Background
On March 7, 2007 Ohio State University Extension, Purdue University, and the University of Minnesota hosted a video conference to showcase stories of individuals making a difference in their communities by effectively linking land use and watershed management practices.
The goal of the video conference was to promote regional cooperation among watershed professionals in the Great Lakes states, document success stories, and encourage new approaches.
There were three featured "extraordinary people" from each state who shared their stories. This project was funded with a grant from the USDA CSREES through the Great Lakes Water Quality Program.
For more information about the project contact Anne Baird, Ohio State University Extension. Email: baird.41@osu.edu Phone: 614-292-8603
Story Teller Profiles
Don Lee
Farmer Don lives in the Village of Cardington Ohio. In addition to farming, Don runs the Village water and wastewater plants, and is the President of the Olentangy Watershed Alliance. Don is an extraordinary land use decision maker because he has managed to build bridges between the once isolated "islands" of people and organizations in his community so that they can work together to reduce polluted runoff.
Read Don's profile…
Marta Moody
Marta is the Executive Director of Delaware County Muncie Metro Planning Commission in Muncie, Indiana. Marta has been a critical collaborator with the White River Watershed Project on decision making in the watershed. Marta is an extraordinary land use decision maker because she successfully incorporated watershed priorities into the Delaware-Muncie Comprehensive Plan (a long-range plan that guides physical development decisions). This linkage will provide increased protection and improve the quality of water and wildlife habitat areas in and around the reservoir.
Read Marta's profile…
Adam Birr
Adam is a Water Quality Specialist with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture in Rochester. Adam is an extraordinary land use decision maker because he successfully worked with farmers to implement a variety of Best Management Practices (BMPs) and then study the effects of these practices on sediment and phosphorous levels in the Huelskamp Watershed, fifteen miles north of New Ulm, Minnesota. Adam's findings indicate that it takes several years before changes in sediment and phosphorus loads are observed in-stream. A key ingredient to Adams success was one on one kitchen conversations in farmers' homes.
Read Adam's profile…
Sue Skufca
Sue is the Secretary/Treasurer of Friends of Conneaut Creek in Northeast Ohio. Sue is one of our extraordinary people because she weathered the storm of grassroots organizing from the initial chaotic meetings to successful land use protection through conservation easements and land purchases. To date, 280 acres of land have been purchased by the Ashtabula County Metroparks and 40 acres protected under conservation easement. According to Sue, "Perseverance, patience, and dedication to the underlying common goal of land/water protection have been key."
Read Sue's profile…
Download the entire Extraordinary People video:
Extraordinary_People.mov (Quicktime, Length: 5 hours 14 minutes, Size: 731.3 MB)
Right-click (Control-click) the link then choose "Save Target As..." ("Save Link As...") to Download.
