Killbuck Watershed Land Trust

09/02/2026

A KWLT supporter gifted our office this quote from beloved author, poet and Kentucky farmer, Wendell Berry. His legacy of advocating for small, family farms and safeguarding the land is near and dear to our hearts.

08/31/2026

KWLT recently had the pleasure of participating in "Rooted in Stewardship: Wayne County's Local Food Systems in Action," a tour that examined strategies for building more resilient food and agricultural systems. We toured some beautifully diverse areas in Wayne County and talked with a great group of people who are growing food and taking care of the land.

Thanks to The Ohio State University's Environmental Professionals Network & Northeast Ohio Ag Innovation Center for having us.

08/27/2026

Checking in on the new boardwalk construction today at Turtle Pond, one of the wetlands in the Killbuck Swamp Preserve. This addition will enable both local residents and visitors to safely enjoy the beautiful scenery and Killbuck wildlife away from road traffic. There will also be interpretive signage for those curious to learn more about Turtle Pond's ecosystem.

08/20/2026

With the unprecedented amount of rainfall in recent weeks and subsequent flooding in central and Southern Ohio, it seems timely to understand the significance of KWLT’s work in preserving and reestablishing wetlands.

A wetland is a low-lying area of land that is saturated with water, either permanently or periodically. Ponds, marshes, bogs, fens, and swamps are all types of wetlands, primarily differentiated by their landscape position, the vegetation that grows there, and the nutrient content of the water.

Freshwater wetlands, like those we’ve been working on in Killbuck, are also crucial to controlling floods—acting as sponges absorbing significant amounts or rainwater and runoff before flooding can occur.

Ohio has lost 90% of its wetlands due to them being drained to farm or develop—second only to California, which has lost 91%. As we confront changing weather patterns and extreme weather trends, conserving and reestablishing wetlands will help keep us safe.

Several flood warnings and watches have been issued again today; we are thinking about the communities in the affected areas and hoping they remain out of harm's way.
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PHOTO CREDIT
1 - Crookesville, OH (Perry County Tribune)
2 - Reynoldsburg, OH (James Greenlee)

08/13/2026

Look at that! Even yesterday's NYT Strands is encouraging you to support our 2026 Community Fund Drive.

https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=FT957C9ZBEARW

08/10/2026

What even is a land trust? We've gotten that question more often than not.

A land trust is a community-based, nonprofit organization that works to permanently conserve land. KWLT utilizes conservation easements—voluntary, legal agreements that permanently guarantee the land will not be subdivided or developed. The easement “runs with the land”, meaning it is recorded with the deed so that it is honored whether an owner chooses to pass along the land to heirs or sell it.

When a landowner or donor decides to partner with KWLT, you are choosing to prioritize and preserve the rural integrity of our slice of Ohio.

Let’s preserve the land we love, together. Community Fund Drive.For 26 years, the KWLT community has come together to protect 11,815 acres of local farmland, woodlands, prairie, and wetlands from ever being lost to development. And with your continued support, we can protect even more. Your tax-de...

08/05/2026

Loss of farmland to development isn’t a new issue. Urban sprawl, residential construction and commercial development has been increasing for generations. Since 1950, Ohio has lost more than 8 million acres of farmland—more than 1/3 of the state.

Fortunately we still have the ability to preserve this rural slice of Ohio. You can help today by supporting our Community Fund Drive at:
https://www.killbuckwatershedlandtrust.org/donate

*This video shows changes in the Wooster/Orrville area since 1984.

08/04/2026

About 2 years ago, a woman in her 90s showed up at my family’s Wayne County farm with her son, niece and nephew. She introduced herself and showed us all this photograph (circa 1940).

The woman’s brother, also in his 90s, had recently passed away and this photograph was being displayed at his funeral. When she saw the picture, she asked the younger generation standing around her, “would you like to go see that barn? I know where it is.”

Check out the rest of this story about the generational community of farming on our blog.

Nearly 2 years ago, a woman in her 90s showed up at my family’s farm in Apple Creek with her son, niece and nephew. She introduced herself and showed us all this photograph (circa 1940). The woman’s brother, also in his 90s, had recently passed away and this photograph was being displayed at his...

07/31/2026

“Even those who desire to live in rural areas soon accumulate in number until the natural beauty they moved out to experience mysteriously disappears into smaller and smaller parcels. Although many families assume their next generation will carry on their wishes for preservation, all too often differences of opinions creep in over time and dividing the land becomes the only way to resolve these economic divisions. Confirming a trust
agreement is the best way we could ensure that future generations would have large enough blocks of rural land in place to sustain the balance of wildlife, soil and water.”

-Doug & Laura Pickett, Coshocton County, 139 acres, 2008

https://www.killbuckwatershedlandtrust.org/donate

07/28/2026

As an organization whose work is based in perpetuity, we are always thinking about future generations and if they, too, will experience the beauty and bounty of this land as we do. Will there be swaths of green pasture for grazing and growing, or will there be a 5,000-acre data center? Will there be hills rolling into native woodlands, or will there be housing developments? Will there be prairies of towering grasses and sun-loving wildflowers, or will there be rows of warehouses?

The decisions that we make today will determine that fate, and supporting our 2026 Community Fund Drive is something you can do to protect our local land for generations to come.

Let’s preserve the land we love, together. Community Fund Drive.For 26 years, the KWLT community has come together to protect 11,815 acres of local farmland, woodlands, prairie, and wetlands from ever being lost to development. And with your continued support, we can protect even more. Your tax-de...