The Tuscarawas Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is aware that agriculture is a necessity in Tuscarawas County. We are striving to do our best to assist area farmers in preserving and protecting the land. The Tuscarawas SWCD assisted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) can provide natural resource information and can assist land users in planning and applying conservation practices. Listed below are a few examples of the technical services we offer:

Provide information for rural and non-rural soil and water related problems

Determine feasibility of on-site soils for construction from the Tuscarawas County Soil Survey

Recommend the application of soil saving practices such as dry dams, waterways , cropping systems, contour strips, spring developments, diversions, filter strips, tile, and surface drainage

Develop workable manure nutrient management plans

Recommend environmentally sound options for manure storage, feedlot runoff, etc.

There are programs available through NRCS designed to assist farmers in managing their natural resources in a safe manner. These programs are known as Federal Cost Share Incentive Programs, refer to list above.

If you are interested in any of these services, or, in gaining more information regarding a particular program, please call the Tuscarawas SWCD office at 330-339-7976 and ask for Dylan Stine, District Technician.

The Tuscarawas Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) can provide assistance with urban soil/erosion concerns as well as with agricultural concerns. The Tuscarawas SWCD can provide the urban homeowner with a variety of services:

soils information for home site selection

providing the homeowner with a home site development package

information for drainage around homesites

bank stabilization and erosion information for home site/lot development

providing seeding/mulching rates for erosion control

conducting on-site soils assessments for home sites, driveways, and other drainage/soils-related problems.

This office routinely works with the Tuscarawas Regional Planning Commission in providing soils information for private drives and major and minor platted subdivisions.

Although the Tuscarawas SWCD is not a regulatory agency and has no enforcement powers, we can provide homeowners information about:

Ohio Fence Line Laws

Ohio Drainage Laws

The Tuscarawas SWCD also works in conjunction with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) and Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) in addressing these issues.

If you are interested in any of these services, or, in gaining more information regarding a particular program, please call the Tuscarawas SWCD office at 330-339-7976 and ask for Dylan Stine District Technician.

The Tuscarawas SWCD can provide technical assistance for landowners who desire to have their property logged. The SWCD can also provide technical assistance throughout the course of the logging project. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) recommends that landowners/loggers fill out a "Timber Harvest Plan" Notice of Intent (NOI) form prior to any logging activity. The NOI is a notice to the SWCD that a logging project is to be conducted and details what erosion/sediment control measures will be used to minimize the effects of the logging upon the land. This is typically achieved by installing Best Management Practices (BMP).

BMPs are practical guidelines that can be used to lessen the environmental impact of forest management activities, such as the construction of roads, skid trails and log landings. Forestry BMPs are designed to be low cost, practical and easily applicable to all forestry operations. Tearing up the topsoil on the forest floor destroys its filtering action and compacting the soil affects surface water absorption.

The NOI can be obtained by either contacting the Tuscarawas SWCD office, or by downloading the form from the ODNR website here.

Once the form is reviewed by SWCD staff the site will be inspected by SWCD technical staff during the course of the project.

This site was an example of proper BMPs applied during and after the logging operation was complete. Some of the practices installed include: water bars, temporary sediment barrier using straw bales, filter strips, and re-vegetated logging roads.

If more information is needed regarding a tree harvest, ODNR has a program for landowners called "Call Before You Cut". The "Call Before You Cut" campaign is coordinated by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Forestry, Rural Action, and Ohio State University Extension. Other primary sponsors of the program include the Ohio Chapter of the Society of American Foresters, the ODNR Division of Soil & Water Conservation, the Ohio Federation of Soil & Water Conservation Districts, The Ohio Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, the Better Business Bureau, and the Ohio Tree Farm Committee. By working together this coalition of conservation partners is providing the best information available to woodland owners.

For more information, please click here: call before you cut.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offers federal programs to assist farmers in implementing conservation practices on their land. The programs are designed to encourage farmers to make improvements and share a certain percentage of the construction/implementation cost. Technical assistance is provided to the farmer by NRCS and Tuscarawas Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD). Listed below are some of the programs offered by NRCS:

Conservation Security Program (CSP) - https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/oh/programs/financial/csp/nrcseprd1299620/

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) -https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/oh/programs/financial/eqip/

Wetland Reserve Enhancement Program (WREP) - https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/oh/newsroom/releases/51f7e84d-8310-461e-bcd0-89e6687d377f/

Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) - https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/oh/programs/landscape/nrcs144p2_029519/

Click here for a complete list of all programs and technical services provided by NRCS - http://www.oh.nrcs.usda.gov/programs