Please Give Your Input on the Paulding County Parks and Trails Survey

The residents of Paulding County have expressed a strong desire for increased opportunities to engage in outdoor activities together. To fulfill this vision, a dedicated committee has been established with the primary goal of securing state funding to revitalize and create connections between Reservoir Park and the Black Swamp Nature Center. It is important to note that there are no plans for additional local taxes.

We are actively seeking your valuable input through this survey to ensure that this project aligns with the aspirations of Paulding County’s residents. We encourage all Paulding County residents to share their thoughts on the types of activities they would like to see in this newly revitalized space. Your feedback will play a role in shaping the future of outdoor recreation in Paulding County.

Take the survey by clicking this link, or by entering bit.ly/parksandtrailssurvey into your browser.

Please reach out to Anna Gurney with Paulding SWCD, (419) 399-4771 or education.specialist@pauldingswcd.org, with any questions about this project.

Farm Science Review is just around the corner!

LONDON, Ohio – More than 50 companies will join the ranks as exhibitors for the 61st Farm Science Review Sept. 19-21 at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center. The new exhibitors represent various sectors in the agriculture industry including livestock handling, equipment advancements, agronomic technology, agricultural policy, and more.

Paulding County Extension Office has tickets for sale at a discounted price total of $10 per ticket. Tickets will be for sale until Monday, September 18 at noon. Continue reading

Ohio’s Woodland Stewards: Friday’s Escape to the Forest series on February 10

Included are very high-resolution images of the Emerald Ash Borer Beetle. Specimens provided by Dr. David Wagner of the University of Connecticut.

Join us for our first Friday’s Escape to the Forest webinar of 2023.  Ohio State Extension Specialist in Forest Entomology, Kayla Perry will be our presenter as we get up to date on what is going on with emerald ash borer (EAB) and how our forests are doing post-invasion. She will discuss the status of Emerald Ash Borer in post-outbreak forests.

Join OSU’s Kayla Perry, State Extension Specialist in Forest Entomology, as we talk about Emerald ash borer (EAB; Agrilus planipennis). EAB has caused widespread decline and death of ash trees throughout eastern North America since it was first detected in southeastern Michigan in 2002. This presentation will provide an update on the distribution, management, and ecological impacts of EAB, with a focus on forests that have experienced the longest duration of invasion by this insect.

Register here for the webinar.  Continuing education credits for ISA and SAF will be offered. Continue reading

2023 Ohio Woodland Water and Wildlife Conference

Registration is open for the 2023 Ohio Woodland Water and Wildlife Conference

Join us on March 1st for a diverse set of talks that will offer continuing education credits for ISA, SAF, and pesticides where applicable.  The program flyer is attached here WWW 2023 flyer.  You can register here.

Early registration per person – $65 before 2/10/2023 and $85 after 2/10/2023
Last Date To Register: 2/17/2023

Registration includes continental breakfast, lunch, breaks, and a resource notebook.

Avian Influenza Press Release from ODA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Bryan Levin, 614.563.6974
bryan.levin@agri.ohio.gov

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (September 6, 2022) – Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been detected in a backyard flock in Ashland County and a commercial chicken flock in Defiance County. The positive detections were confirmed by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS). The samples were first tested at the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and confirmed at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa. Continue reading

Upcoming Webinar: Native Grasslands and Pollinator Habitat for Wildlife

By Dave Apsley, Natural Resources Specialist, Ohio State University Extension

Our first  A DAY in the WOODS program for 2022, “Native Grasslands and Pollinator Habitat for Wildlife”, will be offered via Zoom webinar at 3 pm on March 11.  A registration link and  more details can be found at: https://u.osu.edu/apsley.1/2022/02/22/native-grasslands-and-pollinator-habitat-for-wildlife-offered-via-zoom-webinar-on-march-11/

This program will introduce you to “Native Grasslands and Pollinator Habitat for Wildlife” which will be covered in more depth at our field-based July 22,  A DAY in the WOODS program.

Upcoming Research: Statewide Coyote Ecology and Management

Investigating Ohio’s coyote population and its relationship with local livestock

Official Research Flyer

The Ohio State University is initiating a multi-year, statewide study of coyote ecology and management, and we need samples from harvested coyotes. If you would like to contribute to our research by providing:
o Whisker
o Tooth
o Tissue samples

Please send us an email at OHcoyote@osu.edu, with your name, contact information, and county. We will provide additional information and instructions for specimen storage and recovery by our team. Thank you for the important role you play as citizen scientists in wildlife research in Ohio.
Principal Investigator: Dr. Stan Gehrt, Professor and Wildlife Extension Specialist
Questions? Email us! OHcoyote@osu.edu

Ohio Landowner/Hunter Access Partnership Program

Information provided by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Image: Ohio Department of Natural Resources

The Ohio Landowner/Hunter Access Partnership (OLHAP) Program is a new way for Ohio hunters to get access to private properties. This program is funded in part by the federal Farm Bill under their Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP). This bill provides funding to state and tribal agencies through a competitive grant process to implement programs encouraging hunting access on private properties. As part of the 2018 Farm Bill, Ohio was awarded $1,831,500 to implement the new OLHAP program. The OLHAP program uses part of those funds to pay landowners for hunters to access their property. Participating landowners receive annual payment rates ranging from $2.00 to $30.00 per acre depending on the characteristics of the property enrolled. Enrollment contracts are for 2-3 years, with the possibility of extension.

If you are a landowner interested in finding out more about the program or wishing to enroll your property, please complete the form at https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/buy-and-apply/hunting-fishing-boating/hunting-resources/ohio-landowner-hunter-access with your contact information. An OLHAP program representative will be in contact with you to provide more resources.

What is Going on with the Birds??

Published on

American robin showing symptoms. Photo credit Kristi Anderson.

In the above photo, taken last week by Kristi Anderson and posted to the Preservation Parks of Delaware County Facebook page, an American robin is displaying symptoms of the illness.

Recently, there have been reports of sick or dying birds found around Ohio and in nearby states. These birds often have swollen eyes, discharge from their eyes that may appear crusted, or a lack of clarity to the eyes. Affected birds may also exhibit neurological signs, for example, their head may hang to one side then flop to the other side. In late May of this year, wildlife biologists in Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia began received reports of sick and dying birds. Since then, reports have surfaced in additional states, including Ohio.

Ohio counties experiencing the bulk of the outbreak so far include Brown, Butler, Clark, Clermont, Delaware, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Montgomery, and Warren counties.  Continue reading