Is that a coyote you heard? Or was that the distinct aroma of skunk you smelled?
If you are noticing more signs of these animals lately, it is because love is in the air, and not just because of Valentine's Day. It is also mating season!  According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, skunks and coyotes are more active during the spring as they search for mates, venturing out of their typical ranges to do so.  Habitat loss due to development also displaces them into urban areas, increasing potential interactions with these species. Both coyotes and skunks are generalists, meaning they eat a variety of foods and can easily adapt to various environments, including around humans.

Coyotes mate in late January through early March. They are socially monogamous breeders, meaning once a mate is found, the pair typically remains together. Litters are born in March and April and can contain 5 to 10 pups!  Skunk mating season in Ohio begins a little later than the coyote, starting in February and continues until the end of March. Female skunks usually have one litter, while male skunks can father multiple litters.  Each litter produces 4 to 6 kits on average, in May or June. 

In Ohio, we have Eastern coyotes, which are descendants of Western coyotes and the gray wolves that once populated the Great Lakes region. Coyotes are actually not native to Ohio, but they slowly moved into the area over time as land was cleared for agriculture and other, larger carnivores like the gray wolf were extirpated (locally extinct). They have been recorded in the state since 1919.
Striped skunks are native to Ohio, however. Identifiable by the two white stripes that run down their backs and tails, striped skunks are found across North America, including the United States, northern Mexico and southern Canada.

If you encounter one of these species, the recommended response differs. Coyotes are highly intelligent animals, and do not typically want to confront humans. Making yourself known through loud noises and gestures generally will encourage a coyote to move along.  Skunks though are less intelligent, and have poor eyesight.  Their main defense mechanism is, of course, their signature scent which comes from a liquid produced by a skunk's anal glands, and contains several chemical compounds which are rich in sulfur. If you see a skunk, back away and give it plenty of space. Adult skunks typically wag their tail and stomp before spraying, so you have a chance to avoid the worst of the confrontation!

​What's the buzz about World Honey Bee Day? World Honey Bee Day is celebrated every third Saturday in August, falling on August 17 this year. While there are 20,000 different species of bees all around the world, the honey bee tends to be the most recognized. But it is also different from many other types of native bees here in Ohio. Most of Ohio's bees, like mason bees and leafcutter bees are solitary and do not live in large colonies like the honey bee.  And our native solitary bees are actually much more efficient pollinators than honey bees because they are not collecting the pollen for themselves to take back to a hive.  The honey bee however, utilizes much of the pollen it collects to make honey!

A single worker bee will visit up to a few thousand flowers per day and produces around 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in its life time. A colony collectively may visit up to 225,000 flowers per day and can produce 200+ pounds of honey in a single season, with some even recorded as producing around 600 pounds!

Bees, like many insects, see from approximately 300 to 650 nm. That means they cannot see the color red, but they can see in the ultraviolet spectrum (which humans cannot). They also communicate through various body movements, commonly called the "bee dance".

Celebrate World Honey Bee Day by doing YOUR part to protect these essential pollinators!
- plant bee-friendly plants
- use eco friendly pesticides, or refrain from pesticides at all
- visit an Apirary to learn more about honeybees
- support local beekeepers! Beekeepers are providing shelter and care for a disappearing bee population

Native plants have formed symbiotic relationships with native wildlife over thousands of years, and therefore offer the most sustainable habitat. A plant is considered native if it has occurred naturally in a particular region, ecosystem, or habitat without human introduction.
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Exotic plants that evolved in other parts of the world or were cultivated by humans into forms that don’t exist in nature do not support wildlife as well as native plants. Occasionally, they can even escape into the wild and become invasive exotics that destroy natural habitat. ​

Discovering the native plants where you live can also define a unique sense of place and heritage for your garden habitat while preserving the natural history of the flora and fauna of your region.

To learn more about native plants and find resources, please visit our Ohio Native Plants page! https://www.warrenswcd.com/ohio-native-plants.html

Coming up this month, on March 22, people around the planet will recognize World Water Day! World Water Day is about taking action to tackle the water crisis. Today, there are over 663 million people living without a safe water supply close to home, spending countless hours queuing or trekking to distant sources, and coping with the health impacts of using contaminated water. (http://www.worldwaterday.org/)

This year’s theme is ‘Water for Peace’, which focuses on the critical role water plays in the stability and prosperity of the world.  When water is scarce or polluted, or when people have unequal or no access, tensions can rise between communities and countries.  More than 3 billion people worldwide depend on water that crosses national borders. Yet, out of 153 countries that share rivers, lakes and aquifers with their neighbors, only 24 countries report having cooperation agreements for all their shared water. 

As climate change impacts increase, and the global population grows, we must unite around protecting and conserving our most precious resource.  By working together to balance everyone’s human rights and needs, water can be a stabilizing force and a catalyst for sustainable development. World Water Day is a United Nations (UN) observance coordinated by UN-Water. Every year, it raises awareness of a major water-related issue and inspires action to tackle the water and sanitation crisis. 

Did You Know?

• Only 0.5% of water on Earth is useable and available freshwater – and climate change is dangerously affecting that supply. Over the past 20 years, terrestrial water storage – including soil moisture, snow and ice – has dropped at a rate of 1 cm per year, with major ramifications for water security. (WMO, 2021)
  
  
• By 2050, the number of people at risk of floods will increase from its current level of 1.2 billion to 1.6 billion. In the early to mid-2010s, 1.9 billion people, or 27% of the global population, lived in potential severely water-scarce areas. In 2050, this number will increase to 2.7 to 3.2 billion people. (United Nations, 2020)
  
  
• Over a fifth of the world’s basins have recently experienced either rapid increases in their surface water area indicative of flooding, a growth in reservoirs and newly inundated land; or rapid declines in surface water area indicating drying up of lakes, reservoirs, wetlands, floodplains and seasonal water bodies. (UN-Water, 2021)
  
  
• The ambition of new climate change mitigation pledges for 2030 need to be four times higher to limit global warming to 2°C and seven times higher to get on track to limit global warming to 1.5°C. (UNEP, 2021) 
  
  
• The current Arctic sea-ice cover (both annual and late summer) is at its lowest level since at least 1850 and is projected to reach practically ice-free conditions at its summer minimum at least once before 2050. (IPCC, 2021) 

​Learn more at www.unwater.org

Does the word Envirothon remind you of the word environmental? Well that's because the Envirothon is a high school environmental 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.

The 2024 Area IV competition will be held at Gwynne Conservation Area in London, OH on Tuesday, April 30.  For more information about our Area IV competition visit our webpage at ​https://www.warrenswcd.com/hs-envirothon.html

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 & Communications Specialist Melissa Proffitt.

For more information about the overall program, visit: ​https://www.envirothon.org

What is slimy, red, and helps you grow your veggies? If you guessed red wiggler worms, you would be correct! Red wiggler worms, also known as red worms, tiger worms, and manure worms, are a small species of earthworm measuring 3 to 4 inches long. Red wigglers are originally from Europe, but have now spread to all continents on the globe except Antarctica. For those of us who vermicompost, red wigglers are well known as these voracious eaters are excellent at breaking down food scraps to recycle the nutrients into a valuable soil amendment.  But let's learn a little more about these hard working critters!

Fun facts:

• Scientific name Eisenia fetida. Fetida meaning ‘foul smelling’ 
• They are native to Europe but naturalized across all continents except Antarctica.
• They have a lifespan of up to 5 years.
• They are one of 7 species of worms that can be used to effectively compost. 
• They do best in a temperature of 55-90 degrees. 
• The earthworm is made of about 100-150 segments​

In a galaxy far, far away students are returning to the classroom and educators are on the look out for excellent environmental science materials to share with them. Well educators, look no further! (Well, at least stop here for some great resources!) The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) has released its 2024 National Stewardship Week materials and they are out of this world.  The theme revolves around the topic of forestry and these educator materials will assist in curriculum planning and support.  NACD describes the materials as having "​hands-on-learning and experience-based activities for K-8 grades all in a single guide with comprehensive background material, easy instructional resources, and suggestions for modification to include all students. There are also accompanying student journal resources for extending the learning experience. "

And don't forget that our education staff is available to present programs and loan education materials to local Warren County educators.  We have several tree-rific resources from Project Learning Tree we can share including the Tree Factory, hands-on biofacts like tree cookies, leaves and seeds, and Climate Change, Forest Change, and Tree Ring Analysis Discovery Kits.  Contact us at 513.695.1337 to learn more.   May the Forest Be with You!

It is National Pollinator Week! Every year people across the country recognize the importance of pollinators and encourage others to support their conservation. Pollinators come in all forms including birds, bats, bees, butterflies, beetles, and other small mammals. These fauna pollinate plants by spreading pollen and helping plants reproduce and produce fruits, and they are responsible for bringing us one out of every three bites of food! This year the emphasis is on the affects of climate change and pollinator decline. Pollinators are being negatively affected as their food sources and habitats are declining, diseases are increasing, and rising temperatures and natural disasters are affecting their ability to survive. Climate change is driving these conditions, but the conservation of pollinators and their habitats can help to combat climate change by supporting healthy ecosystems, air, soil, water, and plants.
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Get ready to celebrate our world’s only flying mammal! Every year on April 17, conservationists and nature enthusiasts around the globe come together to recognize International Bat Appreciation Day. Of the over 1400 species of bats on our planet, 10 species call Ohio home.  All our native bats are microbats—small, insect eating bats ranging in size from 2.5 to 6 inches long in body length. Of these 10 species, 6 of them have been hibernating through the winter in caves and abandoned mines. These include the tri-colored bat (Ohio’s smallest bat), the northern long-eared bat, big brown bat, little brown bat, small-footed bat, and Indiana bat (federally endangered). Meanwhile, the remaining 4 species will be returning from a southern migration. In spring and summer months we will see these species, which include the red bat, evening bat, silver-haired bat, and the hoary bat (the largest Ohio bat). 

Many folks are familiar with and have bird houses on their property, but we would love to see more bat houses in our communities. Bat houses provided shelter space for bats and roosts where moms can raise their young pups in maternity colonies. To attract bats, you can plant night blooming flowers which will bring the insect food supply bats need.

For ideas on bat houses and more bat facts, check out the Ohio Bat Working Group website at https://u.osu.edu/obwg/ 
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​When many of us look at the natural world around us, some of the first features we notice are the magnificent trees that characterize portions of Ohio’s landscape. Even in our more urban and suburban areas we see these pillars of biology that provide beauty, shade, and many ecological services for air quality, soil stabilization, and wildlife habitat. One particular tree has become ever more present over the years since its introduction to Ohio in the early 1900s: the Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana). In the spring, you will see the many white flowering trees lining neighborhoods, business lots, and highways, and while they may have a visual appeal, they are wreaking havoc on our natural ecosystems. 
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The reason we are seeing more and more of these trees is because they are invasive in Ohio.  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines an invasive species as a non-native species in the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. The ability of the Callery pear to grow quickly, and its cultivars (like Bradford pear) to cross pollinate with each other despite being previously believed to be sterile, causes the plant to rapidly spread and outcompete some of our native species.  

​Due to these invasive characteristics, the state of Ohio has joined others states in banning the sale of Callery pear trees. The state ban recently went into effect on January 7, 2023, in hopes of slowing down the encroachment of this tree in the forest understories around the state. However, many of these established trees will continue reproducing, especially as they are growing on residential and commercial properties across our communities. And while all Ohioans will need to choose new species to plant instead of Callery pears going forward, many are also choosing to replace their established pear trees. Besides the environmental issue these trees can cause, they are also losing their original landscape appeal as they become more susceptible to damage and limb breakage during storms as they grow.

So, the question then becomes, what can we plant instead? Several native species are suggested by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) as appropriate replacements for Callery pear, including:

• serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)
• eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)
• chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)
• American plum (Prunus americana)
• flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)
• eastern hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana)
• American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)
• yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea)
• hawthorn (Crateagus spp.)
• blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica)

 
Several of these species, including eastern redbud, flowering dogwood, and serviceberry, are available through the Warren County SWCD annual tree seedling sale. The tree sale helps to support local reforestation efforts and promote conservation action of increasing native tree plantings in our community.  The annual tree seedling sale takes place every year, with trees available in early spring. Learn more about this event and how to order on our 2023 Tree Sale page https://www.warrenswcd.com/tree-sale.html
 
For information on how to remove or control Callery pear in forested or natural settings: OSU Extension fact sheet https://woodlandstewards.osu.edu/sites/woodlands/files/d6/files/pubfiles/0045.pdf
 
Contact your ODNR Division of Forestry State Service Forester for further assistance: https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-odnr/forestry/landowner-assistance