This video was passed on to us and features the very first conservation easement held by the Captina Conservancy.  At just over 1000 acres, perhaps this video will help explain why the landowners wanted it protected.  You can learn more about the people behind saving Raven Rocks here: http://www.raven-rocks.org/.

Raven Rocks is located in southern Belmont County.  It is privately owned, but the public is invited and encouraged to explore this hidden feature that reveals itself in a big way as soon  as you take the path into the woods and head down the stairs.

As a gentle reminder, this place is protected by a conservation easement.  It is meant to be enjoyed forever, not abused and destroyed by humans.  Stairs have been constructed to allow for easier access and to prevent slope erosion by visitors, but there are no rails for the steep edges.  Please, spend some time here, but remember the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace so others can experience having their breath taken away as well. 

The 7 Principles of Leave No Trace and how they apply to visiting Raven Rocks

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare: rocks are slippery in the rain and dew. The ravine is noticeably colder than the start of the trail.  This site is not handicapped accessible.  Watch your step as it is uneven terrain.  Be CAUTIOUS if you intend on going immediately following a heavy rain or after snow melt as conditions of the stream can be very flashy.
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces: there is no camping permitted in Raven Rocks.  Please use the stairs provided for your safety.  There is no marked trail through the ravine (it's easy to see where it goes), but step lightly while exploring the rest of the area.
3. Dispose of Waste Properly: for your convenience, there are recycling and trash barrels provided at the trail head, but please do not leave trash bundled outside of the barrel if it is full (haul it back with you - pack it in pack it out).  Don't forget the cigarette butts and juice box straw wrappers!
4. Leave What You Find: people have been enjoying this site for thousands of years and our goal is for it to be around for another thousand years at least.  So ,"take only pictures, leave only footprints".
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts: this one is easy too as there are no campfires permitted in Raven Rocks.
6. Respect Wildlife: Raven Rocks provides a unique microclimate which allows plants and animals to flourish where they shouldn't be able to geographically.  The stream that flows through most of the year is a headwater stream.  The crisp, clear waters are vital for aquatic organisms.  
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors: people go to the outdoors for many reasons.  It is certainly not to see messages like "Micky was here 10/14" spray painted next to the waterfall or "JM+RA" scratched into a rock with the moss torn away.  Whether it's for peace, pictures, fresh air, or whatever, respect this property the way you want to see and use it. It's not a library, so you don't have to be quiet, but maybe you don't need your music to play above the bird chatter.

Learn more about Leave No Trace here: https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/

Not much needs to be said about this photo except that it was captured by our drone operator, Jonathan, on Tuesday, June 18.

Photo credit: Daniel Caron

The US Forest Service has teamed up with the Ad Council to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Trails System Act, which occurred in August 2018.  I just heard one of the radio advertisements today.  

This PSA campaign couldn't come at a more pressing time. In a world inundated with technology and constant notifications, we, especially kids, are spending more time looking down than around.  Stop reading this for 30 seconds and take a look around yourself.  

This campaign doesn't promote putting the technology away completely.  Several of the tools are interactive trails and forest locators.  And it also doesn't blowing the dust off the encyclopedias, but the campaign does emphasizes getting outside to get some questions answered.  After all, that's how it was done.

Check out more of the PSAs here and see why "some answers can only be found on the trail."

​Earlier this month, the Senate recently passed the Natural Resource Management Act.  This package contains a lot of information - including more than 100 different bills - that all impact public lands and conservation in one way or another.  

Why do we care? Within this Act, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) would be permanently reauthorized.  This program is an avenue for Captina Conservancy to use to acquire lands for conservation and access as we continue to grow.  Learn more about LWCF and how you can help by calling your Representative.

Another important piece of the package is the reauthorization of the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program.  The is a program that our partner agency, Belmont Soil and Water Conservation District, has actively used to complete a variety of projects with the assistance of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.  Projects completed include: vernal pool creation, pollinator habitats, and habitat restoration within Captina Creek Watershed.

The full Natural Resource Management Act needs to get through the House and the rest of the legislative process, but this is a tremendous step for conservation within these United States.   The Wildlife Society wrote a good article summarizing the main points of the Act.  And if you are up for some light reading, you can check out the full Act (S 47) here.

<<UPDATE>>
The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act became law on March 12, 2019.  This is a momentous achievement for the world of conservation.  You can read the final Act here.

Thank you to Ohio's senators and representatives that supported the passage of this act:  Senator Sherrod Brown, Senator Rob Portman, Representative Joyce Beatty, Representative Bill Johnson, Representative David Joyce, Representative Robert Latta, Representative Bob Gibbs, Representative Marcy Kaptur, Representative Michael Turner, Representative Marcia Fudge, Representative Troy Balderson, Representative Anthony Gonzalez, Representative Tim Ryan, and Representative Steve Stivers