November 2024 | Volume 29 | Issue 5

 

The Madison Soil and Water Conservation District held their annual Conservation Banquet and Supervisor Election on September 12th at the Der Dutchman restaurant in Plain City.  At the meeting, Jonathan Francis and Bob Hunter were re-elected as supervisors (their three-year terms will begin on January 1, 2025). Thirty-nine people attended the annual meeting.  

Conservation awards were presented and the event concluded with a presentation by NRCS and SWCD staff summarizing a year of conservation work in Madison County.  The Madison SWCD is grateful to elected officials, landowners, residents, teachers and students for attending the banquet and contributing to the stewardship of our natural resources!

Mathew Chmil and advisor, Mike Harkleroad accepted the Top Ranked County Team Award on behalf of West Jefferson H.S. Other teammates were Charlie Kitchen, Brent Gardner, Katey Stephens and Charles Stephens. Not only did this team do the better than the other teams from Madison County, they took 1st place in the Southwest Ohio Envirothon Competition! 

Ron and Zach Shoaf accepted 2024 Outstanding Cooperator of the Year Award.  

Ron and Sharie Shoaf and their son and daughter-in-law, Zach and Renee Shoaf, were recognized as 2024 Cooperators of the Year at the 77th Annual Conservation Banquet.  The Shoafs are dedicated landowners in Madison County, who possess a commitment to sustainable farming practices and land management. Over the past few years, they have implemented several conservation practices that have significantly improved the health and productivity of the land while protecting the environment.

One of the key practices adopted was a grazing management plan, which implements carefully rotating livestock to prevent overgrazing and promote healthy pasture growth. The Shoafs have also established new pastures, selecting grasses that are well-suited to the local climate, which has enhanced soil quality and biodiversity on the farm. To further reduce soil erosion and compaction, they have installed a heavy-use pad in a high-traffic area, ensuring the land remains fertile and productive for years to come.

In addition to these practices, The Shoafs have made a long-term commitment to conservation by placing a portion of their farm into a conservation easement. This legal agreement ensures that the land will be preserved for agriculture and wildlife habitat, preventing future development. The Shoaf family’s dedication to these conservation practices has not only earned them the Cooperator of the Year award but has also set a high standard for sustainable farming in the community.

The Shoafs improved their goat pasture with tree protection and paddocks for rotational grazing.

The Shoafs improved wildlife habitat by planting native plants for pollinators.

No-Till November is a campaign first launched in 2017 by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to encourage Ohio farmers to keep tillage equipment in the shed this fall. The campaign encourages farmers to “leave the stubble” on farms and raise awareness about soil health as fields lay fallow this winter.

No-till farming has become a cornerstone for soil health conservation practices and has become a key part of climate-smart practices in agriculture today.  No-till practices help to reduce soil erosion, increase soil quality, improve water infiltration, and reduce labor and machinery costs.

No-till is not just leaving residue on the soil surface, it also stops the disturbance of the soil structure.  The amount of organic matter in undisturbed soil increases over time, which increases its capacity to hold water, making the farm more resilient to extreme periods of rain and drought.  Any tillage, regardless of its depth, can create fractures in the consolidated soil and break the macropores.  The fine particles and small pores of tilled soil are vulnerable to erosion and compaction over time.

Long-term no-till practices offer many environmental and economic benefits to farmers. NRCS can help you develop a conservation plan to reduce soil loss and improve farm productivity.  To get started, contact your Madison County USDA Service Center at 740-852-4003 or visit nrcs.usda.gov.

Bobwhite quail populations in the United States face a significant new threat in the form of a parasite—the eye worm (Oxyspirura petrowi). This microscopic nematode lodges itself in the birds’ eyes, causing blindness, discomfort, and even death, adding a new challenge to the already vulnerable quail populations. Biologists and conservationists across the country are concerned about the rise of this parasite and its potential to accelerate declines in bobwhite quail numbers.

Bobwhite quail, known for their distinctive calls and popular among hunters, are essential to the ecological balance of grasslands and wooded areas. These small, ground-dwelling birds feed on seeds, grains, and insects, playing a crucial role in dispersing plant material and controlling insect populations. Over the past several decades, quail populations have declined by as much as 85% due to habitat loss, agricultural expansion, and pesticide use. The emergence of the eye worm parasite has added yet another layer to the challenges facing these birds.

The eye worm affects the bird’s vision and overall health. Infection typically starts when quail consume insects that carry eye worm larvae. Once ingested, the larvae move to the bird’s eyes, where they mature and lay eggs. This infestation causes severe irritation, and in many cases, leads to partial or complete blindness. Without their vision, quail struggle to find food, avoid predators, and navigate their habitats. 

To make matters worse, researchers have found that the eye worm does not exclusively infect quail. Several species of songbirds, including robins, blue jays, and cardinals, are also susceptible to the parasite. While eye worm infections in songbirds tend to be less common, they raise concerns about the parasite’s potential to spread to more avian populations and ecosystems. The broader impact of the eye worm on songbirds and other bird species is still under study, but its presence across a wider range of hosts could complicate containment and treatment efforts.

To counteract the eye worm problem, researchers have recently developed a new medicated feed called Quail Guard. This innovative feed contains a specific formulation designed to reduce eye worm infestations in quail populations. By consuming Quail Guard, quail receive a small, controlled dose of medication that targets and disrupts the life cycle of the parasite, helping to clear or prevent infestations. 

As researchers delve deeper into understanding this parasitic threat, they emphasize the importance of public awareness and support for quail conservation initiatives. For many, the sound of bobwhite quail in the fields is an iconic part of American wildlife, one that is at risk of fading without concerted action against threats like the eye worm. With hunters and conservationists working together to save the species, there is hope that a solution can be found before it’s too late.

Deciding what to do with your fall leaves can be a challenge. There are several good options you can consider, depending on how many leaves you have, how much time you have to deal with them, and your goals for your lawn and garden.

Grass clippings and leaves return nutrients and organic matter to your lawn and soil and prevent soil compaction caused by rain and foot traffic. Dead leaves also provide cover for wildlife during the colder months. According to the National Wildlife Federation, “Removing leaves also eliminates vital wildlife habitat. Critters ranging from turtles and toads to birds, mammals and invertebrates rely on leaf litter for food, shelter and nesting material. Many moth and butterfly caterpillars overwinter in fallen leaves before emerging in spring.” Ideally you want to leave as many leaves intact as possible to benefit wildlife!

If you have so many leaves that they are significantly shading your lawn you’ll want to remove at least some of them to prevent your grass from becoming patchy. Instead of bagging them, consider raking excess leaf material into perennial garden beds, around the bases of trees, or add leaves to your compost bin for a good carbon (“brown”) source. Keeping a collection of dead leaves next to your compost bin throughout the year can help reduce odors caused by an abundance of kitchen scraps.

If you still find yourself with an abundance of leaves you can also mulch leaves into dime-sized pieces with your mower to add more organic matter to your lawn. Organic matter provides food and a good growing medium for turfgrass.

Lastly, you can bag your leaves or rake them into your tree lawn for pickup if that’s a service provided by your municipality. While your municipality will likely compost the leaves, this process is labor intensive for you, and adds a carbon footprint to your leaf management as a truck must drive them to a composting facility.

SWCD Staff

 

Julia Cumming, Program Administrator

Broc Sehen, District Technician

Gail Wilson, Operations Coordinator

Emma Ryan, Urban Conservationist

 

NRCS Staff

 

James Tillman, District Conservationist

Preston Leonard, Soil Conservationist

 

 

Board of Supervisors

 

Steve Davis, Chairman

Jonathan Francis, Vice Chairman

Bob Hunter, Treasurer

JD Bethel

Nancy Denes-Sparks

11/28 - 11/29 Thanksgiving (Office closed)

12/11 - SWCD Board Meeting

12/25 - Christmas Day (Office closed)

01/01/25 - Happy New Year!

 

Madison Soil & Water Conservation District

831 U.S. Highway 42 NE

London, Ohio 43140

Phone: (740) 852-4003 opt. 3

www.madisonsoilandwater.com www.facebook.com/madisonswcdohio

All NRCS/MSWCD programs and services are offered on a non-discriminatory basis without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, or handicap. Please contact Gail Wilson at gail.wilson@oh.nacdnet.net if you wish to be put on or removed from our email list.