Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting the third grade class at Maddux Elementary. The visit was part of Great Parks’ Outreach efforts, where we take our naturalist programs “on the road,” out to schools and into the classrooms. The third graders at Maddux are currently learning about Ohio birds. The students were obviously very […]

What do World War II and Y2K have in common? Not much you say? Well, think again! Next time you step in the door at your workplace, take a look at the people around you. Believe it or not, only a small percentage of today’s workforce remembers Germany’s decline after The Battle of the Bulge. […]

With spring just around the corner, the time is coming to catch a glimpse of the first spring wildflowers of the year. Two of the first early risers, and most noticeable due to their bright yellow petals, are winter aconite and lesser celandine. Both of these wildflowers are non-native (meaning they do not originally come […]

Have a great fish story? Send Great Parks fishing photos to fishinline@greatparks.org and we’ll feature it here!

On a walk with my family at Glenwood Gardens, I witnessed two more signs that spring is fast approaching: a cornelian cherry tree (Cornus mas) and snowdrops (Galanthus sp.) were both in bloom along the Garden Loop Trail, bringing color and contrast to the landscape. While both are non-native to North America, they have been […]

Last week at Embshoff Woods Nature Preserve, I saw it! A first sign of spring: yellow wild flowers blooming in the warm February sunshine. What a great surprise for fellow Operations employee Eric Estridge and me. We discovered the open petals in the forest floor while reviewing the area around the maintenance building. It was only a week […]

What is a masterpiece? Simply put, it is a work of outstanding artistry, skill or workmanship. When viewed from afar, a single snowflake looks like a small frozen white ball. But let’s take a closer look. Formation of the snowflake begins aloft, way above the earth’s surface. It takes a very cold water droplet sticking […]

Snowy winters can be a great time to get outside and see wildlife. Although some animals are less active in the winter, one advantage to the season is the ability to track their movements in the snow. It’s also a fun reason to get outside in the winter while keeping your mind off the cold. […]