A straw for your soft drink, a candy bar wrapper, a plastic bag to carry groceries: taken individually they seem undamaging but together they are overwhelming our natural systems. Since the 1950s, the production of plastics has outpaced other materials. Many of the plastics that are produced are meant to be thrown away after just one use. These include items such as grocery bags, food packaging, bottles, straws, containers, cups, cutlery, etc.  According to the US EPA, in 2018 landfills received 27 million tons of plastic.

Most plastics do not biodegrade. Instead they slowly break down into smaller fragments known as microplastics. Plastic waste causes a plethora of problems when it leaks into the environment. Plastic bags can block waterways and exacerbate natural disasters. By clogging sewers and providing breeding grounds for mosquitoes and pests, plastic bags can increase the transmission of vector-borne diseases like malaria. High concentrations of plastic materials, particularly plastic bags, have been found blocking the airways and stomachs of hundreds of species. Plastic bags are often ingested by turtles and dolphins who mistake them for food. There is evidence that the toxic chemicals added during the manufacturing of plastic transfer to animal tissue, eventually entering the human food chain.

Making small changes to reduce plastic in our everyday lives can help the plastic situation. Here are some ways that you can help reduce your consumption of plastics in your household:

1. Bring your own reusable straw with you to use in restaurants.
2. Use reusable produce bags and grocery bags and keep them in the car ready for use.  A single plastic bag can take 1,000 years to degrade.
3. Choose products that are boxed instead of bottled.
4. Reuse containers for storing leftovers or shopping in bulk.
5. Use a reusable bottle or mug for your beverages.
6. Pack your own reusable fork, spoon and knife.

When you cannot eliminate plastic completely, make sure to recycle plastic when you are finished with it.  Many options exist for recycling materials either through your municipality or other organizations.  From terracycling wrappers to recycling specialty plastics, make sure to contact your local solid waste district to find out local recycling options. For Warren County residents, you can contact Warren County Solid Waste District at 513.695.1209, or visit  https://www.co.warren.oh.us/solidwaste/

It is very rewarding to grow your own veggies and to have showy flower beds! Utilizing compost is a great way to create thriving gardens and increase the porosity of your soil and give you the gardens you have always wanted! Through composting you enhance your garden’s ability to grow healthy plants while reducing your volume of trash.
Compost strengthens the soil food web, which is made-up of microscopic bacteria and fungi, along with earthworms, insects and many other life forms. Fungi form mutually rewarding partnerships with plant roots, making it possible for vegetables to feed themselves more efficiently. The addition of composted materials also improves soil physical properties, such as tilth, infiltration, drainage and water-holding capacity.
Compost is decomposed organic matter. It can be made from leaf/grass debris, food scraps, manure from animals or other organic materials. It can be bought or you can make your own. The key is to ensure that it cannot be distinguished from what it once was! If your product still has distinguishable items (banana peels, manure clods, etc.) in it, key nutrients like nitrogen will be used to break down this material instead of being available to the plants.

For example, if large quantities of uncomposted leaves are incorporated into the soil, microbes will compete with plants' roots for soil nitrogen during leaf decomposition. This competition for nitrogen can result in nitrogen deficiency and poor plant growth. Composting breaks down organic materials into an end product that increases the availability of essential minerals, such as potassium and phosphorous, to growing plants and reduces the competition for nitrogen.

Composting at Home
Composting at home is a great way to keep food wastes (non-animal) products out of our landfills and it is fairly easy to do! You need to make sure that you have a good ratio of “greens” or nitrogen and “browns” or carbons and is much like a recipe. It is referred to as the C/N ratio.  The C/N ratio refers to the amount of carbon ( C ) and nitrogen ( N ) in materials that are added to a compost pile. The preferred C/N ratio is 25 to 30 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen. Materials categorized as "brown," such as straw, contain more carbon than nitrogen and have higher C/N ratios than "green" materials such as fresh green grass. A compost pile will decompose faster at lower C/N ratios, with more green material, however, much of the nitrogen used by decomposers as energy will be lost more quickly and will need to be replenished. If too much brown material has been added to the pile, the pile will decompose slowly.

Acceptable items to compost:
"Green" materials

• Fresh leaves, plant cuttings and weeds
• Thatch
• Grass clippings. Though they will compost, they will also benefit your lawn if left to decompose on your yard.
• Fruit and vegetable peels and other fruit wastes
• Manure
• Coffee grounds and tea bags

"Brown" materials

• Dead weeds and dry leaves
• Clipped brush
• Wood ash
• Egg shells
• Sawdust
• Wood chips
• Straw

 
What not to include in the pile

• Meat
• Bones
• Cheese, salad dressing, oils and other fats; they can cause odors and attract animals
• Plant material with visible signs of disease or insect infestation
• Weeds that can easily grow from root or stem cuttings
• Check with local and county codes as some materials such as raw animal manure may be prohibited in a compost pile
• Human and pet waste

 
For most efficient composting, use a pile that is between 3 feet cubed and 5 feet cubed (27-125 cu. ft.). This allows the center of the pile to heat up sufficiently to break down materials.  Smaller piles can be made but will take longer to produce finished compost. Larger piles can be made by increasing the length of the pile but limiting the height and the depth to 5 feet tall by 5 feet deep; however, large piles are limited by a person’s ability to turn the materials. You may also want to have two piles, one for finished compost ready to use in the garden, and the other for unfinished compost.

For questions regarding Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District programs and/or technical assistance on water or soil questions, visit http://warrenswcd.com or call, 513-695-1337. 

Did you know that Ohio has a diverse population of dragonflies and damselflies? According to Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio has approximately 164 recorded species. Their brilliant colors and striking markings make them very fun to watch. The immature stages of all species are aquatic, and these animals are found in lakes, rivers, ponds, and streams throughout Ohio.  Although many dragonflies and damselflies are prevalent, 13 species in Ohio are listed as endangered. These amazing creatures are indicators of excellent water quality and serve as barometers of the health of our waterways.

The family Odonata, which includes both the dragonfly and damselfly, has an amazing life cycle. According to Ohio Department of Natural Resources, “adults live a few weeks to a few months. The adults exist to reproduce and serve as great predators of insects such as mosquitoes and flies.”

“Mating dragonflies are referred to as being in tandem, and they couple together using specialized clamp-like structures. When transferring sperm, the pair assumes a ring-like position called the wheel position; somewhat suggestive of a valentine heart. Soon after mating, the adult female places her eggs into an appropriate substrate in a process called ovipositing. Depending upon the species, eggs might be deposited into water, saturated soil, on aquatic plants, or even drilled into plants or wet wood. From the eggs hatch larvae, which are sometimes called nymphs. These larvae are highly predatory, and are completely aquatic. In some species, larvae may take four years to reach the point of transformation into adults – far longer than the adult will live. When the larva is ready to transform to an adult, it crawls from the water and climbs onto adjacent plants. In an amazing metamorphosis, an adult dragonfly bursts from the shell of the larva.”

It is easy to tell the two apart. Damselflies have slender wings held over their back when at rest while the dragonfly has broader wings held outstretched at rest. Both species can be seen throughout the summer months near unpolluted water bodies such as rivers, streams, lakes, marshes, swamps, bogs, fens, or even temporary rain-pools.

Dragonflies and damselflies are among the only species that can fly in any direction (forward, backwards, and any other direction). These predators can change directions at lightning speeds to hunt for food – making them one of the most skillful aerial creatures.
Warren County Soil and Water recognizes the importance of the Odonata species, that’s why we have adopted Dagmar the dragonfly as our new education mascot! Dagmar can be seen at local events throughout the County in the Summer of 2021!

For more questions regarding Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District programs and/or technical assistance on water or soil questions, visit http://warrenswcd.com or call, 513-695-1337. 

Additional Resources: 

• Ohio Department of Natural Resources Field Guides - https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-ODNR/wildlife/documents-publications/backyard-wildlife-documents
• The Ohio State University, Ohio Dragonfly Survey - https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-ODNR/wildlife/documents-publications/backyard-wildlife-documents

April is Native Plant Month in Ohio!  And while many of us wish to incorporate native plants into our landscape, some of us are dealing with shade in that landscape and struggle to find what might grow in this environment. Native shade loving plants are a nice choice for shady areas because it is an opportunity to mimic a naturalized forest structure. Native plants add  biodiversity needed to attract beneficial insects and songbirds that are generally found in wooded areas

According to the University of Delaware, research shows that aiming for a minimum of 70% native plant cover in your landscape is essential to provide enough food to support birds into adulthood. Researchers termed the areas with less than 70% a “habitat sink” or a place that is insufficient to support long-term bird survival or the survival of their young.
As with any type of garden you must consider the growing conditions (moisture, soil type, light, pH). With shade gardens you also need to ask yourself, what type of shade does your garden have? Is some light being filtered through the trees? Or is it shady part of the day and sunny the rest?

Typically, light shade means that the growing area has between 3-5 hours of direct sun. Partial shade equates to about 2 hours of sun a day and full shade means less than an hour of sun per day. In the case of dense shade, or no direct sun, growing conditions can be very limited and one should consider the fact that no plants may survive in this type of growing situation.  Some native woodland species that attract beneficial insects to consider for your shade garden are:

• Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) – Grows in part to full shade and in moist, well-drained soils.
• Celandine Poppy or Wood Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum) – Grows in part to full shade with rich, humus/loam, well-drained soils.
• Zig Zag Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis) – Grows in part to full shade with dry, well-drained soil.  
• Sessile Trillium (Trillium sessile) – Grows in part shade to full shade with rich, moist, well- drained woodland soils.

Some plants are harder to find but you should never collect from the wild unless you have obtained a permit or you have express permission from the landowner. Native plants should be purchased from nurseries that propagate native plants and do not collect from the wild.

Native plants provide many benefits to us, our natural resources, and local ecosystem. These benefits include but are not limited to water conservation, filtering out water pollutants, lowering maintenance requirements, and providing vital habitat for birds and many other species of wildlife.

For information on the Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District annual plant sale go to https://www.warrenswcd.com/. If you have additional questions, please contact the Warren County Soil and Water Conservation office at 513-695-1337.

Spring is a time of awakening when the cold of winter starts getting shrugged off to make room for the warmth which accompanies new growth in the natural world. 
For birders, it is exciting because of the return of migratory spring birds!  From songbirds to shorebirds and even some waterfowl, about 200 species of neotropical migratory birds annually make this incredible trip that spans continents. Final destination nesting grounds for these birds vary widely throughout the United States and north into Canada, but all require stopover sites where they may rest and refuel for the next leg of their trip.
If you want to help these birds in their spring preparations, consider bird-friendly landscaping that includes native, early-blooming trees, shrubs and flowers with colors that attract birds. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, it is important to plant these 7 important plant groups:.

• Conifers: Evergreens such as pines, spruces, firs, arbor vitae, and junipers provide excellent shelter, nest sites, and food. For example, some northern finches specialize on extracting seeds from conifer cones, and some hummingbirds take insects and sap from the tips of conifer branches when they first return in spring.
• Wild grasses and forbs: Untrimmed wild grasses (as opposed to closely cropped lawn grass) as well as “weeds” provide cover for ground-nesting birds. Their seeds provide abundant food for many birds.
• Nectar producers: Flowers, especially those with tubular red corollas, attract hummingbirds and orioles. Insects attracted to these plants also serve as food for many birds.
• Summer fruits: Cherry, chokecherry, native honeysuckle, raspberry, serviceberry, blackberry, blueberry, native mulberry, and elderberry provide food for many birds during the breeding season.
• Autumn fruits: Dogwoods, mountain ash, cotoneasters, buffalo-berries, and other fall-bearing fruit and berry plants provide food for migratory birds, both to build up fat reserves before migration and to sustain them along their journey. Non-migratory birds also fatten up on these so they can enter the winter season in good physical condition.
• Winter fruits: Plants that hold onto their fruits long after they ripen in the fall provide a winter food source for winter residents and early-returning migrants. Robins, waxwings, Pine Grosbeaks, and mockingbirds are among the birds drawn to fruit trees in winter. Crabapple, snowberry, native bittersweet, sumacs, viburnums, American highbush cranberry, eastern wahoo, Virginia creeper, and winterberry (holly) are all valuable for these birds.
• Nuts and acorns: Oaks, hickories, buckeyes, chestnuts, butternuts, walnuts, beeches, and hazels provide food for titmice, jays, turkeys, some woodpeckers, and other “mast-eaters.” Insects drawn to their spring flowers provide food for spring-migrating birds. These trees also provide nesting habitat for many species.

Last but not least, you should think about offering a water source for your birds. If you already have a natural source that is great, but if you don’t, offering a bird bath will help to provide water for drinking and preening.

For more questions regarding Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District programs and/or technical assistance on water or soil questions, visit http://warrenswcd.com or call, 513-695-1337.