Category: Earth

"Mountains Matter" - public lands to explore this winter

1/4/2019

As temperatures drop and snow falls, many of America’s public lands transform into winter wonderlands while taking on a whole new "spectacular" personality.

#MountainsMatter: International Mountain Day 2018 Theme

Mountains matter yet they are often forgotten. Mountains play a vital role in providing essential "goods and services", especially water, to our planet. Mountain ecosystems are centers of biological diversity. These ecosystems, however, face severe threats from unsustainable land use practices (ex. overgrazing or non-conservation agriculture), illegal wood extraction, development of large-scale infrastructure (dams, roads) and unsustainable natural resource projects (fossil fuels, mining, & increased hydrocarbons). Our human well-being and livelihoods cannot be sustained without healthy ecosystems. Mountains also provide vulnerability in the "face of climate change", People living among mountains face subsistence challenges brought about by elevation, rough topography and even severe climate. https://adaptation-undp.org/projects/mountain-eba

"Going, Going, Gone" - Glacier National Park Photo by Marta Farrell

"Glacier National Park continues to lose its glaciers as global temperatures rise. Initially, this park had about 150 glaciers when it was founded in 1910. "Today, only 26 still meet the 25-acre threshold to be called a glacier." Credit: Jinrui Qu/CC-BY-SA-2.0

#MountainsMatter for Water: Think of mountains as the world’s 'water towers’, providing between 60-80% of all freshwater resources for our planet. Reliable resources indicate that glaciers in mountain ranges around the world are retreating and disappearing due to climate change. As many as 600 glaciers have disappeared completely over past decades, affecting water supplies relied on by billions living downstream.

Five Thousand Miles of Wild; "It's More than a River, it's our way of life."
https://www.5000miles.org/ #5000 Miles of Wild
In 2018, we celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act. We continue this celebration in 2019 as tribute to the 50th Anniversary of the Little Miami River being named a State and National Scenic River.
http://watercraft.ohiodnr.gov/Portals/watercraft/pdfs/maps/srLittleMiami.pdf

National Wild and Scenic River System

#MountainsMatters for Disaster Risk Reduction as climatic variations are triggering disasters. Avalanches, mudflows and landslides are tumbling downstream, stripping bare forests, flooding communities and populations.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Goodbye%2C_Glaciers.ogv

#MountainsMatter for Tourism: Mountain destinations attract roughly 15-20% of global tourism; these are areas of important heritage, knowledge and cultural diversity, . Such tourism has potential to affect or foster economic development especially in remote and isolated regions. Unfortunately, many mountain communities are not benefiting and still live in poverty.
#MountainsMatter for Food: Mountain regions are important centers of agricultural biodiversity; they are "home to many of the foods that come to our table"...rice, potatoes, quinoa, tomatoes and barley. Sadly, such regions are home to some of the hungriest peoples in the world given a high vulnerability to food shortages and malnutrition; climate change is directly affecting mountain agriculture.
#MountainsMatter for Youth: Despite magnificent landscapes, rural life in mountainous regions can be "tough", particularly for the youth; abandoning their villages in search of employment elsewhere has lead to an absence of young people. This directly increases labor shortages. Consequently, migration from mountain regions has lead to an increase in abandoned agricultural, land degradation to even forest fires. Consequently, many cultural values and ancient traditions are lost.
#MountainsMatter for Indigenous Peoples: Many mountainous areas host ancient indigenous communities that often posses and maintain unique knowledge, languages and traditions. Mountain peoples have developed unique land-use systems; they posses a wealth of knowledge and strategies that have accumulated over generations, including how to adapt to climate variability.
#MountainsMatter for Biodiversity: Half of the world’s biodiversity hotspots are concentrated in mountains where approximately 25% of terrestrial biological diversity is supported. Mountains are home to many rare wildlife such as gorillas, snow leopards, the majestic tahr and strikingly, beautiful plants such as orchids and lobelias. International Mountain Day is an occasion to create a large social movement that can bring mountain issues "at large".

Take a "step-up" and raise attention to mountains. #MountainsMatter

Lobelias
Few Lobelia flowering species extend into cooler temperate regions, generally known as lobelias.

Nilgiri tahr in Eravikulam National Park, India

"Human wellbeing and livelihoods cannot be sustained without healthy ecosystems." UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
https://adaptation-undp.org/projects/mountain-EbA

Some of the many "Public Lands to Explore in Winter" See: https://www.doi.gov/blog/20-public-lands-explore-this-winter

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

Gallery Photos by Marta Farrell

Seasons in the Smokies: https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?id=28D901AE-1DD8-B71C-078D04CCD4FBAFBC

Glacier National Park in Montana

Photo above by Bill Hayden, National Park Service

If you love snow, Mother Nature blankets the landscape in white at Glacier National Park. As the snow accumulates in Glacier, snowshoeing and skiing are among some of the favorite recreational activities in the park along with watching the wildlife come out to play.

Glacier National Park Gallery Photos by Marta Farrell

Yellowstone National Park

Photo above by the National Park Service

Winter at Yellowstone National Park indicates fewer crowds, frigid temperatures, and steaming geyser basins, hibernation or even migration. Skis, snowshoes and snowmobiles are often the primary modes of transportation as roads close, rivers and lakes freeze and snowstorms transform the park. One of the most amazing winter sights at the park is the ice dam at Lower Falls. Often growing over 100 feet tall, it’s known as an "astounding natural spectacle".

Yelllowstone N.P. Gallery Photos by M.J. Farrell and Marta Farrell

Starry Night: The Milky Way glows in the sky over a geologic formation known as Monument Rocks in Gove County, Kansas. The Milky Way is best viewed on moonless summer nights, far from the light pollution created by cities and towns. Astronomers believe our galaxy contains about 200 billion stars.

— Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle via AP

Year in Space Pictures - 2018: https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/year-space-pictures-2018-ncsl950631?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Morning%20Rundown%20Dec%2031&utm_term=Morning%20Rundown

Geologists create a basic unit called a formation to classify and map layers of rock. Thus, a formation is a rock unit that is distinctive enough in appearance that a geologic mapper can tell it apart from the surrounding rock layers; also, the rock formation must be thick enough and extensive enough to plot on a map.

"Formations are given names that include the geographic name of a permanent feature near the location where the rocks are well exposed. If the formation consists of a single or dominant rock type, such as shale or sandstone, then the rock type is included in the name." - By Christine Wilkerson, Utah Geological Survey "What is A Formation?"

Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado

Photo above by Carl Finocchiaro
"Cracks in Dream Lake create a gorgeous but perilous, natural tapestry at
Rocky Mountain National Park."
Always test ice first before walking on it; never take chances when walking on ice.
In the winter, enjoy site-seeing, watching wildlife, sledding, snowshoeing,
cross-country skiing, or hiking while exploring
Rocky Mountain’s spectacular mountainous environments.

Iditarod National Historic Trail in Alaska

Photo above by Kevin Keeler, Bureau of Land Management.

Encompassing a 1,500-mile system of winter trails, the Iditarod National Historic Trail initially connected ancient Alaska Native villages and opened up Alaska for the gold rush; it continues to play a vital role for travel and recreation. This trail is maintained by the Bureau of Land Management and it is often identified with the famous annual Iditarod - sled dog race. This annual race starts each year in March. There are upmost challenges the racer and the 21-dog team face given harsh conditions across rugged but beautiful Alaskan terrain. Meanwhile, dog mushing is the traditional Alaska winter transportation. Dogsledding, or the practice of a musher guiding a team of dogs pulling a sled over ice and snow, may serve multiple purposes. "Whether it’s a casual run along public recreational trails, racing against competitors, or hauling supplies, public lands have much to offer." -https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/recreation-activities/alaska

Whether it is Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter #ESCAPE the Indoors!

Also, check out America's State Parks: https://www.stateparks.org/find-a-park/

866-OHIOPARKS
866-644-6727

Ohio's Scenic Geology

Artist: C.R. Farrell

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Keep America Beautiful

11/5/2018

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November 15 - America Recycles Day
Take the #BeRecycled Pledge
www.AmericaRecyclesDay.org

REDUCE, REUSE
RECYCLE

Top 5 Impacts of Recycling:

SAVES ENERGY & RESOURCES: We use fewer natural resources such as trees, water and minerals when we recycle. Plus, it saves lots of energy when fewer raw materials are extracted and/or processed,
REDUCES LANDFILLS: Recycling means "less waste"; this cuts down on the need for landfills and incinerators.
PREVENTS POLLUTION: Extracting and processing raw materials leads to greenhouse gas emissions — recycling reduces this pollution.
GIVES GARBAGE NEW LIFE: When you recycle used items, you create something new (which is pretty cool).
CREATES JOBS: Growth in the recycling industry results in the creation of new jobs throughout the country.

Find local recycling information: https://berecycled.org/
https://earth911.com/

Take the Pledge -
America Recycles

https://americarecyclesday.org/pledge/

Explore ways to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle at Home, at School, at Work
& in your Community...

Learn how reducing, reusing, and recycling can help you, your community and the environment by saving money, energy and natural resources. Recycling programs are managed at the state and local level—find information on recycling in your community.

EPA: The 3 R's

"Student project leads to 1st foam tray recycler in state"

"What began as a Little Miami middle school research project has led to a first-of-its-kind Styrofoam tray recycler in Ohio." Instead of sitting in a landfill for centuries, used Styrofoam school lunch trays are being converted to paving bricks. After undergoing a process called densification (short 10 hour process), the trays are converted into a single square brick that feels like glass or tile but is solid as a rock. Densification involves removing air from Styrofoam and using heat to melt it into a liquid resin that, when cooled, forms bricks from bundling multiple foam lunch trays.

Foam lunch trays turned into reusable products:

Little Miami is the first school district in the state of Ohio to use a StyroGenie machine to create a closed-loop recycling system for the foam trays used in some of the district’s cafeterias. Findings included that this machine presented a possible cost effective path to reduce the schools’ foam tray footprint by more than 90%, reducing trash volume and waste disposal costs.

The StyroGenie is a thermal densification machine that reverses the foam manufacturing process by removing the air and returning the trays to a liquid resin. The resin is then cooled and formed into small blocks that can then be recycled and returned to a foam manufacturing facility to be made into new trays. The StyroGenie is manufactured by Foodservice Sustainability Solutions located in Marietta, Ga., and is used in other school districts around the country.
https://www.homeforfoam.com/styrogenie-recycling-lunch-trays-made-easy

Save money by decreasing waste removal costs:
"The StyroGenie is a low cost machine that is easy to use and is a responsible choice for the environment. Standing at six feet by four feet, the StyroGenie can hold up to 1200 trays in each cycle. While it takes about ten hours for the trays to be densified, the machine only uses the same amount of electricity as an average hair dryer. In addition, it operates without any moving parts or harmful emissions, making it safe for the environment." -

Little Miami Schools Food Service Director, Rachel Tilford, purchased the StyroGenie machine for the Little Miami District after learning about its existence through a group of middle school students (members of a local First LEGO League team). The team’s challenge in the 2015 competition was to identify a piece of trash to research and invent a solution to "help the trash problem". The students chose Styrofoam cafeteria trays; they researched ways on how to reduce waste in Little Miami lunchrooms. That’s when they found out about the StyroGenie.

View in the News video:

Little Miami Junior High Blog

https://www.littlemiamischools.com/little-miami-junior-high-blog/entry/student-project-leads-to-1st-foam-tray-recycler-in-state-421/for/

Thank you Mrs. Tilford for taking extra time to meet with Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District and with our LMHS Intern and Volunteer, Ms. Honigford.

We also extend our gratitude to LMJH Principal, Mr. Ryan Cherry, for sharing more about the recycling efforts on a "school wide" basis. We enjoyed learning more about this phenomenal idea and how the idea came about.. We hope more districts can "get on board".

Little Miami Recognized for Recycling Efforts
Little Miami’s efforts to go green received recognition from a local agency:

Warren County Solid Waste Management District

News Article

Other StryoGenies in the news - Lake Hills Elementary School, Michigan City,

"The school's trash output in the cafeteria has gone down from 52 to 15 bags a day."

The cost of the StyroGenie for Lake Hills Elementary was $12,000, "but it should pay for itself in two years from refuse disposal savings." Plus, "It's the right thing to do," - STEM coordinator at the school said,

Bricks were painted and placed in the school garden for decorative purposes and for a walkway incentive. The city's street department was contacted for additional use for the bricks.

"In addition to promoting a safe environment, the Styro-Genie shows students what is possible if they open up their minds." Lake Hills Elementary is also preparing kids to be problem solvers and creative thinkers as to solve some of the problems the world might have in the future.

Resources for Students and Educators:
https://www.epa.gov/recycle/reduce-reuse-recycle-resources-students-and-educators
Office of Environmental Education: epa.ohio.gov/oee/
https://epa.ohio.gov/oee/#131364250-environmental-education

Grants: Ohio EPA's competitive grants provide opportunities for communities, local governments, businesses and non-profit organizations to establish and implement recycling, recycling market development, litter prevention and scrap tire recycling programs. See what grants are awarded on an annual basis. Applications are generally available in October and the deadline for application is early February.
https://epa.ohio.gov/ocapp/recycling#1843210477-community-and-litter-grant

Additional Funding Opportunities: Ohio EPA has funding available for a wide variety of environmental projects such as helping communities plan and complete water and wastewater projects, promoting environmental education and reducing the impact of nonpoint source pollution. For more information about the funding sources available, click on the link below or view a summary of funding programs.
https://epa.ohio.gov/Do-Business/Get-Help/Financial-Assistance

Rural Action’s Zero Waste Pledge Program encourages local organizations to strive for zero waste. They help businesses and organizations achieve their goals by working one-on-one with them to identify waste that is being produced and ways to reduce it. The zero waste pledge shows the business is committed to using natural resources wisely, increasing its environmental consciousness, and supporting the local economy through waste reduction, recycling, composting, and reuse.
http://ruralaction.org/programs/zerowaste/our-services/pledge-program/

Rural Action Pledge - Zero Waste Businesses

We are pleased to have Little Miami High School Senior, Ms. Honigford, intern and volunteer with Warren County SWCD and the Warren County Water Department. We wish Ms. Honigford the best in her endeavors as she further explores environmental engineering careers.
https://www.environmentalscience.org/careers

Featured Photo: Ms. Honigford is assisting WCSWCD with a Stream Water Quality Monitoring event at the Little Miami River.

Ways to Volunteer:
WCSWCD (+sign up for our emails): https://www.warrenswcd.com/volunteer-opportunities.html

America's Natural and Cultural Resources Volunteer Portal: https://www.volunteer.gov/

Earth Team Volunteer: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/people/volunteers/

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Eat Local Challenge !

8/2/2018

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Green Umbrella’s Local Food Action Team (LFAT) is working to strengthen our regional food system by encouraging all consumers to take the 10% Shift: Eat Local Challenge.

Participants pledge to shift at least 10% of their food budget to local foods that includes homegrown items or those purchased from local producers and restaurants that serve locally-sourced foods. Are you up to a challenge: Make the pledge today!

PROMOTE LOCAL FOOD CONSUMPTION

National Farmers Market Week begins August 5!

To celebrate, LFAT members will assist shoppers with taking the pledge at markets across the region. If you’d like to help spread the word, sign up to volunteer at a farmers market or share information about the campaign using the hashtag #Shift10Local.

Warren County Ohio's Largest Playground - Farmer's Markets:

Find a diverse collection of farmers' markets, explore natural goodness, farm fresh tastes, hayrides, corn mazes and much more.
https://www.ohioslargestplayground.com/shop/farmers-markets/

Green Umbrella - Local Food Action Team - 2020 Goal:
"Double the production and consumption of fruits and vegetables
grown within our region."

Green Umbrella Regional Sustainability Alliance Mission: The Local Food team brings together local farmers, distributors, farmers markets, cooperatives, community gardeners, community supported agriculture organizations, health professionals, restaurants, extension services, educational organizations, government entities and processors to develop strategies to increase the demand for local foods, increase production and identify new markets for local foods.

You can participate by taking the 10% Shift to Local Food and pledging to shift 10% of your food budget to purchase local foods. Learn more here! You can also join in the work by joining Green Umbrella and attending Local Food Action Team meetings--typically held the first Thursday of the month. greenumbrella.wildapricot.org/Local-Food

Action Plan:

Strategic Plan 2017- 2018
Promoting local food consumption
Developing baseline data of production farms, farmers markets, processors of local food, etc.
Sharing best practices.
Collaborating to promote the annual Central Ohio River Valley (CORV) Local Food Guide.

Waste less, want more: Epicure Cincinnati aims to reduce unused food

Greener Living: https://www.epa.gov/environmental-topics/greener-living

Master Gardener Volunteers - OSU Extension

What is the Master Gardner Program? The Master Gardener Program provides intensive training in horticulture to interested gardeners, who then volunteer their time assisting with educational programs and activities for Ohio residents through their local Ohio State University Extension county office.

How can I qualify to become a Master Gardener?

You want to learn more about plants and gardening.
You are eager to participate in a practical and intensive training program.
You enjoy sharing your gardening skills or knowledge with others.
You have the time to attend training and serve your community as a volunteer educator.

Information about state-level Master Gardener Volunteer programs and activities is available at http://mastergardener.osu.edu.

Warren County Extension will be hosting the next Master Gardener volunteer class beginning in September 2018. This training will run through November. If you have any questions contact Beth Giffin at 513.695.1311 or giffin.4@osu.edu . The application deadline is August 17, 2018. You must be accepted to the program, attend an eight-week class, and complete 50 hours of volunteer activity. More information, including costs, a program application and a flyer can be found here: https://warren.osu.edu/program-areas/master-gardener-volunteers/becoming-master-gardener

Active Master Gardner Projects in Warren County, Ohio:
https://warren.osu.edu/program-areas/master-gardener-volunteers/active-master-gardener-projects

Working with county Extension personnel, Master Gardeners provide such educational services to their communities as: answering gardening questions from the public; conducting plant clinics; gardening activities with children, senior citizens or disabled persons; beautifying the community; developing community or demonstration gardens; and other horticulture activities.

Contact a Project Leader to Volunteer!
Local Ohio State University Extension Warren County Office:
https://warren.osu.edu/program-areas/master-gardener-volunteers

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June is...Great Outdoors Month!

6/20/2018

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Ever wanted to explore your local stream, but didn’t know exactly where and how? This summer Warren County SWCD are hosting stream encounters where residents can enjoy their local streams through guided educational opportunities and cleanups. While participating in beautification efforts, you will also learn about how we monitor for stream health. To register, go to: https://www.warrenswcd.com/stream-encounters.html

Check out these Warren County Events:

Harmon Park Stream Encounter - Tue, July 10, 10am – 12pm
Location: Harmon Park, 300 S East St, Lebanon, OH 45036, USA (map)

St. Susanna Stream Encounter - Wed, August 1, 10am – 12pm
Location: St. Susanna Catholic Church, 616 Reading Rd, Mason, OH 45040 (map)

Summer is the ideal time to connect with nature or #EscapetheIndoors.
During this Great Outdoors Month explore different activities that you can enjoy outdoors. Enjoy planing a fishing, boating, camping, hiking or even biking adventure!
https://www.greatoutdoorsmonth.org/

Event Planning:
www.greatoutdoorsmonth.org/activites-and-events

Volunteer Stewardship Opportunities:
https://www.warrenswcd.com/volunteer-opportunities.html
www.greatoutdoorsmonth.org/stewardship

Earth Team Volunteer:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/people/volunteers/

National Trails Day

As of June 2, kids and families can download the new Junior Ranger
"Let's Go Fishing!" Activity Booklet or pick up printed copies at a growing number
of parksover the summer. Follow #GoFishingInParks.

Warren County Ohio Park District: www.co.warren.oh.us/parks/

2018 Caesar Creek Events:
parks.ohiodnr.gov/portals/parks/PDFs/things_to_do/naturalists/CaesarCreek2018.pdf

Above Photos taken at Caesar Creek Nature Center featuring our wonderful host - Sarah Blair/ODNR, Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalists, Franklin High School Environmental Classes, Franklin HS Environmental/Biology Teacher Mr. Keith Vinson - 2017 Warren County SWCD Educator or the Year,
www.caesarcreekstatepark.com/nature-center.html

OHIO'S SCENIC RIVERS
Celebrates 50 Years of Conserving

Rivers, lakes and oceans - our blue spaces benefit both our physical and mental well-being. We rely on rivers for clean drinking water and as places of recreation and rejuvenation. Even the sound of moving water has a calming and restoring effect on the mind. Whether you are looking for a peaceful picnic or rest spot by a babbling brook, a scenic river-front hike or a place to paddle, you can find activities along Wild and Scenic Rivers that contribute to your good health.

Wild Scenic Rivers Health & Safety: www.rivers.gov/wsr50/files/health-safety-infographic.pdf

Roughly 65% of our nation’s drinking water comes from rivers and streams. Toxins that contaminate water can harm the human body, meaning that "good health starts with good water chemistry".

Ohio DNR: watercraft.ohiodnr.gov/scenic-rivers/program/designation

National Wild and Scenic Rivers System

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Many plants and some animals, such as freshwater mussels, can filter water by removing harmful chemical compounds. Since humans need assistance making sure the water we ingest is clean, protect your own health by understanding the ecosystems responsible for your clean water and helping your local watershed group clean up litter -
thus removing water pollutants.

Warren County SWCD Educational Services and Programs: https://www.warrenswcd.com/education.html

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Geology Rocks !

1/15/2018

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Glaciers to Great Lake: Ohio would not be what it is today without the impact of glaciers during the Ice Age. Glaciers left behind more than just till deposits in Ohio, glaciers also helped make Lake Erie. Check out this video and learn more about Ohio's Ice Age:
http://www.pbs.org/video/wptd-our-ohio-glaciers-great-lake/
(Running time: Approx. 2 minutes) - WCET Cincinnati, Our Ohio series

Kelley's Island, Ohio

Glacial Grooves State Park, Kelley's Island

These glacial grooves were carved out during the Pleistocene Epoch (the last Ice Age).

Stories in the Stones
Underneath the soils of Ohio lies a vast record of history embedded in
rocks and minerals:
http://geosurvey.ohiodnr.gov/news-events/multimedia-library

Etched section of hand sample of Columbus Limestone from quarry on Kelley's Island.
The circular feature is a crinoid columnal.

Ohio's Bedrock & Geographical Maps

Glacial Map of Ohio: geosurvey.ohiodnr.gov/portals/geosurvey/PDFs/Glacial/glacial.pdf

http://geosurvey.ohiodnr.gov/portals/geosurvey/PDFs/Education/el07.pdf

Flint is Ohio's official gemstone. Flint Ridge Flint is renowned for its color and beauty. In pre-historic times, flint was used by American Indians for tools, including knives and spear points. The flint polished stone is valued in jewelry making today. Licking and Western Muskingum Counties are known for having the most famous deposit of flint in Ohio; this area is better known as Flint Ridge. Flint Ridge Flint became Ohio's official gemstone in 1965.

Ohio Flint
http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Minerals_of_Ohio

Making arrowheads was one of the most common uses of flint by prehistoric people. Flint arrowheads were hard, tough and very sharp.
https://geosurvey.ohiodnr.gov/portals/geosurvey/PDFs/Education/el06.pdf

ODNR Division of Geological Survey

Ohio's Geological Walk Through Time
Located at the Natural Resources Park on the Ohio State Fairgrounds, this exhibit offers a unique learning experience for anyone interested in Ohio's natural history, including fossils, rocks & minerals, and more. www2.ohiodnr.gov/ohio-state-fair/geological-walk

Ohio Geology Crossword Puzzle

Geology.com

Geoscience News and Information - more on rocks, minerals...geology.com/

Learning about rocks and minerals gives a deeper appreciation of the story
behind the scenery in our National Parks. - National Park Service

Yellowstone National park

Rocks and minerals are all around us and used in our everyday lives. They also help us to develop new technologies. Rocks and minerals are used in building material, cars, roads, appliances and even in cosmetics. Humans need to consume minerals on a daily basis in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes strengthening the body. Abiotic features, like rocks and minerals, play a valuable role in our natural systems such as providing soil nutrients in Redwood where the tallest trees in the world grow or provide habitat like the cliffs at Grand Canyon National Park where endangered condors nest. We can learn more about Earth's materials, structure, and systems through studying rocks and minerals.

"Natural objects, such as rocks and minerals, contribute to the beauty and wonderment of the National Parks and should be left, as they were found, so that others can experience a sense of discovery." - https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/rocks-and-minerals.htm

Yellowstone National Park

Glacier National Park, MT

Waterton - Glacier International Peace Park World Heritage Site

Glacier's pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains, spectacular lakes
and wildlife are truly spectacular sites.

Glacier National Park

dEATH vALLEY nATIONAL pARK, ca, nv

Hottest, Driest, and Lowest National Park: Steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes in this "below-sea-level basin". Each "extreme has a striking contrast": towering peaks are frosted with winter snow, rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers, lush oases harbor tiny fish along with refuge for wildlife and humans. "Despite its morbid name, a great diversity of life survives in Death Valley."

Death Valley National Park

Not only a prestigious valley, but a "shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra." First protected in 1864, Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, one can explore deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area and much more.

Firefall over Glacier Point (left) and Horsetail Fall illuminated by sunset (right).

Yosemite National Park

Educators and Volunteers - "Natural Parks are America's Largest Classrooms!"
https://www.nps.gov/teachers/index.htm
Science in your National Parks: https://www.nps.gov/nature/index.htm

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world environment day

6/5/2017

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World Environment Day is a global celebration of nature,  a day to reconnect with the places that matter most to you. It is a "People's Day" of action to do something to take care of the earth and be an agent of change. The 2017 theme is connecting people to nature. Our personal connections to the environment fuel our desire to protect and conserve nature for current and future enjoyment. So today, think of your favorite spot outside and go there! Take a moment to breathe in deep and reflect on why this spot of nature resonates with you.
y?

One of my favorite spots to be outdoors in Warren County is Miller Ecological Park. Whether going for a hike or playing with my daughter on the Nature Playscape, I can submerge myself in nature even while still being in the city of Lebanon.

(Photo from MEP gallery)

Warren County Park District manages many beautiful areas where you can connect and enjoy the outdoors!

For a list of other wonderful parks throughout Warren County where you can get out into nature, visit https://trekohio.com/warren/

So on this World Environment Day, we encourage everyone to reconnect with the natural world around them, and remember why it is so important for all of us to be responsible stewards of our natural resources!

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See the Citizen Guide to World Environment Day for further ideas!

http://worldenvironmentday.global/en

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Fossils - Ohio's Hidden Treasures

4/22/2017

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What is a Fossil?

A fossil is the naturally preserved remains or traces of organisms that lived in the geologic past. There are two main types of fossils; body and trace. Body fossils include the remains of organisms that were once living and trace fossils are the signs that organisms were present (i.e. footprints, tracks, trails, and burrows).
- imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/geo/basics/fossil.htm

"Any direct evidence of ancient life, including the remains or traces of plants or animals. The term "fossil" does not include any life forms that have been buried since the beginning of historic time." - www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Fossil

Ohio's Geologic Timeline:
"Since the oldest sedimentary rocks
in Ohio were deposited first,
they lie below the youngest rocks.
Therefore, if a layer of sedimentary rock
lies on top of another layer of such rock,
the top layer is younger than that beneath it.
This holds true in Ohio EXCEPT in cases
where a force has disturbed the layers
after they were deposited." - www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Ohio%27s_Geologic_Timeline

geosurvey.ohiodnr.gov/portals/geosurvey/PDFs/Education/el07.pdf

ODNR Division of Geological Survey

Fossils of Ohio –
A great tool to help identify fossils found throughout Ohio, designed for use by beginners to professionals
geosurvey.ohiodnr.gov/major-topics/fossils-in-ohio

Most land in Ohio is private property. Always obtain permission before collecting fossils. Most public lands (local, state, or federal) do not permit fossil collecting, except in designated areas.

Fossils and Fossil Hunting in Ohio
Once covered by vast tropical seas and later by giant glaciers, Ohio's landscape features an abundance of fossils. The glaciated portions of Ohio are home to Ice Age fossils, including plants and ancient mammals. But southwestern and northwestern Ohio boast a wider variety of much older marine fossils, including the official state fossil Isotelus maximus. In fact, the greater Cincinnati region lures paleontologists, fossil collectors, and rock hounds from all across the country and beyond who seek and have discovered some of the best fossil specimens in the world.
- geosurvey.ohiodnr.gov/major-topics/fossils-in-ohio

Public Sites in Southwest Ohio - Visitors should contact park management staff prior to collecting to obtain any permits and/or rules that may apply.
Caesar Creek State Park (Clinton/Warren Counties) – Geology: Ordovician; fossils ranging from 450 to 500 million years old found in limestone forming the crest of the Cincinnati Arch. Collecting rules apply and a permit must be obtained at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's Visitor Center, which also features a display of fossils found at the park. For more information about fossil hunting at Caesar Creek, call (513) 897-1050.

Cowan Lake State Park (Clinton County) – Geology: Ordovician; fossils ranging from 450 to 500 million years old found in limestone forming the eastern edge of the Cincinnati Arch. Special permission to collect fossils must be obtained from Ohio State Parks. For more information, call (513) 897-3055.

East Fork State Park (Clermont County) – Geology: Ordovician; fossils ranging from 450 to 500 million years old in interbedded shale and limestone. Collecting rules apply. A permit must be obtained at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Visitor Center. For more information, call (513) 734-4323.

Hueston Woods State Park (Preble/Butler Counties) – Geology: Ordovician; fossils ranging from 450 to 500 million years old in limestone and dolomite forming the western edge of the Cincinnati Arch. For more information, call (513) 523-6347.

Oakes Quarry Park (Greene County) – Geology: Silurian; fossils around 425 million years old. Located in city of Fairborn, northeast of Dayton. For more information, call (937) 754-3090 or see ( Ohio Geology, 2008 No. 2[800 KB PDF].

Stonelick State Park (Clermont County) – Geology: Ordovician; fossils ranging from 450 to 500 million years old in interbedded shale and limestone. For more information, call (513) 734-4323.

Trammel Fossil Park (Hamilton County) – Geology: Ordovician; fossils ranging from 450 to 500 million years old in interbedded shale and limestone. For more information, call (513) 563-2985.

Ohio Geology Newsletter

drydredgers.org/caesar_creek.htm
www.fossilguy.com/sites/caesar-creek/caesar-creek-fossils.htm#trilobite

Ohio Trilobites GeoFacts

ISOTELUS: OHIO’S STATE FOSSIL

What are the oldest fossils?
The earliest evidence of life on earth is of marine animals, during the Precambrian era. But there is only sparse evidence of life before the Cambrian era. The oldest known Precambrian rocks, found in Africa and Australia, are believed to be more than three billion years old. The fossils found among them are of the oldest known organisms on earth. Usually, fossils found in these old rocks are microfossils, such as elongated bacteria, Eobacterium and other water environment fossils. Bacteria represents the first stage of recognizable organized life and scientists have found well defined remains of algae and bacteria from nearly two billion years ago.

Where are most fossils found?
The most common fossils are found in sedimentary rock. Sedimentary layers act as evidence of the changing climate or movement of the continents during the passage of time. The Law of Superposition or Steno's law states that in a pile of undisturbed sedimentary rock, the oldest bed will lie at the bottom and the youngest on top. Layers of strata in different locations may have the same composition but carry fossils of a different time period, therefore a technique of zoning or an index fossil is used. Index fossils are specific animals or plants that had a broad geographical distribution but existed for relatively short periods of time. These fossils allow geologists to establish a parallel between layers of sediment. Some excellent guide fossils are ammonites; each species lived for relatively short periods of time but had such a broad geographical distribution. They can be found today in stratigraphic rock layers often separated by great distances. The appearance of the same ammonite in different layers in different localities gives evidence that those layers were deposited at the same time. Each time period is marked by an abundant radiation of many new life forms or the mass extinction of past life forms.
- www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/paleo/fossils/index.html

Identification Guide for Common Fossils of the Cincinnatian

"Many world-famous paleontologists—geologists who study fossils—began their careers as youngsters collecting fossils in their native Ohio. Fossils from Ohio are important constituents of museum collections throughout the United States and Europe." - Fossils Collecting in Ohio ODNR GeoFacts
- geosurvey.ohiodnr.gov/portals/geosurvey/PDFs/GeoFacts/geof17.pdf

ODNR Division of Geological Survey GeoFacts

As previously conveyed, "Fossils" are the remains of an ancient organism or the traces of activity of such an organism. There are two types of fossils: body fossils and trace fossils. Body fossils include preserved remains of an organism (i.e. freezing, drying, petrification, permineralization, bacteria and algea). Trace fossils are the indirect signs of life that give evidence of the organism's presence (i.e. footprints, burrows, trails & other evidence of life processes). www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/paleo/fossils/index.html

What are cast and mold fossils?
Casts and molds are types of fossilization where the physical characteristics of organisms are impressed onto rocks, especially coarse porous rocks such as sandstones. Typically, the hard parts of an organism ( shells of mollusks, skeletal structures of coelenterates, bones and teeth of vertebrate, chitinous exoskeleton of arthropods, trunks of trees, and many sphenophyte ) leave the best impressions. These hard structures are usually composed of calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, silica, or chitin, and do not decay as easily. The rigidity of the hard body parts also allows the sediment to form around the organism. Soft body parts decay too fast for impressions to form and are not rigid enough for a mold to set around.

Fossilization Process:
The fossilization process begins when the whole organism or hard body part is trapped in sediments. Because most of these body parts are typically composed of substances which are soluble in carbonated water, this entrapment usually occurs in coarse and porous rock such as sandstones. The porous nature of the rock enables the carbonated ground water to permeate and dissolve the original tissue leaving a detailed mold of the organism.
Two types of molds result from this process: external and internal. An external mold is created with the dissolution of the organic which then leaves an empty cavity imprinted with the external details of the organism. An internal mold may form with hollow structures. The "shell" of the organism is filled with various inorganic materials such as sediment or crystals. When the shell dissolves, it leaves an impression of the interior surface of the shells (e.g., muscle scars) on the material.
A cast of the organism can then be made using the two types of molds. Natural casts are formed when minerals are deposited within the mold. Casts can also be synthetically created when the molds are filled or covered with synthetic material, such as latex or plaster of paris, to generate a replica of the organism. In this manner, cast and mold fossilization enables us to "recreate" the structure of the organism. However in the creation of the cast, some details of the skeletal structures are lost.
www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/paleo/fossils/casmol.html

BRACHIOPODS (Figure 1) “Lampshells” are sea animals with hard shells that were hinged at the rear. The Flood ripped the shells apart, burying piles of them in slabs of limestone.
BRYOZOANS (Figure 2) “Lace corals” were colonies of sea animals that lived together in connected modules, called zooids. The Flood tore apart these colonies, leaving only piles of broken “stems” and “branches.”
CRINOIDS (Figure 3) “Sea lilies” were animals that attached to the seafloor on long columns. The Flood tore apart their bodies, leaving only piles of broken pieces of the stems, called “columnals.”
https://answersingenesis.org/fossils/fossil-record/cincinnati-built-on-a-fossil-graveyard/

Types of Fossils:
Fossils undergo a variety of different fossilization processes, depending on the characteristics of the particular organism. There are various levels of fossil preservation, each containing its own clues pertaining to the organism. Fossilization at the cellular level varies in all organic compounds since not all cellular types are equally resistant to decay and decomposition. The same hold at the tissue level, where some tissue types are more susceptible to fossilization. The other two kinds include the organ level and organism level which provide information in the field of morphology and biology of the ancient organism. Although there are an endless number of categories, we will focus on the broader mode of classification.
Permineralization: is the occurrence of decay of organic substances and filling of mineral material into every cavity of the organism, still retaining most information about the fossil.

Compressions: the two-dimensional compression which retains organic matter of the organism.
Impressions: the two-dimensional imprint most commonly found in silt or clay, without organic material present.
Casts & Molds: caused by deposits of sediment in cavities of organism, resulting in a three dimensional model.
Compactions: preservation of organic material with slight volume reduction.
Molecular fossils: deals with chemical data, preserving organic material, but providing no information concerning the structure of the organism.
Freezing: ideal fossils that are rare, everything up to internal organs are preserved in cold storage.
Amber: biological specimen that is encased in the hardened resin of a tree, in which the entire body may be preserved.
Drying & Desiccation: fossils that have been thoroughly dried.
Wax & Asphalt: almost as good as freezing, but with the usage of natural paraffin.
Coprolites & Gastroliths: these categories deal with the indigestable remnants of meals.
Trace fossils: typically formed when an organism moves over the surface of soft sediment and leaves an impression of its movement behind.

Additional Links:

Visit one of these websites to learn and research more about Ohio's Fossils. This can assist you in identifying your own fossils. Schedule a trip to fossil hunt or tour a museum to explore fascinating exhibits and examine rocks, minerals, and fossils from Ohio and around the world....plus much more.

DRY DREDGERS – A CINCINNATI-BASED ASSOCIATION OF AMATEUR GEOLOGISTS AND FOSSIL COLLECTORS

CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY & SCIENCE – AT CINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER

ORTON GEOLOGICAL MUSEUM – AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF EARTH SCIENCES

Ohio's Geological Walk Through Time
Located at the Natural Resources Park on the Ohio State Fairgrounds, this exhibit offers a unique learning experience for anyone interested in Ohio's natural history, including fossils, rocks & minerals, and more. www2.ohiodnr.gov/ohio-state-fair/geological-walk

University of Cincinnati Department of Geology

Covered in Shells (Greater Cincinnati):
thenaturalhistorian.com/2011/09/14/covered-in-shells-how-many-fossils-are-there/

Smithsonian Natural Museum of Natural History - The Department of Paleobiology:
http://paleobiology.si.edu/index.html

Virtual Museum of Geology: www.virtualmuseumofgeology.com/

Other State Geological Survey Web Sites (via AASG)

Geology Departments at Ohio Colleges and Universities

Ohio Rock and Mineral Clubs—Listing from the Midwest Federation of Mineralogical & Geological Societies.

Geology and Science Education Web Sites

Science Education Associations

AGI Classroom Activities for K-12 Students

How are fossils found?
There are certain techniques that paleontologists might exercise to find fossils, but it mostly has to do with chance and luck. However, all paleontologists need a place to start. Paleontologists must have an extensive knowledge of the stromatolites, the different eras, and which environment was most suitable for certain organisms. With this information, a collector can eliminate certain localities in his or her search. For example, if a collector was interested in finding fossils of animals of ancient rocky shores, he or she would eliminate formations and beds in which remains are likely to be rare and poor. Paleontologists can also follow leads that other paleontologists or collectors have left behind in published reports. These clues help narrow the focus of the search. For example, marsh plants are most abundant in shales and sandstones between beds of coal, and coals are found in limy shales and massive limestones, many of which are the remains of ancient reefs. Using these techniques, the process of elimination, and perhaps some luck, paleontologists have retrieved many different fossils and animal remains from a variety of geological areas.

Conditions that lead to fossilization:
There are many conditions that contribute to the formation of fossils. The most common include the possession of hard parts, such as a skeleton or shell, and a rapid burial after death. Besides being tough and hard, the organism must come to rest in a place where it can be buried before it decays or disintegrates. If the organism is not buried deeply and quickly, aerobic bacteria will reduce it to rubble. Water, given enough time, can also dissolve it. For this reason, fossils of some organisms are more rare than others. The skeletons that contain a high percentage of mineral matter are most readily preserved. The soft tissue that is not intimately connected with skeletal parts is least likely to be preserved. Other conditions that lead to fossilization include resting an environment that was biologically inert, areas that are receiving a large, steady supply of sediment (deltas of major rivers), and parts of the earth below sea level compared to those above the sea level. The ideal place to become a fossil is at the bottom of a quiet sea or lake where the prospective fossil is safe from damage and can be covered rapidly with sediment. Clay offers excellent conditions where the sediment protects the tissues and helps to exclude predators and solvent water.
- www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/paleo/fossils/index.html

Trammel Fossil Park - "A Rocking Good Time"
http://www.familyfriendlycincinnati.com/2011/05/24/trammel-fossil-park-a-rocking-good-time/

"The Corryville Formation is named after the Corryville neighborhood of Cincinnati, near the University of Cincinnati. Fine particles settling out of the seas formed the shale layers that you see in the Corryville. These fine particles resulted from erosion and runoff from the uplifted Appalachian Mountains, east of this region. From the Corryville shale, some of the most rate fossils have been found. In many other local areas, the soft shale has eroded away. Trammel Park is unique in that the Corryville Formation is exposed and undisturbed."- http://local.aaca.org/siraaca/Fossils.htm

What do fossils tell us?
"Different fossils, depending upon how they were preserved, tell us different things. For example, fossils that are preserved in amber give us an extraordinary amount of information about the anatomy of that organism; since the organisms that are preserved in amber, mostly insects, are usually preserved intact without any disintegration of organs, muscles, and coloring. Even bones may tell a great deal about the soft anatomy. For instance, the area where the muscle attaches to the bone leaves marks that indicate size, shape, and functions of these varied organs. Also, the cavities and the the channels in skulls give us an idea of their intelligence, behavior, and their principle features. Certain parts of certain fossils can also tell us about growth, injury, disease, form, function, activities, and instincts. Fossils also record the successive evolutionary diversification of living things, the successive colonization of habitats, and the development of increasingly complex organic communities. Fossils can tell a great deal about their surroundings and the conditions under which they lived. Finally, study of fossils contributes greatly to the study of evolution. They are the only direct record of what has occurred in sequences of reproducing populations and in the course of the time on an evolutionary scale."
www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/paleo/fossils/index.html

Trilobite Fossils:
Trilobites are a group of extinct arthropods (similar to crustaceans) with a hard shell. They are common in Ordovician rocks in the Cincinnati Arch. Unfortunately, almost all are fragments. Occasionally whole ones are found. The whole trilobites are usually found enrolled. There are over a dozen trilobites found in this strata. The most common two are Flexicalymene and Isotelus.
www.fossilguy.com/sites/caesar-creek/caesar-creek-fossils.htm#trilobite

"This is a typical flexicalymene retrorsa minuens trilobite fossil that can be found at Caesar Creek. Flexicalymene trilobites in the Caesar Creek area are reduced in size and most often found enrolled. They are usually the size of a fingernail or smaller. When searching for them, they superficially look like tiny brachiopods, so take your time, look closely, and you may find one!"

Bryozoans are tiny colonial organisms, often mistaken for corals. The individual bryozoan is usually less than 1 mm in size. Bryozoan colonies can be branching, twiglike, fan-like, or encrusting. The entire colony is referred to as a zoarium. Some bryozoan colonies are smooth and others have monticules or bumps covering them. Each small opening or aperture was the home for an individual bryozoan or zooecium. The small animal seals the hole with a “door” or vestibule. They are difficult to identify without microscopic study. Sometimes the pattern of the apertures, size, or shape is characteristic and can be used for generic identification.

Brachiopods are marine animals that have a shell made of two valves, which usually differ in shape and size. Brachiopods are closely related to the bryozoans. Brachiopod comes from Latin and means "arm" + "foot" and bryzoan means "moss animal"

Brachiopods are solitary marine organisms that live between two valves or “shells.” They are very common in the Cincinnatian rocks of Ohio. They are externally different from the pelecypods (clams) in that the left and right halves of the brachiopod shells are usually mirror images of each other (see picture below). Internally, brachiopods are completely different from the pelecypods. Brachiopods feed with a special filtering organ called the lophophore which is located between the valves and attached to the brachial valve. The pedicle extends through a small opening or hole in the pedicle valve and is used as an anchoring device. The interior of the brachial valve is important in taxonomic differences between various species.

Crinoids

http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/oldbiomarkers.htm

Crinoids are echinoderms that live on a long stalk, or column. Their crown is similar to an upside down starfish. Cross sections of the column usually have a tiny star within them. Columns and columnals are the most common parts found, although occasionally a crown or calyx can be found. It is rare to find the entire crinoid preserved. Crinoids are classified taxonomically by the characteristics of their crown, which makes identification of individual columns and columnals difficult unless the crown is attached.

http://www.fallsoftheohio.org/Echinoderms_Crinoids.html

Crinoids are a sort of sea lily, an animal which attaches itself to the ocean floor, has a columnar stem and a flowery type of head. Crinoid comes from a Latin phrase that means "like a lily"

http://www.fossils-facts-and-finds.com/crinoids.html

Gastropods

The gastropods, or snails, are extremely diverse inhabiting marine, fresh water and terrestrial environments. Their shell can coil in a conical (conispiral) or in in single plane (planispiral).

Cephalopods are members of the phylum Mollusca and include squid, octopi and the pearly nautilus. Cincinnatian cephalopods were straight shelled squids. The siphuncle connects the cameras (chambers) together. The squid could pass air to the chambers via the siphuncle to make it float higher in the water or sink as it swam.

https://www.cedarville.edu/~/media/Files/PDF/Geology/fossil-identification-guide.pdf

https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC1JA03_fossil-identification-at-the-falls-of-the-ohio?guid=f2cfe9f3-0214-41b7-8a7f-7aa05aa96e67

Horn Corals

Phylum Cnidaria contains the corals, jellyfish, and anemones. Corals can be solitary or colonial. Corals have a rich fossil record because they excreted a hard calcium carbonate exoskeleton that preserves well. The Cincinnatian solitary corals are quite large, and are “horn” or “tooth” shaped. Individuals in the colonial corals are usually quite small, coralites being 1-3 mm in diameter.

Additional References:

Fossils of preserved remains can be:

Skeletons - such as bones of dinosaurs
Imprints - such as those of plant leaves on shale
Fossil Wood - in which the internal structure and external bark are well preserved due to
permineralization
Microfossils - fossils of organisms that can not be easily analyzed with the naked eye. Generally defined as fossils < 1mm
Resin - fossilized sap from trees which can trap and encase an organism. Often times referred to as "amber"
Casts - a hole left by a decomposed organism this has been filled in with another mineral,
taking the general shape of the past organism
Molds - a rock in which an organism-shaped hole (made from a decomposed organism) is
visible

Trace fossils are evidence left of past animal behavior. Some examples include:

Tracks - left by the movement of an animal; such as dinosaur
footprints
Burrows - tunnels left by the movement of a digging
organism
Coprolites - fossil feces used to study the dietary
habits of a past organism

Index fossils (sometimes called guide fossils) are a special category of fossils that only occur in a specific location(s), therefore are often used to identify and define specific geologic periods (or faunal stages).
www.virtualmuseumofgeology.com/fossils-gallery.html

What is Amber?
Amber is fossilized resin of a coniferous tree of early Tertiary. One of the differences between resin and sap is the latter's solubility in water since most of it is water from the xylem (water transporting system) of the tree.

In this type of fossilization, the organism is entrapped in a biologically inert environment and preserved as a whole. Intact insects are often found in amber, though they may be altered slightly. Many physical and chemical agents of abiotic environment (the oxidative air and temperature) and biotic factors (bacteria and scavengers) accelerate the decomposition of a dead organism. Avoidance of these factors aids in preserving the organism and in the amber formation.

The Process of Amber Formation:
Organisms fall or drop into the resin when it first exudes out of the tree. Essential oils, called Oleoresins, compose most of the first deposited resin. This substance is volatile and is often lost through the years. Additional resin then falls on top and gives the organism its typical suspended appearance. The resin then hardens through a process called polymerization and becomes less vulnerable to destruction. This hardened resin, called copal, has a higher chance of being fossilized than pliable resin.
As the copal ages, concentration of the essential oil decreases while the copal progressively oxidizes the resin and polymerization continues. The copal slowly turns into amber millions of years after the first entombment of the organism. The only way to differentiate between the two elements would be to put them through many physical and chemical tests such as UV light testing, burning, and various other tests.
The most famous examples of amber have come from the Baltic Sea region (Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Denmark, the former Soviet Union, Great Britain, Estonia, Latvia, and Holland). Because of the presence of microscopic air bubbles, Baltic amber tends to appear cloudy or milky. The hue varies with quantity and quality of the bubbles.
www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/paleo/fossils/amber.html

Ohio Geological Survey Multimedia Library

Geological Time Scale - Virtual Museum of Geology

Getting Into The Fossil Record - Teacher's Guide:
www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/explorations/tours/fossil/

http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/funstuff/games/pdfs/twist.pdf

http://files.havefunteaching.com/free-worksheets/grade/third/science/fossils-worksheet-2.pdf

Cincinnati Under The Sea;
www.cincymuseum.org/online-exhibits/cincinnati-under-the-sea

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Love from Nature!

2/14/2017

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Nature is full of wonder and inspiration! Making observations of our natural world can lead to many discoveries, and help teach us about the planet on which we live. As we celebrate those we love today, take a moment to celebrate the love of nature too!

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Blog COMMERCIAL Break!

2/6/2017

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Far Out!

"Water is critical to sustaining life on Earth."
NASA Hydrological Science Research Portal:
https://neptune.gsfc.nasa.gov/hsb/

NASA: SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive)

Study tracks “memory” of soil moisture
MIT News:
http://news.mit.edu/2017/smap-satellite-memory-soil-moisture-0116

The Apple and The Earth:
http://www.iupui.edu/~ghw/lessons/materials/EarthAppleFarmlandNov02.pdf

Carefully peel an apple in quarters (4/4).

In comparison, three-fourths (3/4) of the apple represents the amount of water on Earth and one-fourth (1/4) represents Earth's total land surface.

Yet, one-eighth (1/8) of this slice of land is "Uninhabitable and Non-Arable Land" - approx. 1/8 of the Earth's surface is inhospitable to people and to crops. This includes areas such as polar regions, deserts, swamps, and high or rocky mountains.

The other one-eighth (1/8) represents one-half (1/2) of Earth's surface in which people live, but cannot necessarily grow food.

If this one-eighth (1/8) of the apple is sliced into 4 even cross-sections, consider that three out of thirty-two (3/32) slices represent land in which people can live but cannot grow food. "Some of it use to be arable, but isn't any longer because it has been developed or turned into cities, suburbs, highways, etc., so it can no longer be formed. Governments have earmarked other areas, such as parks, nature preserves and other public lands to remain undeveloped forever".

This leaves 1/32 remaining, which we will call our "most valuable part" - our "topsoil". Topsoil is our dark nutrient-rich soil that holds moisture and feeds us by feeding our crops. "Currently, 90% of U.S. croplands lose soil above the 'sustainable rate'."

Some Facts About Farmland:
"Erosion by wind and water is the most serious cause of soil loss and degradation. Although it is a natural process, erosion is accelerated greatly by things like construction, deforestation, and unsustainable practices in farming and animal grazing.

In the U.S., soil is now eroding at 17 times the rate at which it forms (via 2014). The soil erosion rate is estimated to be double in Asia, Africa, and South America. In order to feed the nearly 80 million humans added to the population annually, 12 million acres of new land must be put into production.

More than 25 million acres of productive arable land are severely degraded and abandoned worldwide every year—that’s an area the size of the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota put together."

Warren SWCD: Preserving Farmland

How can we preserve farmland?

By not building on arable land: Land covered up by buildings, highways, and other forms of development can't be used for growing crops. In the U.S., nearly 2.2 million acres of land are converted to urban and other uses each year. About 25% of that land is former cropland.

By eating lower on the food chain: While over a billion people suffer from malnutrition or starvation, meat production requires a disproportionate amount of grain input. Producing a pound of beef in a feed lot requires seven pounds of grain, a pound of pork requires four, and a pound of poultry requires two pounds of grain. The land that is used to produce grain for consumption by animals is unavailable for growing grain for human consumption.

By reducing pollution: Pollution impairs the ability of the land and the seas to provide food that's both sufficient in quantity and free of contaminants.

By stabilizing human population growth: Food supply is an excellent example of the relationship between any resource and the size and consumption patterns of the population that depends on it. Simply put, the more people there are to feed, the less food there is to go around.

Source: http://www.iupui.edu/~ghw/lessons/materials/EarthAppleFarmlandNov02.pdf

ODA: Preserving Farmland
http://www.agri.ohio.gov/divs/FarmLand/

National Geographic: Before the Flood

Explore Climate Change Topics and Discover What Actions Humans Can Take

Author: Marta Farrell, Education Specialist

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Soils Sustain Life

12/15/2016

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Things that we depend on and need most for daily living includes food, clothing, shelter, water, and air. Consider how each of these needs depend on soil...
Without soil, there would be no life!

One teaspoon of soil can hold between 100 million and
1 billion bacteria and other organisms.

Looking at the bigger picture, energy is seen as critical, with sunlight as the ultimate source of energy.
Food, fiber (clothing), water, air and shelter – are all related to a single but often overlooked item: Soil.

What is Soil?
There are many soil properties that help us describe and manage soils. Some of the important physical properties are described below.

Soil Composition:

There are Three Phases of Soil:
SOLIDS, LIQUIDS, AND GASSES.

Soil composition is important for nutrient management. While minerals and organic matter hold and store nutrients in the soil, water readily provides nutrients for plant uptake. Air in the soil plays another integral role; the numerous microorganisms that live in the soil need air to undergo biological processes that release additional nutrients into the soil.

The basic components of soils are minerals, organic matter, water and air. The typical soil consists of approximately 45% mineral, 5% organic matter, 20-30% water, and 20-30% air. Water and air occupy pore spaces in various proportions. The proportion of air and water varies from one season to another. At optimum moisture for plant growth, 50% of the pore space possessed is divided roughly in half - 25% of water space and 25% of air space. Thus, soil may be described as a three phase system: solid, liquid and gaseous phase.

The solid phase of soil, including minerals and organic matter, are generally stable in nature. If organic matter is not properly managed, valuable organic matter may be depleted or lost from the soil. The liquid and gas phases of the soil, consisting of water and air respectively, are often considered the most dynamic properties of the soil. The relative amounts of water and air in the soil are constantly changing as per wet or dry conditions.

Sources:
http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/mauisoil/a_comp.aspx
agriinfo.in/?page=topic&superid=1&topicid=367

Soil Texture:
The particles that make up soil are categorized into three groups by size – sand, silt, and clay. Sand particles are the largest and clay particles are the smallest of this division. Most soils are a combination of the three. The relative percentages of sand, silt, and clay are what give soil its texture.

A clay loam texture soil, for example, has nearly equal parts of sand, slit, and clay.

Sand – 2.0 to 0.05 mm
Silt – 0.05 to 0.002 mm
Clay – less than 0.002 mm

There are 12 soil textural classes represented on the soil texture triangle below. This triangle is used so that terms like “clay” or “loam” always have the same meaning. Each texture corresponds to specific percentages of sand, silt, or clay. Knowing the texture helps us manage the soil.

Soil Texture Triangle

Estimating Soil Texture by Feel: http://doctordirt.org/files/dr-dirt/texture-feel.pdf

Soil Texture Calculator USDA/NRCS

Soil Structure:

Soil structure is the arrangement of soil particles into small clumps, called peds or aggregates. Soil particles (sand, silt, clay and even organic matter) bind together to form peds. Depending on the composition and on the conditions in which the peds formed (getting wet and drying out, or freezing and thawing, foot traffic, farming, etc.), the ped has a specific shape. They could be granular (like gardening soil), blocky, columnar, platy, massive (like modeling clay) or single-grained (like beach sand). Structure correlates to the pore space (aeration) in the soil which influences root growth and air and water movement.

Soil Color:
Soil color is influenced primarily by soil mineralogy – what is in a specific soil or the chemical composition. Soils high in iron are deep orange-brown to yellowish-brown. Soils that are high in organic matter are dark brown or black. Color can also tell us how a soil “behaves” – a soil that drains well is brightly colored and soil that is often wet and soggy will have a mottled pattern of grays, reds, and yellows.

Soil Mineralogy (Soil Science Teacher Resources):
www.soils4teachers.org/mineralogy

Dr. Dirt K-12 Teaching Resources: doctordirt.org/

Soil for Kids: soils4kids.org/

Soil Profile:

There are different types of soil, each with its own set of characteristics.

Dig down deep into any soil, and you’ll see that it is made of layers, or horizons (O, A, E, B, C, R).

Put the horizons together, and they form a soil profile.

Like a biography, each profile tells a story about the life of a soil.

Most soils have three major horizons (A, B, C) and some have an organic horizon (O).

The Horizons are:

O – (humus or organic) Mostly organic matter such as decomposing leaves. The O horizon is thin or thick in some soils, yet not present at all in others.
A - (topsoil) Mostly minerals from parent material with organic matter incorporated. A valuable material for plants and other organisms to live.
E – (eluviated) Leached of clay, minerals, and organic matter, leaving a concentration of sand and silt particles of quartz or other resistant materials – missing in some soils but often found in older soils and forest soils.
B – (subsoil) Rich in minerals that leached (moved down) from the A or E horizons and accumulated here.
C – (parent material) The deposit at Earth’s surface from which the soil developed.
R – (bedrock) A mass of rock such as granite, basalt, quartzite, limestone or sandstone that forms the parent material for some soils – if the bedrock is close enough to the surface to weather. This is not soil and is located under the C horizon.

“Be it deep or shallow, red or black, sand or clay, the soil is the link between the rock core of the earth and the living things on its surface.
It is the foothold for the plants we grow. Therein lies the main reason
for our interest in soils.”
- Roy W. Simonson, USDA Yearbook of Agriculture, 1957

Soil Degradation:

Soil degradation is a human-induced or natural process which impairs the capacity of soil to function. In 3000 BC for example, the Sumerians built large cities in the deserts of Southern Mesopotamia. Using irrigation, they farmed the desert soils and created large food surpluses thus making their civilization possible. However around 2200 BC, their civilization collapsed. Scientists still debate why; one reason may be tied to the soil. Irrigating in dry climates can cause a buildup of salt, a process called salinization. Few crops can tolerate salt. The soil in this region still remains too salty to grow crops. Other activities that degrade the soil include contamination, desertification, and erosion.

Soil is Inter-Disciplinary:

Soil has been a defining component of cultures since the beginning of civilization. Some of the first written words were recorded on clay tablets and water was carried in clay pitchers.

Soil provides the base for all buildings (although some may be able to support a skyscraper and some others may not be able to support your weight).
Soil holds the clues of past cultures (to be revealed by archeologists or erosion).
Soil supports the web of life (connecting all ecosystems).
Soil provides materials to build houses.
Soil is a source of nutraceuticals (defined in the American Heritage Dictionary as a food or naturally occurring food supplement thought to have a beneficial effect on human health).
Last but not least, soil provides the base for our food, fiber, feed, and even some biofuels.

Classification of Soils: The system is called Soil Taxonomy
•The highest level is the soil order (12 - USDA Soil Taxonomy)
•The lowest level is the soil series (often a place name)

The 12 Soil Orders

Soils influence the worldwide distribution of plants, animals, and people.

Soil Regions of Ohio - USDA/NRCS:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/oh/soils/

The Ancient Rule -“Whatever is affixed to the soil
belongs to the soil”
- (Anglo-Saxon Law)

Soil Experiments and Hands-On Inquiry: www.soils4kids.org/experiments

Get to Know Your Soil

Examine Your Soil Profile:
Understanding your soil profile will tell you much about how well your soil will drain and how deep your plant roots will be able to penetrate . As the diagram shows below, plant roots will be found mostly in the topsoil and subsoil. The deeper the topsoil and subsoil, the better your plants will be able to perform.

Testing Soil pH: The pH of your soil will affect how well some plants can perform compared to others, as different plants are adapted to different soil pH. Soil pH is a measure of the acidity and alkalinity. pH levels range from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral, below 7 acidic and above 7 alkaline. Soils usually range from 4 to 10. The pH is one of the most important properties involved in plant growth, as well as understanding how rapidly reactions occur in the soil. .For example, the element iron becomes less available to plant roots at higher pH levels. This creates iron deficiency problems. Soil pH can be adjusted to suit the needs of the plants that you wish to grow.

Crops usually prefer values between 5.5-8, but the value depends on the crop. The pH of soil comes from the parent material during soil formation, but humans can add things to soils to change them to better suit plant growth. Soil pH also affects organisms.

Soil testing kits and equipment can be purchased through catalogs and from local garden centers; however, their overall quality and dependability is strongly associated with, "you get what you pay for". Even a one degree difference in pH is an exponential amount. Given the expenses that can be incurred by making a fertilizer application error (e.g. too much or not enough), the expense of using a reputable soil testing lab is usually justified.

Contact Warren SWCD for a formal laboratory Soil Testing Kit:
www.warrenswcd.com/

Once you get to know your soil better and know it's pH, you can begin to improve your soil organically. If your soil is alkaline (pH 9+), additions of organic matter such as compost, worm castings, manure, etc. will help make the soil more acidic. Organic matter in the soil will help to attract and increase soil life which in turn will help break down insoluble organic particles into soluble plant food. Healthy soils will be full of life that in turn helps improve your soils. All life needs to feed and organic matter in the soil is what soil organisms feed upon. Continued applications of chemical fertilizers and pesticides can severely impact the soil life and soil condition.

Some soil may be considered too shallow, sandy, compacted...beyond repair. Raised beds and no-dig gardening can be further explored to grow food in varied conditions. Good healthy soil inhibits the growth of healthy plants that are less prone to diseases and insect attacks. Using organic methods to manage your soil will naturally improve productivity.

The Jar Soil Test: Identify Your Soil Type

Fill a clear glass jar halfway with your soil sample. (A pint or quart Mason jar works well with a tight lid).
Fill the jar nearly to the top with water, leaving 1' of air.
Attach and tighten the lid; shake the jar vigorously so that all the particles are in suspension and the clumps of soil are broken up.
Set your jar aside to rest, undisturbed, overnight. This allows the particles to settle, eventually separating into distinct layers of clay, sand, and silt.
When comparing the different thicknesses of the layers, you can work out the percentages of the different soil particle sizes and determine more closely your soil type. Measure the percentages of sand,silt & clay and apply them to the soil triangle to determine your soil type.

Read the Results of your Jar Soil Test

The bottom layer will be the heavier particles, sand, and rocks.
The next layer will be the silt particles.
Above that are the clay particles.
Organic matter may be floating on the surface of the water.
The color of the soil gives a clue to its character – light colors usually have less organic content than dark soil and dark soil warms faster in the spring.

There are three soil components – Clay, Sand, and Silt

Sand makes up the largest particles in soil structure. These are rounded, rather than flat and allows for larger space between the particles. Water drains quickly from the soil that has a lot of sand and the nutrients drain faster too. If your soil is mostly sand, the plants will need more water and fertilizer.

Silt represents the middle size pieces. It is made up of rock and mineral particles that are larger than clay but smaller than sand. Individual silt particles are so small that they are difficult to see. To be classified as silt, a particle must be less than .005 centimeters (.002 inches) across.

Clay is the smallest mineral component. These tiny flat particles fit closely together to create the greatest surface area of all soil types. Clay soil contains needed nutrients and also stores water well. So well in fact, that drainage is slow in clay soil. It is also the slowest to warm in the spring.

If your jar test is 20% clay, 40% Silt, 40% sand = Loam,
you have the perfect combination.

Measuring Soil Texture by Feel:

Soil texture is a measure of the relative proportion of the various soil particle size fractions in soil.
Soil texture affects the physical and chemical properties of a soil.
Field texturing is a quick method of determining soil texture, enabling an immediate interpretation of texture in a soil profile.

Estimating Soil Texture by Feel

Additional Texture by Feel video link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fufeaLBLGlk

Soil Science Teacher Resources K-12:
www.soils4teachers.org/lessons-and-activities/teachers-guide/soil-formation

Soils Sustain Life Overview:
www.soils.org/files/sssa/iys/edu-materials-kit/soils-overview-for-teachers.pdf

Soils are complex mixtures of minerals, water, air, organic matter, and countless organisms that are the decaying remains of once-living things. It forms at the surface of land – it is the “skin of the earth.” Soil is capable of supporting plant life and is vital to life on earth.

Soil, as formally defined in the Soil Science Society of America Glossary of Soil Science Terms, is:

1 The unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth that serves as a natural medium for the growth of land plants.

2 The unconsolidated mineral or organic matter on the surface of the earth that has been subjected to and shows effects of genetic and environmental factors of: climate (including water and temperature effects), and macro- and microorganisms, conditioned by relief, acting on parent material over a period of time.

So then, what is dirt?
Dirt is what gets on our clothes or under our fingernails. It is soil that is out of place in our world – whether tracked inside by shoes or on our clothes. Dirt is also soil that has lost the characteristics that give it the ability to support life – it is “dead.”
Soil performs many critical functions in almost any ecosystem (whether a farm, forest, prairie, marsh or suburban watershed).

There are seven general roles that soils play:

1 Soils serve as media for growth of all kinds of plants.

2 Soils modify the atmosphere by emitting and absorbing gases (carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and the like) and dust.

3 Soils provide habitat for animals that live in the soil (such as groundhogs and mice) to organisms (such as bacteria and fungi), that account for most of the living things on Earth.

4 Soils absorb, hold, release, alter, and purify most of the water in terrestrial systems.

5 Soils process recycled nutrients, including carbon, so that living things can use them over and over again.

6 Soils serve as engineering media for construction of foundations, roadbeds, dams and buildings, and preserve or destroy artifacts of human endeavors.

7 Soils act as a living filter to clean water before it moves into an aquifer.

Soils - NRCS/USDA

Web Soil Survey (WSS) - NRCS/USDA

www.soils.org/

Soil Formation is influenced by 5 interrelated factors:

“Each soil has had its own history.
Like a river, a mountain, a forest, or any natural thing,
its present condition is due to the influences
of many things and events of the past.”
- Charles Kellogg, The Soils That Support Us, 1956

Soil Formation – CLORPT – for short!

Soils differ from one part of the world to another, even from one part of a backyard to another. They differ because of where and how they formed.

Five major factors interact to create different types of soils:

Climate—Temperature and moisture influence the speed of chemical reactions, which in turn help control how fast rocks weather and dead organisms decompose. Soils develop faster in warm, moist climates and slowest in cold or arid ones.

Organisms—Plants root, animals burrow, and bacteria eat – these and other organisms speed up the breakdown of large soil particles into smaller ones. For instance, roots produce carbon dioxide that mixes with water and forms an acid that wears away rock.

Relief or Topography (Landscape)—The shape of the land and the direction it faces make a difference in how much sunlight the soils gets and how much water it keeps. Deeper soils form at the bottom of a hill because gravity and water move soil particles down the slope.

Parent material—Every soil “inherits” traits from the parent material from which it formed. For example, soils that form from limestone are rich in calcium and soils that form from materials at the bottom of lakes are high in clay. Every soil formed from parent material deposited at the Earth’s surface. The material could have been bedrock that weathered in place or smaller materials carried by flooding rivers, moving glaciers, or blowing winds. Parent material is changed through biological, chemical and environmental processes, such as weathering and erosion.

Time—All of these factors work together over time. Older soils differ from younger soils because they have had longer to develop. As soil ages, it starts to look different from its parent material. That is because soil is dynamic. Its components—minerals, water, air, organic matter, and organisms—constantly change. Components are added and lost. Some move from place to place within the soil, while some components are totally changed or transformed.

www.soils4teachers.org/files/iys/soils-overview-for-teachers-2016.pdf

“Essentially, all life depends upon the soil ... There can be no life without soil and no soil without life; they have evolved together.”
- Charles E. Kellogg, USDA Yearbook of Agriculture, 1938

Pedology, the study of soil, is a unique discipline.

Well-trained soil scientists are in high demand for a wide array of professional positions with public agencies or private firms. Here are some specific examples of positions held by soil science graduates:

Wetland Specialist
Watershed Technician
Hydrologist with Board of Health
Environmental Technician
State Soil and Water Quality Specialist
Soil Conservationist
County Agricultural Agent
Landscaping Business
Farming
On-site Evaluation
Crop Consultant
Soil Scientist, Mapping and Interpretation, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Research Gechnician
Conservation Planner
District Marketing Manager for an Agricultural Firm
County Conservationist
Crop Production Specialist
Research Scientist

www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/edu/?cid=nrcs142p2_054277

Where do you find soil career opportunities?
Soil Science Society of America - http://www.soils.org/
U.S. Consortium of Soil Science Associations - http://soilsassociation.org
Office of Personnel Management - http://www.usajobs.gov

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