidic. Its nuts were a staple food of the Native Americans and pioneers, while its wood was harvested for the production of furniture, musical instruments, caskets, crates, and tannin. Dimensions of 80 feet tall by 60 feet wide were regularly obtained when it was located in the open. As a member of the Beech Family, it is related to the Oaks and the Beeches, in addition to other Chestnuts.

Planting Requirements - American Chestnut is still undergoing extensive breeding to allow its re-introduction as a tree that can not only survive the Chestnut blight fungus and yield large quantities of tasty nuts, but that can successfully compete in dry forests and re-establish itself as a climax forest tree. From a historical (and perhaps future) perspective, the traditional American Chestnut prefers moist, deep, acidic soils in full sun (being shade tolerant in youth), but thrives in dry, rocky soils. It is found in zones 4 to 8.

Potential Problems- Chestnut blight (Endothia parasitica) is the only problem worth mentioning - any and all others pale by comparison. However, young trees from the few remaining stump sprouts  are resistant to the fungus for a number of years, even in some cases to the point of being able to bear fruits before becoming infected and dying.

The American Chestnut is one of 8 tree seedlings which will be offered in the 2014 Tree Sale held by the Guernsey Soil & Water Conservation District.  Other seedlings include Douglas fir, Sawtooth oak, White Pine, Butternut, Red Maple, Tulip Poplar, and Black Alder. Also available this year are 2 varieties of apples; Nova Spy and Goldrush. The district will also offer 2 varieties of blueberry; Aurora, and Blue Ray.  New this year is a cover crop mix for gardeners.  And as usual, the district has high quality all cedar birdfeeders and houses for sale.  For more information and to receive an order blank, please call 740-432-5624.

Put A Price On Soil

Although water has received attention as a natural resource to preserve, our Earth's outermost layer, commonly called "soil," has been ignored by the general public and the government. However, soil scientists are urging us to look at this resource and use it more wisely. Philippe Baveye, Kodak Chair of Environmental Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, has been working with other scientists and economists to create a model to value soil.

Read rest of article HERE

7th in a Series - 2014 Tree Seedling Sale - Butternut (Juglans cinerea)

Butternut Also known as White Walnut, this relative of Black Walnut is slower growing and much less frequently encountered than its well-known cousin. Butternut prefers moist bottomlands and ravines like Black Walnut, but its lightweight wood is beige-pink in color and is not nearly as sought-out for making veneer and furniture. Its kernel within the fruit gives it the common name of Butternut, as it is sweet and very oily. The Native Americans reportedly boiled the kernels to extract the oil, which was then used like butter. The kernels were also pickled in vinegar by the early settlers.

A native of the midwestern and northeastern United States, Butternut is found throughout Ohio, but is less common in the western part of the state. It may mature at 60 feet tall by 50 feet wide when it is found in the open. Although similar to Black Walnut in superficial appearance, its elongated nuts, hairy stems, and flattened, shiny ridges on mature trees make it recognizable as a different species. As a member of the Walnut Family, it is related other Walnuts and to the Hickories (including Pecan, another tree with sweet-tasting nuts).

Planting Requirements - Butternut prefers deep, moist, rich, well-drained soils under sunny conditions, especially the bottomlands of rivers and creeks. It also performs reasonably well in relatively dry, rocky soils, especially those with limestone outcrops in higher pH soils. Butternut grows in full sun to partial sun, and is found in zones 3 to 7.

Potential Problems - Butternut, like its cousin Black Walnut, produces the root chemical known as juglone, and drops its leaves prematurely due to late summer drought. However, this species of Walnut is very subject to a bark canker that causes twigs, branchlets, large limbs, and ultimately the entire tree to die. As a timber tree, it is no longer of significant value, but its elongated nuts are still prized for their sweet, buttery taste.

The Butternut is one of 8 tree seedlings which will be offered in the 2014 Tree Sale held by the Guernsey Soil & Water Conservation District.  Other seedlings include Douglas fir, Sawtooth oak, American chestnut, White Pine, Red Maple, Tulip Poplar, and Black Alder. Also available this year are 2 varieties of apples; Nova Spy and Goldrush. The district will also offer 2 varieties of blueberry; Aurora, and Blue Ray.  New this year is a cover crop mix for gardeners.  And as usual, the district has high quality all cedar birdfeeders and houses for sale.  For more information and to receive an order blank, please call 740-432-5624.

East Ohio Women in Agriculture Conference set

There is an opportunity for women in the area who are interested, involved or want to become involved in food, agriculture, natural resources or a small business.

The Ohio State University Extension and Kent State University-Tuscarawas Small Business Development Center are collaborating to host the 2014 East Ohio Women in Agriculture Conference from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 28 at the KSU Tuscarawas Campus in New Philadelphia.

Read rest of article HERE

The registration form can be found at www.go.osu.edu/womeninageast

Great Backyard Bird Count

Launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, the Great Backyard Bird Count was the first online citizen-science project to collect data on wild birds and to display results in near real-time.

Since then, more than 100,000 people of all ages and walks of life have joined the four-day count each February to create an annual snapshot of the distribution and abundance of birds.

We invite you to participate! Simply tally the numbers and kinds of birds you see for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count, February 14-17, 2014. You can count from any location, anywhere in the world!


In 2013, Great Backyard Bird Count participants in 111 countries counted 33,464,616 birds on 137,998 checklists, documenting 4,258 species—more than one-third of the world’s bird species!

During the count, you can explore what others are seeing in your area or around the world. Share your bird photos by entering the photo contest, or enjoy images pouring in from across the globe.

Help make the most successful count ever by participating this year!
Click here for more info on how to get started

Farm Bill Signed

Cross posted from the White House blog:

President Obama traveled to Michigan State University’s equine performance center in East Lansing to deliver remarks on and sign into law the Agriculture Act of 2014 — also known as the Farm Bill, which Congress passed earlier this week.

It’s a bill whose reach extends far beyond our farms — it includes smart reforms to reduce our deficit, and the investments it makes in our rural communities will help strengthen our economy across the board.

To see exactly what that looks like, take a look at five ways the Farm Bill strengthens our economy — and if you learn something new, pass it on.

In his remarks, the President detailed how the Farm Bill makes key investments in rural communities across the board — from funding for hospitals, schools, and affordable housing to support for businesses working to develop cutting-edge biofuels — all the while cutting down on loopholes that used to allow people to receive benefits year after year, whether they farmed anything or not.

Besides keeping our rural communities thriving, the President said, the Farm Bill helps vulnerable families keep food on the table by providing funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. In 2012, SNAP kept nearly 5 million people — including more than 2 million children — out of poverty.

- See more at: http://blogs.usda.gov/2014/02/07/the-president-signs-the-farm-bill-a-jobs-bill-an-innovation-bill-a-research-bill-and-a-conservation-bill/#sthash.ml6OkFVf.dpuf

Local Cover Crop Forum to Explore Opportunities to Build Soil Health

Farmers, ranchers, researchers, agricultural business operators and conservationists are invited to participate in a forum on cover crops and soil health, hosted by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service at 8:45 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. Tuesday, February 18, at six different locations in Ohio. 

This local session is one of more than 225 forums taking place throughout the country in concert with the National Conference on Cover Crops and Soil Health in Omaha, Nebraska, sponsored by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation.

In addition to providing a venue to discuss local cover crop and soil health opportunities, benefits and barriers, the local forums in Findlay, Owensville, Celina, Newark, Cambridge, and Lancaster, Ohio will feature live-streaming video of the national conference.  The national conference opening session will feature presentations by Howard G. Buffett of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, NRCS Chief Jason Weller, Ray Gaesser, Farmer and President of the American Soybean Association, and a panel of four leading cover crop and soil health farmers including Ohio farmer David Brandt.

NRCS State Conservationist Terry Cosby said the local-level forums will provide NRCS and its conservation partners and stakeholders a platform to more fully organize and enable state and local soil health efforts at the grassroots level.

“The local forums will provide an excellent opportunity for participants to discuss how to build soil health, improve yields, curb erosion, manage pests and build resilience in farming systems here in Ohio—and to assess opportunities for, or barriers to, the broader adoption of soil health management systems,” Cosby said. 

Cosby said the local forum participants will also have the opportunity to provide ideas and recommendations to the leaders, researchers, innovators and policy makers attending the national conference.

To participate in an Ohio forum, contact Steve Baker, NRCS State Soil Scientist, at steven.baker@oh.usda.govby February 10, 2014, to ensure adequate seating and to get additional details about the event.