Warren County SWCD believes that the youth of our county are the conservation stewards of the future!
​This belief fuels the decision of our Board of Supervisors to offer two distinct scholarships annually to qualifying Warren County Students.
See the information below to learn more about these special opportunities and application information.
*The yearly application deadline for both scholarships is the first Friday of April at 4p

Thomas C. Spellmire Future Conservation leader scholarship

vince utrecht
environmental stewardship Scholarship
 In July 2013, Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District Board member Thomas C. Spellmire passed away unexpectedly.  Spellmire was a second-generation family farmer who dedicated his life to land and water conservation through sustainable farming practices, civic involvement, and vision for education.  He was a driving force behind water quality educational programs for young people. Spellmire was conscientious with his farming practices and was eager to share and promote them. His efforts were recognized with many awards, notably the No Till Farmer of the Year in 1995. He was also featured in National Geographic’s Urban Sprawl article in 2001. Spellmire's ideas and concepts were so progressive that he was asked to provide congressional testimony for United States House committees in 1996 and 1999. In remembrance of his hard work and to continue his legacy, the SWCD has started a scholarship fund to pass on Tom's commitment to conservation education and
​the leaders who result.  
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The Thomas C. Spellmire Future Conservation Leader Scholarship is awarded to a high school applicant who plans to enroll in a two or four-year undergraduate program in one of the following courses of study:  natural resource management, agriculture, forestry, equine science, wildlife, geography, ecology, environmental science or
​other related fields of study. ​
In 2019, retired Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District Board member Vince Utrecht passed away. During his more than 40 years of service as a Supervisor for the  District, Vince was integral in promoting environmental stewardship through best management practices in the Warren County area as a way to help reverse and prevent any new soil loss. A well respected resident, farmer and advocate of the land for Warren County, Vince was extremely successful in his experiences with no-till, minimum tillage, filter strips, cover crops, grassed waterways, subsurface drainage and animal waste management. Vince’s valiant efforts of conserving the land and the environment around him were recognized when he was awarded Farmer of the Year for Warren County in 1973 and then awarded the Ohio Magazine Conservation Farmer of the Year for Southwest Ohio in 1989.  In remembrance of his hard work and to continue his legacy, the SWCD has started a scholarship fund to pass on Vince's commitment to environmental stewardship to the next generation.

The Vince Utrecht Environmental Stewardship Scholarship is a $1000 scholarship awarded to a college student who graduated from a Warren County high school and is currently enrolled in a two or four-year undergraduate program in one of the following courses of study:  natural resource management, agriculture, forestry, equine science, wildlife, geography, ecology,  environmental science or other related fields of study.

Camp Canopy Scholarship

It is with great sadness that after much discussion the Camp Canopy Co-Directors and OFA staff have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Camp Canopy session due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. The committee searched for other week options later in the summer, but there were none available. We also have already had parents pull registrations from their already-registered students.
 
Rest assured that we are already planning for a great Camp Canopy week for 2021. In the meantime, we will be staying in touch with our core group of campers through some exciting virtual events to take place the week of Camp (June 7-12) through our Camp Canopy Facebook platform https://www.facebook.com/events/camp-canopy/camp-canopy-2020/138425734037453/!
 Camp Canopy (formerly Ohio Forestry & Wildlife Conservation Camp) began in 1950. Since then, more than 10,000 high school students from all over Ohio have attended camp. Many of these students have furthered their interest in forestry and wildlife by obtaining post-secondary education in natural resources. Other campers have gained a greater understanding and appreciation of Ohio's forestry heritage.
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Have you ever wondered what types of trees are in Ohio's forests? Or what kinds of relationships organisms have with the forest? If so, Camp Canopy is the place to be! Camp is held at Ohio FFA Camp Muskingum, located on Leesville Lake in the beautiful rolling hills of Carroll County, Ohio. Any student who has completed 8th grade through seniors graduating the year of camp are welcome to participate. Be prepared to obtain valuable forestry information, make many new friends and HAVE FUN!!!

Camp Canopy
June 7-12, 2020
Submit a copy of your application to Warren County SWCD.
​The selected recipient will be notified in April. 

General camp registration information:
​https://www.ohioforest.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1148602