Brown Soil & Water Conservation District

"Water is Life" 2008 Stewardship Week
April 27–May 4, 2008

The water on Earth has been here since the beginning of time, it contains all the water we will ever have. Earth's waters are constantly in motion in a process known as the hydrologic cycle. The hydrologic cycle has no beginning and no end. No water is gained or lost in the cycle, but the fresh water available to users can fluctuate due to cycles in the weather and changes in water quality. Throughout time, the same water has been transferred from the oceans into the Earth's atmosphere and dropped on land again. That means the water we use today is the same water that was here when dinosaurs roamed the land. Less than 1 percent of all the water on Earth is fresh water that we can actually use. Salt water covers 97 percent of our planet while 2 percent of the water on Earth is glacier ice.

STEWARDSHIP WEEK INFORMATION

Since 1955, NACD has selected an annual Stewardship Week theme and developed materials for schools, communities and churches of all denominations. Education is a critical element of the conservation effort at the local, state and national levels. Educating youth ensures that the next generation will be wise stewards of America’s natural resources. Helping today’s adults understand the need for effective conservation practices builds on the conservation legacy. Through NACD’s Stewardship and Education efforts, we help districts and communities extend the reach of their education programs. Stewardship Week, celebrated annually between the last Sunday in April and the first Sunday in May, reminds us of our individual responsibility to care for the natural resources upon which we all depend.

Additional items available for Free download at: http://www.nacdnet.org/stewardship/

PROGRAMS AVAILABLE & UPCOMING EVENTS

***Western Brown Environmental Club will be planting tree in Mt. Orab on April 15th to celebrate.

***Mt. Orab 4th grade students will be decorating paper bags from Kroger that will then be used by shoppers.

The Brown Soil & Water Conservation District offers a broad range of services to the citizens of Brown County. The assistance provided can be in the form of technical assistance, limited cost-share and/or education leading to the conservation of Brown County's natural resources. The technical assistance, free of charge, is available to individuals interested in implementing Best Management Practices (BMP's) individually or part of a comprehensive Conservation Plan. The BMP's are designed to eliminate or reduce soil erosion, protection and possible restoration of water quality and all other natural resources found in Brown County, Ohio.

Information for effective storm water management at construction sites and tips for individual homeowners. Since March 2003, those (including individual lot owners) disturbing 1 or more acres of land need a NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) permit from OEPA.

Specialized assistance to obtain information and/or implement Best Management Practices (BMP) designed to eliminate or reduce soil erosion and to protect and improve water quality and all other natural resources.

Educational programs that target the entire population of Brown County are available to all school aged students, citizens, agencies and organizations that are interested in learning about the wise use of our natural resources.

The Wildlife Specialist program is partially funded by the Division of Wildlife to include wildlife education and habitat management as well as wildlife/human conflict resolution.

The White Oak Creek Watershed Program began in late1999 and has grown to a large multi facetted program that incorporates water quality monitoring, nonpoint source pollution reduction implementation practices, citizen & youth education, community outreach, and water pollution research. The White Oak Creek Watershed Partners recently obtained the endorsement of its Watershed Action Plan, enabling the program to seek more funding to reduce water resource impairments in all stream segments within the watershed and bring those waters up to the highest water quality feasible.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is a division of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The NRCS office implements the 2002 Farm Bill. The 2002 Farm Bill offers America's farmers more incentives than ever before to voluntarily conserve natural resources on our nation's privately owned farmland.

Contact information for staff members and a listing of the board and their roles and responsibilities.

The Brown Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) was organized in 1944 by concerned landowners interested in protection and improving the soil and water resources in Brown County. The Brown Soil & Water Conservation District is a legal entity of the State of Ohio and is administered by a board of five supervisors who served staggered three-year terms. As a separate unit of State Government, the Brown SWCD receives funding from the Brown County Commissioners, the Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Commission and numerous grant sources.

Brown Soil & Water

Conservation District

AND

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Mission Statement:

PROGRAMS AVAILABLE & UPCOMING EVENTS