Richland Soil & Water

Area II Envirothon Team Registration and Release Forms Due
2026-03-27 08:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
The ENVIROTHON is a high school competition held annually designed to stimulate, reinforce and enhance interest the environment and natural resources. Students are tested on their knowledge of soils, forestry, wildlife, aquatic ecology and current environmental issues. In addition, the Envirothon encourages cooperative decision-making and team building. While each student on a team is challenged individually to contribute his or her personal best, the score that counts at the end of the competition is the team score. A team consists of five students, all from the same high school. An adult advisor (or advisors) must accompany the team but is not permitted to assist the team during the competition.

High School students across the state compete each spring on the local level at one of the five Area Envirothons. Richland County is part of Area II which consists of teams from 17 northeastern Ohio counties. The top four teams from each Area Envirothon progress to the state contest in June held in a different part of the state each year. The 2026 Area II Envirothon is hosted by Lake and Geauga Soil and Water Conservation Districts at Holden Arboretum, 9550 Sperry Rd, Kirtland, OH 44094. The top-scoring Ohio Envirothon team advances to the International Envirothon, hosted by a different state or province each year. For more information go to envirothon.org.

In Ohio, Envirothon is sponsored by the Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts in cooperation with the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Natural resource and environmental specialists from many agencies, organizations, colleges, universities, park districts and businesses devise the Envirothon questions and staff the various testing eco stations.

The Area II Envirothon is financed through monetary donations and donations of services and products from individuals, organizations, and businesses.

The Ohio Envirothon is financed by grants and donations from businesses and through contributions to the Don Riehl Memorial Envirothon Fund. Many local businesses provide donations, services, and products in support of Area and Ohio Envirothons.

2026 Area II Envirothon

The 2026 Area II Envirothon will be held April 29 from 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Holden Arboretum, 9550 Sperry Rd., Kirtland, OH 44094.

Forms for the competition may be found on this page: https://richlandswcd.net/residential/programs/.

Important Dates

March 27, 2026: Team registration and release forms are dueApril 29, 2026: Area II Envirothon held at the Holden Arboretum, 9550 Sperry Rd., Kirtland, OH 44094, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.June 1 to 3, 2026: Ohio Envirothon held at Franciscan University of Steubenville, 1235 University Blvd., Steubenville, OH 43952

Board Supervisor Meeting
2026-03-25 09:00 - 10:00, 2026-02-25 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-10-22 09:00 - 10:00
Board Supervisor meetings are open to the public and held in the Richland SWCD Conference Room 258. Please contact Matt Christian, Director, before the meeting if you wish to attend.

Pond Clinic
2026-03-16 18:00 - 19:30 | Longview Center, 1495 W. Longview Avenue, Mansfield, OH, 44906, United States
Steve Fender of Fender’s Fish Hatchery will answer pond questions from new and established pond owners. Pond information will be provided. Even thought the Clinic is free, please register below. Light refreshments will be provided

Order fish by April 2 for your pond for April 10 pick-up at the Richland County Fairgrounds at 8:30 am

Click here to order fish and pond supplies

Click here for pond information

When you register for this Clinic you agree to receive information from Richland Soil and Water Conservation District (Richland SWCD) like the quarterly e-newsletter. Richland SWCD reserves the right to take photos during the Clinic for marketing and promotional purposes. Photography becomes the property of Richland SWCD.

Office Closed in Observance of President's Day
2026-02-16 00:00 - 23:59

Galentine's Day Conservation Creation Workshop
2026-02-13 17:30 - 19:00 | Kingwood Center Gardens, 50 Trimble Rd., Mansfield, OH, 44906, United States
Celebrate Galentine’s Day by creating a beautiful woodland-themed resin jewelry pendant with Abigail Kent of Emerald Bee Creations and Kingwood Center Gardens. Learn about woodland stewardship with Katie Gerber of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and North Central Ohio Women Owning Woodlands. Enjoy light refreshments while creating and learning during this special evening.

The workshop will be held in the King Ballroom at Kingwood Center Gardens. Tickets required.

The workshop is presented by Richland Soil and Water Conservation District, Kingwood Center Gardens and North Central Ohio Women Owning Woodlands.

When you register for the workshop you agree to receive marketing materials from the partner organizations and photos are their property to use for promotional purposes.

Office Closed for Staff Professional Development
2026-02-10 08:00 - 16:00, 2025-12-03 08:00 - 16:00

Board Supervisor Meeting
2026-02-04 09:00 - 11:00 | The Longview Center, 1495 W Longview Avenue, Mansfield, Ohio, 44906, United States

Winter Salt Week: Salt Monitoring 101
2026-01-30 13:00 - 14:00
To register for this free livestream, please click on this link 2026 livestream links – Winter Salt Week – January 26-30, 2026 or on the Register for Salt Monitoring button below.

The presenters are Lauren Eaton and Paige Vichiola-Silva. They will share their monitoring experiences on the Farmington River in Connecticut and the Rouge River in Michigan before fielding participant questions and discussion topics.

Winter Salt Week: Engineering Solutions
2026-01-29 13:30 - 14:30
To watch this free livestream, you must first register at Engineering Solutions – Winter Salt Week – January 26-30, 2026 or click on the Register for Engineer Solutions button below.

The presenters are Connie Fortin, Bolton & Menk and Wilf Nixon, The Professional Snowfighter’s Association. Discover how innovative engineering can dramatically reduce the need for winter salt. This webinar will highlight design approaches—such as optimized grading, drainage, and material choices—that set the stage for safer, more efficient winter maintenance. We’ll also explore the growing role of smart sensors and connected infrastructure in tracking conditions in real time. Finally, learn how AI-driven storm management tools can support crews in making faster, more precise decisions that keep surfaces safe while minimizing salt use.

Winter Salt Week: Smart Salting Contracts
2026-01-28 13:30 - 14:30
To watch this free livestream, register at Smart Salting Contracts – Winter Salt Week – January 26-30, 2026 or click the Register for Smart Salting Contracts button below.

The presenters are Martin Tirado, Snow & Ice Management Association and Jim Turcan, Cornerstone Partners, Horticultural Services Co.

Knowing how to ask for best practices can be difficult. If you aren’t an industry professional, you likely feel out of your league when deciphering terms like deicing vs anti-icing, pre-treatment vs pre-wet. What chemical deicers should you ask for or steer away from? Learn the basics about industry best practices and valuable resources that are available to support you to get the services you need and reduce liability at your property.

Board Supervisor Meeting Date Change
2026-01-28 09:00 - 10:00

Winter Salt Week: Salt Wise Stories
2026-01-27 13:30 - 14:30
To watch this free livestream, you must register first at Salt Wise Stories – Winter Salt Week – January 26-30, 2026 or click on the Salt Wise Stories button below. The presenters are Phill Sexton, Wit Advisers and Aron Rodman, Extra Mile Snowplowing.

Hear directly from winter maintenance practitioners who have made the shift to smarter salting. In this webinar, they’ll share how they built the business case for change—reducing costs, improving efficiency, and protecting local waters. You’ll learn how they retooled their operations, from equipment upgrades to staff training, and what results they’ve seen on the ground. These leaders now pay it forward by educating peers, supporting contractors, and inspiring communities to adopt Salt Wise practices of their own.

Winter Salt Week: Freshwater Salinization
2026-01-26 13:30 - 14:30
To watch the free livestream, you need to register first at Freshwater Salinization – Winter Salt Week – January 26-30, 2026 or by clicking on the Register for Freshwater Salinization button below. The presenters are Dr. Megan Rippey, Virginia Tech and Dr. Stan Grant, Virginia Tech.

Get the big-picture view of freshwater salinization and why it’s emerging as a critical water-quality challenge across the country. We’ll break down the major drivers, the ecological and infrastructure impacts, and the trends scientists are tracking in rivers, lakes, and groundwater. Then we’ll zoom in on a real-world case study from the Occoquan Reservoir, where researchers and managers are grappling with the complex mix of land use, weather patterns, and human behavior that fuels rising chloride levels. This case will illustrate both the challenges and the practical management strategies communities can use to protect their drinking water supplies.

Office Closed in Observance of Martin Luther King Day
2026-01-19 00:00 - 23:59

Get Organized! Conservation Creation Arts & Crafts Workshop
2026-01-13 18:00 - 20:00 | The Longview Center, 1495 W Longview Avenue, Mansfield, Ohio, 44906, United States
Start the year off on the right foot by getting organized. Mod podge a pretty napkin to a recycled can to hold office, makeup or anything else that needs put in a place. All supplies are furnished. A representative from Richland County Solid Waste Management Authority will provide a program on recycling in Richland County.

This workshop is free due to the generosity of money raised through Richland Gives sponsored by the Richland County Foundation. Learn more at https://richlandgives.mightycause.com/story/7hsc2g.

When you register for the workshop you agree to receive marketing materials from Richland Soil and Water Conservation District and photos may be used for promotional purposes.

Office Closed in Observance of New Year's Day
2026-01-01 00:00 - 23:59

Office Closed at Noon New Year's Eve
2025-12-31 12:00 - 16:00

Office Closed in Observance of Christmas
2025-12-26 00:00 - 23:59
For immediate assistance, please contact Matt Christian, Director, at 419-544-2139.

Office Closed at Noon Christmas Eve
2025-12-24 10:00 - 16:00

Board Supervisor Meeting - Cancelled
2025-12-24 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-11-26 09:00 - 10:00

Special Board Supervisor Meeting
2025-12-10 09:00 - 11:00
This Special Board Supervisor Meeting is being held due to where the Christmas Holiday falls. Board Supervisor meetings are open to the public and held in the Richland SWCD Conference Room 258. Please contact Matt Christian, Director, before the meeting if you wish to attend.

Office Closed in Observance of Thanksgiving
2025-11-27 00:00 - 2025-11-28 23:59

Office Closed in Observance of Veterans Day
2025-11-11 00:00 - 23:59

County-Wide Common Milkweed Seed Pod Collection
2025-10-15 08:00 - 2025-10-31 16:00 | The Longview Center, 1495 W Longview Avenue, Mansfield, Ohio, 44906, United States
Thank you for joining the county-wide Milkweed Seed Pod Collection. Drop your Common Milkweed Seed Pods off at the Richland SWCD office, 1495 W. Longview Avenue, Suite 205B, Mansfield in the green and yellow bin located outside the office door.

Here are a few guidelines for this year’s collection:

We are collecting only Common Milkweed Seed pods because of the instability of other species. If you are unsure of the species, do not put them in the bin. Do not drop off pods that are damp or wet because it can cause mold and damage all the pods collected.

The amount of Common Milkweed Seed pods collected will be capped at 30 gallons due to the time required to remove the seeds from the pods. If the 30 gallon amount is reached, the bin will be removed and we will no longer be able to accept anymore pods.

Inside the bin, will be a large paper bag. Do not keep your pods in the bag you used to bring them to the drop off location. Instead, please add all common milkweed seed pods collectively in the large paper bag. Please do not rubber band pods together. They can damage the equipment used to remove the seeds from the pods and we will be held liable.

Thank you for helping with this year’s milkweed seed pod collection and helping the monarch butterfly!

More information about the collection may be found here: Programs | Richland Soil & Water (richlandswcd.net)

Conservation Creation Arts & Crafts Workshop: Aw, Nuts!
2025-10-14 17:00 - 20:00 | South Park, 100 Brinkerhoff Ave, Mansfield, Ohio, 44903
Squirrels aren’t the only one’s who like acorns! In this workshop, participants will make a needle-felted ornament using the top of an acorn under the direction of Jean McClintock of Shady Lane Alpaca Farm. All workshop materials are provided. A representative from Secrest Arboretum will join us with samples of oak leaves and acorns grown at the Arboretum to help you identify oak trees.

This workshop will be held at Mansfield’s South Park in the log cabin. Members of the Richland Early American Center for History ( R.E.A.C.H.) who maintain and operate the 1800’s historical village located in the park will open the buildings at 5:00 p.m. for anyone who wants to tour them. The program and workshop will begin after the tour of the buildings.

Please note: Please dress for the weather. The buildings are not heated. Baseboard heaters will be used for the workshop but the log cabin may be chilly. Public restrooms are available at a nearby building. A convenience fee is added at checkout.

When you register for this workshop you are agreeing to receive information from Richland Soil and Water Conservation District (Richland SWCD) like the quarterly e-newsletter. Richland SWCD reserves the right to take photos during the Conservation Creation Arts & Crafts workshop for promotional purposes. Photography becomes the property of Richland SWCD.

Office Closed in Observance of Columbus Day
2025-10-13 00:00 - 23:59
