January 21, 2025, Press Release from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources: COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife is accepting submissions for the Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp competition taking place between Saturday, Feb. 1 through Thursday, Feb.13, 2025. The winner of this year’s competition will have their work featured on the 2026 Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp.
Heritage Elementary students are learning what it takes to save the world today thanks to Johnny Appleseed Metro Parks. 4th graders at Heritage were visited by park workers and volunteers to take part in an escape room-style activity. The program aims to teach the students about the ecosystems native to our area and Ohio-- with what it takes for the food chain to survive. There were puzzles and clues for the students to follow that corresponded to a specific plant or animal.
January 2, 2025, press release from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources: COLUMBUS, Ohio — After the holidays, live-cut Christmas trees can be repurposed as habitat for various species of animals, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Before you discard your tree, remember that it can find life after the holidays for Ohio’s birds, fish, mammals, and more.
December 12, 2024, Press Release from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Results from the annual Lake Erie fish surveys revealed that walleye hatches were below average and yellow perch hatches were above average in two of the three management zones, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Although the 2024 walleye hatch was below average, anglers will be able to enjoy many more years of remarkable fishing thanks to robust hatches from 2018 to 2023. Based on the 2024 survey results, anglers can expect good yellow perch fishing in the western half of Lake Erie. Data from annual trawl surveys conducted by the Division of Wildlife are combined with those collected by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources to indicate the success of spawning and early life survival of walleye and yellow perch in the western basin. In the central basin, Ohio’s trawls are utilized in conjunction with other agency surveys to gauge hatch success. Results allow biologists to predict how many young fish will enter the catchable population two or three years later. These indices are a key piece of information used by the inter-agency Lake Erie Committee of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to determine annual levels of safe harvest for walleye and yellow perch.
Press Release written and provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): Columbus, Ohio, Dec. 11, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development in Ohio State Director Jonathan McCracken today announced an investment of $22.4 million in loans and grants to four Ohio recipients that are intended to improve Ohio’s rural electric, water, and solid waste management infrastructure. “Ohio Rural Development is committed to increasing investments in Ohio’s rural communities to ensure that they continue to have access to essential services like clean water and reliable, affordable power,” said McCracken. “These investments today underscore USDA’s commitment to ensuring our rural communities have the resources they need to be competitive, sustain economic growth, and improve the quality of life for their residents.”
A new data center has been proposed in American Township, but some residents are voicing their concerns. On Monday night at the American Township Board of Trustees meeting, details were shared on a possible nearly 163-acre data center occupying land along Cole Street north of Bluelick Road. Proposed construction includes 3 data center units with a main office building, a security office, mounding areas, 2 water basins, and an AEP substation. After the proposal was shared, several American Township residents addressed the board of trustees with concerns about this potential data center.
Local nature enthusiasts had the chance to learn more about the natural history of Allen County! The Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District was at the Lima Public Library talking about past landscape in the county. The park district talked about remnants of bedrock and limestone deposits underground along with glacial traces left behind. They also discussed how these things altered the soil and how that affected plant, animal, and human life throughout the county.
November 7, 2024, Press Release from the Allen Soil and Water Conservation District: Winter is right around the corner and many homeowners are taking advantage of the unseasonably warm temperatures to complete autumn yard maintenance before the ground freezes. This includes the last-minute application of fertilizer onto lawns.It’s important to remember that a lawn or garden that is fertilized should be tested every three years. For a little amount of time, postage, and a small processing fee, a lot of helpful information about one of the most significant assets on your property can be learned. Soil testing is essential because over-fertilizing is so easy to do since many don’t give it much thought when applying it. However, excess fertilizer is washed into our rivers and streams every time it rains. Once it gets to the river, it causes algae problems, robs oxygen from the water, and is a leading contributor of poor water quality. Statistics show that those who put fertilizer on their yards tend to do at eight times the amount farmers put on crop fields.
October 31, 2024, Press Release from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources: COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Wildlife Council voted to approve changes to site-specific regulations for walleye, saugeye, and sauger fishing as well as to set the spring 2025 wild turkey hunting season during its regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 30, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The council approved amendments to Ohio’s inland fishing regulations that will begin on Jan. 1, 2025. The 15-inch minimum length requirement for walleye, saugeye, and sauger was removed on Acton Lake, Alum Creek Lake, Atwood Lake, Buckeye Lake, Caesar Creek Lake, Ferguson Reservoir, Findlay Reservoir 1, Findlay Reservoir 2, Indian Lake, Metzger Reservoir, Piedmont Lake, Pleasant Hill Lake, Rocky Fork Lake, Seneca Lake, and Tappan Lake. In addition, the Ohio Wildlife Council approved adding a 15-inch minimum length requirement for walleye, saugeye, and sauger at Mosquito Creek Lake and LaDue Reservoir.
October 29, 2024, Press Release from the the Ohio Department of Natural Resources: COLUMBUS, Ohio – If you love exploring the great outdoors and are looking for a summer college internship, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) might be the right place for you! The 2025 Summer College Intern Program is accepting applications now through Sunday, Dec. 15, 2025. There are approximately 70 positions available across several divisions and offices. Students are asked to apply to the categories that best matches their major(s) or interests. The link to apply for a position can be found on the Intern webpage on ohiodnr.gov.
