Buffer Ohio Award Winner- Patrick Scherger

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

Patrick Scherger of Kansas 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.

Patrick Scherger was recognized for his work in installing more than 30 acres of conservation buffer practices. Patrick has planted nearly 8 miles of 33 feet wide grass buffers along Wolf Creek and its tributaries in Seneca County under the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). His conservation efforts began before there were incentives do to so. Patrick worked with Ohio EPA, US Army Corps of Engineers and NRCS/SWCD to stabilize Wolf Creek by adding riprap rock to the banks and to plant filter strips along the creek. Nearly 4.5 miles of the creek were protected by filter strips prior to CRP. Patrick worked for five years to complete this project without the financial assistance of CRP and purchased equipment to help the process along. Patrick went so far as to form the Wolf Creek Conservation Works of Improvement Project with the help of neighbors, County Commissioners, and the Seneca SWCD. This project would expand on what he had already accomplished on his own farm. Patrick’s filter strips have been the focus of several news letters and helped him to earn the Seneca Soil and Water Conservation District Cooperator of the Year Award in 1997. Patrick has done an outstanding 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 Patrick Scherger 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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