Sustainable Economies
2004 Accomplishments
Sustainable Forestry Program
Co-authored three ginseng cultivation fact sheets published by OSU
Extension.
Supported growers’ efforts to raise awareness and improve law
enforcement related to ginseng theft. Convened committee meetings,
workshops and open houses networking ginseng growers, buyers and
law enforcement officials.
Helped launch www.growginseng.org, containing many resources related
to Ohio ginseng activities.
Conducted 10 landowners’ property site visits to identify suitable
sites for growing ginseng and other non-timber forest products, also
encouraging intentional management activities that lead to healthier
future forests.
Hosted the Sixth Annual Landowners Conference, attended by over 200
participants who learned about income opportunities and innovative
approaches to land stewardship.
Held two workshops on cultivation of high-value forest herbs, plus
a local business workshop entitled Marketing on the Cutting
Edge: Branding Strategies for Smaller Firms in a World of Giants attended
by 35 businesses and technical assistance providers.
Distributed 170 lbs. of ginseng seed, 45 lbs. of goldenseal root,
27 lbs. of black cohosh root, six lbs. of blue cohosh root and eight
lbs. of stoneroot to 70 landowners through the Fall Planting Stock
Sales Program.
Contracted with the Ohio Premium Pine Cooperative to administer a
feasibility study of value-added opportunities funded through a USDA
Value-Added Development Grant.
Provided technical assistance and advice on sustainable land management
in 23 of the 29 Appalachian counties of Ohio.
AORIC (Appalachian Ohio Regional Investment Coalition)
Helped over 40 Morgan, Athens and Meigs County entrepreneurs develop
or expand businesses.
Helped promote and assist emerging and developing entrepreneurs
in locating resources for finance, insurance, marketing and other
business
needs through the Morgan County Entrepreneur Support Network, a
concerned citizen’s group.
Linked entrepreneurs to 15 technical assistance providers.
Organized and participated in meetings focused on rural telecommunication
development, business incubators, tourism, sustainable agriculture
and forest product businesses.
Assisted in Chesterhill Produce Auction planning.
Helped create a Morgan County Economic Development Plan and a directory
of businesses.
Hosted a booth at the Morgan County Fair in McConnelsville.
Published a Business Startup Resource Guide.
Worked with AORIC partners on entrepreneurship policy.
Rural Action Sustainable Agriculture
Held Keeping Appalachian Farmers Farming workshop
with over 50 growers and consumers from six counties attending.
Co-hosted an On-Farm Field Day with Green Edge Gardens
of Amesville with over 60 people attending to view locally available
farm products.
Restarted the Sustainable Agriculture Advisory Board, which includes
12 area food and agricultural professionals.
Implemented a survey which identified 84 businesses and institutions
interested in purchasing locally and distributed information to local
producers.
Published Selling To Ohio University: An Introduction to
Selling for Local Producers, an informative brochure outlining
strategies for marketing to institutions.
Held a series of educational workshops for farmers interested in
setting up the Chesterhill Produce Auction, also assisting with related
networking, marketing, grant writing and community organizing.
Appalachian Forest Resource Center
Organized and convened the regional Summit on Citizen Environmental
Monitoring in Appalachia: Building Environmental Monitoring Programs
for Validity, Impact and Sustainability in Bristol VA, teaching 130
persons about volunteer monitoring of water, invasive plants and
forests.
Hosted the Eastern Mountain Forest Medicinals Research Roundtable in Rutland, involving over 25 top forest medicinal plant researchers,
educators and practitioners.
Supported local cooperator groups to promote on-the-ground community
forestry in West Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia and North
Carolina.
Drafted a statement of AFRC mission, vision, key approaches and key
values for our five-year strategic plan.
Co-authored and published the research paper Berry Ripening
and Harvest Season in Wild American Ginseng and two articles
in the Ohio Woodlands Journal.
Rural Action Research & Education
Center
Currently houses the AFRC and the Sustainable Agriculture Program,
and also provides meeting and retreat space accommodating ten persons
for lodging and 30 for meetings.
Hosted over 200 people at various events, including a two-day event
for medicinal herb researchers to discuss research issues involving
Eastern U.S. medicinal plants.
Hosted three open houses and an educational tour for the Southeast
Ohio Woodland Interest Group and the Southern Ohio Forestland Association.
Hosted two National Civilian Community Corps crews that completed
the property’s loop trail system, developed bridges and
steps to allow easier public access through the forest, planted
30 sapling-sized
trees to slow pond erosion, developed Fish Head Falls, renovated
a goat barn into a tool shed, developed a garden area and removed
many invasive plants.
Conducted final research, harvest, washing, drying & weighing
of roughly 1000 roots from trials on black and blue cohosh, goldenseal,
stoneroot and wild yam.
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