Spring 2008 Valley Trust Newsletter, Three Valley Conservation Trust

8/9/2019 Spring 2008 Valley Trust Newsletter, Three Valley Conservation Trust

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Valley Trust

NEWSNumber 35 / SPRING 2008 Conserving the natural environment and cultural heritage of Southwest Ohio

Submitted by Ann Geddes

The history of old Reily reverberates across the hills and

dales of the property of Jerry and Joann Storck – a property

now preserved for the future by a conservation easement

with the Trust signed last December.

Their 55-acre farm is spread out along Indian Creek justsouth of the Pioneer Baptist Church in NW Reily township.

The site was the home of the VanNess family, a prominent

early settler family, and even earlier the Smiths had built a

cabin under tall cottonwoods in the lowland near the creek.

Myron VanNess has preserved numerous Native American

artifacts found on the property and Jerry Storck regularly

turns up square nails and early coins near the old cabin

site with a metal detector. He also found a pipe bowl from

the early 1700s. He tells me, “I was so saddened to hear of

Myron’s death as he and his brother Cap (Calvin) had often

come to visit. But I know they would be pleased that their ancestors’ farm has been preserved.”

Jerry chuckles at himself as he tells me of when they were

walking the property when it was listed for sale. As he

stood in the area near the creek, he blurted out he “could

hear the spirits of the Shawnee.” “I laugh,” said Jerry,

“because I was not sure it was the Shawnee tribe living here

or another,” but he felt a presence of the past that needed to

be acknowledged.

Joann recalls the lengthy effort involved in realizing their

dream farm. At the time they lived

Snapshots!People & their land

Snapshot 1:

The Storcks onIndian Creek

Look Who’s Watching

the TVCT Office!This Great Horned Owl spent more than two hours

perched on the fence peering in the window at the

Three Valley Conservation Trust ofce on April 11.

Sam Fitton, wildlife biologist and TVCT Board member,

estimates the owl to be about six weeks old. See page

11 for some interesting facts about this species.(Continued on page 8)


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LetMeBeFrank

Frank HouseChair, Board of Trustees

Adolph Greenberg

Catherine Hollins

Frank House

Ben Jones

Mary Moore

Founded in 1994, the Three Valley Conservation Trust works with people and communities to conserve the natural environment and cultural heritage in Southwest Ohio. The Trust protects open spaceand farmland by acquiring, through gift or purchase, conservationand agricultural easements, and works to protect and improve

water quality in the western tributaries of the Great Miami River.

Ray Arlinghaus

Margarette Beckwith

Frank “Hank” Dupps

Sam Fitton

Stephen Gordon

We tap some of our maple trees each

February in order to make enough

syrup to supply the bed and breakfast clientele when wehave pancakes or wafes. In 2004, I had just tapped the

trees but selected the largest ones which were a couple

hundred yards behind the house and others a hundred

yards from the barns. I then received an urgent call to go to

Korea on a business trip. We had also purchased some 40

odd sheep in the fall of 2003 (they were suppose to have

lambs in February of 2004) and together with our regular

ock ended up with over 70 ewes. The weather turned cold

and snowy right after I left and Marcia was stuck trudging

through the weather carrying sap and boiling it down to

syrup. All of the sheep then decided it was time to lamb,

necessitating late night and early morning tending, which

left her short of sleep all the while the sap was boiling.

She would nod off but somehow miraculously wake at just

the right time to prevent the sap from heading toward the

candy stage.

I returned from Korea at the end of March, but Marcia

always joked that the sheep began to have lambs on the

day I left and nished on the day I came home and that

the tapped trees seemed awfully far from the house (after

that, they were kept as close as possible ). That spring’s

experience prompted her to write the following article in

April of 2004 and it sheds some light on the origins of Sugar Valley, which we took for the name of our Bed and

Breakfast.

Mpe Syp Memoes (April 2004 )

This time of year when locally made maple syrup begins to be discussed and festivals and demonstrations at Hueston’s

Woods begin, I always think back to when I was a child

growing up on a farm near Sugar Valley.

We lived on a farm one mile south of Sugar Valley. My

best friend lived on the farm across the road and we would

walk through her woods to where the sugar camps used to

be that gave Sugar Valley its name. By the time we found

it in the late 50s, there wasn’t much left – just one old

building that was falling down, but it was a fascinating

place for us to play.

My father who is now 87, grew up on that farm and sayshe remembers when all the neighbors would get together

and take their horses with big sleds back there and start

the res. They would all work together to tap the trees and

carry the syrup and tend to the res. He said there was

a huge replace in the building for people to get warm

but that it wasn’t much more than a shed. He said all the

families had barrels that were lled with syrup brought up

on the sleds and taken to everyone’s house.

It’s easy to imagine the fun and excitement of all the

neighbors getting together after a long hard winter to all

work together to make the sugar. It would have been a lot

of work by many people over a period of time but certainlydifferent than now when you take the syrup off the shelf

without a thought. - Marcia Housez

“Valley Trust News,” the newsletter for members of the Three

Valley Conservation Trust, is published four times per year.

Editors: Stephen Gordon Mary Glasmeier

Index

Snapshot 1: The Storcks on Indian Creek ......................1

Let Me be Frank .............................................................2

Board of Trustees ...........................................................2

From the Desk of Larry.................................................. 3

“Conservation Easements 101” ......................................4

Clean Ohio AEPP Applications and Workshop ............5

Save These Dates! ..........................................................6Developing News ..........................................................7

Runners, Drummers and Bears! Oh, My! ......................7

Snapshot 2: Twin Valley Farm .......................................8

Clean Ohio Fund Renewal ...........................................10

Ohio Agricultural Day................................................ 10

Facts: The Great Horned Owl ...................................... 11

Membership Form ...................................................... 11

The Return of Auction for Acres ..................................12

Calendar .......................................................................12

Gregory Peck

Jerry Stanley

J. Ronald Stewart

Don Streti

Liz Woedl

Board of TrusTees


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Winter is a time of introspection, preparation,recommitment. For the Three Valley Conservation Trust,

it has been such a time. It has been a long, hard winter

for many. The extensive snow, bitter cold and winter

extremes have been followed by torrential early spring

rains, soaking our farm fields, uprooting our vulnerable

trees. The winter hath wrought sadness as well. We

extend our condolences and support for the families who

lost their loved ones recently.

Each of these loved ones have given of themselves and

their families to the community at large. Some have not

been named to respect the families’ privacy. Our hearts

go out to the families of Doris Taylor, James Goldey, Phil

Macklin, Robert Weber, and other Trust members who

have passed away this past winter.

Spring is a time of new beginnings, renewals, weeding,

planting, and blooming. Like nature, Three Valley is

doing the same. We are reviewing our easement records

to assure that they are as defensible in 50-100 years as

they were when signed. We are continuing to nurture

Fm he Desk f...

L arry F rimer manExEcutivE DirEctor

relationships with donors, especiallyeasement donors and members.

Staff, Board and volunteers are reaching out to build our

base of support to assure that we can effectively sustain

and add to our endowments. These efforts include securing

major gifts, corporate/organizational grants, increasing

membership and executing four major events - all designed

to fund the lands to be protected, monitor 72+ properties to

confirm compliance with our mutual agreements, and reach

out to communities to share the changes being made one

landowner and one neighborhood at a time.

‘Tis the season when we assist farmers in participatingin Ohio’s farmland preservation application process.

While we are scaling back the pace at which we complete

conservation easement transactions, we are adding

increased verification and precision with everything we do.

We’d love your feedback on how we’re doing! Let us

know how we can better strengthen our partnerships with

you and our community. z

We’d like your feedback!

email: [email protected]

call: 513/524-2150

or write: TVCTPO Box 234Oxford, OH 45056

At the 2008 Annual Meeting in February, Board member

Emeritus Orie Loucks presented the rst annual Wallace I.

Edwards Conservationist Award to Ann D. Geddes of Reily. Ms.

Geddes was awarded Citizen of the Years 2008 by the Oxford

Press as well. She is a member, easement donor, and a dedicated

volunteer at TVCT . And she still nds time to be active in many

other community efforts. What an amazing woman!


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“Conservation Easements 101”Submitted by Eric Hollins

This newsletter is a wonderful educational and outreach

tool for our membership. Each issue is lled with articles

updating you on how and what the Trust is doing. You nd

heartfelt, descriptive articles describing easements and how

the donors feel about their decisions to place their propertyin permanent protection. And, we make a concerted effort

to apprise you on the many other issues affecting the Trust

and the members who loyally support us.

Also found in our newsletters are articles lled with

references to the term, “conservation

easement.” We not only write about

conservation easements. We talk

about them. And, we assume many

times that our audience and entire

membership understand just what

a conservation easement is. BUT,it became abundantly clear when

addressing a group of members that

there are those who have a clear

understanding of the term. There are

those who have a vague notion of a

conservation easement. And, there are many

others who appreciate and support the work of

the Trust, but haven’t any idea of what a conservation

easement is.

The Trust is not unique in terms of being a new concept.

(We are unique to SW Ohio in terms of what we do.) Andconservation easements aren’t a new concept. They and

land trusts have operated in the U.S. for over 100 years.

However, interest in the use of conservation easements has

grown exponentially in recent years and the number of land

trusts has grown in response to people’s concern about the

unmitigated loss of open space in their own communities.

Between 2000 and 2005, the number of acres protected

under private conservation nearly doubled nationwide.

Today, more than 1,600 land trusts operate across the

country, serving every state in the nation.

A conservation or agricultural easement is a voluntary legal

agreement between a landowner and a land trust — such as

Three Valley Conservation Trust — that protects the land

while the landowner continues to own it, and beyond. The

organization’s duty is to uphold the terms of the easement

in perpetuity.

A conservation or agricultural easement is a customized

legal agreement that permanently limits certain uses of

the land, or a portion of the land, in order to protect its

natural and/or agricultural values. The landowner retains

all other rights to the land and may sell it or transfer it to

heirs, but all future owners are bound by the easement’s

terms. An easement restricts development to the degree

that is necessary to protect the signicant conservation

values of all types of land, including farm and ranchland;

historical or cultural landscapes; scenic views; streamsand rivers; trails; wetlands; wildlife areas; working forests

and protected forests. Most easements “run with the land,”

binding the original owner and all subsequent owners to

the easement’s restrictions in perpetuity.

Some landowners placing their land under

easement receive funding from certain

competitive programs (OPWC Clean Ohio

Green Space Conservation Program,

ODA Agricultural Easement Purchase

Program, OEPA 319 Grant Program,

Farm and Ranch Lands ProtectionProgram). However, most easements

are donated. Considered a charitable

donation by the IRS, the landowner

usually is entitled to a tax deduction equal

to the value of the donated easement — the

difference in the land’s market value with

and without the easement in place. Also, estate

taxes may be substantially reduced, making it easier for

heirs to keep the property intact.

Conservation easements contribute to the economic vitality

of a region, safeguarding the resources that provide theeconomic, social and natural foundation of a community—

the protection of water quality; conservation of precious

wildlife habitat; the preservation of open space, farmland,

ranchland, and timberland. They contribute to maintaining

the rural character of rural community. z

Notes: For more information, visit www.3vct.org.

Information for this article is from the Three Valley

Conservation Trust website, FAQs of the Land Trust

Alliance web site (LTA.org) and the website of the Nature

Conservancy.

The National Land Trust Census, released on November 30, 2006, cited record numbers of acres preserved by

private land trusts. Private land conservation nearly

doubled nationwide during 2000 to 2005, soaring to 11.9

million acres. Land trusts in Ohio protected 30,447 acres

during the 2000-2005 period; this is a 150%

increase over the number of acres

conserved up until that time. Most of

the increase nationwide and in Ohio

occurred through private voluntary

land-protecting agreements,



Trust & Agencies Work with Farmers on

Preservation Applications Due May 23:

Trust holds Workshop for Applicantsnatural resources. These agencies also can

help landowners with the ins and outs of the

Agricultural Security Area and NRCS’s cost

share programs. These available but very

limited matching grant and tax programs

provide funding options for farmers and other

landowners looking to permanently protect

their lands. “This year, the Three Valley

Conservation Trust is limited in the number

of applications it can submit on behalf of

farmers. Only the highest scoring farms are successful,

and the competition is fierce. However, clusters of

applications and easement protected properties increase

a farm’s chances,” noted Larry Frimerman, the Trust’sExecutive Director.

By 2008, the Clean Ohio Program will have provided

dollar for dollar direct pass-through funding for

31 farms through TVCT with the help of the other

conservation agencies, seventeen of which are through

the Ohio AEPP. To find out more about tools to protect

your farm, or for more information, contact the Trust

office at (513) 524-2150. z

The Three Valley Conservation Trust

held an Ohio Agricultural EasementPurchase Program (AEPP) application

training session on Saturday, April 12,

at the Trust office north of Oxford.

More than a dozen applicants and Trust

volunteers worked together on a chilly

spring morning toward completion of

farmland preservation applications.

The Trust, Soil and Water Conservation

Districts, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service

(NRCS) offices are working closely with farmers and local

officials to submit applications for farmland preservation

funding by the May 23 application deadline.

The Trust is the designated Local Sponsor organization

through which to apply for the Ohio AEPP, the Federal

Farm and Ranchland Protection Program, and other land

conservation programs; the Trust also provides information

on possible tax benefits for preserving family lands. The

County Soil and Water Conservation Districts provide the

calculation of soil values, and together with the Natural

Resources Conservation Service, helps farmers to develop

farm conservation plans to better protect soils and other

at the Annual Meeting

Esemet Doos: Front: Harold Puff and Larry Frimerman Back:

John Blocher, Cleo Gerber, Jerry Gerber, Donna McCollum, Hays

Cummins, Holly Wissing, Jim Reid, Tom Wissing, Amy Leedy, Hazel

Call, and Jim Leedy.

Above: Board Vice Chair Sam

Fitton and easement donor

Howard DuBois

Left: Easement donors Danielle

Mann and Marc Tincher shared

the microphone to talk about their

farm and its legacy.

Easement donor Tom Ulrich

captured the audience talking about

his land.



Concert by the Creek

Saturday, July 124295 Cincinnati-Brookville Rd.

4:00 pm

Enjoy this family outing with roasted pig, hot dogs,

picnic side dishes and homemade desserts. Fun and

games for children and for adults, including rafes,

drawings, and even a dunking booth. The concert

begins at 6:00 pm. The musical lineup includes:

• Dr. Debbi’s Medicine Show;

• Oxford Gourd and Drum Ensemble; and

• Daysh.

Bring your blankets or lawn chairs for the concert.

$20 per person • Under 12 years - FREE

(This is a non-alcohol event.)

Advance tickets are required.

Call 513-524-2150.

6 www.3vct.org Valley Trust NewS

Save these dates in 2008!Enjoy three great events to support Three Valley Conservation Trust in 2008.

N E W !

I T ’ S B A C K !

WIN A CANOE!

N E W !

Auction for Acres

Saturday, September 27

The Knolls of Oxford6:00 pm

Auction for Acres returns in September. Enjoy heavy hors

d’oeuvres, wine, beer, soft drinks, and live music while

bidding on Silent Auction items. The Live Auction with the

always entertaining Auctioneer Doug Ross begins at 8:00

pm. Bid on trips, antiques, services, art and unusual items!

Cost per person to be announced.

All proceeds benet Three Valley Conservation Trust.

RSVP is required. Call 513-524-2150.

N E W ! It’s a Wine Tasting!

Date: November 8Brown’s Run Country Club

Watch for details in the Summer Valley Trust News.

A Country Evening for Conservation

Saturday, May 31 5942 Booth Rd. & 2550 Indian Creek Rd.

5:30 pm

Our rst big fundraiser for 2008! Please join us for afascinating evening highlighted by extraordinary locally

grown food prepared by Oxford area chefs. The event will

take place at two architecturally signicant and historic

protected farms; you can tour the farms and talk to the

landowners. Enjoy live music by local musicians.

$250 per person. All proceeds benet Three Valley Conservation Trust.

Space is limited; RSVP is required. Call 513-524-2150.



Developing Newsfrom Lawrence Leahy, Development Director

As you may have seen in a yer we recently distributed,

and on page 6, we have scheduled our ‘Special Events’

for 2008. We are very excited to be having a new event

this year on May 31—a dinner highlighting two easement

properties.

Two events we had last year are returning, but in a different

format:

--The pig roast, now titled the ‘Concert by the Creek’,

will take place as a family event on July 12, with musical

entertainment by a variety of musicians, plus lots of good

food and activities for all ages;

--The Auction for Acres will be held at the Knolls of

Oxford on September 27, and will focus on a diverse

selection of items and great food that we believe will be

enticing for a variety of tastes.

We believe these events will not only raise revenue for the

Trust, but also will be a way to introduce the Trust to new

people. It is always important for us to reach out to our

community, so please bring a friend or neighbor to an event

when you come.

This year, as an additional way to become better known

in the area we serve, we are eager to address ‘service

organizations’ such as Kiwanis

and Rotary Clubs. In order to

help us set up and schedule these

talks, we are hoping to identify a

volunteer who would be able to

work out of his or her home by making phone calls to set

up these talks. If you would be interested helping us in

this effort, please contact me at the ofce (513-294-2141)

or my cell phone (513-461-3785). This is a terric way

to become more involved with the Trust in its efforts to

expand our presence in southwest Ohio.

There are a variety of other areas in which the Trust

continues to seek volunteers willing to give their time

and expertise. Some examples are: answering the ofce phone for 1-2 hours once or twice a week; folding

letters or materials that are mailed out to our members;

becoming involved in the planning and implementation

of our special events; or assisting with writing grant

proposals. Please contact Mary Glasmeier or me if you

are interested. We greatly appreciate the work that our

volunteers do for us, and we try to make it as much fun

as possible.

We wish you all the best for a wonderful spring season

and hope to see you at some of our 2008 events! z

The Miami chapter of the

National Association of

Environmental Professionals

and Green Oxford hosted the

first annual Earth Day 5K Race.

It was held on the Western

campus of Miami University

in Oxford Saturday, April 19th.

Although the weather was notideal, about 50 runners were at

the starting line.

OGADE (Oxford Gourd and

Drum Ensemble) braved the

weather and huddled under a

tent to keep their instruments

dry. The sun came out and

they kicked off the event with

energizing rhythms using

Runners, drummers, and rain... oh, my!various African, and unique indigenous

instruments. Lew Hoffmann, member of

TVCT and OGADE, started the race with

the loud sounding of a gourd horn.

Three Valley Conservation Trust was

chosen as the beneficiary of the event

in the spirit of Earth Day to honor their

conservation efforts in the region. All

proceeds from the event will be donated

as a contribution to the Trust’s ‘matching

fund’ initiative.

The Trust would like to thank

the students for all of their

hard work and donation. We

look forward to working with

them again next year. TVCT

members, start training for

the 2009 race!z

Above: NAEP students Elizabeth Schwandt,

Dtefan Linger, TVCT Development

Director Lawrence Leahy, Kay

Reichenbach, Megan Ansley, Sara

Pliske.

Right: Lew Hoffmann starting the race

blowing a gourd horn.


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on Main Street in Hamilton, and for 4 years they went

hunting every weekend for their dream, but nothing met

that special someplace they were looking for or, if it did, it

was priced too high. One January, this property was open

for viewing, and when they saw the back 30 (as they call

it) with the creek below and a hawk screaming overhead

they knew this was it….but, the price was not within their

budget. Resigned to losingit, they continued looking.

“Things were pretty

tense,” Joann recalls, but

6 months later there was

another open house. By a

lucky coincidence several

things came together: the

old farm building had

been refurbished, the

price had been reduced,

and Jerry had just retiredas director of special

education for Faireld

City Schools, and received

some additional funds.

“We almost ran back to

the car so we could tell the

realtor we’d take it,” Jerry

said.

“It’s now been 11 years

here,” said Joann, who

retired this year as an elementary school secretary at

Fairfield North. They’ve named the property “Owl MoonRanch” because that was the name of a book they often

read to their 4 children, and now 8 grandchildren, and the

name seemed to fit. While much of the property is in row

crops, for over 4 years the Storck family opened up their

farm to the public in October for an event called Pumpkin

Spshots (continued from page 1)

Junction, offering pumpkins for sale, hayrides, face

painting, potted mums, and fall foods. The whole family

participated: children, spouses and grandchildren. Jerry

dressed up and gave himself the name Dingus O’Reily

(combining Dingus from the Ballad of Dingus Magee and

O’Reily from the nearby town), and Joann was glamorous

as a gypsy in her face-painting tent.

You can tell this family

knows how to have

fun! Joann says their

real aim was to create

a memorable happy

experience for children

and for that, anything

is worth it! “A farm is

just a magical place for

children,” she says.

Sadly, the event came to

an end last year as Jerryunderwent chemotherapy

for a daunting diagnosis

of cancer. Having as

many happy days as this

couple has had and will

have will serve well for

difficult times ahead.

As Joann says, “Owl

Moon Ranch” is not just

a ranch, it’s a feeling. We

never get tired of the simplest things like watching the birds or sitting together in the evening at the shelter on

the hill and looking about. We are just so very grateful

for the opportunity to preserve our dream property and to

preserve some of the heritage of this country.” z

Snapshot 2:

Twin Valley of Preble & Montgomery Countiessubmitted by Larry Frimerman

The story of the protection of the 467 acre magnificent Twin Valley

Farms along Twin Creek in Montgomery and Preble Counties is

a classic case of vision meeting ingenuity, and partnership. The

9,000 feet of frontage on a beautiful stretch of one of the top two

streams in Ohio is only the start of the superlatives needed to

describe this property. The heavily wooded uplands and riparian

zone, exquisite native wildflowers, rich, black bottomland,

picturesque 1850 brick farmhouse and barns, and gorgeous canopy

of trees overhanging Preble County Line Rd between Gratis and

Farmersville complete the imagery.

Jerry & Jo Storck on Owl Moon Ranch

Alan Schaeffer had long ago donated a conservation easement

to Five Rivers Metroparks on a 92 acre parcel with a small

portion of Twin Creek frontage that he later sold. For years,

Dave Nolin and Five Rivers tried to follow up this acquisition

with conversation on how to protect the family’s 38 acre

pristine beech forest with stunning wildflowers. “Nothing

happened for a variety of reasons,” recounted Schaeffer, a

Dayton area lawyer. “We all have had a strong conservation

ethic, and had felt a strong tie with our farm. However,

on a visit with Nolin to walk the woods, Larry mentioned



the possibility of protecting the whole farm through a

conservation easement. After explaining this in sufficient

depth, we were very interested.”

The entire Schaeffer Family, was strongly in support of

protecting Twin Valley Farms forever. Paula Schaeffer stated,

“This farm is beautiful, and it ought be preserved so that

future generations can enjoy it and have open spaces. Thewoods and creek, rolling hills, flat bottomland, and those

wildflowers on the 40 acre older growth forest are special

places I bring friends and family to see.”

“Wildflowers such as hypatica, fields of trillium and Blue-

Eyed Mary, Bluebells, and every other native variety are

found in that woods and elsewhere. Why wouldn’t you want

to keep it this way? We all have an obligation on this earth to

take care of what we have, and to conserve our environment.

We can all do it, even in our own homes,” she added. “I’m

so pleased to know that our farm will always remain as it is,

and thrilled that our neighbors have done the same!”Together with the Ristaneo and

several other easement protected

properties, Twin Valley Farms

now anchors a contiguous block

of some 1800 contiguous acres

of woodland, stream corridor and

farmland straddling the county line

that will have been protected under

conservation easement by the close

of 2008.

“Larry and Dave worked reallyhard to bring this to fruition-

certainly, if not for the Three Valley

Conservation Trust, none of this

would have happened,” he added.

Nolin concurs with Mr. Schaeffer

on this point. “The Three Valley

Conservation Trust has really

made a difference in building

relationships with farmers and other

landowners, and has negotiated

some terrific agreements in the

Twin Valley,” he commented.

“This has been a tremendously

successful partnership between

Five Rivers and Three Valley,”

both Nolin and Frimerman agreed

separately. z

Top: Trillium grandiora.

Above: Dave Nolin of Five Rivers

Metroparks walking the Schaeffer

property.

Left: Blue-eyed Mary.

Below: An original painting of Schaeffer’s

Twin Valley Farm.



10 www.3vct.org Valley Trust NewS

Purchase Program (AEPP) for this year unless the

program is reauthorized. At the end of the year, the four funding rounds will have been completed, with some

limited funds available through bond repayment for ahandful of projects statewide.

To address this pending problem, a coalition of groups(including the Trust) will work with the Strickland

Administration and the Ohio General Assembly to place the initiative on the November 2008 ballot to ask

voters to continue the Clean Ohio Program and bonding pending appropriations for expenditures. However,

a bleak budgetary forecast could hamper the effortsto continue and fund this very popular and successful

program. It is vital for supporters of conservation,family farms, and sustainable economic development

to share the need for authorization of the Clean OhioProgram with their friends in the General Assembly, and

with the public at large. z

In a stunning turn of events, Governor Strickland’sadministration and the Ohio House and Senate

leadership have reached an agreement on the BuildingOhio Jobs package that includes the $400 million

renewal of the Clean Ohio program on a permanent basis. The Governor’s package was revised to now

include a total of $1.58 billion in bond-funded economicstimulus grants and loans. Governor Strickland and the

General Assembly leadership have recognized the key

role that the Clean Ohio Fund has played in generatingmomentum and local interest in land conservation, parks, trails and economic revitalization of our cities

and villages. Here in Southwest Ohio, the program has provided the vehicle for more than half of the lands theTrust and others have protected since 2002.

How important is this development? In 2008, the

remnants of funding from the Clean Ohio programwill be distributed for farmland preservation, with

a portion going for trails, brownfields, and conservation

projects in different segmentsof Ohio. In the Three Valley

Conservation Trust area of Butler, Preble, Montgomery

and Darke counties, fundingis only available through the

Ohio Agricultural Easement

Clean Ohio Renewal to beon the November Ballot

Governor, General Assembly Reach Accord on Jobs Package

Thee Vey Cosevto Tst Dect Sccess fom the Ce Oho Fd:

Program # Properties Protected Via Easement acreage

AEPP 17 3685

Conservation Fund 14 2142

Total Easements Clean Ohio 31 (see pg. 5) 5827

TVCT Present at Agriculture DayThe staff and various Board members representedthe Trust at the Dull Homestead for Agriculture Day

sponsored by the Ohio Dept. of Agriculture. LarryFrimerman, Executive Director, spoke and answered

questions at the Trust display during the workshop tours.

Robert Boggs, Director of ODA, responded to the Trustwith the following note:

“It is with my most sincere appreciation that I thank youfor taking time to educate the attendees of Agriculture

Day about farmland preservation. Land is the foundationon which agriculture exists and literacy on this issue is

important. The day was a success due in-part to your enthusiastic participation.

Your knowledge of and dedication to the preservation

of Ohio farmland is evident and well appreciated by theOhio Agricultural community. You went above

and beyond, and for that I would like to personally thankyou.” z



NAME _________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS _____________________________________________________________

CITY ___________________________________ ST _________ ZIP _______________

PHONE(S) _____________________________________________________________

EMAIL ________________________________________________________________

Conserve paper & postage. Send “News” notice via email.

I would like to volunteer. Please contact me.

I give permission to list my name as a supporter.

MEMBERSHIP LEVELS

All receive the Valley Trust News (via mail or email)

Trust Benefactors

Great Blue Heron Group - $10,000+Free reservations for all Trust events, Chair’s Reception,Tour of at least one easement site

Founder’s Society - $2,500+Free reservations for two Trust events, Chair’s Reception,Tour of at least one easement site

Conservationist - $1,000 - $2,499

Free reservations for two at Annual Meeting, Chair’s Reception

Trust Partners

Guardian - $500 - $999 Free reservations for two at Annual Meeting

Contributor - $250 - $499Free reservations for two at Annual Meeting

Sponsor - $100 - $249 Member - $50 - $99

Student - $25 Other - $_______

My company has a matching gift program, I will send the form.

CHECK MC VISA

CC# __________________________________ Exp. Date ____ /____

3 digit code_____ _________________________________________PRINT NAME AS IT APPEARS ON YOUR CARD

________________________________________________________SIGNATURE

Total Amount Enclosed $____________

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

“Did you know

that you can name the

Three Valley Conservation Trust

in your estate?”

There are usually 2 eggs per clutch, with a clutch

ranging in size from 1 to 5 eggs (5 is very rare).

The average egg breadth is 46.5 mm (1.8 inches),

the average length is 55.2 mm (2.2 inches) and the

average weight is 51 grams (1.8 oz). The incubation

period ranges from 30 to 37 days, averaging 33 days.

Brooding is almost continuous until the offspring are

about 2 weeks old, after which it decreases. Young

owls move onto nearby branches at 6 weeks and start

to y about a week later. The offspring have still been

seen begging for food in late October (5 months after

leaving the nest) and most do not separate from their

parents until right before they start to reproduce for

the next clutch (usually December). Birds may not

breed for another year or two, and are often vagrants

(“oaters”) until they establish their own territories.

All adult Great Horned Owls are permanent residents

of their territories. Eggs, nestlings and edgings may

be preyed on by foxes, coyotes, wild or feral cats.

There are almost no predators of adults, but they may

be killed in confrontations with eagles, Snowy Owls

and, mostly, other Great Horned Owls, which may

end in the eating of the dead owl.z

Facts:

Great Horned Owl

(from Wikipedia)



Non-Prot Org.

U.S. Postage

P A I DPermit No. 171

Oxford, OH

45056

www.3vct.org

Larry Frimerman, Executive Director

Lawrence Leahy, Development Director

Mary Glasmeier, Ofce Manager

Thi l tt i i t d l d d i l il bl i di it l f t

5920 Morning Sun Road, PO Box 234Oxford, Ohio 45056

513-524-2150 • 513-524-0162 fax

Calendar

MAY

7 Board Meeting, 7 pm, TVCT

23 AEPP Deadline

26 Memorial Day (Ofce closed)

29 Coalition of Ohio Land Trusts

Conference, Delaware, OH

31 A Country Evening for

Conservation, 5:00 pm.

See page 6

JUNE


JULY


4 Independence Day (Ofce closed)

12 Concert by the Creek, 4:00 pm.

See page 6.

THE RETURN OFAUCTION FOR ACRES

is planned for September 27, bringing back the best deals

in the area while spreading the word that TVCT continues

to protect and preserve our natural resources. It can’t be

done without you. We need your help and support.

VOlunTEEr nOw for one of the subcommittees!

DOnaTE iTEMS for the live auction, such as: art,

antiques, sports memorabilia, travel and trips, condo

stays, summer homes, etc., tickets to concerts, sporting

events, or theatre, certicates for services, decorative items,

talent, party entertainment, wine, a side of beef, or a lamb,or a hog. BE CrEaTiVE. You tell us.

To volunteer or donate an item for the auction, e-mail

Committee Chair Dick Sollmann at [email protected]

or call the TVCT ofce at (513) 524-2150.

R e d u c e Wa s t e :

R E C E I V E, R

e - r ea d

& R e c y c l e !

Documents

Spring 2008 Valley Trust Newsletter, Three Valley Conservation Trust