By Vickie Wies, NRCS-CD
Soil and water conservation districts (SWCDs) are the local hub of natural resources information and assistance for each county. They are committed to conservation in both rural and urban settings. SWCDs assist farmers to rescue and restore fertile farmland. They educate residents about the need for erosion control. They help landowners create wildlife habitat on their property. They partner with anyone interested in keeping our communities sustainable and our water clean.
Conservation districts offer technical assistance to encourage landowners to voluntarily complete actions that keep our air, water, and soil healthy for everyone through grant funding and tax-payer funded government services.
Districts are staffed and led by individuals who work to help landowners to achieve their land-use and conservation goals. They work with rural homeowners, urban homeowners, and absentee landowners. Services do not cater to any one demographic; they do not discriminate. They are here to utilize the resources the person has available to make their natural surroundings better and more productive.
Examples of conservation district services include:
- Technical information for habitat restoration and enhancement
- Environmental education
- Urban/small scale agriculture
- Soil and forest health
- Natural disaster preparedness and recovery
- Provide technical steps that must occur before ground breaks on a conservation project,
demonstrating why financial support is important for this foundation of conservation
district work.
- Technical information for the reduction of nutrients reaching water (commercial fertilizers and
manure)
- Technical information for pasture management and other livestock conservation practices
Reasons to contact your local conservation district:
- Conservation districts are trusted partners that do not enforce or impose penalties, but instead work with landowners to help them responsibly and efficiently manage their land.
- Because the staff live where they work, they have deep, firsthand knowledge of the natural resource issues and challenges faced by the local community.
If you have any questions, or are considering practices on your land, contact the USDA Service Center at 419-673-0456, ext. 3.
Hardin Soil & Water Conservation District, 12751 St. Rt. 309 W., Kenton, Ohio 43326
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8 - 4.30
Online SWCD Newsletters http://co.hardin.oh.us/swcd/newsletters.php
Service Center Supervisors & Staff
Jeffry Billenstein, Chairman
Shannon Allmon, Vice Chairman
Ranae Sherman, Fiscal Agent
Trent Watkins, Member
William Kellogg, Member
Hardin SWCD Staff
Denna Clem, District Administrator
Mark Lowery, District Technician
Howard Lyle, Nutrient Management
Vickie Wies, Administrative Assistant
Hardin NRCS Staff
Megan Burgess, District Conservationist
Jonjala Jackson, Soil Conservationist
Chris Pepple, Soil Conservation Technician
Other Staff Assisting the Hardin Office
Jimmy Giannone, Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Biologist
Jerrod Wehinger, WLEB Nutrient Management
