Muskingum Valley Wildlife Conference 2024 educates public on Ohio’s wildlife diversity

ZANESVILLE, OH- The 2024 Muskingum Valley Wildlife Conference took place today on the campus of Zane State.

The conference was hosted by Muskingum and Guernsey Soil and Water Conservation Districts as a way to help inform the public about Ohio’s wildlife.

“I can’t really say there’s a favorite topic because I think it is all really interesting because it’s so relatable to where we live right now, and being in a wildlife degree it’s reallly interesting to be able to learn these new facts and how certain species are coming back and how certain species are very specific to certain areas and how we can actually impact those areas to help out in the long run,” Aaron Blackford, a Zane State wildlife conservation student said.

Topics discussed at the conference included pond management, creating a mitigated wetland, tracking wildlife, toad management, owls, mushrooming, bobcats, bats, tree frogs, box turtles and salamanders.

“For people I feel like we kind of close in ourselves and don’t really get out there as much, so being able to have these wildlife educational pieces for the public to come and actually view, it kind of expands that knowledge for the regular people around Zanesville or other places so that they can be more informed on what’s out there,” Blackford said.

For more information on future wildlife events visit MuskingumSWCD.org