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!
Kayla’s internship was filled with growth, creativity and conservation. Read her farewell message and help us wish her well!
My marketing internship with the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District (Richland SWCD) was an incredible experience. Throughout my internship, I had the opportunity to help with social media management, content creation and community outreach. I assisted with marketing campaigns, designed promotional materials and helped create visual content used on social media as well as during community events. The projects I assisted with not only helped strengthen my skills in digital marketing, branding and public relations, but it also deepened my knowledge of environmental conservation and its impact on the community. One of my favorite moments from my time with Richland SWCD was when I had the opportunity to work with everyone in person at the Soil Open House. It gave me the chance to see a lot of my work come to life, and seeing first-hand how marketing plays a role in raising awareness for conservation efforts was both rewarding and inspiring. Overall, my experience with my internship has been instrumental in my professional growth, and I am very grateful to have contributed to the mission of Richland SWCD.
Interested in interning with Richland SWCD? We’re looking for a summer 2025 marketing intern. For more information contact Theresa Sutter at sutter.theresa@richlandswcd.net or call 419-747-8685.
Richland SWCD volunteers make a big impact – from monitoring strams to saving thousands in funding. Find out how you can get involved!
Volunteering with the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District (Richland SWCD) offers numerous personal benefits, including skill development, increased confidence, and a profound sense of purpose. It also fosters community engagement and strengthens social bonds, which leads to a more connected society. At Richland SWCD, our volunteers are driven by their concern for the environment and a commitment to conserving our planet’s natural resources. We currently have 73 individuals who assist in various ways, including precipitation, lake, and stream monitoring, office support, participation in workshops and community events, as well as photography. In 2024, their joint efforts saved the County General Fund over $45,000.
Our volunteers play an important role in monitoring the health of our watersheds by quickly notifying us of any issues. Without the hard work of our precipitation, lake and stream monitoring volunteers, the data we rely on would be unobtainable. This data serves as a vital resource for the public, governmental bodies, and our partners. The more monitoring volunteers we have, the more complete and accurate our data becomes.
Commissioner Mears presenting proclamation to Bob Donaldson
We honor one volunteer each year at our Annual Celebration. In 2024, we recognized Robert E. Donaldson for his incredible contributions to our volunteer team.
We also host an annual picnic to show our appreciation for all our volunteers. This year’s picnic is scheduled for June 3 at South Park in Mansfield.
We are currently looking for new Lake Monitor volunteers. Training will be held on April 29 at 5pm at Pleasant Hill Lake Park. All equipment is provided, but volunteers will need access to the internet to post their data on our website. If you are interested in joining our volunteer team, please contact Theresa Sutter at sutter.theresa@richlandswcd.net or 419-747-8685, or visit our volunteer opportunities page.
Theresa (right) and some of our volunteers at the 2024 Annual Celebration
On April 9, 2025, Richland SWCD will be hosting the Area 2 Envirothon at the Cooke Family Wildlife Conservation Park.
On April 9, 2025, Richland SWCD will be hosting the Area 2 Envirothon at the Cooke Family Wildlife Conservation Park. The park is located at 4774 State Route 13, Shiloh, Ohio 44878. The ENVIROTHON is a high school competition designed to stimulate, reinforce and enhance interest in 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.
Every one of Ohio’s 88 counties has a Soil & Water Conservation District. The state is divided into five different areas. Area 2 is the Northeast section of the state and consists of 17 counties. Hosting is rotated among these counties so it doesn’t come to Richland County very often! We are excited to be a part of furthering the interest and education of so many young students while showing off what Richland County has to offer!!
If you would like to be a sponsor for the Envirothon event or would be interesting in volunteering on April 9, please contact our office at (419) 747-8686 or email at rswcd.data@richlandswcd.net.
Richland Soil and Water Conservation District collaborated with the Richland County Farm Bureau to create three environmental and agricultural kits…
Richland Soil and Water Conservation District and the Richland County Farm Bureau donated three environmental and agricultural literacy kits for Richland County elementary schools and the Mansfield/Richland County Public Library. The kits provide a turnkey lesson plan for kindergarten through sixth-grade educators to instruct students about natural resources, food and agriculture. The kits include children’s books, lesson plans and items needed for an activity. A total of 75 kits were distributed throughout the county in December and this month.
Volunteers Candy Brenner, Ella Hafenstein, Robert Donaldson, and Marilyn Roe, in addition to Richland County Farm Bureau volunteers helped assemble the kits and delivered them to schools.
Individuals, homeschoolers, homeschool groups, scout troops, 4-H clubs and church groups are invited to check out the kits through the MRCPL. Financial support for the Cultivating Minds Project was provided by the Richland County Foundation Gift of Grain Fund, Richland County Youth and Family Council, private donations, and MRCPL.
A private RSWCD donor assembled and funded an additional kit that simulates stream monitoring in an indoor setting. “Water Quality? Ask the Bugs” is a Project Wet lesson for middle and high school students. It may be checked out through MRCPL.
Principal Libby Nickoli of Butler Elementary and a preschool student
Kit Titles and Descriptions are provided below:
Freddy the Fish: K – 6 grades
Participants listen to the story of Freddy the Fish. He decides to travel downstream and witnesses pollution being dumped into his environment. Students are asked how Freddy feels as more pollution is added and come to realize that pollution can add up and impact our environment. Depending on the age of the participants, they can read the story and/or pour the pollutants in the fishbowl to add additional interaction.
Let’s Raise a Barn: 3 – 5 grades
Participants listen to Barn at Night, a book about an after-dark journey out to the barn on a cold winter evening. The students learn about different types of barns and design a barn to meet the needs of a specific farm animal.
Search for the Source: K – 2 and 3 – 5 grades
Participants listen to Right This Very Minute, a table-to-farm book about food and farming. The instructor engages students in discussion about everyday items. Relay teams fill the Source Baskets with pictures of items and discuss the true source of the items.
For additional information, please contact Theresa. We also welcome discussions focused on other opportunities to work with young people.
Evan joined Richland SWCD in June of 2021 and quickly became an invaluable part of our team. Wearing many hats, he worked with H2Ohio producers, helped with stormwater permitting, crafted our newsletter, and brought Our Rich Land podcast to life. His commitment and creativity knew no bounds. One of Evan’s favorite parts of his role was connecting with H2Ohio producers and supporting them in every way he could. His passion for making a difference was evident in all he did.
As Evan embarks on a new chapter as Project Coordinator for Philander Chase Conservancy, we feel a mix of pride and bittersweet emotions. We will miss his humor, dedication, organization and the energy he brought to the office every day. Thank you, Evan, for the past three years of hard work and for leaving an unforgettable mark on Richland SWCD. We wish you all the best in this exciting new adventure!
We’re excited to welcome Kayla Mitchell, our new marketing intern, to the team! Kayla is a student at Bowling Green State University where she is majoring in communication and minoring in journalism. She’ll be assisting us with graphic design, social media, promoting our programs to the community, and more. We’re thrilled to have her onboard and can’t wait to see the creative ideas she brings to the table! Although she’s working remotely, we hope you’ll join us in giving her a warm virtual welcome!
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