Education

Photo courtesy NRCS

For information on any of the educational items listed here or if you have any questions about our information-education program, please contact the office at:

1786 S 16th Ave

Ozark, MO 65721

Ph:417-581-2718

Ext. 3

Fx:417-485-3863

The Christian County SWCD promotes good stewardship of the land.  A fundamental step toward achieving this goal is education.  With limited resources and unlimited dedication, the Christian County SWCD has managed to provide its residents a broad variety of outreach services targeting youth and adult audiences.

Traveling Trunks

The Christian County Soil and Water Conservation District is dedicated to the education of all of Christian County’s citizens, especially in the area of soil and water conservation.  Because of this dedication, the District received a grant for three Traveling Trunks to be used in the education of children within the District.  The trunks are categorized for Elementary, Middle School, and High School.   In cooperation with your school or other coordinator, these trunks will be available for your school to borrow free of charge.

Contents of the Elementary Trunk

Posters:

“The Water Cycle”

“Ground Water:  The Hidden Resource”

“Renewable Energy Sources”

“How Do We Treat Our Waste Water?”

“Oceans-Coastal Hazards:  Hurricanes, Tsunamis, Coastal Erosion”

“Water:  The Resource That Gets Used For Everything”

“Watersheds Where We Live”

“Wetlands:  Water, Wildlife, Plants, and People!”

“Hazardous Waste:  Cleanup and Prevention”

“Environmental Education”

 Puppets:

Snail

Groundhog

Mole

Ant

Worm in Apple

 Books:

“An Earth Worm’s Life”

“Wiggling Worms At Work”

“There’s A Hair in My Dirt!”

“Under One Rock”

A Handful of Dirt”

“Dirt”

“A Gardener’s Alphabet”

“Erosion”

“Water Dance”

“The Lorax”

“Crawdad Creek”

Music:

“Rot N’ Roll” (cassette)

“Dirt Made My Lunch” (CD)

Worm-Vue Worm Farm

Growth Chart

Compost Gin

Berlese Apparatus

10 Magnifying Glasses                

Farm Friends Floor Puzzle

Contents of the Middle School Trunk

Posters:

“The Water Cycle”

“Ground Water:  The Hidden Resource”

“Renewable Energy Sources”

“How Do We Treat Our Waste Water?”

“Oceans-Coastal Hazards:  Hurricanes, Tsunamis, Coastal Erosion”

“Water:  The Resource That Gets Used For Everything”

“Watersheds Where We Live”

“Wetlands:  Water, Wildlife, Plants, and People!”

“Hazardous Waste:  Cleanup and Prevention”

Bill Nye the Science Guy Videos:

Farming

Rivers and Streams

Erosion

Lakes and Ponds

Rocks and Soil

Biodiversity

Wetlands

Pollution Solutions

Water Cycle

Garbage

Books:

“More Than Skin Deep: A Teachers Guide to

Caves and Ground Water”

“Life in a Bucket of Soil”

“The Earth Moved”

“Discover Nature in the Garden”

“Worms Eat Our Garbage Activity Book”

“Science Is . . . “  Activity Book

“Our Endangered Planet:  Soil”

Soil Organism Study Kit

10 Magnifying Glasses

Contents of the High School Trunk

Books:

“60 Ways Farmers Can Protect Surface Water

“50 Ways Farmers Can Protect Their Ground Water

“Plain Talk About Drinking Water”

“Soil Science Simplified”

“Wildlife Management For MO Landowners”

“Missouri Trees”

“MO Animals of Conservation Concern”

“More Than Skin Deep: A Teachers Guide to Caves and Ground Water”

“Ecology of MO Forests”

“Forestry Unit”

“Missouri Pond Handbook”

“Fish & Wildlife Management”

“Soil Science”

“Christian County Soil Survey”

 Video:

“Public Speaking”

Geotechnical Gauge

4 Prisms

10 Magnifying Glasses

Munsell Color Chart

6 Cruiser Sticks

4Compasses

Tape Measure

Topographical Model

Composition of Soil Study Kit

USDA Soil Texturing Field Flow Chart

Soil Is Alive!!!

Fourth Grade Soil Demonstrations

Fourth grade students and teachers enjoy a hands on soil demonstration featuring a soil profile activity and “fourth grade Fear Factor” with edible soil.  This exciting presentation is a proven favorite and has been declared the “highlight” of the school year by several teachers.

Envirothon

Southwest Regional Envirothon Competition

The SWCD is an active supporter of the Southwest Regional Envirothon a 26 county region.  The Envirothon is a problem solving, natural resource education program for high school students.  In the field, teams of five students are challenged to hone critical thinking skills and work as a team.  They answer questions and conduct hands-on investigations of environmental issues in five categories: Soils/Land Use, Aquatic Ecology, Forestry, Wildlife, and Current Environmental Issues.  In addition to a written test, the teams also present an oral presentation solving a specific natural resource issue. 

This year's Southwest Regional Envirothon was held November 1, 2006 at Doling Park in Springfield.  The southwest regional competition is the largest regional competition in the state and has grown to become larger than the state competition itself.  There were twenty-two teams competing this year for top honors and a chance to go to the state competition this spring in Mexico, MO.  The regional competition is sponsored by area businesses, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), area Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD), and the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), and it is volunteers from these organizations and from throughout the region that provide the man power that makes this event possible.  For more information about the Envirothon please see the Missouri Envirothon Page

Field Trips

Christian County SWCD recently received a new Information-Education grant that was designed to provide teachers, primarily high school students, and landowners with educational opportunities that will help to create responsible future landowners and land users who have respect for our natural resources.

Through this project two annual fieldtrip opportunities are available to Christian County high schools.  The bottom line for these activities is to get the students outdoors in order to better teach them about natural resources by going beyond the classroom and providing on-site environmental education opportunities. 

Management Intensive Grazing School

The Grazing School is a great opportunity to learn how to maximize your farm profits by using valuable grazing techniques.  With good management you can improve your forage production, double harvest efficiency, and protect your pasture soil.

Not only will you walk away with a new perspective on grazing, your attendance will also meet one of the requirements for receiving cost-share funds to help you implement a new grazing system using the techniques learned at the School.

Instruction will be provided by experienced professionals.  Topics discussed are:

• Inventory of Farm Resources

• Plant Growth

• Water Requirements and Distribution

• Soil Resources

• Fencing and Water Components

• Extending the Grazing Season

• Matching Livestock and Forage

• Grazier’s Arithmetic

• Nutritional Needs of Livestock

• Pasture Fertility

• Grazing Economics

• System Layout & Design

• Pasture Insects

• Grazing Systems and Wildlife

• Forage Quality

• Cost Share Opportunities

Warm Season Grass Field Day

Area residents can enjoy a day touring a local farm which specializes in the production of warm season grass seed, and in learning about these special grasses.  For over 25 years, Leland and Terry Bohmont have been producing seed for commercial sale.  Each year the Bohmonts host an annual field day to educate landowners about warm season grasses. 

Many of these grasses are native to the Ozarks and are more efficient in utilizing nutrients and water.  This trait makes them less costly to produce. Warm season grasses provide a much needed source of forage at a time when fescue growth is minimal and toxicity problems can make it less than desirable. 

Photo Contest

Along with the field trips the new Information Education grant in Christian County will also provide funding for a photo contest that will be open to people of all ages in Christian County and the Finley River Watershed in hopes to encourage everyone to get out and experience the beauty of the Ozarks. 

Our 4th Annual Photo Contest concluded May 2009.

Congratulations to Marna Strahl for Best of Show!

And Congratulations to the rest of our Photo Contest winners!!

Trees and Plants (Adult):

1st Place: Nancy Parson

Landscape (Adult):

1st Place: Marna Strahl

Missouri Nature (Adult):

1st Place: Marna Strahl

Christian County Treasures (Youth):

1st Place: Mindy Carder

Missouri Nature (Youth):

1st Place: Hayden McClelland

Wildlife (Adult):

                                                                       

                                                  1st Place: Nancy Parson           

Finley River

Watershed (Youth):

1st Place: Sophie Sparks

Finley River

Watershed (Adult):

                                                 1st Place: David Hagood

Conservation/Education (Adult):

 

                                                    1st Place: Marna Strahl