Ohio Department of Natural Resources August 2003

October 2003 Report

Ohio Department of Natural Resources

NEW LAUNCH SITE TO BE CONSTRUCTED ON TUSCARAWAS RIVER

A new boat launch will provide improved access to the Tuscarawas River in Tuscarawas County thanks to a $174,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Watercraft. Construction should begin on the new, one lane launch ramp next year. The launch site will be located within the Village of Tuscarawas.

OHIO PARTICIPATING IN NATIONAL MOURNING DOVE STUDY

Ohio is joining 25 other states in a national study to better understand the impact of hunting on mourning dove populations, according to the ODNR Division of Wildlife. The study involves banding doves in 26 states over the next few years. Collected data will help wildlife biologists determine mourning dove harvest rates, estimate annual survival rates, provide information on the geographical distribution of the harvest and develop and refine techniques for a future dove banding program. "The hunter is a critical link in this mourning dove banding study," said Dave Scott, wildlife research administrator with the ODNR Division of Wildlife. "By reporting any banded doves harvested, hunters will help state wildlife agencies manage this important migratory game bird resource. Any hunter who kills a banded mourning dove needs to call 1-800-327-BAND (2263) to report the band number and location where the bird was taken."

ODNR ADOPTS THREE CHANGES TO STATE GINSENG REGULATIONS

Ginseng dealers and collectors in Ohio are reminded of three significant changes to state ginseng regulations this season, according to the ODNR Division of Wildlife: The opening date for ginseng collecting is moved to September 1 from August 15; Ginseng collectors are now required to immediately plant the seeds from collected plants at the place where the plants were collected; and the fee for certification of wild ginseng by state wildlife officers is raised from $1 to $3 per pound Ohio has formally regulated the harvesting and sale of wild ginseng for medical purposes since 1979; the state adopted legal rules for ginseng management that met federal requirements in 1984. Failure to adhere to federal standards will prevent Ohio from exporting its ginseng.

FREE PINE SEEDLINGS AVAILABLE FOR PLANTING IN OHIO’S 49 SOUTHERN COUNTIES

Free pine seedlings are available for planting in the state's southern 49 counties as a result of cooperative efforts between ODNR and the Ohio operations of MeadWestvaco. Seedlings are available for reforestation efforts by landowners who agree to plant at least five acres of white pine.

State service foresters from the ODNR Division of Forestry are the primary contacts for the program and assist landowners in qualifying for the free seedlings. They also provide technical advice in how and where to plant the pine trees. MeadWestvaco purchases up to 600,000 seedlings each year for the program from ODNR’s state tree nursery in Marietta. A five-acre planting represents more than $500 worth of trees. There are no restrictions on how the seedlings may be used or harvested once they are mature.ODNR is the largest producer of tree seedlings in the state, selling more than 3,000,000 trees each year for reforestation efforts. ODNR foresters have planted more than a half-billion trees in the past 80 years.