Meet the Board: John Newby

Q: What first inspired you to get involved with the Soil & Water Conservation District?

A: I saw an ad in the paper saying they were looking for supervisors, and it caught my attention. I’ve always loved the outdoors—trees, woods, forests. As a kid, I spent hours playing in the woods with my neighbor, and his grandpa would teach us about different trees. So when I saw that ad, I started going to meetings with my neighbor Doug Scholer, who was already a supervisor. From there, I became an associate supervisor, and eventually a full board member.

Q: You've done some conservation work on your own land. Can you tell us about that?

A: Sure. I’ve got 13 acres, and for years I rented out about 7 acres for crops. But after getting involved with the District, I learned about forestry programs and decided to do something different. In 2012, I planted 3,000 trees on about 6 acres—walnut, hickory, six types of oak, even tamarack. It was a 10-year contract through CRP, and after a successful inspection, I signed on for another 15 years. I’m not that interested in harvesting timber—I just enjoy having my own woods.

Q: What kind of impact has that project had?

A: It’s been rewarding. I’ve seen a lot of wildlife return—deer, coyote, birds. I’ve got trail cameras and it’s amazing how active the area is now. If I had just stopped farming and left it alone, invasives like honeysuckle and autumn olive would’ve taken over. This was a much healthier approach to building a forest.

Q: What are you most proud of from your time on the board?

A: There are a few things—dam removals in the city of Muncie have been a big success. We've completely removed two outdated and dangerous dams and altered a third to improve water flow, enhance safety, and encourage fish movement. That’s made a real difference in our waterways.

We’ve also supported watershed improvements on the Mississinewa and White River, helped Yorktown address severe erosion, and continually push cover crops and conservation education. I’m especially proud of the impact we’ve had on kids—raising awareness early makes a big difference.

Q: What's your vision for conservation in Delaware County over the next 10 to 20 years?

A: One of the big things we’re working on is making the White River more prominent. We’ve partnered with a group called Intersection to design signage and river markers to help canoeists navigate and connect with the water. I’d like to see that momentum grow. Beyond that, I hope more farmers embrace cover crops, and I’d love to see less litter and a greater respect for the outdoors in general. We have something special here, and it deserves to be cared for.

Q: What motivates you to keep doing this work?

A: I think it’s partly a reaction to watching development wipe out some of the landscapes I grew up with. I’ve seen a lot of trees disappear and not come back. So I thought I’d do the opposite—put some trees back in. It’s fulfilling to be part of the solution both personally on my own property and through the Soil & Water Conservation District.

Q: What advice would you give to someone thinking about getting involved in conservation?

A: Start small—go to a board meeting, join a volunteer event, talk to a neighbor who’s already involved. You don’t have to own a lot of land or be a farmer. Just care about your surroundings. That’s where it starts.