WINTERSVILLE, Ohio – Charlie Henry was recognized as the Conservation Farmer of the Year by the Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District during the group’s annual meeting and banquet.
The event was held Oct. 23 at St. Florian Hall in Wintersville.
The group’s highest award is given annually to a county landowner who consistently applies and maintains conservation practices on the farm.
Long relationship. Henry’s long-standing relationship with the SWCD began in 1968. Since then, he has constructed a farm pond on his Ross Township beef and grain farm, and implemented a planned crop rotation system.
He has participated in timber stand improvement programs and his family has also hosted the annual Farm-City Tour in the county.
Service awards. Two distinguished service awards were also presented.
Edison Local High School FFA, represented by adviser Jim Dawson and member Caitlin Corso, was recognized in the group category for their support of county conservation programs. Student activities include packaging seedlings for the annual district sale, planting trees for the Yellow Creek Watershed project, and area and state Envirothon participation.
Bill DeNoon Jr. was the individual award recipient. Through his initiative and proactive approach to forestry, the Steel Valley Loggers Chapter was organized in conjunction with the Jefferson SWCD and Ohio Forestry Association. The chapter gives loggers a forum to discuss local and state forestry issues and leverage to pursue logging certification training.
Educator’s award. Irene Moore, district program administrator, presented Theresa Danaher, science teacher at Holy Rosary Central School, the Conservation Teacher of the Year award. She was recognized for her classroom and community promotion of environmental literacy.
Hands-on and site specific activities, including stream monitoring, are offered regularly for students, parents and other teachers. The stream monitoring project allows students to learn how tolerance to water quality varies among aquatic organisms.
Danaher also coordinates the school’s science fair, which has sent students to district and state competitions. Classroom environment and conservation programs are funded by a recycling program she initiated.
Forestry award. Jeremy Scherf, regional service forester, presented Ron Kuhn with the Forest Stewardship award.
The award is given to a landowner who makes a conscious effort to improve the quality of his woodland and the surrounding area.
Kuhn’s forestry involvement began in 1988, shortly after he purchased 178 acres in Springfield Township. With help and suggestions from a service forester, Kuhn planted 8,000 white pine and yellow poplar trees through the Forestry Incentive Program, and set up a 20-acre timber stand improvement crop tree release.
His farm also became a certified tree farm.
Other business. Special acknowledgement was given to the district’s current and past auxiliary members, who celebrated the group’s 35th anniversary this year. The group was formed in 1966 to assist with district programming. Several of the first officers, including Nova Sutton Miller, Mary Francis Phillipson, and JoAnn Ramsey, were also recognized.
President Lucille Piergallini reported on auxiliary activities.
Joe Henthorn and John Rozenek were reelected as district supervisors.
Those present also voted to leave the wildlife specialist position vacant due to state budget cuts. The position will remain open until further notice.
(You can contact Andrea Myers at 1-800-837-3419, ext. 22, or by e-mail at amyers@farmanddairy.com.)
