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Office Hours
Monday - Thursday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM

2018 All Athens County Photo Contest Entries
​            MISSION STATEMENT
Provide leadership by promoting the wise use and enhancement of Athens County’s natural resources for current and future generations.







The Athens SWCD is a political subdivision of the State of Ohio, associated with the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) - Division of Soil and Water Conservation, and funded by county and state taxpayer monies.

Ohio NRCS Announces Disaster Recovery Funding to
Plant Cover Crops on Flooded Cropland Acreage

Extreme weather conditions like the recent excessive rains and tornados have negatively impacted Ohio farmers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service will invest $4 million to help Ohio agricultural producers recover.  Technical and financial assistance is now available to producers who were unable to plant their crops, or who have experienced crop loss due to flooded or wet fields. This sign-up is an opportunity for farmers to plant a cover crop.
​“NRCS can be a valuable partner to help Ohio landowners with their agricultural recovery effort,” said State Conservationist Terry Cosby for NRCS in Ohio. “This special sign-up encourages farmers to plant cover crops to improve water quality and soil health, prevent soil erosion, and suppress weeds on areas not planted to crops.”
NRCS will utilize the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for this special disaster recovery sign-up.  EQIP is a voluntary conservation program that helps agricultural producers protect the environment while promoting agricultural production.
Cover crops provide an alternative to fields going fallow and remaining uncovered.  Cover crops also improve soil vitality by adding nutrients and organic matter. Many fields that are saturated for a long period of time face a loss of soil organisms. Cover crop roots reestablish soil health and create pathways for air and water to move through the soil, which is key to restoring it.
There are significant changes with cover crops and we want producers to be successful in their 2020 planting year.  Educational cover crop workshops and field days are readily available throughout Ohio to learn more.  Additional information is also available on the NRCS website and farmers.gov/prevented-planting.
Landowners should coordinate with other USDA farm agencies when participating in related programs.  It is a producer’s responsibility to work directly with their insurance agent and RMA to ensure they understand their policy.
To apply for this special EQIP opportunity, visit your local USDA Service Center. Applications will be accepted beginning July 1, 2019 until funding is exhausted. 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

THANK YOU to "River Sweep on the Hocking" Volunteers!

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     The Athens Soil and Water Conservation District’s 2019 River Sweep on the Hocking was a wonderful success. The June 15th event brought out 62 hardy individuals to lend their time and energy to cleaning up nearly five miles of the Hocking River. Though we didn’t see much sunshine, the cloudy but warm day, had a gentle breeze to keep everyone comfortable as they worked.
     In all, we collected 46 bags of trash, 37 bags of recyclable materials, 30 lbs. of scrap metal, and 2 tires. Everyone enjoyed a picnic lunch afterwards provided by Athens Kroger, Athens Walmart, and Athens Texas Roadhouse. Besides these partners we would like to thank our other local partners: The City of Athens, Ohio University, Athens - Hocking Solid Waste District, Hocking Conservancy, Athens City - County Health Department, and Hocking College.
     This annual event  is an extension of the interstate Ohio River Sweep sponsored by ORSANCO (the Ohio River Sanitation Commission). Each year we join with communities all along the Ohio River and its major tributaries,  from Pittsburgh, PA to Cairo, IL to clean up these waterways and help the quality of our waters. We hope to see you next year as we Keep our Rivers Clean!

2019 River Sweep Participants!!