Planting seeds: It’s what we do

Working with local youth and adults over the past year, I have heard the question — “What do you do at Holmes Soil and Water Conservation District?” — many times. So often, in fact, I felt it would be a great topic for this week’s article.

Let’s begin with a brief history of how Holmes SWCD began. With soil conservation being a concern in 1941, the 94th Ohio General Assembly passed House Bill 646, the Ohio Soil Conservation District Enabling Act. The act created the Ohio Soil Conservation Committee, paving the way for the formation of the local soil conservation districts.

From that point on, each of Ohio’s 88 counties established its own district, with the Holmes district being created in 1947. Eventually, “water” was added to the name in 1963 as watershed protection had become a large part of the conservation effort.

Our district helps to promote practices that preserve, protect and restore the soil, water and other natural attributes of Holmes County. We work with farmers, landowners and our communities, providing them with the most up-to-date information on soil health, erosion, water quality and land development. Securing assistance from public, private, local, state and federal sources, we develop programs that are geared toward natural resource concerns right here in Holmes County.

Another important part of our job is education and outreach in the schools and the community. The Tom Graham 5th Grade Conservation Farm Tour has been a staple for education in our county since 1965. This year we will celebrate its 60th anniversary. Grandparents, parents and children have all shared about this special event, often reminiscing about the day their fifth grade class spent on the farm. From making a soil snack to seeing a cow up close for the first time, these experiences leave a lasting impression.

While the 5th Grade Farm Tour is our most recognizable educational program, did you know we also offer other in-classroom and group programs? Programs like County Soils Judging, All-In for Life Skills, Envirothon and Conservation Day Camp are just a few of the group events. From bringing soils to middle school science class and teaching water safety at a local 4-H club meeting to participating in Kids Day at the Holmes County Fair, we love working with the youth of our county. The students not only learn from our presenters, but also they get to participate in hands-on activities and games, which spark their curiosity.

Looking to the future, we would love to expand our educational programs, reaching more classrooms and community groups. We are excited to work with teachers to develop standards-based curriculum that brings environmental education to students. Some of the subjects we cover include amphibians, pollinators, wildlife, the water cycle, soil health and watersheds. These are only a few of the many topics we offer, and we welcome all new ideas for bringing conservation to the classroom.

Our educational lending library is yet another resource we provide to teachers. The library includes all our informational materials and a wildlife trunk of hides and skulls. We also have the Enviroscape, an interactive 3D model that teaches students about water pollution within a watershed. All the materials in our lending library are available to borrow at no cost.

For more information about our educational programs or to schedule a classroom visit, reach out to our office at 330-674-2811 ext. 3 or holmes.swcd@gmail.com. We look forward to working with you in the future. And remember, we are planting seeds for future generations of conservationists with every class program.

Jody Irwin is administrative coordinator for Holmes Soil and Water Conservation District.