Stewardship Week

 

The Columbiana SWCD encourages you to think about your personal responsibility to be a good steward of the natural resources, including water.  The theme of Stewardship Week that will be held April 27 to May 4, 2008 is “Water is Life”. 

 

The Earth’s water is in constant motion in the process known as the hydrologic (water) cycle.  There is no beginning or end to the hydrologic cycle.  Water available to users can change due to the cycles of weather and changes in water quality.  Throughout time, the same water has been transferred into the Earth’s atmosphere and dropped on land again where it follows the water cycle through plants, soil, water bodies, animals, and clouds.  That means the water we use today is the same water that was here when dinosaurs roamed the land.

 

What can we do?  Become aware of water quality and quantity in your community.  Understand how watersheds work.  We all live in a watershed.  Watersheds are the places we call home, where we work, and where we play.  Everyone relies on water and other natural resources to exist.  What you and others do on the land impacts the quality and quantity of water and our other natural resources.  Managing the water and other natural resources is an effective and efficient way to sustain the local economy and environmental health.

 

Soil and Water Stewardship Week helps remind us of the power of each person to conserve natural resources and improve the world.  When people work together with their local conservation district, that power grows and grows.

 

 

 

Ohio Forestry & Wildlife Camp Scholarships

The Columbiana County Federation of Conservation Clubs in cooperation with the Columbiana SWCD will be offering four full-paid scholarships to Columbiana County students to attend the Ohio Forestry and Wildlife Camp.  The normal cost for the camp is $250.

 

The camp this year will be held on June 15-20, 2008 at Camp Muskingum on Leesville Lake in Carroll County.  This beautiful lakeside camp is the perfect place to canoe, attend nighttime campfires, learn, and make new friends.  Campers will learn the basics about silviculture, ecology, forest products, tree identification, and the relationship organisms have with the forest.  Plenty of extra time is available to participate in basketball, canoeing, fishing, swimming, and relaxing on the deck overlooking the grounds and lake.  

 

Interested students who are Columbiana County residents, at least 15 years old and will have completed at least the eighth grade this year, should write a brief paragraph stating why he or she would like to attend the camp.  Please make sure to include your name, address, and phone number with the paragraph.  Send this information by May 9, 2008 to the Columbiana SWCD, Attn:  Camp Scholarship, 1834-B South Lincoln Avenue, Salem, OH 44460.  Any further questions about the scholarships can be directed to the office at 330-332-8732.  For more information and an application form to the camp log onto:  www.ohioforest.org.

 

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Keeping Your Private Pond Productive

 

Vegetation, Vegetation, Vegetation

Although most people are displeased with aquatic vegetation in their ponds, it is important to know that all aquatic organisms depend on aquatic plants either directly or indirectly.  Aquatic plants provide dissolved oxygen through photosynthesis which is essential for the respiratory of fish and other aquatic invertebrates.  Aquatic plants also provide nutrient filters, fish structure, and a food source for many types of aquatic wildlife.  All of these attributes are important when trying to keep a pond productive.  However, if aquatic vegetation becomes too abundant, (over 20% of your ponds surface area) action may need to be taken.  An over abundance of vegetation can lead to stunted fish populations as well as fish kills during the winter months.  Aquatic vegetation can be controlled mechanically, chemically, biologically, or a combination of the three. 

 

Supplemental Stocking

If the fishing in your private pond or lake is not meeting your expectations, stocking additional fish may be an option.  Stocking ponds with existing fish communities is more difficult than stocking a new pond, but it can be done.  When stocking fish, it is better to purchase fish from hatcheries rather than stocking them from other ponds or lakes.  This ensures your getting healthy fish that are of the correct species (Ex. Bluegills look very similar to Green Sunfish which are not good for stocking).   The advantage of having a private pond is that you can stock for your preference. Here are some stocking guidelines to help keep your fish populations healthy. 

 

·  Largemouth Bass are the best predator species to have in small ponds and lakes.  They grow quickly, have a good reproduction rate, and keep forage fish populations in balance.

· Yellow Perch and Crappie have tendencies to over populate and compete with bass and bluegill for food.  They should only be considered if lakes are over two acres in size.

· Bluegills and Redear Sunfish are an excellent forage fish.  These fish have good reproduction rates and will provide your bass with a good food source.  They are easy to catch and provide great table fair.

· Fathead Minnows are a great forage species to include in your pond.  They provide a great food source for all predator species and are prolific spawners if structure is present. 

· Channel Catfish are another good species to include in your ponds and lakes.  They prey on both living and dead items and can grow quite large.  They do not readily reproduce in small ponds and lakes, so they may need to be stocked periodically.

· Carp and Bullhead Catfish are not recommended due to their ability to over populate and stir up the bottom which results in muddy water.

· Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Striped Bass, Northern Pike, and Rainbow Trout are not recommended due to the fact that ponds do not match their native habitat requirements.

 

Structure is Important

 Fish structure is very important and often overlooked in ponds.   During the summer months, aquatic vegetation acts as great fish structure.   It provides safety for young fish and can provide spawning sites for certain species.  However during the spring, fall, and winter months the aquatic vegetation may not be present.  Without adequate escape cover, young fish can be easily preyed upon by larger fish.  If too many young fish are consumed, balance problems may occur.  Adding fish structure is a great way to make sure your young fish are protected.  Brush piles, Christmas trees, pallets, and/or home made structures are all great for supplying fish cover. 

 

If you have any questions concerning your private pond or lake, feel free to contact your local Soil & Water Conservation District.  We can provide additional information and individual consultations if need be.