Three Valley Conservation Trust (TVCT) is excited to announce the beginning of yet another watershed protection planning project in the Lower Great Miami River Basin. The purpose of the project is to develop a 9 Element Nonpoint Source Implementation Strategy Plan (NPS-IS) for Howard Creek Dry Fork Whitewater River watershed, located in SW Ohio (Butler and Hamilton counties) and SE Indiana (Franklin County). – Please see below the project area map. A 9-Element Plan approved by the Ohio Environmental Agency (OEPA) is required to apply for a federal and state funding, including; section 319 and H2Ohio grants to fund eligible streambank restoration, wetland restoration and many other conservation projects, which can help to improve water quality in the watershed. The local stakeholders and communities are strongly encouraged to actively participate in the planning process, provide input in identifying sources and causes of impairments in the watershed, and help to set goals and management strategies for the watershed conservation efforts. Development of the 9 Element Plan for the Howard Creek Dry Fork Whitewater River watershed is the first of two TVCT watershed protection planning projects scheduled for 2022. The second project will focus on the Paddy’s Run watershed and will start in July. The funding for both projects is administrated by the OEPA. To learn more about the development of a 9 Element Plan, please check the attached poster. If you live in the project area and have water quality concerns, or you are interested in more information, we would like to hear from you. Please contact TVCT at office@3vct.org or give us a call at 513-524-2150. We also encourage you to participate in the Open House meeting for the Upper Dry Fork Watershed on February 17 th at 5:00p.m. The meeting will be held at Morgan Township, Community Building, 6463 Okeana Drewersburg Rd, Okeana, Ohio 45053. Learn about collaborative planning process for the Howard Creek Dry Fork Whitewater River watershed and hear about available funding opportunities and programs. Let us know what are your conservation concerns for this watershed.
On Tuesday, we closed our final easement of 2021, a 110 acre farm in Preble County owned by the Rodeffer Family. The Rodeffers have been part of the TVCT family since 2007 and have multiple farms protected by the Trust. The Rodeffer Family recently opened their own butcher shop in Eaton, Ohio called Rodeffer Meats, which offers a variety of beef, pork, and chicken. Stop by their shop to show your support and to congratulate them on protecting their farm.
Our Stewardship Manager, Maria, and Land Protection Specialist, Caitlin, have been busy on a project called Hovering for Habitat. About a year ago, they were awarded a grant to purchase a new drone, become licensed drone pilots and explore its capabilities to make our monitoring responsibilities safer and more efficient. For our landowners, it is allowing us to better assess erosion sites and determine damage mitigation strategies, as well as monitor major property changes over time. It's been a fascinating project so far and they will continue to explore capabilities such as gathering data on crop health, projected yields, water stress analysis, and fertilizer management. View the presentation here . Stay tuned as we go boldly into the future.
In 2018, the Ohio EPA contracted with state certified herpetologist, Jeff Davis, to complete a herp survey on over 4,700 acres of private and public properties currently protected through the Paddys Run Conservation Project (PRCP). The survey results show the Ohio EPA and 3VCT, through the PRCP, have protected land that is inhabited by 34 species of amphibians and reptiles, one of which (the Cave Salamander) is state endangered. See the full report here...
Our final easement of 2020, the Blue Hills Farm, closed on Monday. Our sincere appreciation to Mark and Cindy Rentschler for protecting their 163-acre property in Hamilton. The Rentschler family has a long history of regional conservation and we are delighted they are joining the Three Valley family. During our first visits to the property, Steve Gordon provided the following summary of their unique barn. The Garver-Rentschler Barn, built ca. 1835-1840, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. As an example of a German Sweitzer type, the barn is distinguished by a cantilevered forebay, heavy hewn timber framing and central threshing bay. The barn has been preserved by the Rentschler family and is a visual focal point of the homestead. While the Three Valley mission is focused on protecting our natural resources, we are additionally interested in protecting the cultural history of SW Ohio. For those keeping count, the Rentschler Farm is our 210th easement and the celebration with Mark and Cindy was a wonderful way to finish our 26th year of conservation. Happy Holidays, Everyone!
We would like to congratulate Dean and Marilyn Ketring on the closing of their agricultural easement last Wednesday, becoming TVCT's 209th easement. The Ketring Farm, located in Preble County, is yet another farm that will be protected in perpetuity thanks to the Ohio Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Easement Program. Dean and Marilyn's 185.1 acre property located in Camden, which is adjacent to the Woodland Trails Scout Reservation, is a combination of prime farmland, woodlands, and grassed waterways established through USDA's Conservation Reserve Program. Dean and Marilyn also own an 81 acre property in Eaton that is protected in perpetuity by a TVCT conservation easement. If you or someone you know is interested in protecting farmland in Butler or Preble County and are interested in applying for ODA's Agricultural Easement Program's 2021 funding round, please contact TVCT and we would be happy to discuss the application process. Up next, Three Valley's 210th easement will be closing soon in Butler County.
Three Valley Conservation Trust (3VCT) is excited to share with you some great news! Our land trust has been selected as a recipient of a competitive grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) to develop a 9 Element Nonpoint Source Implementation Strategy Plan (NPS—IS Plan) for one of the high-priority watersheds within the Ohio River Basin. This 9-Element Plan is specifically for the Beals Run-Indian Creek watershed in Butler County (See Project Area Map below). The purpose of the 9-Element NPS-IS Plan is to identify sources of pollution and outline a strategy to improve water quality within the watershed. Based on input from local communities and stakeholders, the plan outlines water quality goals, restoration methods, and best management practices needed to achieve pollutant reduction. EPA approved 9-Element Plans are required by some state and federal grant programs to fund the eligible projects. The 9-Element Plan for the Beals Run-Indian Creek watershed will provide a roadmap for needed investments that will benefit our communities by protecting water resources, restoring environmental conditions, protecting public health, supporting outdoor recreation, and improving our quality of life. The land trust will collaborate with Environmental Solutions AQ ( ensoaq.com ), a local environmental consulting company in drafting the plan. The project’s timeframe is from November 1, 2020 to May 31, 2021. To ensure the success of the plan, TVCT will also collaborate with local stakeholders and community members who can help to develop watershed restoration and protection strategies and later start implementing these strategies. If you live in the project area and have water quality concerns or you are interested in more information, we would like to hear from you. Please contact Agnes Marchlewska at landpro@3vct.org . We also encourage you to visit the Ohio Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program here for additional information about the program and details of a 9-Element plan.
Our landowners have generously shared some of their trail cam footage with us. Enjoy!
Last month, Three Valley Conservation Trust attended a picnic to celebrate the closing of an easement in Morgan Township. The 160 acre property, which was part of the Paddy’s Run Restoration Project, is rich in biodiversity—with over 100 plant species, as well as being one of the richest sites for amphibians and reptiles in Butler County. In our previous newsletter Stephen Gordon, a Paddy’s Run Conservation Project Subcontractor, wrote about the property and its owner’s lifelong dream to create a wildlife sanctuary. That article has been republished below. -- Charles ‘Chip’ Hafele is the quintessential work-driven man. By day he oversees two businesses, and when time allows he pursues his childhood dream. Growing up in Cincinnati, Chip envisioned a wildlife sanctuary that he and his family could enjoy and share with others. Twenty-two years ago, Chip’s dream moved closer to reality when he purchased 160 secluded acres in western Butler County. Challenges remained, however, as he had his businesses in Cincinnati to manage and a family to help support. There was precious little time for his 160 acre paradise, yet Chip managed to plant grasses and legumes for wildlife habitat. Fast forward to 2017, TVCT Trustee Ed Teets needed tree work done on his easement property, and Chip was called to do the work. The two men hit it off, and Ed mentioned the benefits of a conservation easement. A new chapter in CHip’s dream was being written. TVCT, Ohio EPA and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) staff began a series of property visits. Chip now laughs that during the first site visit staff hiked less than 300 yards during the first two hours. The reason: Chip’s property had such a rich diversity of plants. Over 100 plant species have since been recorded, that include spring ephemerals and 41 species of trees and shrubs. Field surveys by ODNR recorded 66 macroinvertebrates along Dry FOrk and 23 fish species on Dry Fork and Sours Run. Results from Jeff Davis’s initial field survey indicates that Chip’s Run ranks among the richest sites for herpetological species in Butler County. With such rich habitat and species diversity, the Paddy’s Run Conservation Project (PRCP) is funding several restoration projects. A five-year plan plan to retire three bottomland crop fields to grasslands, prairies and savanna began in March 2019 through the expert guidance of Al Gerhart. This conversion will facilitate Chip’s dream of increasing the property’s wildlife population and species diversity. Conservation and Woodland Stewardship Plans underwritten by the PRCP will provide a blueprint for best land management practices. This will be Chip and his daughter’s first spring living on ‘Chip’s Run’. A Chorus of spring peepers will fill the night with sound while turkey, deer, beaver and countless small mammals will increasingly populate the bottom fields. Native forbs and grasses will emerge from former corn and soybean stubble, and their seeds and nectar will foster insect and bird diversity. Removing invasive plants like honeysuckle will facilitate emergence of ephemerals and understory trees. Gradually, Chip’s Run will be transformed into a diverse, carefully managed sanctuary. Chip’s dream will have entered its final phase. Amidst the demands of work, Chip will set aside time to sit back and take in the sights, sounds and smells of a truly special place.
Earlier this month, Three Valley Conservation Trust staff and board members had a workshop with the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) at Lane Public Library in Oxford, Ohio. The NRCS , a US Department of Agriculture agency, provides technical conservation assistance to private landowners, districts, tribes and organizations. In many ways, they work to plant the seeds of conservation in the region through conservation planning, technical assistance and financial assistance. The goal of the workshop on June 14th was to establish a dialogue between Three Valley and the NRCS, and find out ways in which our members and landowners might benefit from NRCS programs for their conservation needs. The NRCS's two most popular programs in the region are the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). EQIP covers the cost of implementing conservation practices, and is geared towards working farms, ranches and forests. Some common practices in Butler County covered by EQIP include honeysuckle removal and pollinator habitat establishment and maintenance, as well as the construction of greenhouses to extend the growing season and safe waste storage facilities to protect water quality and improve waste management practices. Farmers can also use EQIP assistance for heavy use area protection, which stabilizes ground that sees frequent wear and tear in order to prevent soil erosion and improve water quality. CRP financial assistance, on the other hand, can be used to take agricultural land out of production and put into place conservation practices that will improve its environmental health and quality. CRP contracts are 10-15 years in length, and generally convert land to pollinators, upland bird habitat buffers, grass waterways and vegetative filter strips. Such practices have been proven to increase native flora and fauna presence on land and promote environmental health. With both CRP and EQIP, the NRCS also provides strategic planning and technical assistance through their own expertise and through other regional partners, such as Pheasants Forever . Three Valley Conservation Trust is very excited about the opportunity for our landowners to benefit from the various forms of assistance and knowledge offered by the NRCS. We will be sharing everything that we learned over the coming months. We also intend to have another workshop with the NRCS later this year, open to Three Valley landowners, where further seeds can be planted on how to improve their own conservation efforts.