Ohio’s native plants provide many wonderful benefits  to pollinators, Ohio’s economy, and the health of Ohio’s ecosystems.  We can see many of these common natives right here in Warren County!

Have you ever thought about your local storm sewer system? This may be a weird question to most but it occurred to me while I was watching a cartoon with my 6 year-old son that he probably felt that our local storm sewers were a place where weird, extra large, creatures lived. And before a couple years ago, I too, did not think too much about our storm sewer system. In fact, I had no idea that our storm sewer system is called an MS4 and is a part of a permit program to help protect our local waters. 

MS4 is short for, “Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System.” MS4 refers to a collection of structures designed to gather stormwater and discharge it, without treatment, into local streams and rivers. In Warren County, many of our rural developments have stormwater management structures but it is only the communities that are classified by the United States Census Bureau as “urbanized areas,” that are a part of the MS4 permit program. In total, Warren County has six MS4s.

In the State of Ohio, there are over 300 MS4s which include college campuses and hospitals. Each MS4 gets authorization from a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to discharge stormwater into these systems. This permit is also commonly called a stormwater or MS4 permit. The word “National” refers to the connection with the Federal Clean Water Act and the word “discharge” refers to the fact that separate storm sewer systems eventually release untreated stormwater into local creeks, rivers and lakes. Each MS4 permit holder is charged with fulfilling the permit requirements but it is managed statewide by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA). The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has an oversight role because they are charged with implementing the Clean Water Act.

The  MS4 permit requires communities to have six focus areas. The six focus areas are: Public Education and Outreach; Construction Site Erosion Control, Public Participation and Involvement; Post Construction Stormwater Management; Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination; Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping.  Each of these six focus areas have permit requirements including education and in some cases management of regulated activities. This permit work is crucial in helping keep our stormwater clean.
Some communities in Ohio do not have separate storm sewer systems and thus, are not covered under the MS4 permit program. These communities have combined storm and sanitary sewers, meaning stormwater and grey water from homes/businesses flow through the same pipe. Combined sewage systems are under different requirements federally because with increased rainfall overwhelming these systems, raw sewage ends up in our local streams and rivers, which is how these systems were designed many years ago. Many combined sewer systems are installing green infrastructure to help handle high rainfall episodes to keep sewage from overflowing into local waters. For an example of how Northeast Ohio is handling their combined sewer system, check out, https://www.neorsd.org/stormwater-2/.

In my realization of what storm sewer systems actually do, and that they do not serve as a housing system for unusually large, mutant, half human animals, I see now how important it is to protect our storm sewers and thus keep our MS4 system clean. All plants and animals must have water to survive. If there was not water there would be no life on earth. I challenge you to take part in the Imagine a Day Without Water which happens in October. You can check out ways to take part in this day at: http://imagineadaywithoutwater.org/.
For more information about stormwater, check out the Penn State Extension Stormwater Basics Series - https://extension.psu.edu/water/stormwater-management or check out the Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District at https://www.warrenswcd.com/.

-Cindy Meyer, Conservation Programs Specialist 

Simple, small changes in our everyday lives can make large impacts on the environment. With the approach of cold winter weather, some of these changes can also make a big impact on your economic savings! Here are a few conservation and energy saving tips for this winter:

Properly plug drafty leaks Conserve energy and money by weather-stripping and caulking air leaks in windows and around doors. Reducing drafts in a home greatly reduces energy use and cost which is good for your wallet and the environment! 

Choose a safe De-Icer  Shoveling your snow into areas that are level and able to absorb the water once the snow has melted decreases ice build up, and allows potential pollutants from roadways and driveways to be filtered out by plants before reaching our streams. If salting is necessary for safety, remember that chemical de-icing salts that wash off of impermeable surfaces run into our local streams where is it harmful to the fish and other aquatic life. Sweep up excess salt and dispose of properly. An alternative to conventional de-icing salt is to purchase de-icer made from calcium magnesium acetate (CMA), potassium chloride (KCl), or calcium chloride (CaCl2). These are non-toxic de-icing products that do not have the same negative impact on the environment.

Recycle Your Old Christmas Lights  As we decorate our homes, some of us may have found we have a few strands of lights that no longer twinkle. Instead of trashing them, recycle them. Find a drop off location here.

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​Zero Waste Gifts  Instead of giving items that also come with lots of packaging for all of your gifts, consider giving the gift of amazing experiences! These gifts create memories that last a lifetime in our hearts, and not a lifetime in the landfill.

Reusable Bags For your holiday gifts that do require wrapping, use reusable bags and cloth  packaging. This includes buying those yummy holiday foods. When you hit the grocery, remember to bring along your reusable bags! During our stream cleanups we always find plastic bags caught up in the stream or wrapped around trees. By using reusable bags, you are reducing the number of plastic bags in our landfills and in our environment.​​

Buy Local, Seasonal Produce Season-appropriate produce requires less energy for transport, is less expensive and often tastes better than out of season produce which must be shipped long distances. According to the Ohio Farm Bureau, late autumn produce includes apples, beets, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cilantro, corn, grapes (table), kale, onions, parsnips, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, spinach, squash, tomatoes, turnips, and watermelons. There is a little something for everyone!

​So stay savvy and sustainable this winter season!

As the arboreal leaves turn vibrant reds and oranges, some of us may be noticing a browning in our backyard gardens as tomato and pepper plants are coming to the end of their season. Depending on the weather, October can be an ideal time in Ohio to keep giving your garden a little bit more love and attention. And set your gaze on next season's success!

Fall garden basics:

• Clean up and remove dying foliage.
• Remove green tomatoes from the plants and allow to ripen (Can place in brown paper bag)
• Harvest fall crops like beets, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, kale, and leeks.
• Plant spring-blooming bulbs.
• Plant cool-season annuals. (Cover on nights when a frost is expected)
• Plant trees and shrubs.
• Collect and dry seed
• Get your soil tested and add amendments as needed (Warren County SWCD sells basic and organic soil test kits)
• .Amend your soil with a dressing of compost
• Turn your compost pile.
• Use your garden debris and leaves to start a new compost pile.

These steps will help you prepare your garden for the coming winter dormancy.  Other steps you can take include pruning back appropriate perennials, mulching your leaves to use as free fertilizer, and planting a cover crop to suppress weeds, manage soil erosion, help build and improve soil fertility and quality, control diseases and pests, and promote biodiversity.
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​Gardening is a wonderful way to connect with the outdoors and provide local sustenance, And by following conservation gardening techniques, you can maximize your garden yield while working in harmony with the local environment!