News & Events

Are you a hunter, landowner, or wildlife enthusiast? If so, please join OSU Extension
and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife for a workshop
about CWD and white-tailed deer in a county near you.

Madison SWCD's latest edition of Conservation Quarterly is now available online.

“Grassland CRP is a vital conservation tool that supports two of USDA’s top priorities: the wellbeing of American agriculture and the health of America's grasslands, which provide critical environmental benefits for wildlife and carbon sequestration,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “Over the past three years, we have seen historic interest in the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program with producers signing up to conserve over 6.8 million acres. This historic interest from agriculture has proven that agricultural productivity and conservation priorities are not exclusive from one another, but can coexist and, more importantly, complement and enhance one another.” 

The Madison Soil and Water Conservation District is seeking candidates for its Board of Supervisors for the 77th Annual Banquet and Election to be held on September 12th, 2024.

The adoption of voluntary nutrient management plans represents a proactive step towards a more sustainable agricultural future. By embracing these plans, farmers can simultaneously enhance environmental stewardship, economic viability, and the long-term resilience of their operations.

The H2Ohio Statewide Wetland Grant Program is a reimbursement grant program that provides up-to-100 percent funding for projects in the state. In each project application, the budget must be justified with a minimum funding request of $50,000. There is no maximum funding cap.

Wild turkey hunters across Ohio have harvested 10,574 birds so far during the 2024 spring season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

In 2019, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed a bill into law designating April as Native Plant Month in Ohio… forever! Learn more about Ohio’s law and Ohio’s native plants by visiting www.OhioNativePlantMonth.org

Record a 2–3 minute video of your troop on what it means to have clean water and how you can keep our water healthy and clean! Additionally, send in your design ideas with your video on how you would portray your message on a rain barrel.

Statewide enrollment for row-crop producers who farm in Ohio’s 64 counties outside of northwest Ohio’s Western Lake Erie Basin will open on Monday the 22nd and will end May 6th. Read further more information.

There are a wide variety of career paths available at ODNR of which people may not be aware. The job shadow program will shed light on those opportunities by pairing rising high school juniors and seniors with ODNR staff allowing students to spend the day on the job and learn what a typical day is like.

The Ohio Wildlife Council received amendments to the 2024-25 waterfowl hunting season proposals during its regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, March 20, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Hunting season proposals were amended following a review of public comments and feedback.

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will conduct a general Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) signup from March 4, 2024, through March 29, 2024. CRP is a federally funded voluntary program that contracts with agricultural producers so environmentally sensitive agricultural land is not farmed or ranched, but is instead devoted to conservation benefits.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife will release 85,000 rainbow trout across the state beginning Wednesday, March 13. The 95 stocking locations were chosen to give as many anglers as possible a chance to reel in these feisty fish in March, April, and May. Trout releases are designed for high angler success and harvest.

Ohio’s hunters checked 213,928 white-tailed deer during the 2023-24 deer hunting season that concluded on Sunday, Feb. 4, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The final total represents all deer taken during archery, gun, muzzleloader, and youth seasons since Sept. 9, 2023.

Developed with natural resources professionals, land managers, stream advocates, and river enthusiasts in mind, the 3rd Ohio Rivers Symposium will be held on Friday, March 22 in Columbus. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is hosting the event which will focus on the connection between groundwater resources and healthy streams.

Join the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife on Thursday, March 14 for the 40th annual Ohio Wildlife Diversity Conference. The conference, titled, “Building Towards a Better Future,” will be held at the Ohio Union on The Ohio State University’s campus in Columbus. Registration is now open. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering financial assistance to agricultural producers and private landowners enrolled in its Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to improve the health of their forests

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin accepting applications for the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (Continuous CRP) signup on Jan. 12, 2024. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) encourages agricultural producers and landowners interested in conservation opportunities for their land in exchange for yearly rental payments to consider the enrollment options available through Continuous CRP, which also includes the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) offered by FSA partners. Additionally, producers participating in CRP can apply to re-enroll beginning Jan. 12, 2024 if their contracts will expire this year.

Winter is an excellent time to watch for bald eagles, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Bald eagles begin courtship and nest-building activity in January and February, making now one of the best times to view them.