BUCYRUS — The Crawford Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) recently its annual meeting, combined with the Crawford County Farm Bureau again this year.

Congratulations to Nathan Brause and Zach Stucky, who were elected to the Crawford SWCD Board of Supervisors for three year terms beginning Jan. 1. The Crawford SWCD is always looking for conservation leaders to fill this important role. Please contact the SWCD office at 419-562-8280, ext. 3, for information on how to become a candidate.

This year’s outstanding cooperator award went to the David Brause family. Dave has been a cooperator since 1977. He began by installing subsurface drainage and grass waterways. Over the years Dave and his family have utilized Soil and Water Conservation District grants and the USDA incentive programs to establish many of the conservation practices they put on their land. Dave’s conservation practices include minimum tillage, no-till, variable rate technology for grid soil sampling and nutrient application, grass waterways, cover crops and more. They use crop rotation and cover crops to provide adequate amounts of organic material for soil erosion reduction, nutrient balance and sustained soil organic matter which promotes increased water infiltration. The family assisted the district by co-hosting the soil health and cover crop field day last fall to educate area producers on the benefits of cover crops. Please help us by congratulating the Dave Brause Family for their outstanding conservation efforts if you see them out and about in the community.

Special recognition was given to the 43 affiliate members who assisted the district by donating almost $4,800 to 2017 programs. The list of all the donors is displayed in the Crawford SWCD office.

The board and staff thanked volunteers who have helped make our programs successful and congratulated all who have cooperated with the district over the last 71 years by putting important conservation practices on the land, realizing that our current generation must continue to work to protect all of our natural resources for future generations!