Maintaining and Enhancing the Natural Environment
The Challenge: Ohio is a densely populated state with many metropolitan areas and a rural landscape increasingly occupied by homeowners seeking amenities of country living. Growing metropolitan areas and division of land into small plots for home construction places heavy demands on the state's fixed land base and other elements of the natural environment, especially water.
These factors of growth lead to increased competition among individuals and interest groups regarding the multiple alternative uses of the state's natural endowment of resources. Ohioans are also concerned with overarching issues including global climate change, invasive species, and farm-land preservation. The challenge is to raise awareness and understanding that development should proceed in concert with economic, environmental, and societal health.
OSU Extension's Response
OSU Extension works in collaboration with others having a stake in the natural environment including individuals, volunteer groups, community leaders, business leaders, elected and appointed officials, and non-government organizations to identify, develop, and deliver educational programs that target the many natural resource use and restoration issues faced by communities and regions. Extension and its partners provide the educational basis for maintaining and improving the natural resource base while simultaneously striking a balance with sustainable yields from our land, water, forest, and mineral resources.
Benefits/Outcomes for Ohioans
Community leaders, landowners, business operators, entrepreneurs, and residents gain insights and perspectives into the many interrelated natural resource issues facing communities and neighborhoods. Citizens participate in effective and productive community decision-making processes that improve their natural environment and that are sustainable for generations. Extension program development and implementation are cost-efficient and achieve documented results. OSU Extension quickly develops local groups and volunteers to multiply the impact of relevant and timely training programs. Expanded education becomes preferred as a more cost-effective approach to environmental issues relative to further regulation and enforcement efforts.
Signature Programs and Target Audiences
- Best Management Practice programs for producers of crops and livestock
including:
Pesticide Safety Education Program--Joanne Kick-Raack.
Integrated Pest Management--Joe Kovach.
Air Quality--Lingying Zhao.
Manure Management--Harold Keener. - Ohio Watershed Leaders Program reaches volunteer watershed management groups--Joe Bonnell.
- Woodland Stewards Program and Coverts reaches landowners and managers--Kathy Smith.
- Ohio Sea Grant Program reaches audiences to improve Lake Erie and other waters--Joe Lucente.
- Water and Waste Treatment Systems Program for homeowners and small communities--Karen Mancl.
- 4-H Natural Resource Projects for youth and teen audiences--Ryan Schmiesing.
- Land-Use Planning--John Conglose.
- Public Issues Education for community and elected leaders--Don Lacy.
