The Muskingum Soil and Water Conservation District (MSWCD) strives to work with all producers of agricultural products to provide technical assistance to apply conservation on their land.
We are looking for an AmeriCorps VISTA Member. | LEARN MORE • Our offices will be closed Monday, May 26, 2025 in observance of Memorial Day. • We will be on Live At Noon on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 with Van.
How Can We Help?
Soil and Water Conservation Districts protect valuable natural resources in a changing landscape.
We provide a variety of a natural resource assistance and services to landowners, homeowners, educators, agricultural producers, developers and communities.
Our education trailer is an 18 foot, walk-through exhibit full of hands-on exhibits where visitors can discover some of the many wonders of aquatic ecosystems.
Find additional information and links to topics involving Invasive Species, Woodlands, Forestry and more.
They say one out of every three bites of food are made possible because of pollinators. Pollinators include birds, bees, butterflies, bats, insects, and small mammals.
Muskingum SWCD was awarded a $50,000 grant through the NACD’s Urban Agriculture Conservation Grant Initiative in 2016.
Muskingum SWCD is concerned with the water quality in the county and beyond.
Everything from the ground up starts with soil. We eat food grown in it. We build things on it and build things out of what grows in it. We also eat animals that eat plants that grow in it. Without soil we could not survive.
Farm Ponds
Doreen Maurer ZANESVILLE, Ohio - Farm ponds are not only a water source for livestock and used for irrigation, but they also provide a habitat for wildlife. A well-managed farm pond can be an asset to the environment as well as a suitable habitat for wildlife. A healthy farm pond can also increase the value of property.
Migration: A Bird’s Journey
Doreen Maurer ZANESVILLE, Ohio - When I plan to take a trip, it seems like there are a million things to do to get ready. Packing is one thing that I dread. So many decisions to be made - is it going to be cold, will it be hot, will it rain, should I pack this or should I leave that. The decisions go on and on and this is just to pack! Sometimes I wish I could travel like a bird.
DUNG BIRD’S NEST FUNGUS - What is it?
Doreen Maurer ZANESVILLE, Ohio - I want to tell you about something creepy that I found hanging out with the cabbage in my raised garden bed. It looks like a cup full of eggs. My first thought was, “what type of creepy, crawly creature left this in my garden”? My newfound curiosity led me to Google Lens. Low and behold, it’s a type of mushroom known as the dung bird’s nest fungus. This fungus is the size of a tiny bead and grows in clusters. As I look closer, I can see why it’s called dung bird’s nest fungus.