Volunteers Make Conservation Happen at Ashland SWCD
2022 Volunteer of the Year Gigi Obringer is one of the volunteers instrumental in the success of our Rain Beat on Main Street program
It has been said many times before: where would we be without our amazing volunteers? With all of the projects and events that the Ashland Soil and Water Conservation District participates in, it takes a toll on the available staff time. That is why we are so appreciative of the people who are willing to give up their time to help us out. We could not do a lot of what we do if it were not for our volunteers.
As the Outreach Specialist with the Ashland SWCD, I have had the pleasure of getting to work with a number of volunteers, whether through our work days at the Hazel Willis Woods, while helping fill fish orders during our bi-annual fish sale, or through their help in the office. I also must mention the artists who paint the rain barrels for our annual Rain Beat on Main Street. Their work is truly amazing. Each time I get to work with volunteers, I am impressed by their dedication and am extremely grateful of their willingness to share their talents, time, and skills. I count myself lucky being able to work with such amazing people.
If you aspire to be like one of these people and would like to share your talents and skills to help the community, then perhaps you would be interested in becoming a volunteer for the Ashland SWCD. Below is a list of possible areas that we are looking for volunteers in:
Hazel Willis Woods - Do you like the outdoors and have a passion for the woods? We are always looking for volunteers to help with cutting downed trees, cleaning trails, removing invasive species, and doing general maintenance at the Hazel Willis Woods. The purpose of the 40 acre woods property near Mifflin is to function as an outdoor learning laboratory for all ages. We have been working on restoring the function of the woods and are always looking for additional help or project ideas. Maybe you have knowledge or experience in specific areas of the woods that you would like to share. In the past, volunteers have led photography hikes or wildflower walks along the trails. There is always something that can be done at the woods!
Tree Packing - As you may know, the Ashland SWCD does an annual tree sale of young seedlings. The tree orders are prepared and packed at local FFA shops (this year will be at Hillsdale FFA during the middle of April). If you are not afraid to get dirty and would like to help pack trees, you would definitely be appreciated. As they say, many hands make light work!
Water Quality Testing - Do you like water? The Ashland SWCD does numerous water quality testing events multiple times a year. One event is testing the main tributaries in the Jerome Fork Watershed for certain chemical components. The other event is conducting macro invertebrate sampling in the Mohican River to determine the water quality based on the life found in the river. Maybe either of these will meet your fancy.
Office/paperwork - Maybe you are more of an indoors person and like organization. There seems to never be an end to the amount of files that need organized or the old photographs that need scanned. Any help in any of these areas is very much appreciated.
Artistry - Rain Beat on Main Street will be coming around the corner before we know it. During the last couple summers, maybe you have seen the decorated rain barrels lining the road in Loudonville’s Central Park, or sitting along the sidewalk at Freer Field during Balloonfest, or displayed in Ashland’s Corner Park. Each rain barrel is sponsored by local businesses, groups, or individuals and are beautifully painted by a local artist. The rain barrels are then auctioned off and the proceeds go to funding the Ashland SWCD’s school and educational programs. If you are a skilled artist and want your work displayed on one of our rain barrels, stay tuned and keep an eye on Facebook for when our artist applications go out. Or if photography is more your thing, we have a place for you! We could use help photographing the rain barrels to use on our promotions.
Precipitation Monitor - Maybe none of these sound appealing and you would rather become a volunteer from the comfort of your home. That is okay! We are looking for precipitation monitors and ice spotters who will take daily precipitation readings at their home and submit the information online. The data that is collected is used by weather scientists to better study and make predictions for the weather in our area.
Wow, there are so many to choose from, and there are plenty more! If you would like more information or would like a volunteer application, please contact Ruth at (419) 281-7645 or via email at rmccrea@ashlandcounty.org.
