In Fredericktown, participants have decided to sponsor additional forums in their community. Forums provide a tool for helping the community begin to discover their own answers. It is believed that public issues education is a part of nearly every specialty and that it would be beneficial for all Extension faculty to be trained with the National Issues Forum model. They showed that common ground is possible and that public lands are managed well. A Land Use Survey was designed for County residents.
Future plans are to complete a random survey to county residents.
The resulting center will promote farm and rural land protection through public policies and programs. Ohio State University Extension along with local Soil and Water Conservation District and the county regional planner served as the steering committee for the first of a series of meetings to inform local citizens about farmland preservation. A comprehensive land use plan is being assembled by the consultant that will be adopted after being ratified by the commissioners and trustees of another county. As part of developing the county wide plan, a Farmland Retention Task Force has been developed and the Steering Committee has had input. As a result, farmland retention is one of the objectives of the comprehensive plan.