Earth is the only known planet in our solar system that humans can live on. ​No other planet has oceans, Earth is also our only known planet to have bodies of liquid water on its surface and enough oxygen to comfortably breathe. Because we have so much water, Earth is is also referred to as the Blue Planet.​ The oceans combined with the atmosphere makes our planet look blue from outer space.

​An estimated 780 million people live without clean, accessible drinking water. Drinking contaminated water can lead to a host of life threatening diseases. Although this may seem like a third world problem, Flint, Michigan showed us that water problems even plague the United States.

Our wildlife also require access to clean water. Every year, countless animals die as a result of water pollution. Pollution can occur in many ways, from physical litter to wastewater and chemical runoff, which causes the water to become toxic to the animals that depend on it for drinking and habitation.

​Many of the environmental problems we are coping with are intertwined — such as climate change and ecosystem degradation are related to and sometimes direct causes of water pollution, floods and droughts. — https://nationaltoday.com/world-water-day/

2019 Caesar Creek Lake Calendar of Events:
​parks.ohiodnr.gov/portals/parks/PDFs/things_to_do/naturalists/USACECaesarCreek2019.pdf

​"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

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

​​#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.

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

​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".

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.

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?"

​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

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

​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.

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.

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.

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

​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

​The excitement was contagious as the students gathered on the morning of April 24th for the opening of the 2018 Area IV Envirothon, cheering the professionals who had prepared the tests that students would be taking a short bit later at the testing sites. Not even the threat of rain, which thankfully never amounted to more than some misty conditions and a few drops here and there, dampened enthusiasm. Students and teachers who are veterans of the event know to dress for the weather. The Envirothon offers a unique opportunity for students to learn from professionals who work in different aspects of natural resources conservation.
 
Competition was intense. Each team consists of five students. An adult advisor must accompany the team, but is not permitted to assist the team during the competition. Students and their teachers had spent many hours preparing, pouring over study guides, participating in practice Envirothons in their home counties, securing busing and learning from natural resources professionals. Over the next few hours, 92 teams made up of over 450 students from an 18 county area in the South West corner of Ohio worked to answer questions on the topics of Aquatic Ecology, Forestry, Soils, Wildlife and the Current Environmental Issue (CEI) of Rangeland Grazing. Five teams from Warren County competed in the competition; 2 teams from Franklin High School and 3 teams from Kings High School
 
The 2018 Area IV Envirothon was hosted by Montgomery County.  Each year, a different team of SWCDs plan and host the event. This year, the Montgomery and Miami SWCDs collaborated to host the event at the beautiful and diverse Possum Creek MetroPark. Possum Creek was a perfect fit, with its mix of high quality habitats all situated in close proximity to one another. The hosting Five Rivers MetroParks staff were very accommodating and worked with the committee closely to make sure the contest had what was needed and flowed smoothly.
 
Major sponsorship for the Area IV Envirothon comes from Cargill, Inc., Honda of America and the 18 Soil & Water Conservation Districts in Southwest Ohio. Test writers were professionals who represented Five Rivers MetroParks, the Miami Conservancy District, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
 
The top scoring teams for 2018 were from Centerville (1st and 3rd), Beavercreek, and Russia High Schools. The top four teams from the event advance to the Ohio Envirothon, where they will compete with top teams from the other four areas in the state.  The winning team from the Ohio Envirothon then advances to the North American Envirothon, which in 2018 will be held in Idaho. 

This event is a true example of many groups working together to provide a wonderful opportunity for students to learn through experience! These contests are open to any Warren County schools. If you have a school that would like to participate or learn more, please contact Warren County SWCD Education Specialists Melissa Proffitt or Marta Farrell.

About Envirothon
The ENVIROTHON is an environmental high school competition designed to stimulate, reinforce and enhance interest in the environment and natural resources among high school students. Students are tested on their knowledge of soils, forestry, wildlife, aquatic ecology and current environmental issues. In addition, the Envirothon encourages cooperative decision-making and team building. While each student on a team is challenged to contribute his or her personal best, the score that counts at the end of the competition is the team score. A team consists of five students, all from the same high school. An adult advisor (or advisors) must accompany the team, but is not permitted to assist the team during the competition.
High School students across the state compete on the local level at one of the five Area Envirothons. The top four teams from each Area Envirothon go on to compete at the state competition held each year in June for the title of State Champion. The State Champion from Ohio will compete at the NCF Envirothon held annually in North America.
For more information, visit: ​https://www.envirothon.org

The National Ag Day program believes that every American should:

• understand how food, fiber and renewable resource products are produced.
• value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy.
• appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products.
• acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food, fiber and renewable resource industries.​

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

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

That beautiful sentiment about autumn was expressed by William Cullen Bryant, an American nature poet and journalist. Born on November 3, 1794 in Massachusetts, he grew to have a love of science and geology which he reflects upon through his written work. His  poetry focusing on nature has been described as a metaphor for truth, and established a central pattern in the American literary tradition.​

Working in the education field, there is a continuous movement to support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics) and the sister educational approach STEAM which also incorporates the Arts.  Taking a holistic approach to education and allowing these different spheres to influence and support the others provides multiple avenues for different style learners to thrive.  
​
The philosophy of STEAM revolves around the concept:
STEAM = Science & Technology interpreted through
Engineering & the Arts, all based in Mathematical elements.

Just as all of the natural processes on earth are interconnected, so too are the ways in which we perceive and learn about the world.  And what better way to celebrate this concept than to use poetry to reflect upon the beauty of nature!

Summertime often finds kids playing and connecting to the outdoors, soaking up the sun and fresh air.  As we head into the last months of summer, WCSWCD encourages fostering those outdoor connections all year long!  Our Education Specialists are excitedly gearing up for the oncoming school year. Bringing environmental science programs about natural resources to local schools gives us the opportunity to connect with students of all ages on these fun topics.  From learning about stream health by following Fred the Fish in early elementary grades, to examining current environmental issues and best management practices in high school classes, we LOVE the chance to enhance learning through hands-on inquiry and games.  

We look forward to working with schools all across Warren County.  To learn more about program and resource offerings for teachers, please visit our Education page! 

The first Arbor Day was held on April 10, 1874 , after proposal by J. Sterling Morton, a Nebraska pioneer and lover of nature.  He knew trees were needed to keep soil in place by serving as windbreakers, for fuel and building materials, and to provide shading from the sun.   So he encouraged planting trees, and it is estimated that more than one million trees were planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day!

Over the years, Arbor Day has become a national holiday, with many states celebrating at different times to coincide with optimal tree-planting weather for their area. But whether Arbor Day is observed on the last Friday of April or another day, the idea is the same; support nature and beauty through planting trees.  

To learn more about Arbor Day, visit https://www.arborday.org/

Trees provide many benefits and services for both people and other wildlife. They provide shelter and food for multiple species of birds, mammals, and insects.  Many useful products are provided for human use from lumber for building, wood to make baseball bats and rocking horses, and paper products.  Trees also improve habitat areas, reduce soil erosion, supply oxygen, and provide aesthetic beauty.

 Trees can be identified based on leaf characteristics, bark type, and flower color.

The structure of trees is fascinating and supports their functions.  As a tree grows, a new layer of wood is added to the trunk and limbs,  These rings each have two parts: early wood which grows in the wet, spring season, and late wood which forms during the slower growing season of summer.  These rings can offer insight into the climate of the area, and indicate disturbances such as flood or fire.  The ring sizes vary year to year based on growing conditions.  These tissues also draw nutrients and water for the tree up from the roots.

​
Index of Ohio Trees from Ohio DNR Division of Forestry:

Once your plant a tree, think about registering it with Taking Root, a collaborative, broad-based campaign to address the current historic loss of our region’s tree canopy by planting trees, better managing our local forests, promoting the many benefits of healthy trees, and fostering a sense of stewardship among individuals and communities.    http://www.takingroot.info/

Planting Trees Is a Virtuous Act: 
His Holiness, The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet

"Trees are extremely important. A healthy tree purifies the air and supplies oxygen for living beings to breathe. It harmonizes the elements and increases life expectancy. Its shade provides a refreshing place to rest. It brings rain at the right time. It nourishes crops and livestock, and balances the temperature. It contributes to an attractive landscape and
continually replenishes its surroundings. It brings about natural developments in the spheres of education, economics and so forth. The drawbacks of a polluted environment include a decline in the pure, cool qualities of the oceans and lakes, so that the creatures dwelling in those places are disturbed. The loss of vegetation and forests causes degeneration in the Earth's nourishment. Rain does not fall when it is needed. Unprecedented fierce storms rage. There are many disadvantages. Planting and nurturing trees are virtuous acts. It is beneficial to plant various types of trees. In particular, fruit trees provide nourishment predominantly for humans, as well as benefit to many other sentient creatures. They help to improve health. The whole of society needs to take an interest in
planting various kinds of trees and flowers around monasteries, schools, offices, hospitals,
factories, restaurants, hotels and residences, on both sides of thoroughfares. May the attractive and healthy forests be increased in all the one hundred directions! May sentient creatures be freed from untimely death and live happy lives!"

From a message that was delivered on Tibetan Democracy Day, September 2, 1994.

To learn more about trees or find tree activities/projects/lesson plans, check out Project Learning Tree!