2025 Monthly Board Meetings

Board meetings are held on the second Wednesday of every month and start at 7:00 pm for the months of January through March and November. 8:00 pm for the months of April through October. The August meeting will be held on the 13th of August 2025 at 8:00 pm at Portage SWCD 6970 OH-88 Ravenna, OH 44266. If you have any questions or wish to be notified of cancellations, changes, or emergency meetings, please call (330)235-6798.

Election Notice

The Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Commission will cause an election of Supervisors of the Portage County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) to be held in accordance with Chapter 940 of the Ohio Revised Code. Individuals who own or occupy land within the Portage County’s Soil and Water Conservation District and are 18 years of age or older may vote for Supervisor.

There are 3 ways an eligible voter can cast a ballot:

1.) At the SWCD office, 6970 St. Rt. 88 Ravenna, OH 44266, from 8/13/2025 until 9/11/2025 during normal business hours; or

2.) At the SWCD Annual Meeting, which will take place at Portage SWCD 6970 St. Rt. 88 Ravenna, OH 44266 on 9/11/2025 from 6:00pm – 7:00pm ; or

3.) Voting absentee from 8/13/2025 until 9/11/2025, by requesting the ballot application and election ballot from the SWCD office at the following address 6970 St. Rt. 88 Ravenna, OH 44266, by calling 330-235.6798, or email csells@portageswcd.org. Absentee ballots must be received by the SWCD office by 9/11/2025 at 4:30pm.

One Supervisor will be elected to a three‐year term commencing January 1, 2026 and ending December 31, 2028.

Nominees are:

1. Harold Clark

2. Fred Rodenbucher

Public records request form

2025 Pond Clinic: Top Five Pond Management Concerns

By: Eugene C. Braig IV Program Director, Aquatic Ecosystems
Ohio State University Extension School of Environment and Natural Resources

pond clinic presentation

Conservation Incentives Program

In an effort to encourage conservation practices during this pandemic, Portage SWCD is partnering with the Edith Chase Symposium and the Portage County Master Gardener Volunteers to provide educational resources and native plants & seeds to make our yards more inviting to all creatures! Perhaps our health instincts are kicking in because COVID-19 has spurred unprecedented visits to our local, state and national parks. We want to help you bring some of that mental and environmental health into your own yard! The best way to create a more natural landscape that will attract wildlife to your yard is to add native plants. Whether you are a new gardener or a seasoned expert we hope you will partner with us to get more native plants in the ground! Each entry is eligible for a plant or native packet of native seeds. See some of our conservation options below:

Super simple starters

Double-Down duos

Triple Threat

Watering The Bees Photo Project

Featured Conservation

County Envirothon Winners! (Copy)

Kent Roosevelt’s team, Rosenkal, placed 6th overall at the Area 2 Envirothon Competition. They placed 4th in Aquatics, 5th in Wildlife, tied for first in Soils, and 7th in Forestry. This years participating schools from Portage County were Kent Roosevelt and Southeast.

Area 2 Envirothon (Copy)

Envirothon participants at the Forestry Station

Area 2 Envirothon (Copy)

Envirothon participants in the soil pit

SWPPP Inspections (Copy)

We regularly conduct sediment erosion control inspections at active construction sites. See a pollution problem? Let us know!

Electro-Fishing (Copy)

Every year ODNR- Division of Wildlife joins us for Kent River day! They do an electro-fishing demonstration for the schools that attend and allow the kids to see and touch the fish that they pull from the Cuyahoga River. Aquatic biologists use electro-fishing as a means of sampling fish populations to determine the health of a body of water.

River Day (Copy)

Kent students get to come down to the river and experience hands on interactions with native fish straight from the river

LAKE & RIVER FRIENDLY ESTABLISHMENTS (Copy)

A PSWCD initiative to recognize local establishments making clean water choices.

Bio-Med Lower Academy Receives Storm Water Grant (Copy)

Bio-Med Lower Academy presented their grant proposal to the PC Commissioners on December 3rd at their Shalersville site. Tabatha England is the educator working with this student-led proposal. Bio-Med students will design and build a rain garden just off the main entrance to their school. Adding rain barrels to this storm water collection and storage system will also provide a water source for the raised beds that will be added to the front of the building as part of this grant. A pavilion and hoop house added to the rear of the school will provide further opportunities for cross-curricular integrated studies and outdoor learning.

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