Valley Trust

Number 36 / Autumn 2008

NEWS
Conserving the natural environment and cultural heritage of Southwest Ohio

2009 TVCT CALL FOR

Annual Meeting NOMINATIONS!
Sat., Feb. 7, 2009 TVCT Founder Wally Edwards

Marcum Conference Center WALLACE I. EDWARDS

 CONSERVATIONIST AWARD
Mark Your Calendar! The Wallace I. Edwards Conservationist Award has been
For details, visit www.3vct.org established by The Three Valley Conservation Trust to
recognize not only work done by a person or persons in
watch your mailbox for your invitation.
the preceding year but also the cumulative results of a
long-term commitment to conservation values. When
(Continued on page 11)

The Winds of September 14...

Like many of our friends and neighbors, the Beck Farm,
home of the Trust office, sustained considerable tree damage
during the unusual hurricane aftermath on September 14. Six
large trees were taken down by the winds along with downed
branches throughout the property. As shown below, the
winds twisted a very old and beautiful oak tree away
from the building, leaving the historic building free of
damage.
Below: This oak has sheltered us from the sun for a long
time. You can see by the photo below how large this tree
was. We miss the graceful giant outside of our window.

Let Me
Be Frank
Frank House
Chair, Board of Trustees
FARM TALES WITH MONITORING
Late August seems to come with an overcast day and a
cool breeze acting as a chilling reminder to be prepared
for the season change. It becomes eerily quiet as many
migratory birds are beginning to leave. Our barn swallows
that started out as five to ten breeding pairs, by now
number over fifty, but are gone with the Labor Day week
end. I have to get the last cutting of hay in and our fall
calving begins.
The first overwintering ducks arrive and slowly build
to about two hundred by the end of November. Each
morning and evening they begin a chorus asking to be fed
as soon as they see me. They all leave with the thawing of
the ice in March. Our swans keep the ice open during the
winter.
As the fall progresses and the weather has forced all the
leaves from the trees and underbrush, it is much
easier to see conditions and changes in the landscape. It
is now that I can take time for other endeavors and one of
the things I enjoy is visiting a protected property to help
with the monitoring.
Index
Wallace I. Edwards Conservationist Nominations........... 1
Annual Meeting 2009 ..................................................... 1
The Winds of September 14............................................. 1
Let Me Be Frank.............................................................. 2
From the Desk of Larry.................................................... 3
Local Land Conservationists Applaud Passage of CO ... 3
Climate Change in Ohio ................................................. 4
Gift Memberships: The Enduring Gift of Land .............. 5
Forest & Farms Featured ................................................ 6
TVCT Hosts Oxford Chamber Business After Hours .... 6
Developing News . .......................................................... 7
A Salute to Wine, A Salute to Middletown...................... 7
The Trust Goes 100% Post-Consumer Paper Waste ...... 8
Auction for Acres Added New Format .......................... 9
Winter Challenges for an Avian Acrobat! ....................... 10
Ann’s Homemake Suet/Crumbles . ................................. 10
How to Join the Trust....................................................... 11
Membership Donations and You...................................... 12
Calendar........................................................................... 12
2 www.3vct.org
They are all different and each one has a special point of
interest, but a most unusual place exists just south of West
Alexandria and is owned by Fred Glander. Twin Creek
winds its way through the property with deep pools of
blue water and smallmouth bass nearly two feet in length
swimming near the surface. An old defunct rail trestle
crosses the creek and the rail bed acts as a path to visit
other parts of the farm. The trestle has had the rails and
sides removed leaving the wooden ties. Fred uses his ATV
to take a slightly jarring and unnerving ride over these ties
while looking down some 50 feet or more to the creek. He
usually stops half way across so you can get out and take
in the view.
It’s like being in an old movie set but out on location. The
fields are bordered with stones and boulders left from the
glacier and removed from the fields by generations farming
the land. One such boulder is approximately ten feet tall.
In another area of the farm there is a deep ravine with one
side covered with one- to three-foot diameter stones so
deep that nothing can grow through them. Each field is
surrounded with approximately 100 feet of habitat cover
that Fred keeps for wildlife.
But the best part is simply talking to Fred and listening to
his stories and seeing his enthusiasm as you go about the
monitoring. What a rewarding day it is to be with him and
see this hidden jewel that he has so thoughtfully preserved.
The protected properties are close to numbering one
hundred and are monitored once a year by volunteers.
You can also be a part of this by contacting our volunteer
coordinator, Lois Nelson, at the Trust office. Perhaps you
will be with me on one of these trips, but I must warn you,
my available time is on inclement weather days only after
all the leaves have fallen. I am looking forward to seeing
you. z
Board of Trustees
Ray Arlinghaus Adolph Greenberg Gregory Peck
Margarette Beckwith Catherine Hollins Jerry Stanley
Frank “Hank” Dupps Frank House J. Ronald Stewart
Sam Fitton Ben Jones Don Streit
Stephen Gordon Mary Moore Liz Woedl
Founded in 1994, the Three Valley Conservation Trust works with
people and communities to conserve the natural environment and
cultural heritage in Southwest Ohio. The Trust protects open space
and farmland by acquiring, through gift or purchase, conservation
and agricultural easements, and works to protect and improve
water quality in the western tributaries of the Great Miami River.
“Valley Trust News,” the newsletter for members of the Three
Valley Conservation Trust, is published four times per year.
Editors: Mary Glasmeier, Stephen Gordon
Valley Trust NewS
 From the Desk of...

Larry Frimerman
Executive Director

As we wind down another year at the Three Valley
Conservation Trust, I am constantly reminded of
Thanksgiving.As with each of the last seven years, it is
time for us to give thanks for the outstanding support you
have given the Three Valley Conservation Trust and to
me through your hard work, commitment, dedication, and
financial donations.
The Trust was quite fortunate to have had a few
major gifts, which, combined with your membership,
our Benefactors, small grants, and our outstanding
volunteer organizing for the various Trust fundraisers
and “friendraisers,” helped the Trust meet its 2008 basic
expenses. Don Streit, Dick Sollmann and Pat Dupps were
tremendous event chairs who devoted their year to the
Trust. We are very excited about new friends and partners
with great energy and ideas, and look for new volunteer
efforts to help us grow.
I am proud of our staff, Development Director Lawrence
Leahy and Office Manager Mary Glasmeier; our
Volunteer Monitoring Coordinator Lois Nelson; and
our interns, most recently Carl Davis and now Jennifer
Prather, for their very professional achievements. I am
grateful for the superb leadership of the most amazing
Board of Trustees I’ve ever had the pleasure of associating
with. The guidance of Chairman Frank House and
the Executive Committee have provided more than
governance and policymaking; they
have also provided the heavy lifting
and integrity to help move this
organization from good to excellent.
Our long-standing Board heroes and leadership team
members Liz Woedl (long-time Board Chair), Catherine
Hollins, and Jerry Stanley are stepping down for a well-
deserved break. New committee chairs Ray Arlinghaus and
Steve Gordon have stepped forward, and stronger policies
and procedures have been adopted to keep us strong and
protect our vitality. Our stellar Lois Nelson and our terrific
Monitoring team have somehow kept us current on our
responsibilities on 72 easements.
Our unsung partners in federal, state, county, township
and municipal government, OSU Extension, Soil & Water
Conservation offices, and park districts (notably Five
Rivers Metroparks and Butler Metroparks, along with
Preble County Park District) have contributed expertise,
letters of cooperation and support, important thinking
and collaboration, and in the case of Five Rivers, funding
support for land conservation. We thank the US Natural
Resources Conservation Service, the Ohio Department of
Agriculture, and the Ohio Public Works Commission for
the land conservation pass-through grants that will enable
us to near the 10,000-acre mark next month. z

Local Land Conservationists Applaud

Passage of Clean Ohio
Three Valley Conservation Trust joins with other land
conservation groups throughout Ohio in recognizing the
benefits that will come from Ohio’s voters overwhelmingly
approving permanent extension of the Clean Ohio Fund
by a margin of 69% to 31%. Clean Ohio renewal ensures
continued protection of our environment and revitalization
efforts for Ohio’s economy.
Clean Ohio renewal does not raise taxes while making
$100 million per year available for these essential
programs. The Clean Ohio Fund makes $50 million
available for continued rehabilitation of urban brownfield Clean Ohio was first approved by Ohio voters in 2000. Since
sites, $37.5 million for greenspace conservation and 2002, it has funded projects in all of Ohio’s 88 counties,
$6.25 million each for recreational trails and farmland preserved 26,000 acres of farmland, 26,000 acres of natural
preservation. areas and 216 miles of recreational (continued on page 8)

AUTUMN 2008 www.3vct.org 3

 Climate Change in Ohio
submitted by Don Pestana
In the next fifteen years, as the effects of climate change
in Ohio become more obvious, the work of the Three
Valley Conservation Trust and similar groups will take on
even greater importance. Initial reports on global warming
emphasized early change indicators such as glacial melt
rates, ocean water temperatures and desertification. Even
today, reports emphasizing polar bear and other species
extinction make it difficult to connect this global problem to
our local environment.
A number of recent studies on climate shifting due to
temperature rise all give a fairly consistent picture of how
these changes will affect Ohio. As temperatures increase and
anomalous weather events such as severe storms and drought
become more frequent, Ohio will experience fundamental
problems in the area of water quality and availability. For
this reason watershed protection will become a primary area
for the mitigation of the adverse effects of climate change in
Ohio.
In the past 100 years, Ohio has undergone a shift in
precipitation patterns. This shift is projected to continue
and accelerate. The northern half of the state has seen a
5-20% increase in rainfall. In the south an opposite trend
has lowered rainfall by almost the same percentage. This
division mirrors the state’s natural drainage pattern with the
result that any abundance in the north will drain to Lake Erie
and have little effect on the availability of water in the south.
Seasonal patterns are also predicted to change in ways that
will impact agricultural practice with heavier winter and
4 www.3vct.org
spring rain falls affecting field preparation and planting.
In addition to the changes in the amount and the timing of
rain, climate models indicate that the rain we do receive
in both the north and the south is more likely to arrive
as extreme rain events. An extreme rain event is one that
delivers two or more inches of rain in a 24-hour period.
This new rainfall pattern will result in more flooding. We
are likely to see accelerated erosion and compromised
water quality from increased agricultural and urban runoff.
Downstream, the deterioration of aging infrastructure
such as dams, channels and bridges will be accelerated.
This will especially be the case on water courses that have
not been given adequate care and protection in the past.
The importance of slowing rain runoff through stream
bank maintenance, wetlands restoration and protection
and improved agricultural practice cannot be overstated.
It will help protect soil and water quality and allow for
the recharge of the underground aquifers on which we all
depend for our drinking water.
The challenge of climate change highlights the benefits
we receive from healthy, functioning natural areas. These
benefits, often referred to as “ecosystem services,” are
undervalued if not totally overlooked by a large part
of our society. Though of fairly recent origin, the term
“ecosystem services” harkens back to the earlier idea of
“natural capital” and refers not just to flood control but
also to nutrient recycling, insect pollination, pest control,
carbon storage, waste disposal and (Continued on page 9)
Valley Trust NewS
Gift Memberships:
The Enduring Gift of Land
Looking for a gift that lasts forever?
Consider giving the gift of land this year with
a Gift Membership to
Three Valley Conservation Trust!
Gift memberships may be made at any of our
membership levels:
Student $25
Member $50-99
Sponsor $100-249
Contributor $250-499
Guardian $500-999
Conservationist $1,000
Founder’s Society $2,500+
Great Blue Heron Group $10,000+
Autumn 2008 www.3vct.org
Top Ten Reasons
to Give the Gift of Land
1. It’s always the right size, fit and color.
2. You don’t have to ship it (or wrap it).
3. It’s tax-deductible.
4. It won’t end up in the dumpster in next year’s
spring cleaning.
5. There’s no instruction manual to read.
6. You can eat a picnic lunch on it next time
you’re outdoors.
7. It helps clean our air and water.
8. It provides the pear tree for the partridge
(habitat for our wildlife friends).
9. During the season of peace, you’re helping
preserve some natural serenity.
10. It feels really good to help preserve our
beautiful places!
By giving a Gift Membership to the
Three Valley Conservation Trust you and your
recipient can help preserve southwest Ohio’s most
beautiful, wild, and ecologically important places-
for yourselves…for future generations…forever!
A Gift Membership is a great way to honor your
children, grandchildren, spouse, friends, and even
co-workers or employees--anyone and everyone
you know who loves southwest Ohio!
Just send us the name(s) of your
recipient(s) and we will notify them that you have
made a gift in their honor-a year’s membership
with the Three Valley Conservation Trust. As
part of their Gift Membership, they will receive
our most recent Newsletter, future Newsletters,
invitations to our gatherings and events and, of
course, our sincere thanks.
For Gift Memberships of
$100 or more, your recipient(s) will
also receive a packet of beautiful
Three Valley Conservation Trust notecards.
5
Forests & Farms Featured
submitted by stephen c. gordon
A warm, lazy August afternoon provided a fitting late
summer backdrop for Three Valley Conservation Trust’s
Farm Tour of Montgomery and Preble counties. Co-
sponsored with Five Rivers MetroParks of Dayton, the
guided bus and walking tour showcased how working farms
and conservation can co-exist in the still pastoral setting of
the upper Twin Creek drainage.

conversation. The Dupps welcomed tour-goers to their

recently restored and meticulously appointed 19th century
log home. They have also invested in prairie restoration.
By partnering with Five Rivers MetroParks and local
landowners, the Trust was able to showcase several
easements and farmland conservation efforts at work. The
Trust wishes to acknowledge and thank those who made
the Farm Tour possible, including Dave Nolin, Director of
Conservation at Five Rivers MetroParks, the entire Ristaneo
family, and Hank and Robin Dupps. z

The Farm Tour gave participants an opportunity to TVCT Hosts

experience close-up the tangible benefits of farm and land
conservation efforts taking place in the Twin Creek area. Oxford
After driving through Germantown MetroParks and the
rolling farmland of eastern Preble and western Montgomery
Chamber
counties, the tour bus left the paved county road and of Commerce
entered the gravel barnyard of the 635-acre farm owned by
Larry and Pam Ristaneo. Like many easement donors, the Business
Ristaneos are careful stewards who love the land they own
and are working hard to conserve it for future generations
After Hours
to enjoy. The immaculate condition of the equipment and
machinery barn was echoed in the well managed fields and
From the top: Don Powell holding
woodlands that Larry proudly showed his guests. The farm,
his door prize, a TVCT Enviro-Tote;
straddling both sides of the road, exemplified progressive Jackie Ponder, Miller Brewing
conservation practices; grassy buffer strips and well-tended Company; Orie Loucks leads a
crops interspersed among mature stands of upland woods walking tour of the Beck Farm.
and wooded creek bottoms. The Ristaneo farm is yet another
example of how farmland easements support our agricultural
economy while sustaining the rural landscapes of the Three
Valley Conservation Trust’s service area.
One of many highlights during the tour was the stop at the
Dupps property bordering Lower Twin Creek at the western
edge of Germantown. The group was greeted by Hank
and Robin Dupps under a tent for what folks down-home
call “a real spread” along with cold beverages and good

6 www.3vct.org Valley Trust NewS

 Developing News
from Lawrence Leahy, Development Director
There have been many activities that took place since our last
newsletter and I would like to thank everyone who has been
involved—including participants and guests, volunteers who
helped organize and implement, and our Board.
In conjunction with the Oxford Chamber of Commerce, we
hosted the monthly ‘Business After Hours’ at our office in
late August. As you will see in other pages of the newsletter,
our annual Auction in September was a great success. In
early November, we also held our first Wine Tasting event.
During these past few months three of our grant proposals
were approved. Miller/Coors is funding another student
intern from Miami University who produces maps and
additional data necessary so we can assist landowners.
The Greater Dayton Conservation Fund of the Dayton
Foundation is funding the Trust in providing landowners
in the Twin Creek Watershed with assistance regarding
land protection opportunities. The Middletown Community
Foundation is providing funding
assistance to help defer the costs
we will incur in 2009 as part of
our land protection and preservation efforts that affect the
Middletown area. We are very excited to have received this
support and are grateful to these organizations.
Our Development Committee has done outstanding work
this year. We have had many successful accomplishments
and we are looking forward to improving our achievements
in 2009. The Development Committee has been meeting
to establish our 2009 Activity Calendar which we plan to
include in our next newsletter. Early announcement of our
calendar of events will allow you to plan well in advance to
join us.
I would like to thank everyone for your help and support
this year. Best wishes for a happy holiday season and a
successful, healthy and happy 2009. z

A Salute to Wine,
A Salute to Middletown
On the evening of November 8th, six wine-know-
eighty-five people enjoyed a Salute ledgeable friends
to Wine, a lovely wine tasting held who took five hours
at Brown’s Run Country Club out of their busy
in Middletown. Thirty different lives to pour. We would like to
wines from around the world were thank Jerry and Pam Collins,
available for tasting and purchase. Barb Eshbaugh, Karen Ferrario,
The wines were accompanied by Doug Shumanvon and Warren
a truly delectable variety of hors Mason for their help in pouring.
d’oeuvres—the centerpiece of which We would also like to thank
was a beautifully presented salmon. Middletown’s Arrow Wines,
Guests at one of the six regional wine sampling 56 degrees, and an anonymous
The Trust is very grateful to Pat stations-Argentine/Chile/Spain, Australia, friend for providing lovely
Dupps for organizing the evening; California, France, Italy, and Pacific Northwest. wine gift baskets for the silent
the results reflected The seventh station offered specially selected
auction. Most of the guests were
the many hours and premium wines.
from Middletown and were
great efforts she
introduced to the Trust for the first time. Many Board
put into arranging all of the details. Cal
members were present to mingle with the guests and tell
Conrad provided valuable advice on how to
them the story of the Trust. All told, it was a fun evening
implement the first wine tasting ever held
and we are happy to have made some new friends from
by the Trust. He also identified the variety
the Middletown area. z
of wines that were available, and recruited
Pat Dupps

Autumn 2007 www.3vct.org 7

The Trust Goes 100% Post-Consumer Paper!
We realize these are difficult economic times for our sup-
porters and landowners, and the Trust takes very seriously
its obligation to make every penny of your contribu-
tion work for the benefit of the mission in which we all
believe. We actively look for ways to cut expenses so your
dollar goes farther. Buying the cheapest option works fine
for many items, but not yet for office and copier paper.
The Trust recently took the step of purchasing only 100%
post-consumer waste paper (100% PCW) for its office
use instead of the commonly available 30% "recycled"
paper, and here’s why. Office paper labeled as 30% "re-
cycled" has not necessarily been used by the consumer
and taken from our collection bins, but can simply mean
that scraps cut from the paper’s original manufacture are
added back during the papermaking process. It is true
that this meaning of "recycled" avoids some cutting of
more trees, but it is more an efficiency advantage
for the manufacturer than recycled in the sense
as we commonly understand it. However,
paper labeled 100% post-consumer waste
provides a paper product indistinguishable
from virgin wood paper while totally by-
passing the need to cut any trees at all!
In addition, suppliers (such as Staples
and others) offer this paper processed
chlorine-free, avoiding the toxic
byproducts from chlorine bleaching.
Clean Ohio (continued from page 3)
trails. It also has helped clean up 173 abandoned and
polluted industrial sites, leveraging private investment for
projects that will create 14,750 permanent jobs and add
$2.6 billion to the state’s economy.
Locally, the program has helped Butler MetroParks and
Five Rivers MetroParks acquire critical parklands; the
Dayton, Cincinnati, Hamilton and other cities convert old
industrial sites into new viable uses; and TVCT and other
land conservation organizations to assist local governments,
parks, soil and water conservation districts and landowners
to preserve wildlife habitats and prime farmland. For
instance, the Clean Ohio Fund has helped TVCT preserve
34 properties covering what will soon be 6800 acres of
permanently protected ground, saving some $65 million
in open space and agricultural values in Butler, Preble,
and Montgomery counties. The Trust holds conservation
easements on its own, as well as in conjunction with
state, federal and local organizations such as Five Rivers
MetroParks.
“The Trust is grateful for voter support for this important
program,” commented Larry Frimerman, the group’s
8 www.3vct.org
The current difference in price for the 100% PCW is only
$8/carton, but for that modest increase, one saves in return
approx. 17 mature trees, reduces solid waste by 1000 lbs.,
reduces water use by 10,000 gal., reduces air emissions by
2000 lbs. and reduces natural gas consumption (or equiva-
lent) by 2,500 cubic feet after 40 cartons of use.
The environmental benefits are enormous, and our purchase
of products like this builds a stable market for truly recycled
products that will undoubtedly in the near future bring the
price of this product in line with its more wasteful predeces-
sor. And we think you will agree, it makes little sense to
jeopardize the world’s other forests in order for the Trust to
protect the forests of Ohio.
We would be delighted if one of our woods-loving sup-
porters would underwrite the $120/year difference for the
purchase of this paper. Call Mary at the office.
Editor’s Note: The “Valley Trust News” is printed
on recycled paper supplied by our printer. For
those who wish to take it a step farther and
eliminate more waste, we can email a hotlink
to the Valley Trust News to you to read it
online! In keeping with the earth-friendly
environment,we regularly recycle paper,
cans, plastic, and glass in the Trust office
at the Beck Farm.
Executive Director. “These funds cannot be used for an
organization’s operations – they are passed through dollar
for dollar to landowners,” he added.
The brownfields program cleans up abandoned and
contaminated industrial sites and reuses them for
reinvestment in local economies. This is not only good for
cities, but also helps preserve farmland and open space by
making urban areas more attractive so people and businesses
are less likely to build on agricultural land.
Renewal of Clean Ohio will greatly enhance efforts to
preserve greenspace and farmland in Ohio. We appreciate
the efforts of the Butler County Commissioners, who
approved a resolution in support of the Clean Ohio
program. Thanks to co-chairs U.S. Senators Sherrod
Brown and George Voinovich, with Governor Ted
Strickland, House Speaker Jon Husted and Senate
President Bill Harris for their leadership. For more
information, contact Three Valley Conservation Trust at
(513) 524-2150 or visit our website at www.3vct.org. z
Valley Trust NewS
Auction for Acres Added New Format
A beautiful evening at
the Knolls of Oxford
helped the financial cause
for land conservation
in Southwest Ohio
with the Three Valley
Conservation Trust’s
recent Auction For Acres
fundraising event. The
event, contributions, and
200+ items and services
donated generated nearly
$30,000 in net proceeds to
help fund the operations
Left: Dave Belew of Hamilton played a variety of tunes on the piano.
of the Three Valley
Right: An auction attendee studies the artworks on display for the live auction.
Conservation Trust.
“It all began on a snowy March day in a telephone
conversation with the Trust asking me to chair the 2008
Auction for Acres. And, it ended successfully more than six
months later following a land-based hurricane, plummeting
stock market and financial crises,” remarked Dick Sollmann,
Auction For Acres Chairman.
The Knolls of Oxford graciously donated the use of its
wonderfully appointed and functional facilities, with virtually
all food and wine donated. Many participants commented on
the excellent facilities, set-up and great food served.
A unique feature of this year’s auction was having it live
AND on-line through the Cincinnati-based on-line auction
service Everything But the House (which donated their
services, as did Doug Ross, the excellent on-site auctioneer).
The major goals undertaken were to raise as much money as
possible at minimal cost and to broaden the exposure of the
TVCT. The Committee accomplished these goals.
Climate Change (continued from page 4)
a whole host of other functions. Seen as a whole these
services impact every area of society, from the economy to
human health and beyond. Traditionally seen as free, these
benefits have in fact been an unacknowledged subsidy to
development. Recognizing the economic and social value of
ecosystem services will help advance conservation and could
lead to the creation of a market system similar to a carbon
trade market. The U.S. Forest Service and other groups are
exploring the possibility of creating markets that could lead
to payment for such services. Movement toward market-
based conservation should be seen as one more strategy in
both watershed protection and climate change remediation.
Identifying a variety of conservation strategies is as
important as building the widest possible coalition of
Autumn 2008 www.3vct.org
There were 242 live
and silent auction
items/services
donated, plus the
generous donations
of piano playing
by David Belew,
and the booked
performance of
Anachrorythms.
The top lots were
a one-week stay in
Cape Cod, and a
handmade Persian
Kashan carpet, each
selling for $1250.
Thirty four (one
quarter) of the live auction items sold to on-line bidders. In
addition, eleven individual benefactors and one corporate
benefactor supported the auction. Finally, thirty-nine donors
contributed food and beverage items.
“We are grateful for the support of our local community
here in Southwestern Ohio, as well as the terrific work done
by the dozens of volunteers for the Auction. Dick and the
Committee did a great job,” commented Larry Frimerman,
the Trust’s Executive Director.
“We are grateful to our local media for providing event
coverage, calendar listings and on-line sites throughout
the region. I want to thank the Auction Committee and its
sub-committees for all of their effort, time and personal
contributions to the success of this event; the Three Valley
Conservation Trust Board for its confidence in us and
support of our efforts; and staff for their support and
assistance,” added Sollmann. z
partners for this work. The vast scope of the problems
associated with the climate crisis can be seen as a silver
lining because there is no one whom these problems will
not touch. Here is a great opportunity for environmental
and conservation organizations to reach out in common
cause to business groups, health organizations, faith
communities and others. The streams and rivers of
Ohio have been called a delicate web binding together
our fragmented natural areas. As the effects of climate
change create a wider understanding of the importance
of watershed protection and our dependence on the
watersheds, perhaps this delicate blue-green web will
come to be seen as fundamentally connecting all of the
citizens of Ohio. . z
9
Winter Challenges for an Avian Acrobat!
submitted by Margarette Beckwith
The Black-capped Chickadee is one of the most easily
identifiable small birds in our area. With a subtle gray
and white feather coat set off by a black cap alternating
with white cheek and black throat, this little bird is in
nearly constant motion flitting to the feeder, hanging
upside down on a suet cake or hopping quickly
along a branch. Largely an insect eater, the
chickadee also consumes seeds and berries from
the natural environment.
Winter conditions and reduced natural food
sources are the greatest challenge to the survival
of this little bird. Unable to store much body fat, the
chickadee requires a continuous supply of high energy
food for survival. In preparation for winter this wise
little bird caches or stores seeds and insects, wedging
them into tree bark and other crevices. Chickadees
have a fantastic memory that allows them to relocate
this food months later. Researchers claim that the
bird’s brain actually expands in the autumn and winter as
a result of this memory need for caching and relocating
the stored food. The brain returns to normal size when
summer arrives.
Other adaptations for winter survival include an
increased number of feathers that are fluffed up to
provide even greater warmth. The legs are one of the
most exposed parts of this little creature. Like others
Ann’s Homemade Suet/Crumbles
submitted by Ann Geddes
Ingredients:
1 part of peanut butter
2 parts of lard, rendered suet or lard/shortening mix
Equal amounts dog chow pellets
Directions:
This recipe is more a procedure than an exact recipe. In a
pot large enough to hold the contents, melt 1 part peanut
butter and 2 parts lard, rendered suet or lard/shortening
mix. Cool so it is not hot, but still pourable. Grind an
(approximately) equal volume of dog chow pellets in
a food processor to barley size (use earplugs) for small
birds. The next step is to decide how you want to shape
the product. The dog chow can be put in heat resistant
pans or tubs, pour the suet over, stir well and let sit, or
10 www.3vct.org
of their species, chickadees have an
interesting solution to this challenge
of exposure. Birder and Board Member
Sam Fitton says that birds ‘have an unusual
concentration of glycogen types of chemicals
that function like antifreeze allowing leg
temperatures to decrease greatly without causing
cell damage.’ When at rest, the bird can
crouch down to nestle its feet and legs in
the under feathers, thus reducing
heat loss.
Experts believe that at night
the chickadee slips into
a crevice or cavity alone or with others, fluffs out its
feathers (in winter) and undergoes a torpor state of much
lower metabolic activity, including lowering of body
temperature from the daytime 108 degrees to about 90
degrees at night. By daylight, this spunky little bird is
again in search of sustenance.
It is said that starvation is the greatest threat to the
chickadee. So if you enjoy seeing this indomitable,
energetic little acrobat from your window during the
winter, offer some suet, peanut butter mix (see Ann’s
Homemade Suet/Crumbles recipe below) or seeds.
You will be generously rewarded and delighted by its
performance throughout the seasons. z
add the dog chow to the suet pot, stir and cool. Once the
suet hits the cooler crumbs, the product sets up rapidly so
mix quickly to avoid layering. Cut into blocks or simply
smear on tree trunks or pinecones. The key is to mix the
solid with liquid to the consistency of wet cement as that
will give a block with enough fat to hold its shape and
enough dry ingredient to prevent birds from choking. The
fat provides energy and the chow is better than corn or
oatmeal as it has added vitamins, and especially calcium
needed for shell formation. It appeals to insectivores
like woodpeckers, titmice, nuthatches and chickadees.
Bluebirds often have difficulty recognizing a suet block as
food, and may respond better to mixing in more chow to
make crumbles. z
Valley Trust NewS

WIE AWARD (continued from page 1)
choosing recipient(s) the Three Valley Conservation
Trust Selection Committee will take into consideration
activities and projects that clearly reflect Edwards’
vision.
Traits relevant to efforts should include: perseverance;
patience; ability to cooperate with others; commitment
to the preservation of natural resources; and willingness
to listen to all sides; to explain and to teach; to find
common ground to promote the greater good; and
to look at the big picture, long-term outcomes. The
recipient of the Wallace I. Edwards Conservationist
Award need not be a member of the Trust. The
recipient of this award may be either professionally or
avocationally involved in conservation or protection.
Projects that would exhibit these
traits include:
• Demonstrating land use practices that are
environmentally, economically, and culturally
sustainable;
• Nurturing a strong conservation ethic and good
stewardship habits in others;
• Organizing community members to learn about and
work toward stewardship goals;
• Volunteering time to improve others’ land or
organize others to take restoration action;
• Organizing a coalition of diverse interests and
individuals to work toward a common goal;
• Advancing or disseminating methods to control
invasive, non-native species;
• Any combination of the above.
Instructions for nominations can be found on the reverse
side of the Nomination form (available at the Trust
office) and on the Trust website.
Deadline for submissions is January 5.
The Award will be presented at the
Annual Meeting on February 7, 2009.
Autumn 2008 www.3vct.org
three valley conservation trust
Conserving the natural
environment and cultural
heritage of Southwest Ohio
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11
Membership Donations and You Calendar
Three Valley Conservation Trust owes its success to the
generosity and interest of its members. A significant part of the January
TVCT budget depends on membership dues. Your membership 7 Board Meeting, 7 pm, TVCT
benefits include:
February
 Over 9,000 acres of permanently protected farm, forest and
4 Board Meeting, 7 pm, TVCT
recreation land; 7 Annual Meeting & Dinner, 5:30 pm,
 Breathtaking views of farmland, wooded hills, wetlands and Marcum Conference Center
streams; Reservations $15
 Farm production will continue close to where you live;
 Habitat for birds, fish, amphibians and furry creatures;
 This newsletter; and We’d like your feedback!
 The lasting satisfaction that you’ve made the planet a better office_manager@3vct.org
place for generations to come.
513/524-2150
Your support of land conservation makes our region a very
TVCT, PO Box 234, Oxford, OH 45056
special place. Please renew or become a member today!

Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
5920 Morning Sun Road, PO Box 234 PAID
Oxford, Ohio 45056 Permit No. 171
513-524-2150 • 513-524-0162 fax Oxford, OH
45056
www.3vct.org
Larry Frimerman, Executive Director
Lawrence Leahy, Development Director
Mary Glasmeier, Office Manager

MEMBER OF

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This newsletter is printed on recycled paper and is also available in digital format. Email office_manager@3vct.org