 About Us
The mission of the Division of Soil and Water Conservation is to “Provide leadership and services that enable Ohioans to conserve, protect, and enhance soil, water, and land resources."
The division is in a unique position to help develop locally-led conservation programs and initiatives for:
- conservation districts
- local communities
- government agencies
- organizations
The Division of Soil and Water Conservation has been part of ODNR since 1969, although the Division's soil inventory and evaluation program was one of the initial divisions of ODNR when it was created in 1949 – the Division of Lands and Soils.
Our division has 50 employees, organized into six sections:
- Soil and Water Conservation Districts
- Soil Inventory and Evaluation
- Resource Management
- Watershed and Stream Management
- Conservation Engineering
- Environmental Education
The responsibilities of those sections and the primary contact for that subject area are:
SWCDs
Fred Hammon (614) 265-6614
Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) serve as the community contact and program delivery mechanism on a county-wide basis. Two or more SWCDs may form a Joint Board to facilitate projects on a multi-county or watershed basis. SWCDs are funded by counties and matched with state funds administered by the Division of Soil and Water Conservation. SWCDs provide assistance to urban and agricultural land users. Their specialties are land management, soil erosion prevention, and water management.
Environmental Education
Nelson Strong (614) 265-6779
Educating the public on conservation and environmental topics and issues is the major function of this section. To achieve this, the section provides, coordinates, and expands upon educational programs and resources through SWCDs, ODNR and other key educational leaders to help Ohioans make informed decisions and take responsible actions which conserve and protect Ohio’s natural resources, with an emphasis on reducing nonpoint sources of pollution. The staff not only markets existing ODNR education programs, but also develops new materials to enhance environmental education across the state. Its goal is to network with as many formal and nonformal educators and statewide organizations and agencies as possible through workshops, materials development, program development, grants to SWCDs, and other support services.
Soil Inventory and Evaluation
Tim Gerber (614) 265-6680
The major responsibility of this program is to maintain an up-to-date inventory of the soil resources in Ohio’s 88 counties as part of the National Cooperative Soil Survey. Information from soil surveys includes soil maps and descriptions of characteristics of the different soils identified on the maps. Digital soil maps are available for many counties and can be accessed on the DSWC Web site. Evaluating this data is a fundamental step in the decision making process regarding the capabilities and limitations of the land in planning for its wise use and management. The soil inventory is a cooperative endeavor involving the ODNR Division of Soil and Water Conservation, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, and other federal, state and local agencies.
Watershed Management
Greg Nageotte (614) 265-6619
The Watershed Management Section is responsible for development, coordination, and delivery of programs to protect, improve, and restore Ohio’s soil and water resources with specific focus on nonpoint pollution control on a watershed management basis. This section works closely with SWCDs, Ohio EPA, ODNR - Office of Coastal Management, local watershed organizations, and others to deliver Ohio’s statewide and coastal nonpoint control programs. The section also administers the Watershed Coordinator Grants program, which enables locally organized watershed groups to hire staff and develop comprehensive watershed action plans. This section also administers the State Watershed Plan Endorsement process.
Resource Management Specialists
Rob Hamilton (614) 562-0738
This section is responsible for carrying out Ohio’s agricultural and urban sediment pollution control legislation. The section is also responsible for Ohio’s agricultural regulatory program, and enforces standards on a complaint basis. The section maintains close liaison with state and national environmental agencies and organizations, and works actively with county Soil and Water Conservation Districts on projects to reduce erosion and water pollution. Five Resource Management Specialists (RMSs) work on an area-wide basis to support SWCDs with the development of methods and criteria for evaluation of Best Management Practices (BMPs), conducting BMP inspections, and evaluating nonpoint source control implementation projects.
Engineering and Technical Support
Kirk Hines (614) 265-6617
This section works closely with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service engineers to provide increased training and support to enable the Soil and Water Conservation Districts to increase the number and quality of conservation practices installed by landowners to meet conservation needs on their land. Division engineers also develop standards and specifications that allow SWCDs to use new and improved technologies to assist urban and rural landowners and land users.
Storm water and Stream Management
John Mathews (614) 265-6685
The section implements the division’s urban storm water program; develops and publishes Ohio’s standards for storm water management, land development, and urban stream protection; and provides grants to SWCDs to hire Storm Water Specialists. In addition, staff provides technical support to communities, and conducts research relative to the physical quality of Ohio’s streams.
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