Richland Soil and Water Conservation District participated in this year’s Richland Gives, an online donation platform designed to…
By Theresa Sutter
Richland Soil and Water Conservation District participated in this year’s Richland Gives, an online donation platform designed to encourage people to contribute to local nonprofits they care about through a single giving website. It is hosted by The Richland County Foundation to build capacity, grow philanthropy, and make the community stronger.
Due to the generosity of donors, $1,000.00 was raised to provide free quarterly Conservation Creation Arts & Crafts Workshops this year for up to 25 people. In the past, participants were charged to cover the cost of workshop supplies. Funds will buy supplies needed for the craft or art project.
The workshops pair an educational topic about the natural world with a related craft or art project and allow participants to learn more about the services and programs offered by the District. They bring people together in an informal setting where they learn about topics related to soil and water conservation but also visit with each other, build community, and be creative. Each evening is fun and educational. Register for the April 14 workshop at https://richlandswcd.net/event/conservation-creation-arts-craft-workshop-spring-seeds/.
The Ohio Lake Management Society (OLMS) honored Theresa Rozic Sutter, Marketing and Volunteer Coordinator…
The Ohio Lake Management Society (OLMS) honored Theresa Rozic Sutter, Marketing and Volunteer Coordinator, the Innovation in Lake Management Award for 2025 in recognition of her contributions to water quality education and outreach in Richland County. Theresa credits District volunteers for their commitment to monitoring Charles Mill Lake, Clear Fork Reservoir, and Pleasant Hill Lake and considers it an award for them and the District.
Since joining Richland SWCD in 2013, Theresa has worked to advance the district’s mission to conserve, protect, and enhance the natural resources of Richland County, with focus on the health of the county’s soil and water resources. Carter Bailey of OLMS shared, “Due to her innovative and tireless commitment working with individuals and organizations, Mrs. Sutter consistently demonstrates a deep commitment to public education, outreach, and engagement, using a variety of platforms and programs to increase awareness of water quality.”
Theresa’s approach to community engagement includes leading workshops, district sales, volunteer programs, and school and youth education initiatives among other efforts. Additionally, Theresa has effectively utilized social media and community events to reach a broader audience, ensuring residents across Richland County are informed of local soil and water conservation efforts and volunteer opportunities. Theresa’s efforts embody the importance of local involvement and fostering community-driven efforts to protect and improve water quality.
Richland County is unique in that it contains eight distinct watersheds, compared to the more typical one per county. These watersheds are critical to water quality, as three flow to Lake Erie and five to the Ohio River. The county is also home to several important water bodies, including Charles Mill Lake, Clear Fork Reservoir, and Pleasant Hill Lake—all vital to environmental health and recreational activities. Learn more about watersheds in Richland County.
Thanks to the generosity of the Fran and Warren Rupp Fund of the Richland County Foundation, we have a marketing internship available.
By Theresa Sutter
Thanks to the generosity of the Fran and Warren Rupp Fund of the Richland County Foundation, we have a paid marketing internship available for a college student. The intern will gain hands-on experience in the areas of graphic design, writing press releases, and social media plus learn about soil and water conservation. Information about the internship is available at: https://richlandswcd.net/get-involved/careers-and-Internships/
We had fun interacting and engaging with Richland County Fair visitors the first week of August at the Nature Park!
By Theresa Sutter
We had fun interacting and engaging with Richland County Fair visitors the first week of August at the Nature Park! This year we highlighted stormwater management practices. We provided benefits and examples of cover crops, silt fences, native plants and rain barrels.
First place winner in the rain drop contest was Kackie and she is now the proud owner of a rain barrel. Helena was the second-place winner and she won a basket of native plants.
Kackie and her rain barrel!
Helena and her native plants!
Our stormwater cornhole provided visitors with an interactive experience that showed what happens in our waterways when pollutants go down the storm drain. It also incorporated practices that help prevent pollution.
Stormwater cornhole.
On Kids Day we worked with our partners to hold the scavenger hunt. Kids had fun walking through the exhibit space and nature park grounds to find clues and interact with exhibitors. Thanks to Richland County Solid Waste Management Authority for providing prizes for the three hourly winners.
Pete from Richland County Solid Waste Management Authority with one of the winners!
We wish him well in his future educational and career pursuits.
Thanks to Daniel Karger for working with us this summer as a marketing intern! We wish him well in his future educational and career pursuits.
Daniel said, “This Internship has been such a great experience. I have been able to dive into real world marketing tasks, like attending events and creating social media posts, to help get me started in honing my skills for the future. It has been eye-opening to see how the world of marketing as well as conservation works. I have learned so much that I will take with me moving forward. I am proud of the work that I have done and am appreciative of the ability to learn from the things that didn’t quite go to plan.”
Thank you to the Fran and Warren Rupp Fund of the Richland County Foundation for funding the internship.
Celebrate 77 years of conservation with us and help shape the future by voting in our board supervisor election!
Save September 11 to attend this year’s Annual Celebration. The Celebration will return to the Area Agency on Aging in Hawkins Corner, 2131 Park Avenue West, Ontario.
A buffet lunch will be served at 11:30am followed by a program at noon to recognize the Cooperator of the Year and Volunteer of the Year honorees and share this year’s impact, accomplishments and updates. The cost is $25 per person and reservations are required by September 4. Reservations may be made online at https://richlandswcd.net/event/annual-celebration-4/.
From 11:30am to 12:30pm, eligible voters may cast their vote for one open Board Supervisor position. Eligible voters shall be at least eighteen years of age at the time of the official election and own or occupy land with the boundaries of Richland County. Absentee voting is also available at the Richland SWCD office beginning August 13 and closes September 10 at 4pm. Visit https://richlandswcd.net/ for election information.
Richland SWCD Staff with Commissioner Vero and Commissioner Mears at the 2024 annual celebration
While at the Richland County Fair, join us behind the Nature Park stage to learn about stormwater management. We’ll be sharing simple steps you can take to prevent stormwater pollution and protect our waterways. Plus, play our stormwater cornhole game to see how polluted stormwater can change clear water into water you don’t want to swim in, bathe with or drink. The Nature Park exhibit space is open from 11:00am to 7:00pm daily, and we hope you stop by to visit with us and other exhibitors like Richland County Solid Waste Management Authority, Richland County Master Gardeners, Richland County Park District, Mansfield Litter Prevention and the Richland Area Beekeepers.
Stormwater Cornhole at Richland SWCD’s 2025 Soil Open House
Join us in giving Daniel a warm welcome. He’s the grandson of one of our volunteers and our summer marketing intern!
We’re excited to welcome Daniel Karger, our new marketing intern, to the team! Daniel is a student at Ashland University where he is majoring in Marketing. He enjoys playing soccer, guitar and photography. He’ll be assisting us with graphic design, social media, promoting our programs to the community and more. He is the grandson of Donald and Roberta Karger. Donald is a Precipitation Monitor Volunteer for the District. We’re thrilled to have Daniel on board and can’t wait to see the creative ideas he brings to the table!
On April 9, Richland Soil and Water Conservation District proudly hosted the Area 2 Envirothon at Cooke Family Wildlife Conservation Park…
On April 9, Richland Soil and Water Conservation District proudly hosted the Area 2 Envirothon at Cooke Family Wildlife Conservation Park, welcoming over 200 students from across Northeast Ohio. This annual competition challenges students in five key environmental categories: Soils, Wildlife, Aquatics, Forestry, and Current Environmental Issues (CEI). For 2025, the CEI theme is “Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forestry Stewardship in a Canopy of Change” encouraging students to explore the vital role of forests in environmental sustainability.
Medals were awarded to the teams with the highest score in each of the testing categories. The station winners from Area 2 are:
Aquatics: Laurel Gators – Green from Laurel School
Wildlife: BBH Baobabs from Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School
Soils: Boardman Channel Cats from Boardman High School
Forestry: Beaver Leaf Legends from Beaver Local High School
CEI: Beaver Leaf Legends from Beaver Local High School
Beaver Leaf Legends
The four teams with the highest overall score (all five station scores combined) will advance to the state competition at Wilmington College from June 2-4. The teams with the highest scores and going to state are:
Boardman Channel Cats from Boardman High School
Beaver Leaf Legends from Beaver Local High School
BBH Ginkgos from Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School
BBH Baobabs from Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School
Boardman Channel Cats
We wish them all the best! The winning team from the state Envirothon will go on to represent Ohio at the international competition in Alberta, Canada from July 20-26.
Advisors were also able participate in the event by touring Fowler’s Woods with a representative from Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) or they could join an advisor team and also take the five tests. Advisor Team 3 won and was made up of the following members:
Austin Saverko from Columbiana High School
Caitlin Miller from Bedford High School
Jodi Berger from Beaver Local High School
Danielle Moon from Cardinal High School
Chris Carman from Theodore Roosevelt High School
Michael Cochran from Jackson Local High School
Overall, the Area 2 Envirothon was a tremendous success! Students not only expanded their knowledge of environmental topics but also sharpened their decision-making and teamwork skills – all while enjoying a fun, hands-on learning experience. Of course, no event is complete without great food, and participants enjoyed a well-earned lunch of burgers and hot dogs grilled by Crestview FFA volunteers.
Crestview FFA Volunteers
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our sponsors and many volunteers who made this event possible. Your support helps inspire the next generation of environmental leaders!
Drone footage by Matt Wallace
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