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8/9/2019 Fall 2009 Valley Trust Newsletter, Three Valley Conservation Trust
1/12
Valley Trust
NEWSNumber 39 / Autumn 2009 Conserving the natural environment and cultural heritage of Southwest Ohio
Auction forAcresNovember 7, 2009 5:30-10:00 pm
the KNollsof oxford
Wildlife, in theform of art, trips, food,services and items, may
be the theme of the Three
Valley Conservation
Trusts 2009 Auction For
Acres, but the evenings
lineup of events, items,
and entertainment is as
diverse as southwestern
Ohios population.
Attendees will enjoy the eclectic music of Jay Jesse
Johnson of Grooveyard Records while watching artists at
work. John Ruthven, Christopher Walden, Linda Howard
Bittner, Devere Burt, Mary Louise Holt, and Katy Jo South
will be sketching, or nishing paintings, which will be
donated and auctioned that evening. Bid on Silent Auction
items while feasting on an array of sumptuous small
plate offerings to please every palate accompanied by a
selection of wine, beer, soft drinks, and coffee.
Then at 8:00 pm, Douglas Ross booming yet melodic
auctioneering will captivate all.
Some of this year's items include a nativeprairie installation, a guided shing trip on the
Au Sable River, an 18th Century hand carved
English Colonial walnut cupboard, a labeled
Cincinnati mid-19th Century chest of drawers,
small antiques, two room-sized hand-knotted
antique Persian rugs, a real estate appraisal,
and special trips; a fabulous Montana lodge,
a Nova Scotia stay, an Oceanfront Maine
cottage, and a Northern Michigan lake
experience headline a list of donated getaways.
Two powerful Marston Hodgin oil paintings will be amongthe highlighted original artwork offerings. In addition, local
historical items will capture the fancy of Butler and Preble
Countians.
Organizers hope to raise $50,000 for this years Auction for
Acres. TVCTs operating costs are funded by memberships
and events such as this one. This approach has helped the
15-year-old land trust to protect 10,000 acres of farmland,
habitat, woodlands and streams, almost all of which are
forever protected by conservation easements.
Farm supporters, auction-goers, wildlife enthusiasts,
collectors, and charity-minded residents can join the Trustand artists for this sensational evening. The format will be
familiar, but different from last years jam-packed auction.
We plan to auction approximately 45 live and 45 silent
auction items, and will not have the simultaneous online
bidding as in 2008.
Instead, "Everything But The House," the Cincinnati-based
online auction service, has donated an online auction with
a separate catalog of items that will conclude November
6, 2009. Items can be viewed at www.ebth.org
and previewed at the Trust ofce on Tuesday,
November 3, 4-6 pm.For a $35 ticket, attendees are treated to gourmet
food, donated wines and beers, superb music, live
and silent auctions, and chances at terric door
prizes. Many items will be available to view
online in October at www.3vct.org, and Mr. Ross
website at www.auctionross.com.
See page 7 to be an Auction for Acres Benefactor
For auction reservations, to absentee bid, and/or
for more information, call the Trust ofce at (513
524-2150. z
Jay Jesse Johnson, a rural
Indiana native, has had the good
fortune of sharing the stage with
Johnny Winter, Robin Trower,Rick
Derringer, Foghat, Steppenwolf
and Jefferson Starship.
Get "wild" with
J.J. Johnson from
Grooveyard Records!
8/9/2019 Fall 2009 Valley Trust Newsletter, Three Valley Conservation Trust
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Adolph Gg Chair, Board of Trustees
Fly Fishing, Protection and Trusts
I started this column on a Crawford County, Michigan
library computer. A few hours ago I was fly-fishing
for brook trout using a fly imitation of a Trico on
my beloved Au Sable River near Grayling. For theuninitiated, Tricos, orTricorythodes stygiatus are tiny
mayflies that hatch in bright weather and appear over
rivers during the morning in cloudlike formations
beginning in late July, and extending through October. It
is said that only good fisherpeople are able to master this
hatch. Competing with nature is tough under any
circumstances, but its no contest when youre trying to
seduce trout by casting a seemingly microscopic imitation
in the middle of a million or so living bugs. So what do
you do? Well, theres an old saying that trout live in
pretty places. And you know there is much truth in that
saying and I often find myself opting to feed my eyes
rather than the trout. The above discussion has nothing to
do with my point other than setting context.
Wading downstream below Stephan Bridge I encountered
a streamside sign I had passed countless times over
the years. It reads: You are entering a protected
area I was struck by the word protected and,
as it normally conjures up positive vibes in those of us
who presume to be concerned about the environment, I
was pleased to see it. However, the sign was confusing as
I could not discern any difference between the environs
upstream of the sign and those protected downstream.Indeed, I was dumbfounded by the use of word protected.
What is being protected here? Does this sign tell us that
because the upstream area is not protected, we can
behave with impunity towards it -- be certain it is heavy
enough so as not to drift into the protected zone?
Protection is a word that saturates the vocabulary of the
conservation movement. For example, the national park
movement in this country originally centered on the need
to set aside specific areas in order to protect landscapes,
usually scenic monuments having an iconic stature in
American history, and cultural resources, commonly
archaeological and historical sites. Keep in mind human
communities already living in these areas were considered
antithetical to the interests of conservation and were
thus removed in the wake of the establishment of parks.
So the how of protection has been conventionally
understood at the national, regional or local level asa kind of custodial managementa fences and fines
approach. Typically and historically, such protection
has been proffered by top down decisions emanating
from those in power with little or no input from local
communities in the targeted area. Not surprisingly, this
approach has engendered considerable resentment among
those directly affected by these decisions. Just ask those
families evicted from their homelands in the Smoky
Mountains in the wake of that parks establishment in the
1930s. Or, ask any of the American Indian tribes often
brutally evicted from their sacred homelands what they
think about protection and parks and you will hear them
say those are places where white folks play.
History is history, the past is the past and we have come
to recognize the importance of local human communities'
input in protecting endangered or fragile habitats. Today,
there is increasing recognition
LIVInGGreen(berG)
Index
Auction for Acres 2009 ..................................................1
Living Green(berg) .........................................................2
From the Desk of Larry Frimerman ...............................3
Snapshot: Goodbye to Herb Muehlenhard ......................4
Fun at the Heron Hullabaloo ..........................................4
What's That Smell? .........................................................5
Volunteers Are Seldom Paid; Not Because They Are
Worthless, But Because They Are Priceless ................... 6
Easement ShieldS 18-Acre Site From Development ...... 6
Developing News: Auction Benefactor Program ............ 7
Celebrating 15 Years! ...................................................... 7
Beck Farm Naturalization Project Underway .................8
Sumac: Brilliant Color, Refreshing Taste ....................... 10
Congressman Steve Driehaus, other Ohioans Sign on
as Cosponsors to Federal Conservation Easement Tax
Incentive Legislation ......................................................10
TVCT Recipient of Two Local Grants ............................ 11
Board of Trustees ............................................................11
How to Join the Trust ......................................................11
Volunteering is the Ultimate Exercise in Democracy ..... 12
Calendar ..........................................................................12
(continued on page
8/9/2019 Fall 2009 Valley Trust Newsletter, Three Valley Conservation Trust
3/12Autumn 2009 www.3vct.org 3
Fm he Desk f...
LarryFrimermanExEcutivE DirEctor
Preserving a LittleBit of Heaven
This absolutely magnicent late summer weather bears
the return to school, workplaces, and a sense of routine
as rhythmic as the soon-falling autumn maple leaves. If
youre like my family, you can scarcely believe vacation
has ended. Most assuredly, youre astonished that the Three
Valley Conservation Trust is celebrating its 15th Year
Anniversary. My friend and mentor Wally Edwards likely
would be amazed at what our sheer determination has helped
us to accomplish together. We know that many others are
astonished as well.
I cant tell you how many times landowners tell me that they
want to forever protect their farm or wildlife habitat because
they want to protect their little piece of heaven their
family legacy. Its funny recently, Ive heard community
members who hadnt been afliated with the Three Valley
Conservation Trust use similar expressions describing
their yards, gardens, babbling brooks, picturesque streams,
local parks, and scenic vistas. They also use it to describe
expansive farms with quaint, historic farmhouses, barns,
fences, and farm life.
Since I last corresponded with you, six additional landown-
ers have completed this leap of faith into the world of hope,
trust, and family commitment to forces far greater than just
themselves. You may recognize these forces, too- love of the
land, a place for the birds, a forest sanctuary, a shing stream
for their great grandchildren to share, locally grown foods
to sustain us and all for a permanent public benet. For
without these open spaces and farm businesses, there will be
no habitat for our grandchildren. We stand up and say, we
can do this together. In a world often lled with cynicism,
worry, and economic pressures, this belief in nature and the
local culture isnt just refreshing to me, its rejuvenating
even after eight years as your Executive Director! I lookat the hope and excitement on the faces of our dedicated
volunteers and tireless Board Members when we talk with
landowners, children, or simply walk the land doing baseline
site visits or annual easement compliance monitoring.
As Ann Geddes, Mary Moore, and anyone else involved with
the Trust will tell you, its the vision of the Trust still thriving
in 300 years, protecting existing and newly preserved
natural, agricultural, rural places, and small town/big city
economic viability that drives them toward their hard work
and commitment.
Last week, while visiting family, we went hiking in the
Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I was touched by the quiet
beauty, the wonders of geologic formations like the Ledges,
and the relatively unspoiled views so close to major population
centers. Before I knew it, I was visualizing the pristine
unbroken canopies of the Ristaneos, Schaeffers, Geddes and
Hoffmanns mature forests; of our magnicent creeks; and
of recently planted native prairies and wetlands at the Beck,
Cummins/McCollum, Clevenger, Molen, and Glander (among
many other) farms. I quickly realized how favorably each of
these properties permanently easement-protected privatelands with TVCT right here in our backyard of southwest Ohio
are creating something every bit as special as those public
lands near Cleveland.
And, that wonderful resource is not necessarily the landscape
(while stunningly beautiful), but of building community. Frank
House and Sam Fitton long have recognized that when we
meet with a recent easement donor or local supporter, its not
about protecting acres, but about building relationships with
landowners, political entities, and private citizens excited
about what The Trust is doing near them: neighbors creating
intentional clusters of protected farms and contiguous forests,protected and buffered streams. This is not our dream
its our everyday life that you make possible. Not just our
amazing sustaining benefactors, but our local planning staff,
Soil & Water, NRCS ofces, park districts, and state and
federal partners. A goal of $4 Million in our Operations and
Monitoring Endowments will assure our collective legacies.
Please remember TVCT in your estate planning and
your will and come see us at TVCT's Auction For Acres
fundraiser on November 7.
New leaders Amy Leedy, Cal Conrad, Chris Worrell and now
Roger Millar have jumped into their Board roles with bothfeet. All of the Board and staff have taken on more than they
dreamed of. A re-energized land protection and stewardship
committee is just one group helping the Trust to rene our
processes, policies and practices. They want to share the joy
and tasks associated with carrying the Trust through its next
15 years. Check that through the next millennium. Help
us be the best we can collectively be by giving time, advice,
and heartfelt funds to grow the Trust even today. We can nd
specic tasks, time tables that work for you. Remember
together we WILL make a difference! z
8/9/2019 Fall 2009 Valley Trust Newsletter, Three Valley Conservation Trust
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Submitted by Ann Geddes
We at the Three Valley Conservation Trust were all
saddened to hear of the death of easement donor and
dear friend, Herbert Muehlenhard, of Reily township, on
August 16, 2009. If anyone could have deed the odds,
it would have been Herbert who was made of the sturdy
stock of farmers of a bygone era. At age 95, just weeks
before his death, he was itching to
get outside to weed the tomatoes.
Conned to his bed the last few daysdue to kidney failure, he would lament
he needed to get up and clean the
algae from the pond. A farmer's day
is never done, even at age 95!
And what a change he has witnessed
in the farming community. "I started plowing elds
down in Ross with mules," he said, "and now it's all gone
to no-till." (It could be he had a better feeling about
mules than any newfangled method of the time.)
Herbert was involved with farming or dairying all
Snapshots! People & their landSnapshots! People & Their Land provides stories of the people and the lands they protect.
We hope that you will enjoy getting to know a little about your neighbors.
his life. As a member of the Farm Bureau and Board of
Directors of Landmark, he witnessed the vagaries of fortune
linked with a life of farming in the county. But he kept
ever mindful of the need for conservation, and was awarded
the Goodyear Award from the Butler County Soil & Water
Conservation District in 1980 for his efforts to preserve soil
and water quality on his farm. In 2009
the Muehlenhard family signed a
conservation easement to permanentlyprotect 160 acres of their farm on
McCoy Road.
We send our sympathies to Ella, his
wife of 65 years, and son Clyde and
daughter Karen Sue Hannon and
families. Clyde determinedly intends to carry on the farming
tradition of his father into the next generation. The Three
Valley Conservation Trust, working with other farm and
conservation partners, intends to give all the support we can
to ensure that happens. Herberts legacy lives on. z
Goodbye to Herbert Muehlenhard (1914-2009)
Fun at the HeronHullaballloo!
15th Anniversary Celebration
October 4
The Beck Farm
(left) Marilyn Edwards, widow of
founder Wally Edwards, speaks ofWally's vision;
(above) Food, friends, music and hikes
at the Beck Farm under beautiful blue
skies.
Larry Frimerman, Executive Director;
Lisa Biales, member; Ann Geddes,
easement donor; and Dave Christman,
longtime member & volunteer, sing
along with Dave Nolin of Five Rivers
MetroParks.
8/9/2019 Fall 2009 Valley Trust Newsletter, Three Valley Conservation Trust
5/12Autumn 2009 www.3vct.org 5
Which sense do you nd to be the most powerful? Id be
willing to bet that the majority would answer that query
with the sense of sight. After all, thats the one sense
that we use the most, in quantity at least. As soon as we
open our eyes in the morning, the sense kicks in until we
close them again. When you go on vacation, do you ever
take a smell tour or a listening trip? No, generally, those
occasions are reserved for sightseeing.
However, when I consider which sense has the greatest
lasting effect as it pertains to the outdoors, my nose
dominates my ears and eyes. Perhaps my view is slightly
skewed by less than perfect vision, but I see well enough
to enjoy most scenes. I hear better than most folks, but
my nostrils seem to have a direct link to my brain. I
remember sites from the past, but sometimes
I think thats due to having photographs. The
call of the wild is enduring as well, but when
I lay awake at night thinking of days gone
by, the sense that really takes me back is thearoma of things.
I nd pleasure in smelling all kinds of odors,
both sweet and not-so-sweet. To smell
something really well, Ive got to get pretty
close to it. Thats a good thing I think. When
I prune roses, I raise the owers all the way
WHATSTHATSMELL?SUBMITTED BY DON STREIT
to the tip of my nose. When I drive by an active hog farm,
I roll my truck windows down to take it all in. (This is
a practice my family kind of frowns upon.) When I go
outside on a bluebird morning the rst thing I do is take a
deep breath. The cool clean air is most invigorating. Good
and bad, the power of smell adds life to my day.
There are many odors/fragrances that have left indeliblemarks on my brain. Im sure some of these are not unique
to me alone. Not all of them are outdoors related either
like Moms home cookingbut a lot of the dominant ones
are from the natural world. Not by accident, most of those
developed from hunting and shing.
Soft, damp leaves have left their mark on me. When I walk
the forest oor after a rainfall, I always pause to absorb
that scent. Long before I ever owned a tree stand,
I hunted deer from a concealed position beneath a
fallen tree or brush pile. I still practice that method
on occasion and as I move the leafy matter fromunderfoot, Im sure to inhale the uncovered earth.
Thats as close as I get to feeling like I am part of
nature.
I get a kick out of smells that others nd offensive
such as the hog farm. Freshly spread cow manure
is another favorite. Its a natural thing I tell my
wife, but she still looks at me like Im crazy. z
in protecting endangered or fragile habitats. Today, there
is increasing recognition nationally and internationallythat the best and perhaps only ethical way to protect the
environment is to recognize and directly involve affected
communities in the development and implementation
of conservation projects. Furthermore, this puts
local communities back into the various scenarios of
conservation, not as the negative factor as they were once
viewed, but as a positive component and critical partner
in global conservation initiatives. The point I am trying to
make here is that protection cannot be something we apply
discriminately to only a few special areas; rather it must
Living Green (continued from page 2)saturate our thinking and practice anyplace and anywhere.
Otherwise, nothing is safe.
As we celebrate 15 years of growing conservation trusts
in our region, we can congratulate our founders and
ourselves on our success. We have been blessed with
generous donors and dedicated volunteers and a mission
and operation which align with the needs of those we serve
Because Trusts recognize, respect and honor the deep-
seated connection families have with their traditional lands,
we may be the last, best hope of protection. We need you
continued support to make this hope an on-going reality.
z
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Its true that nonprofit organizations such as The Three
Valley Conservation Trust cannot pay their volunteers with
dollars. But we can compensate them with gratitude, a sense
of community, laughter and tears,friendship, learning, and knowing
that they are helping to conserve
family farms, watersheds, and
habitat in our own backyards.
What would TVCT do without
volunteers? We would be unable
to sustain our mission. Its that
simple.
TVCT was born out of passion by
conservationist Wally Edwards and
a group of like-minded neighborswho volunteered their time, talent
and efforts to protect land along
Four Mile Creek. Their passion has
been carried on by many others
over the past 15 years to help make
TVCT what it is today.
Volunteers are seldom paid; not because they are worthless,
but because they are PRICELESS!The need for those with that same passion continues.
There are opportunities for everyone. Whether a single
project or a weekly commitment; folding and stuffing
envelopes or complicated mapmaking; writing anarticle or venturing out into the field for monitoring
there is a way that you can help us carry that passion
into the future. With only two paid professional staff
volunteers are essential.
When asked to volunteer we immediately think
about how busy our lives are today. Its true. We
are all busy. So we must make time for tasks and
organizations that make a difference. Be priceless.
Become a part of the kind of community in which
you want to live. Lets work together.
For questions about enlisting, call Mary at513-524-2150 or email [email protected]. z
Priceless volunteers Margarette Beckwith and Josette
Stanley keep the food coming at the Elegant Evening for
Conservation fundraiser last May.
ST. CLAIR TWP. Carol
Henrys childhood home sits
just west of the city limits
on more than 18 pristine
acres with tall trees, many
wildowers and a two-acre
pond.
The natural habitat inspired
Henry to have an appreciation for nature and deeplyinuenced her career as an artist.
Now its time to sell the place.
I spent a lot of time roaming
around the property, which
seemed gigantic. Thats how I fell
in love with plants, said Henry,
who lives in California, where she
sells her unusual, nature-driven
artwork to high-end customers.
Easement ShieldS 18-Acre Site From Development
Owner hopes a kindred spirit will buy land
By Richard Wilson, Staff Writer/Photographer.
Reprinted with permission from Hamilton Journal News
The property is priced at $269,000, but theres a catch, or
catches rather.
Henry chose to protect the property now known as
Trillium Reserve through an easement with the Oxford-
based Three Valley Conservation Trust. The easement will
go with the deed in perpetuity, and prevents the land from
being developed, among other restrictions.
Larry Frimerman, TVCT executive director, said its oneof 25 easements, about 2,500 acres total,
over which his group has oversight in
Butler County alone.z
Editor's Note: Ms. Henry chose to place a
conservation easement on her property to
honor her father's commitment to the land.
All told, the Trust oversees 80 easements
covering nearly 10,000 acres of open space
and prime farmland.
8/9/2019 Fall 2009 Valley Trust Newsletter, Three Valley Conservation Trust
7/12Autumn 2009 www.3vct.org 7
Developing News
Celebrating 15 Years!
A new banner was ying on the High Street in Oxford duringthe week of September 14th to the 21st, celebrating the 15th
anniversary of the Trust. Our old banner had seen years of use
and was in the state of deterioration. Some generous individuals
(Hank Dupps, Betty Rogers, Mary Moore, Frank House, Dolph
Greenberg, Amy Leedy, and Steve Gordon) stepped forward
to cover the purchase of a new two-sided banner. FastSigns
Cincinnati produced the banner. Convinced of our mission to
protect land, Chris Brown of FastSigns not only gave us a very
competitive price for the sign, but made a generous deduction to
the nal price. Thank you, Chris! z
Would you like to support an evening of community,
camaraderie, and laughter? The Trusts biggest annual
fundraiser is just around the corner on November 7
Auction for Acres 2009. You can support and attend
this event by participating in the Auction for AcresBenefactor Program.
The Benefactor Program benets you AND the Trust.
Following are two ways to participate.
The Corporate Benefactor Program
The corporate level donation is $1,000. At this level
you receive the following:
Two limited edition, signed and numbered, framedprints by wildlife artist, Chris Walden.
A personalized Dedica-tion, written in gold ink
on the glass of the framedprint by Chris Walden (if
desired by the Benefactor)
Reserved table for eight tothe Auction for Acres on
November 7, 2009 (valued
at $280.00)
Four entries in a specialrafe for Benefactors
Recognition in the pro-gram and newsletter, and
a link on ourwebsite.
Satisfaction
that you are
supporting
the Trust in
conserving your
back yard.
The Individual
Benefactor Program
The individual level donation is
$400. At this level you receive the
following: Your choice of one limited edition, signed and numbered,
framed print by wildlife artist, Chris Walden.
A personalized Dedication, written in gold ink on the
glass of the framed print by Chris Walden (if desired by
the Benefactor)
Two tickets to the Auction for Acres on November 7,
2009 (valued at $70.00)
One entry in a special rafe for Benefactors
Recognition in the program and newsletter, and a link
on our website, if appropriate.
Satisfaction that you are supporting the Trust in
conserving your back yard.
The prints available through the Benefactor Program are
Balance of Nature (left) and Lake Patrol (below).
If your walls are full, you may donate your print back to
the Trust for future fundraisers. Here is how that works. We
can store it, or you may keep it, for one year at which time
we will provide a letter of donation for the year in which the
charitable gift was made (in this case 2010). Each framed
print is valued at $415; unframed is valued at $165. If you
prefer an unframed print, an addtional $185 is a
donation in 2009 that is deductible to the extentpermited by the IRS. z
To Be a Benefactor
Contact the TVCT ofce at 513/524-2150
or email [email protected]
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submitted by Jon Costanzo
Recent visitors to the TVCTofce at the Beck Farm may have
noticed a new look to the open
areas along the drive and around
the cottage that serves as the
TVCT ofce. Hidden beneath the
burgeoning foxtail and ragweed
is the start of what will ultimately
become a lush stand of native
grasses and wildowers.
The aim of this naturalization
project is to replace nearly
nine acres of exotic turf grass
with native herbaceous cover
that will not only provide
superior conservation and
aesthetic values but will also
minimize maintenance effort
and expense. In addition, the
project exemplies good land
stewardship practices and will
become an important resource for
educational outreach.
The project site encompasses anexpanse of lawn extending from
the frontage along Morning Sun Road to a knoll high above
the TVCT ofce. Distinguished by a scattering of massive
oaks and hickories, this opening has high potential as
wildlife feeding and nesting habitat. Once established, the
native grasses and wildowers will greatly increase biotic
diversity and transform the area to a park-like savanna. A
host of wildlife species, bothresident and migratory, will
use the area.
The project got underway
last year with the removal
of downed tree limbs and
other debris that would
impede ground preparation
and planting. Piled along the
woodland edges, these tangled
heaps have already become
homes for many wildlife
species. Standing trees were
pruned of dead and broken
branches both to improve
aesthetics and enhance nut
production. Dense vegetation
was removed from along the
Morning Sun Road right-of-
way, permitting sunlight to
reach the ground. As an added
enhancement, volunteers
removed bush honeysuckle,
autumn olive, and otherexotics that had invaded the
project site. These were pulled, cut, and popped from the
ground to make room for the native species that would be
established from seed.
The next step was to eliminate the turf grassprimarily
tall fescuethat if left unchecked would quickly out-
compete the native seedlings. This was accomplished
with a fall application of
glyphosate, a broad-spectrum
herbicide better known by its brand
name, Roundup. Such herbicides
Beck Farm NaturalizationProject Underway
Partridge Pea Senna Indigo Illinois Bundlefower
8/9/2019 Fall 2009 Valley Trust Newsletter, Three Valley Conservation Trust
9/12Autumn 2009 www.3vct.org 9
are an effective means to eradicate
noxious vegetation, and their use on
sloping land is much preferred over
mechanical methods that foster erosion.
The dead sod wasnt very attractive
(think lunarscape) but effectively
secured the soil throughout the winter
months.
With a nal application of herbicide, acocktail specially formulated to subdue
the spring weed ush, the land was
ready to be planted. After a no-till
drill was used, seeds were carefully
placed in the open areas and beneath
the large trees that grace the site.
The customized seed mix included
species known to thrive in both full
sun and semi-shade, and to provide
insect-attracting blooms from spring
through fall. Comprised of thirty-one
native species of grasses, sedges, andwildowers, the mix featured legumes
such as partridge pea, wild senna,
indigo, and Illinois bundleower that will produce an
abundance of palatable seeds while also boosting soil
nitrogen levels.
During the establishment period, which may last two
or three years, competing weeds must be controlled
by spot-application of herbicide, pulling, or mowing.
However, as the stand matures, the prairie vegetation
will out-compete weeds for space and sunlight, and
ultimately the project will require relatively littlemaintenance. The end result will be a wildlife-friendly,
aesthetically-pleasing site that is more economical to
maintain.
Various partners collaborated in bringing the project
to fruition. Property owner Michael Beck generously
provided funding towards the extensive site preparation.
A $2,500 contribution from the Duke Energy Foundation
helped support TVCT staffs
involvement in the project,
and also paid for signage and
educational materials.
To implement the project, TVCT enlisted the expertise
of its longstanding partner, Miami Valley Pheasants
Forever (MVPF), a volunteer-based, not-for-prot
organization that specializes in developing and
managing native grasslands and wetlands. The groups
contribution included technical direction, procuring
discounted seeding materials, and coordination of all
phases of the work. The seed was planted with MVPFs
no-till rangeland drill, which is uniquely designed to
plant the uffy seeds of warm-season grasses. A local
arm of the national organization,
Pheasants Forever, MVPF is the
original chapter of our area and has
been helping landowners implement
projects throughout Butler and Preble
Counties since 2001. The group
recently celebrated reaching a major
milestone when its expenditures
for habitat development topped
$100,000.TVCT received technical advice
and nancial assistance for the project through Partners
for Fish and Wildlife, a national program administered by
the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service that endeavors to protect
and restore important habitats on
private land. This voluntary cost-
share program helps committed
individuals and organizations achieve
shared conservation goals. In Ohio,
the program focuses on native prairie
and wetland restoration, stream
remediation, and migratory wildlifehabitat. Prospective participants can
learn more about the program at www.
fws.gov/midwest/Partners/ohio.html.z
Volunteer Alan Bruns planting the Beck Farm property with a no-till rangeland drill in
May 2009.
"Conservation is a state of harmony
between men and land."
Aldo Leopold (1887 1948) is considered to be the father of wildlife
management in the U.S. and was inuential in the development of modern
environmental ethics and in the movement for wilderness preservation.
8/9/2019 Fall 2009 Valley Trust Newsletter, Three Valley Conservation Trust
10/1210 www.3vct.org Valley Trust NewS
The autumn
landscape isresplendent
with color and
fragrance of
foliage, fruits, and late
blooming owers. Whether
the land is dampened
with rain or warmed
by the sun one is
continually reminded that
soon the trees will be bare,
and the landscape will
return again to black and white. Fornow, however, the sensual pleasures of
this season are to be savored.
One of the most dramatic and colorful plants found here in
southwest Ohio, the Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina), is a
shrub with pinnately compound leaves, which turn a deep
red in autumn. A distinct attribute of the plant is the dense
cluster of red velvet fruit that form at the end of some of
the branches. The Native Americans use these fruits as
avoring for a drink. This year I decided to try makingand tasting the beverage.
Barrie Kavaschs book "Native Harvests" provided
direction. Indian Lemonade as he calls it begins with
collecting at least 1 cup of the red berries which have
ripened in the late summer or early autumn. Pull them
from the clusters, removing any stems and bruise the
berries. I tried his approach of soaking them in hot
water for 15 minutes and then straining them with a
coffee lter. This resulted in a somewhat bitter tasting
concoction. Another source recommended steeping
the berries in cool water. This produced a more subtle,
pleasant avored drink, somewhat like a slightly lemon
avored tea. Kavasch describes the drink as high in
vitamins. So if you are out on the trail this fall and
wish to drink in the autumn landscape both literally and
guratively, try some sumac lemonade!
(Remember, always conrm a plants identity with an
expert before consuming!) z
Sumac: Brillilant Color,Refreshing Taste
Submitted by Margarette Beckwith
Congressman Steve Driehaus
agreed to cosponsor HR 1831, the
Conservation Easement Tax Incentive
after a recent visit with the Three
Valley Conservation Trust, Land
Conservancy of Hamilton County,
Western Wildlife Corridor, Green
Umbrella and the Hillside Trust. With
the addition of Ohio Congressional
Delegation Members Marcy Kaptur,
Mary Jo Kilroy, Robert Latta, Steve
LaTourette, Zack Space, and Pat Tiberi, the number of House
Cosponsors reached 238 (more than a simple majority).
In September, representatives of these organizations and
easement donor Carl Hesselbrock met in Cincinnati with
Congressman Driehaus to ask his support for the measure
that would permanently continue this important tax incentive.
Congressman Steve Driehaus, other Ohioanssign on as Cosponsors to Federal
Conservation Easement Tax Incentive LegislationThe legislation is due to sunset on
December 31, 2009 unless Congress
extends the provisions. Mr. Driehaus
readily agreed to cosponsor the bill,
and expressed interest in participating
in TVCT tours.
The provisions would allow farmersand other landowners a more realistic
and current tax benet for making
a signicant property sacrice- to
donate (or sell at bargain sale) the development rights on
their property to keep it forever protected as farmland or
open space. Specically, the new law would extend the
carryover period for taking the tax deduction from ve
to fteen years, and increase the percentage of income
the landowner could deduct. Please thank the bills
cosponsors. z
8/9/2019 Fall 2009 Valley Trust Newsletter, Three Valley Conservation Trust
11/12
Oxford
Community
Foundation
Autumn 2009 www.3vct.org 11
NAME __________________________________________________________
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Mail and make payable to: Three Valley Conservation Trust
TVCT, PO Box 234, Oxford, Ohio 45056.
three valley conservation trust
Conserving the natural
environment and cultural
heritage of Southwest Ohio
Adolph Greenberg
Frank House
Ben Jones
Amy Leedy
Roger Millar
Founded in 1994, the Three Valley Conservation Trust works
with people and communities to conserve the natural environmentand cultural heritage in Southwest Ohio. The Trust protects open
space and farmland by acquiring, through gift or purchase,conservation and agricultural easements, and works to protectand improve water quality in the western tributaries of the Great
Miami River.
Ray Arlinghaus
Margarette Beckwith
Calvin Conrad
Sam Fitton
Stephen Gordon
Valley Trust News, the newsletter for members of the Three
Valley Conservation Trust, is published four times per year.
Editors: Mary Glasmeier, Stephen Gordon
Mary Moore
Gregory Peck
J. Ronald Stewart
Don Streit
Christian Worrell
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
TVCT Recipient ofTwo Local Grants
Over the past several weeks, the Trust received small,
but important grants from the Oxford Community
Foundation and the Duke Energy Foundation to assist with
monitoring and outreach.
The $750 Oxford Community
Foundation grant will assist
in the publication of a revised
conservation information
brochure.
The Duke Energy Foundation
Grant will assist the Trustsconservation easement
monitoring program to forever
protect the properties entrusted
to it. The Three Valley
Conservation Trust is grateful for
these thoughtful organizations
generosity.
8/9/2019 Fall 2009 Valley Trust Newsletter, Three Valley Conservation Trust
12/12
Non-Prot Org.
U.S. Postage
P A I DPermit No. 171
Oxford, OH
45056
www.3vct.org
Larry Frimerman, Executive Director
Mary Glasmeier, Ofce Manager
MEMBER OF
Thi l tt i i t d l d d i l il bl i di it l f t E il f @3 t
5920 Morning Sun Road, PO Box 234Oxford, Ohio 45056
513-524-2150 513-524-0162 fax
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Calendar
November
4 Board Meeting, 7 pm, TVCT
7 Auction for Acres, 5:30-10:00 pm
The Knolls of Oxford
December
2 Board Meeting, 7 pm, TVCT
January
6 Board Meeting, 7 pm, TVCT
February
6 Annual Meeting, Marcum Conference
Center, Miami University, Oxford
Volunteering is the ultimateexercise in democracy.
You vote in elections
once a year,
but when you volunteer,
you vote every day about
the kind of community
you want to live in.