March 5, 2003 | ODNR to draft Kokosing River watershed plan
Reprinted from: Boyce, John. 2003. ODNR to draft Kokosing River watershed plan. Mount Vernon News, 5 March.MOUNT VERNON - The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is working with local government officials, organizations and citizens to develop a watershed plan for the Kokosing River. According to Kim Baker, ODNR's Kokosing State Scenic River coordinator, the watershed plan will list problems, priorities, and activities that need to be addressed within the region.
"It will serve to bring state dollars into the watershed to assist landowners with efforts to protect and maintain the Kokosing watershed ' health," Baker said.
Activities that may be undertaken in the watershed include log jam removals, livestock exclusion (fencing) from streams, tree plantings along streams, and technical advice to landowners. Baker stressed that activities will only be performed on private lands with the approval and consent of participating landowners.
Before moving forward with plan development, ODNR asked local community members to serve on a Watershed Plan Steering Committee. The committee members include:
•Dan Barker, Morrow Soil & Water Conservation District.
•Rob Clendening, Knox SWCD.
•Siobhan Fennessey, Kenyon College.
•Doug Givens, The Philander Chase Corp.
•David Greer, 4-H Extension Advisory and Knox SWCD boards.
•Donald Hawk; Knox Farm Bureau.
•Eric Helt, Knox County Citizens for Smart Growth.
•Jim Henry, Knox County engineer.
•Steve Kauffman, Knox County dairy farmer.
•Richard Mavis, mayor, Mount Vernon.
•Randy Pore, Knox Regional Planning Commission.
•Richard Stallard, Owl Creek Conservancy.
At the committee's first meeting, Feb. 27, members drafted a mission statement - To assist landowners in conserving and managing Kokosing River watershed resources.
To learn more about the Kokosing River watershed planning process, contact Baker by phone at 393-1421, e-mail her at kokosingriver@earthlink.net, or visit www.home.earthlink.net/~kokosingriver on the Internet.