About Us
Our mission is to encourage and assist the people of Crawford County in making decisions for the wise use of our natural resources to provide a quality environment for all.
Crawford Soil & Water Conservation District
Conservation Districts are locally organized self-governing bodies chartered by the State. Through voluntary action and cooperation of landowners (and other stake holders), the District works to conserve land, water, forest, wildlife and other related resources for the benefit of all. We work in partnership with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency to put conservation practices on the land. We work in cooperation with county and state agencies to assist Crawford County residents with natural resource concerns.
Crawford SWCD and NRCS Staff:
Mike Hall, Program Administrator, has has been employed with the SWCD since 1996! He has served the district in a variety of roles including engineering technician and 4 county manure nutrient management technician before taking on his current role with the SWCD. Mike is a USDA certified Conservation Planner and certified Manure and Nutrient Management Planner. His primary focus is office administration and management along with conservation planning and SWCD program development and oversight. If you have conservation related issues or concerns on your property contact the office to find out which conservation program best fits your situation.
Diane Awbrey, Education Information Coordinator, has been a lifelong resident of the county and with us at Soil and Water for the last 17 years! You will often see her all over the county presenting to students and adults on Crawford County natural resource topics. When she is in the office you will find her working on our newsletter, website and social media accounts! Contact Diane today to schedule a program for your next event!
Monica Finney, Administrative Assistant, will greet you as you enter the office or likely answer the phone if you call. She is responsible for all the accounting duties of the office including paying bills, budgeting, mandated financial reporting, HR requirements and assisting with in-office sales. Monica also assists with the bookkeeping for the various conservation programs and grants. She also plays a big part in preparing for the monthly board meetings, the annual meeting, and election of the supervisors. monica.finney@oh.nacdnet.net
Megan Brown, Conservation Technician, has been with the office since 2015. When
not outside she spends her time designing conservation practices and watershed
mapping. Megan can assist you with the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP),
Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP), Ohio Division of Natural
Resources (ODNR) Windbreak program, Current Agricultural Use Value (CAUV)
Program, and more. She is also the go-to for aerial maps!
Derek Beat, H2Ohio Ag Technician, has been with the district since August 2019, he serves as the main contact for the H2Ohio program and with other farmstead related resource concerns, focusing on row crop and livestock production. He works closely with both the SWCD staff as well as the NRCS staff to help deliver valuable and real solutions to the citizens of Crawford County.
Hannah Ziegler, Nutrient Management Technician for Crawford Wyandot and Marion Soil and Water Conservation Districts Started with the district in 2024. She helps producers develop nutrient management plans, as well as help livestock producers implement better manure management practices on their farms. If you have questions about nutrients or agronomy you can call the office and talk to her.
Brad Van Voorhis, District Conservationist, has been employed by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service for 34 years. He works in Crawford and Wyandot Counties. He can work with all conservation programs but works primarily through helping landowners implement conservation through USDA cost share programs.
Kelby Fetter is the Soil Conservationist for Crawford and Wyandot counties. He has been with the NRCS for 4 years. His job is assisting producers with conservation programs and technical advice. He also handles the wetland and HEL compliance issues associated with agriculture in the county. He assists the District Conservationist with performing his duties. If you need assistance with conservation programs, give him a call.
Crawford SWCD Board of Supervisors:
Larry Leonhard, Board Chair – Braxton James, Secretary – Ben Stuckey, Fiscal Agent – Eric Hanes, Vice-Chair –Dave Paynter, Treasurer
The Crawford SWCD Board of Supervisors meets on the second Friday of each month at 8:00 A.M. at the USDA Service Center, 3111 State Route 98, Bucyrus.