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:
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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
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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 Second Annual Photo Contest will conclude May 9th 2008.
Congratulations to Kayla Fringer for her Best of Show photo "Three Amigos"!
And Congratulations to the rest of our Photo Contest winners!!
Trees and Plants:
"One, Two, Three"
1st Place: Wendy Kollmeier
2nd Place: Debbie Thompson
3rd Place: Debbie Thompson
Landscape:
"Mid-Afternoon Beauty"
1st Place: Oleta McClelland
2nd Place: Dick Wilson
3rd Place: Dick Wilson
Finley River:
"Linden Dam"
1st Place: Dick Wilson
2nd Place: Dick Wilson
3rd Place: Sandy Smith
Missouri Nature:
"Butterfly"
1st Place: Debbie Thompson
2nd Place: Debbie Thompson
3rd Place: Oleta McClelland
Christian County Treasures (Youth):
"How time has changed"
1st Place: Kayla Fringer
2nd Place: Danielle Bolin
3rd Place: Danielle Bolin
Missouri Nature (Youth):
"Inside looking out"
1st Place: Kayla Fringer
2nd Place: Desirae Gann
3rd Place: Kayla Fringer
Finley River (Youth):
"Three Amigos"
1st Place: Kayla Fringer
2nd Place: Kayla Fringer
3rd Place: Desirae Gann