Buffer Ohio Award Winner- Dave Courtad

News Release
For Release: Wednesday, January 23, 2002
Columbus, Ohio

Dave Courtad of Upper Sandusky was recognized today as one of ten statewide Buffer Ohio Award Winners. The award was presented at the Annual Meeting of the Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

Buffer Ohio is a statewide awards program, which recognizes exceptional landowners who have done an outstanding job of applying and maintaining conservation buffer practices to the Ohio landscape. It is co-sponsored by Ohio Farm Bureau, Ohio Corn Growers, Pheasants Forever, ODNR Division of Wildlife, ODNR Division of Forestry, ODNR Division of Soil and Water Conservation, Ohio Wetlands Foundation, Nature Conservancy, Ohio Soybean Association, National Conservation Buffer Council, USDA Farm Service Agency, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and the Lake Erie Buffer Team.

Conservation buffer practices include grass filter strips, riparian tree plantings, sod waterways, wetland restorations, and windbreaks. They are a fundamental part of the conservation effort to protect and enhance Ohio’s precious soil, water, plant, and animal resources. Buffer practices provide improved agricultural production, erosion control, water quality, and wildlife habitat benefits. Buffer areas trap sediment, nutrients, pesticides, provide food and cover for wildlife, and increase plant and animal diversity.

Dave Courtad was recognized for his work in installing conservation buffer practices. Dave installed filter strips in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). He also planted whole fields to grass ouin CRP with part planted to native warm season grasses. He installed two wetlands, protected a total of 27 acres with a permanent conservation easement, and created wildlife habitat by planting warm season grasses for nesting and winter habitat, food plots for winter food, and legumes and cool season grasses for improved brood habitat. Dave is also the Habitat Chairman for the local Pheasants Forever Chapter and a Hunter Education Instructor. He is an innovator with his use of prescribed burns on warm season grass plantings, disking and inter-seeding, herbicide applications, and wetland water control level management. Dave has done an excellent job of applying and maintaining the conservation buffer practices he has installed and has also helped others to install and maintain their own conservation practices.

As part of the award Dave Courtad received a cash award, recognition plaque, and Buffer Ohio Jacket. Award recipients were selected based on a review of their conservation buffer accomplishments. Judging was done by a committee of the Buffer Ohio Partner Organizations.

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