Photo Winner - Ohio River
2022 science camp at Camp Oyo
Photo provided by Ohio Division of Wildlife
Photo Winner - Ohio River
Current & Upcoming Events
Scioto SWCD is hiring an Agricultural Conservation Technician
Applications must be received by close of business on Monday January 27, 2025.
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This Technician position will be based in Scioto County and will be employed by the Scioto Soil and Water Conservation District. Through on the job training, the individual in this position will gain proficiency in both technical and administrative aspects of program implementation, supporting the goals outlined in the Annual Plan of Work and Long-Range Strategic Plan. This includes the ability to work with local government entities, agri-businesses, landowners, farmers under complex and challenging circumstances, while also prioritizing conservation education by collaborating with staff to plan, prepare, and deliver educational opportunities for both children and adults.
The employee is directly responsible to the District Board of Supervisors for work priorities and general supervision. The District Manager will provide the necessary day-to-day supervision. The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) Soil and Water Conservation (SWC), the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Scioto SWCD staff will provide technical support/supervision as stated in the NRCS/Scioto SWCD/ODA Memo of Understanding. Employee will have to undergo and pass a federal background check in order to have access to USDA computer and cooperator files.
Beginning salary will range from $16-$18/hour based on previous experience. Benefits package is available.
Position Description can be found here and Position Application can be found here.
Please call the Scioto SWCD office with any questions regarding the Position Announcement.
2025 Tree and Wildlife Seed Sale
The Scioto SWCD annual tree and wildlife seed sale is now underway. Orders will be taken until Thursday February 13. Tentative pick up date will be Friday April 4, 2025.
We are offering a good selection of native deciduous and coniferous trees again this year, with many having pollinator and wildlife value, as well as some offering a natural food source for people too. Also offered are native shrubs, groundcovers, mushrooms, pollinator and wildlife habitat seeds, bluebird houses, bat boxes, as well as a few plant care items.
Please see the 2025 Tree Sale Brochure here. It is also accessible under the Events tab at the top of the page along with descriptions of some of the seed mixes offered.
If you have any questions, please call our office.
2025 Conservation School Registration is Open
Registration is now open for our 2025 Conservation School: Homesteading Basics.
The event is planned for Tuesday evening February 25 and will have local, knowledgeable individuals present sessions on food preservation, tapping maple trees, herbal salves and solutions, indoor hydroponics, intro to beekeeping and homesteading on a budget.
We will also once again have a Kids Zone with Northwest High School FFA students providing fun activities for children in attendance.
A catered soup and sandwich dinner will be served to begin the evening followed by two groups of presentations for you to choose a topic to attend.
Registration is $20.00 and required prior to the event to plan for the meal. Children 12 and under are free. Registrations must be received by Friday February 21.
See the event flyer and registration form here.
Scioto County Beekeepers Association
The newly formed Scioto County Beekeeper's Association will be holding monthly meetings on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 6:00 PM at the Lucasville USDA Service Center building. Please check and follow their Facebook page for the next scheduled meeting date and other updates and information. Scioto County Beekeepers Association | Facebook
Beginning Gardener Programs
The Scioto SWCD has ended our beginning gardener programs for 2024 but do plan to start them back up again in February or March of 2025. Our plan is to start out with information and hands-on experience regarding starting seeds indoors to get an early start on the gardening season. Our goal with the program is to help more people raise their own healthy, nutritious food and increase their self-reliance. More information to follow as we get closer to February.
Rain Barrels and Kits
Scioto SWCD currently has rain barrel kits for sale. The kit includes a 55-gallon food-grade barrel. The kit contains everything needed to connect to a roof downspout, except for a couple of tools, providing a way to collect and store rainwater runoff.
This can help with stormwater runoff as well as providing a source of water for watering plants and animals. The cost for the kit is $50 including tax. Due to the limited number of kits, there is a limit of 2 kits per person. If interested, call our office to check on availability.
Southern Ohio Grazing Council
The Council is a group of livestock producers in the southern Ohio region that periodically meet at producer's farms to discuss grazing operation management and related topics. If you would like to be added to their email list to receive information on upcoming events, send an email to conaway.adams.swcd@live.com. Include your name, address, phone number and email address.
Report Wildlife Sightings
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife is continually seeking reports of several different wildlife species within Ohio. Wildlife species that can be reported anytime are gray foxes, river otters, black bears, and other furbearers, including fishers, badgers, weasels, and bobcats, as well as other wildlife species found on the wildlife reporting system webpage.
These reports assist wildlife biologists and the Ohio Division of Wildlife in tracking wildlife populations.
Reports can be submitted to the Wildlife Reporting System at wildohio.gov and on the HuntFish OH mobile app.
Please contact your County Wildlife Officer to submit river otter and gray fox carcasses. Submitted carcasses can be from harvests or roadkill, although it is not permitted to collect roadkill carcasses. One can report the location of roadkill to their local wildlife officer.
An additional ODNR press release can be found at Report Furbearer Sightings to Contribute to Wildlife Research.
More information on individual wildlife species in Ohio can be found at the Ohio Division of Wildlife online Species Guide.
Ohio Landowner/Hunter Access Partnership
The Ohio Landowner/Hunter Access Partnership (OLHAP) Program is a way for Ohio hunters to get access to private properties. This program is funded in part by the federal Farm Bill under their Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP) to implement programs encouraging hunting access on private properties. The OLHAP program is administered by the Ohio Division of Wildlife and uses funds to pay landowners for hunters to access their property. Participating landowners receive annual payment rates of $2.00/acre for agricultural lands and $30.00/acre for perennial wildlife cover, such as wetlands, grasslands, brushlands, and forest. Enrollment contracts are for 2 years, with the possibility of reenrollment. If you are a landowner interested in finding out more about the program or wishing to enroll your property or a hunter interested in finding hunting property, visit the Ohio Landowner/Hunter Access Partnership Program page to find out more.
You can also call our office for more information.
Public Notice:
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The Scioto Soil and Water Conservation District's Board of Supervisors will meet for the remainder of 2024 on the first Friday of every month, unless otherwise stated, at 8:00 AM at the USDA Service Center, 12167A State Route 104, Lucasville, Ohio. The Scioto Soil and Water Conservation District strives to work with local landowners, residents, businesses, organizations, and units of government in providing a partnership effort to help conserve, maintain, and improve Scioto County's natural resources. Anyone interested in conservation practices can find more on the District website at www.sciotoswcd.org or call the District office at 740-259-9241 ext. 4. The District was formed in 1946 as a legally organized subdivision of the State of Ohio that is governed by a volunteer Board of Supervisors elected by Scioto County residents. The 2024 Supervisors are Thomas Turner, Wheelersburg; James L. Pertuset, Portsmouth; Travis Garrett, Lucasville; David Otworth, Franklin Furnace; Matt Lewis, West Portsmouth. Meetings are open to the public and the media. If you would like to receive notices about special meetings, meeting topics or time and date changes for regular meetings, please contact the District Administrator.
Scioto SWCD 2025 Regular Board Meeting Dates
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January 3
February 7
March 7
April 4
May 2
June 6
July 11
August 8
September 5
October 3
November 7
December 5
Scioto SWCD
12167A State Route 104
Lucasville OH 45648
740-259-9231 Ext. 4
info@sciotoswcd.org
Scioto County Local Foods Guide
Scioto SWCD has compiled a local food and resource guide highlighting local food producers and local businesses where locally produced foods can be found. If you are a local, small farm or business producing or offering foods for public sale and would like to be added to the guide please send your information to info@sciotoswcd.org or call our office at
740-259-9231 ext. 4 and we will add you to the guide. This guide is a work in progress and hopefully the list of local food sources will be expanded so check back for further updates. The guide can be found on the Links page accessed at the top of this page.