Forestry tour scheduled June 23
FINDLAY - Northwest Ohio Woodland Association in conjunction with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry is hosting a tour of three private properties at 9:30 a.m. June 23 to increase awareness of forestry management and conservation practices.
The tour is to start at Kaleidoscope Farms, 14842 CR 54, Mt. Cory, and travel to two nearby properties.
"Families own the majority of Ohio's woodlands," said Robert Boyles, chief of ODNR's Division of Forestry. "The three participating property owners have implemented several forestry conservation practices that other families can use to care for their land, improve their soil and water resources, and enjoy future economic benefits."
Featured will be potential cost-sharing incentives for landowners that implement forestry conservation practices. Riparian buffer tree plantings, walnut and butternut plantations, timber stand improvement, windbreaks, a wetland buffer, wetland restoration practices and ash tree salvage are among the practices to be seen on the tour.
The Forestry and Conservation Opportunities for Private Landowners tour is free to the public and offers landowners in northwest Ohio the opportunity to learn about what resources are available.
RSVP by calling (419) 424-5004.
More than 100,000 perch put in lake
ST. MARYS - Ohio Department of Natural Resources officials did an experimental stocking of yellow perch at Grand Lake St. Marys May 23. The goal was to provide fishing opportunities while improving the self-sustaining yellow perch population.
"We believe the stocking, in conjunction with improvements in water quality, may promote recovery of yellow perch fishing at Grand Lake St. Marys," said Rich Carter, executive administrator of Fish Management and Research with ODNR Division of Wildlife.
The 100,408 yellow perch stocked were raised at the Division of Wildlife's St. Marys State Fish Hatchery and released at Behm's Landing.
All stocked fish were 1.5-2 inch "fingerlings" marked with a technique that will allow biologists to determine the difference between naturally reproduced and stocked fish.
A naturally reproducing population still exists in the lake, however, with a dwindling number, state officials wanted to stock the lake in hopes of increasing
yellow perch fishing in the area.
The stocking represents the first time since 1944 that yellow perch were stocked in Grand Lake St. Marys, and this stocking was the largest ever one-time stocking of yellow perch in the lake.
