Crawford County Summary of Conservation Programs
- Bucyrus City Storm Water Management Program – This program is a cooperative partnership between the City of Bucyrus Wastewater Treatment and the Crawford SWCD. The Crawford SWCD provides voluntary assistance through educational programs and Best Management Practices to city residents. The goal of the program is to raise citizen awareness of local storm water runoff related issues and provide the necessary tools for individual residents to reduce the amount of storm runoff in the cities storm water system. Items include rain barrel information, rain garden design information, professional presentations for adults and children, and a variety of associated backyard conservation practices.
* Storm Water Management Brochure * Rain Barrel Brochure * Rain Garden Manual
* Home Composting Brochure * Adult and Youth Professional Presentations Brochure
- NEW!! Lake Erie Nutrient Reduction Grant – Loss Creek Watershed: Provides incentive payments to eligible agriculture producers and landowners in the Loss Creek and Allen Run watersheds in Crawford county for practices that reduce runoff of nutrients. Eligible practices include repair of subsurface tile mains, installing tile inlet controls, drainage water management, cover crops, several fertilizer and manure management practices, and a host of grazing management practices. Applications are available from the Crawford SWCD office. Grant funds received through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the OEPA.
- EXTENDED! Sandusky River Headwaters Runoff Reduction Grant - Provides an incentive payment to producers to plant cover crops in the Loss Creek, Paramour Creek and Allen Run watersheds (Crestline area). Eligible producers can receive $22/acre to plant a variety of cover crops. Applications are currently available from the Crawford SWCD office. This grant was received from the Great Lakes Commission and is funded through the Great Lakes Protection Fund which gets its money from the sale of Lake Erie license plates. Sandusky River Headwaters Grant Information Sheet
- Great Lakes Protection Fund Soil Testing Grant – Soil test grant for farms in the Sandusky River watershed and all of it's tributaries. Provides free stratified soil test - a 2 part soil test that provides separate soils analysis at 0-2" and 2-8" soil depths - for eligible farms. Applications must be submitted before soil tests are taken. Stratification of fertility, in particular Phosphorous fertilizer, can lead to increased nutrient loads in the Sandusky River. This tool can assist farmers manage for stratification and make adjustments accordingly. Great Lakes Protection Fund Grant Fact Sheet
- Honey Creek Targeted Watershed Grant – Sister grant to the Great Lakes Protection grant above, provides incentives for specific Best Management Practices. Eligible incentives include - planting annual cover crops, planting wheat in your crop rotation, planting hay or permanent grasses, P injections >5" deep, controlled inverted tillage, zero P applications, N application reductions and drainage control structures. All incentives are available based upon results of stratified soil tests - you must have the stratified soil test first! These incentives are available to eligible farms in the Honey Creek watershed. Honey Creek Watershed Grant Fact Sheet
- Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) – USDA’s land retirement or set aside program. Pays an annual rental payment for taking cropland out of production and establishing grasses or tree cover as well as creating wetlands. Also offers cost share on the practices. Competitive bids placed. http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=copr&topic=crp
- Conservation Reserve Program Buffer’s (Continuous CRP) – USDA’s program aimed at establishing grass filter strips, riparian tree buffers, windbreaks, quail field borders, or creating wetlands. This program pays an annual rental payment and offers cost share. No competition, if the land is eligible. http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=copr&topic=crp
- Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) – USDA & State buffer program similar to the CRP buffer program but offers higher payments to the landowner for priority practices. Currently available in Crawford County for land that drains into the Lake Erie, Little Scioto and Olentangy Watershed. http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/soilandwater/CREP.htm
- Conservation Security Program (CSP) – USDA program that rewards farmers that have a documented history of good land stewardship. Offered on the watershed basis. If accepted into the program, it offers enhancement payments for implementing various conservation practices such as 100% no-till, variable rate application of fertilizer and more. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp/
- Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) - The USDA’s incentive program. Can be used for any USDA eligible practice including but not limited to: animal waste storage facility, grid sampling & nutrient management, compost facility, cover crops, etc. http://www.oh.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/
- North West Ohio Windbreak Program – Turn key program where State Div. of Forestry employees plant field windbreaks for landowners. You may be able to get most of the cost paid thru one of the above programs. http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/landowner/windbreak/tabid/5290/Default.aspx
- ODNR Pollution Abatement – State cost share for practices to solve an existing pollution problem for animal waste or sediment. http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/soilandwater/programs/agpollutionabate/default/tabid/8856/Default.aspx
- Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) – USDA program to encourage restoration and enhancement of wetlands. The landowner receives a payment for placing a 30 year or permanent conservation easement on the land and the landowners receives incentive payment for restoring the wetland. http://www.oh.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/
- Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) – USDA program offering landowners’ incentive payment for establishing grassland plantings, riparian tree plantings and wetland restoration to benefit wildlife. http://www.oh.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/