fall 2009 valley trust newsletter, three valley conservation trust

8/9/2019 Fall 2009 Valley Trust Newsletter, Three Valley Conservation Trust

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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!


2/122 www.3vct.org Valley Trust NewS

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


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



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.



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



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.



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]



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



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.



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


11/12

Oxford

Community

Foundation

Autumn 2009 www.3vct.org 11

NAME __________________________________________________________

ADDRESS _______________________________________________________

CITY _________________________________ ST _________ ZIP ___________

PHONE(S) _______________________________________________________

EMAIL __________________________________________________________

Conserve paper & postage. Send News hotlink via email. I would like to volunteer. Please contact me.I give permission to list my name as a supporter.

MEMBERSHIP LEVELSAll receive the Valley Trust News (via mail or email)

Trust Benefactors

Great Blue Heron Group $10,000+

Founders Society $2,500+

Conservationist $1,000 - $2,499

Trust Partners

Guardian $500 - $999

Contributor $250 - $499

Sponsor $100 - $249

Member $50 - $99 Student $25

Other $___________

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

CHECK MC VISA Exp. Date ____ /_____CC# __________________________________ _____________

___________________________________________________

PRINT NAME AS IT APPEARS ON YOUR CARD

___________________________________________________BILLING ADDRESS

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___________________________________________________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

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.


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

ReduceWa

ste:

RECEIVE,R

e-read

&Recycle!

Wed like your feedback!

[email protected]

513/524-2150

TVCT, PO Box 234, Oxford, OH 45056

Calendar

November

4 Board Meeting, 7 pm, TVCT

7 Auction for Acres, 5:30-10:00 pm

The Knolls of Oxford

December


January


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.

fall 2009 valley trust newsletter, three valley conservation trust

Documents