Extension
It Starts With Us
Protecting Water and Natural Resources
Protecting Natural Resources
Kelly Woods, Traci Missun
Natural Resources 4-H Core Curriculum
Ag Water Quality Program
Urban Environments (water issues)
Backyard Streams
People, animals and plants are dependent on our Earth’s natural resources. Everything from the air we breathe, to the water we drink, to the soil we use for food production –these resources are vital to our existence. Therefore, it’s important that we care for and respect these resources. Understanding how our daily choices affect our environment, we can conserve natural resources and protect our environment for present and future generations.
Oldham County includes watersheds that are on the impaired list, most often due to sedimentation with some bacterial issues. The Oldham County Ag Development Council has targeted soil and water conservation education as being an important initiative in programming. 4-H school programs for 4th graders include water science and conservation topics that correspond to required school curriculum and learning.
Additionally, Oldham County Fiscal Court has a Watershed Coordinator on staff to educate the public. Oldham County Extension began partnering with the Watershed Coordinator in 2013 to educate residents in practices to protect water and watersheds.
An increased number of farms will use updated ag water quality plans; an increased number of residents will use practices like soil testing. Youth will have a keen environmental awareness, realizing the long term impact and are willing to make changes in their lives to address this concern.
Youth will engage in community projects related to natural resource conservation.
Oldham County homeowners will use best management practices such as soil testing, buffer areas and integrated pest management practices. Oldham County youth will share water conservation practices with families and will adopt changes to conserve water. Oldham County farms will update and/or create ag water quality plans and use these on their farms.
Youth will adopt practices to conserve and protect the environment in their home and community.
Homeowners and farmers learn best management practices to protect water sources. Youth discover the properties of water and the water cycle and how this relates to the environment.
Youth will identify the natural resources that are used within their home and community.
Long-term Outcome: An increased number of farms will use updated ag water quality plans; an increased number of residents will use practices like soil testing. Youth will have a keen environmental awareness, realizing the long term impact and are willing to make changes in their lives to address this concern.
Indicator: Number of soil tests and other conservation practices reported
Method: Data from Watershed Coordinator; Written/verbal evaluation
Timeline: Spring 2019
Intermediate Outcome: Oldham County homeowners will use best management practices such as soil testing, buffer areas and integrated pest management practices. Oldham County youth will share water conservation practices with families and will adopt changes to conserve water. Oldham County farms will update and/or create ag water quality plans and use these on their farms.
Indicator: Number of first-time soil testing clients; number of people reporting use of buffer areas in residential sites; number of farms with ag water quality plans
Method: Post-program written evaluation; reports from SoilData program
Timeline: Spring 2019
Initial Outcome: Homeowners and farmers learn best management practices to protect water sources. Youth discover the properties of water and the water cycle and how this relates to the environment.
Indicator: Number of participants increasing change in knowledge
Method: Observation; Post-program verbal/written evaluation
Timeline: Evaluate after each event described below.
Audience: 4-H Members 4th graders
Project or Activity: Animal Adaptions
Content or Curriculum: Project Wet and Project Food Land and People
Inputs: CES Staff, CES Funding, Oldham County Public Schools, Classroom Teachers
Date: Fall 2018
Audience: 4-H Members 4th graders
Project or Activity: Mudballs (Soil and Erosion)
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Natural Resources Curriculum
Inputs: CES Staff, CES Funding, Oldham County Public Schools, Classroom Teachers
Date: Spring 2019
Activity: Sum of the Parts
Audience: 4th grade students
Content or Curriculum: What is a watershed? How do my actions affect a watershed?
Inputs: Project Wet Curriculum
Date: January 2019
Activity: Entomology
Audience: 5th grade students
Content or Curriculum: Hissing Cock Roaches
Inputs: University of Kentucky Entomology Department
Date: Spring 2019
Activity: Trees and Me
Audiences: 5th grade 4-H Members
Content or Curriculum: Importance of Trees in our Environment
Inputs: Project Food, Land and People
Date: Spring 2019
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Earth Day
Content or Curriculum: UK Extension Youth Curriculum
Inputs: Conservation District Staff/Volunteers, Agriculture Agent, Horticulture Assistant
Date: Spring 2018
Audience: Community Education Program Participants
Project or Activity: Soils, Gardening Activities
Content or Curriculum: UK Extension Materials
Inputs: Agriculture Agent
Date: February 2019
Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: Ag Water Quality Planning Workshop and individual planning with farmers
Content or Curriculum: UK Extension materials
Inputs: Agriculture Agent
Date: 2018-2019
Audience: High School Students
Project or Activity: Envirothon Club
Content or Curriculum: UK/KSU Extension materials; Division of Conservation resources; Fish & Wildlife Resources
Inputs: Agriculture Agent, Conservation District Staff
Date: Fall 2018 - Spring 2019 (tentative - funding and participant recruitment pending)
Author: Traci Johnson
Major Program: Ag Water Quality Program
Extension programs that protect natural resources are a continued priority identified by the Oldham County Extension and Agriculture Councils. One way that livestock producers can protect water is proper disposal of deceased farm animals. Proper disposal can be a challenge, especially for producers of large animals like horses and cattle. Proper disposal of large carcasses requires large equipment to bury the carcass in a way that does not negatively impact ground water or surf
