January + Miami SWCD=

January + Miami SWCD=

Annual Tree Seedling Sale

The Miami Soil and Water Conservation District is again taking orders for the Annual Conservation Tree Seedling Sale. Please refer to the inserted order form for seedling varieties and prices. The deadline for seedling orders is March 19^th, 2004. Your seedling orders will be available for pickup on April 6^th & 7^th, 2004 from 8AM-6PM at the Multi-Purpose Building on the Miami County Fairgrounds in Troy.

How to Become an Affiliate Member

Each month, we place approximately four ads promoting our affiliate members on the back of each Cooperator Newsletter. Each new year we offer the opportunity for more members to join our fine group of generous sponsors.

Affiliate members allow the Miami SWCD to promote conservation practices and education programs. Membership cost is $25 and is tax deductible. As an affiliate member, you will receive at least one free ad in the Cooperator Newsletter, a publication that reaches approximately 1700 households a month.

Corporate and business memberships can also include in-kind contributions (i.e. field days, educational workshops).

If you’d like more information about becoming an Affiliate Member or would like to learn more about volunteering for the district, please call Linda Raterman, Information/Public Relations Specialist with the MiamiSWCD at 335-7666, ext. 230.

Regarding Cooperator of the Month….

The Cooperator Newsletter is created about 10 to 15 days before it’s received in your homes. Because that time frame put us right in the busiest part of the holiday season, it seemed a better idea to forego this month’s highlighted cooperator and resume the feature in February’s Cooperator Newsletter. If you have any nominations for Cooperator of the Month, please drop us a line or give us a call at 937/335-7666, ext. 230.

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Miami SWCD Increases

Scholarship Amounts to $750

The Miami Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors recently approved an increase in the amount awarded to our scholarship winners. Now, two $750.00 are available through the Miami SWCD. These scholarships are intended for students continuing higher education at a two or four-year college or university.

Students with the following requirements may apply:

v They are a Miami County resident.

v They are majoring in Agriculture or Natural Resources

v They are enrolled for Fall Quarter 2004

v They are not a past recipient of the Miami SWCD Scholarship Award

These two awards may be used toward tuition and fees and will be processed through the scholarship office at the enrolled school Application deadline is March 31, 2004. Please call Kristin at Miami SWCD for additional information: 937/335-7645.

AROUND OHIO WITH OLC

By David White, Executive Director

Ohio Livestock Coalition (OLC)

614.246.8288

dwhite@ofbf.org

Clean water is important to every citizen of Ohio. Since ground water and the water in nearby streams can be affected by nutrients applied to the soil, livestock production practices play an important role in keeping water clean. Therefore, as livestock, dairy and poultry farms continue to grow and change, farmers, neighbors, local officials, the media and other interested parties and stakeholders often have many questions and concerns that need addressed.

To help develop a better understanding of the types of regulations, rules, permits and plans that may be required of certain farming operations, working with four state agencies the Ohio Livestock Coalition (OLC) has developed a new publication, “Guidelines for Livestock Operations,” which contains valuable information pertaining to water resources, livestock programs, regulatory authority, financial assistance programs, strategies and tips, federal and state incentive programs, resource concerns, contact information and industry terminology .

A similar booklet, “Guidelines for Livestock Producers,” was originally developed in 1995, and it served as the foundation for creating the new publication that reflects four major changes that have occurred during the past eight years:

· The passage of Senate Bill 141 in December 2000 and the subsequent transfer of most of the regulatory and permitting authority for large livestock farms from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) to the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) in August 2002.

· The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (US EPA) new rules for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) that became effective in April 2003.

· The passage of House Bill 152 in August 2003.

“Guidelines for Livestock Operations” was developed by the OLC in cooperation with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Soil & Water Conservation (DSWC), ODA Livestock Environmental Permitting Program, Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Ohio State University (OSU) Extension. It is also made possible by the Livestock Environmental Assurance Program (LEAP), which is partially funded through a grant from ODNR-DSWC. To obtain a copy of the new publication, please log onto OLC’s website at www.OhioLivestock.org and click on the publications link.

Upcoming Timber Seminars Planned

Individuals interested in learning more about the many aspects of timber production, marketing and harvest are encouraged to consider participating in one of three upcoming timber marketing and landowner education seminars sponsored by the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (OFBF) and Ohio Forestry Association (OFA).

The seminars will be held February 7 at the Roberts Centre, Wilmington; February 28 at the Dutch Valley Restaurant, Sugar Creek; and March 13 at the Holiday Inn, Lima. Each seminar will begin with registration at 9:00 a.m. with the program getting underway at 9:30 a.m. and adjourning around 4:00 p.m.

The purpose of each seminar is to help timber growers and landowners learn about timber marketing opportunities, timber marketing contracts, how to develop a timber and land management plan that incorporates the use of best management practices (BMPs), how to protect the environment and conserve natural resources in planning timber production and harvests, and financial and economic benefits and considerations.

Speakers from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources-Division of Forestry, Ohio State University Extension, Society of Consulting Foresters, OFBF and OFA will lead discussions and presentations at each seminar on the following topics: the timber marketing process, BMPs, the basics of timber sale contracts, taxes and timber sales, current agricultural use valuation (CAUV), zoning, resources for assistance and the Ohio forest tax law. Each seminar will conclude with a panel discussion featuring all of the presenters.

Advance registration is required for each seminar, and due to the OFBF office, Columbus, Ohio, postmarked January 28^th for the Wilmington seminar, February 18^th for Sugar Creek, and March 3^rd for Lima. Registration fee is $25 for members of the OFBF or OFA, and $40 per person for non-members. A late fee of $10 per person will be assessed to all reservations received after each seminar’s respective registration deadline. The registration fee includes lunch, snacks, speakers’ fees (where applicable), and educational/informational literature (brochures, handouts, etc.) distributed at each seminar.

To obtain a registration form for any of the three seminars, contact the OFBF office at (614) 246-8285 or the OFA office at (614) 497-9580.

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Tips For Travelers

            Do Not Move Firewood
          Exotic insect pests like Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) are a major threat to Ohio's 3.8 billion ash trees. The EAB as well as other invasive insects can be established when infested firewood is transported to new areas. The EAB
belongs to a group of insects known as metallic wood-boring beetles. Adults
are dark metallic green in color, 1/2 inch in length and 1/16 inch wide, and
present only from mid May until early August.
          Citizens can help by reporting signs of EAB to the Ohio Department of
Agriculture Division of Plant Industry at 800-282-1955. They should also
refrain from moving ash trees, lumber, or firewood inside or beyond the
quarantined areas in Wood and Defiance counties and alert the department at
(800) 282-1955 if they receive such items from either county. The EAB has
just been identified in two trees in Columbus, OH.
More information on detection and identification is available at the Ohio
Department of Agriculture's website at www.state.oh.us/agr
<http://www.state.oh.us/agr> and click on "Emerald Ash Borer."

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Soil Stewardship Poster

Contest Announced

The Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (OFSWCD) Auxiliary Poster Contest is underway for students in grades k-12. The theme of this year’s poster contest is The Living Soil and corresponds to the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) theme and is intended to increase awareness for Soil Stewardship Week, April 25-May 2.

Evaluation Criteria includes:

v 50% Conservation message

v 30% Visual Effectiveness

v 10% Originality

v 10% Universal Appeal

Judges will also evaluate posters on how well the theme is addressed, if the work demonstrates an understanding of the subject matter and if the work is neat, organized and grammatically correct.

Any poster size from 8 ½ by 11 to 22 x 28 inches will be accepted. Posters created using crayons, watercolors, magic markers or other methods of writing, printing, drawing or coloring may be used to create a flat or two-dimensional effect. Students are encouraged to work individually.

Please include the following on the back of each poster:

Student’s name
Student’s age and school grade
Student’s home address
Student’s phone number with area code
School address and phone number with area code
Teacher’s name
Conservation District (county in which school is located)

Only one entry per student may be submitted. Deadline for entry is April 9^th, 2004. If you have any questions, please contact Linda Raterman, Information/Public Relations Specialist at 937/335-7666, ext. 230.

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Middle Great Miami Watershed Alliance

The Middle Great Miami Watershed Alliance developed out of a request from a number of parties to work on water issues in the central and northeast portions of Miami County. In 2002 there were a number of preliminary meetings to discuss water quality, geography, problems and partnerships within the county. For more information, please go to the new website, http://miami.osu.edu/, and then click on Water Quality.

Where is the Watershed?

The Middle Great Miami Watershed takes in portions of the Great Miami River and tributaries on both the east and west sides of the river from downstream of Plum Creek to upstream of Honey Creek. The watershed includes the drainage area of Lost, Spring, Peters, Tawawa, Leatherwood and Mosquito Creeks and includes areas in Miami, Shelby, and Champaign Counties.

Upcoming Program Information

The next meeting of The Middle Great Miami Watershed Alliance will be held January 27, 2004 from 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. in the Extension Office Meeting Room.

Backyard Nature Series at Miami County Parks

January 18, 2004 Feeding and Care of Winter Birds. This Adult Education Program, presented by Patrick Dwyer, will help the nature love identify those birds visiting your backyard feeders. You’ll also learn which food attracts what birds and discover tricks to keep those unwanted visitors away.

February 1, 2004 Using Plants in Everyday Life. You'll enjoy Naturalist Beth Haynes presentation on the hidden uses and properties of plants and how to incorporate those plants into your lifestyle. You’ll also learn about botanical counterparts for common household items.

For more information about these and upcoming events, contact the Miami County Park District at 937/667-1086.

Upcoming

Events

JAN 9 Owls of Ohio Betsy Ross

Speaks at Miami County Fairgrounds 7-8:30