Can you imagine a flock of a million birds, darkening the sky for days?

Celebrate the legacy of the passenger pigeon

 

The passenger pigeon, a bird found only in eastern North America, was the most numerous bird encountered by America’s first settlers. About the size of a mourning dove, they lived in social colonies and traveled in huge flocks that were said to darken the skies for up to three days. Our uncut forests provided food like beech nuts and acorns, and nesting sites for huge congregations.

 

This September marks the 100^th anniversary of the extinction of the passenger pigeon, when Martha, the last of her kind, died at the Cincinnati Zoo. But before Martha, billions of birds declined over a brief few decades. Nearly every nesting colony was disrupted and market hunting for commerce and sport was relentless.

 

No one could imagine that such an abundance of life could disappear.

 

Since the seemingly impossible loss of the passenger pigeon, the concepts of wildlife conservation and land stewardship have become important tools. Protecting all wildlife and diverse landscapes assures that other populations, abundant and rare, remain healthy—that is the legacy of the passenger pigeon.

 

Join us this Sunday for an afternoon of free family-friendly activities that celebrate the legacy of this bird.
 

Passing of the Pigeon Open House
Penitentiary Glen Nature Center
Sunday, September 28 • Noon to 4 pm

Open House activities

• Take a little walk to find clues about the story of this once abundant bird
• See an actual Passenger Pigeon taxidermy mount
• Fold an origami passenger pigeon to add to the Nature Center’s Flock of 200 birds
  (or take it home )
• Meet our Mystery Guest Time Traveler from the late 1800’s
• Check out the 10 display panels tracing the Passenger Pigeon in America
• Make and take a kid friendly coloring page
• Watch a short presentation “The Passing of the Pigeon”
• Meet friends from Blackbrook Audubon society
• Enjoy train rides presented by the Lake Shore Live Steamers, 1 – 3 pm weather permitting

 

Things to do at Penitentiary Glen Reservation

 

Discover the sights and sounds of wildlife at the interactive Nature Calls exhibit.

 

Watch and listen to birds and other wildlife through the Window on Wildlife.

 

Enjoy the fall art show: “Nature from Three Perspectives."

Discover the nature of art from a feminine perspective in this multi-media show featuring Jaymi Zents, Britta Franz and Lisa Ruschman; three talented local artists, each with her own unique interpretation of the world around us. From lush floral and Italian Renaissance-inspired figures, to modern mosaics and more, this show is a journey of creative expression you won’t want to miss.

 

Browse the nature-themed gifts at The Nature Store, a great resource for bird feeders, t-shirts, field guides, toys, children’s books and more.

 

Visit native Ohio wildlife ambassadors in and around the Wildlife Center.

 

Hike more than 8.5 miles of scenic trails, discover the beautiful butterfly gardens or enjoy a leisurely picnic on the grounds of Penitentiary Glen Reservation.

Directions

Take I-90 to Rt. 306 south for about one mile. Turn left onto Rt. 615. Turn right (east) onto Kirtland-Chardon Road and continue for two miles. Penitentiary Glen Reservation is located on the right (south) side of the road.

Deer exclosure at Veterans Park

If you have driven past Veterans Park on Hopkins Road recently, you probably have noticed a large fenced area in the woods adjacent to the parking lot. This 10 x 20-meter structure is a deer exclosure, one of seven that are monitored by Lake Metroparks throughout the county. This area was selected after so many of the mature trees were taken down by the devastating winds of Hurricane Sandy.

If you are looking for a white-tailed deer inside the exclosure, you won’t see one. The space is designed to keep deer out to monitor the plants inside versus the plants on the outside. this will provide an index of what the impact of browse is by the white-tailed deer on that plant community.

The deer exclosure will have an important interpretive value to the public as, literally, they will see the structure from the parking lot and learn from it what impact it has on protecting the plant life within.

A small deer herd only makes a small impact, but too many deer consume the seeds of a forest’s future growth. Over time, these impacts create a visible browse line in the forest (see above).

Tom Adair, Parks Services Director, in an interview on the "Around Town" program on Mentor TV, said with the elimination of plant life, we will see a related loss or decrease in the diversity of insect life, bird life and mammal life as it relates to Veterans Park.

"Lake Metroparks has monitored the growth of white trillium in this area over the past 10 to 15 years and we have records that showed us that there were over 1,000 white trillium on a small plot, a 10' x 10' area," said Adair. "That site within the past two to three years has yielded no more than a dozen white trillium."

Plants inside the fenced area at Veterans Park are now protected from deer. Over time, this will show us how a healthy forest in Northeast Ohio can recover.

Click here to watch the video. The deer exclosure is the first segment of the program.

Lake Metroparks preserves maple woodland through maple sugaring

Lake Metroparks preserves 27 acres of maple woodland through the conservation efforts of the maple sugaring program at Farmpark. Be part of this conservation effort with an opportunity to adopt a tap and enjoy a unique maple experience while supporting Farmpark’s maple operation.

Maple Sugaring Weekend
Lake Metroparks Farmpark
March 10 & 11 • 9 am to 5 pm

Ever wonder how maple syrup is produced?  

Tap into the fun and discover how 100% pure maple syrup is made during Maple Sugaring Weekend. At Farmpark, you can watch the entire process as the sap is collected, boiled, and turned into maple syrup and other products. New this year, through the use of reverse-osmosis, over 50% of the water is removed from the sap prior to boiling which saves both time and resources.

Throughout the weekend, demonstrations offer hands-on opportunities to learn about the maple sugaring process. Help tap a tree and gather sap used to make maple syrup. You’ll even learn how you can make maple syrup in your own backyard. A video about the production of maple syrup is online at lakemetroparks.com on the Maple Sugaring Weekend page. Maple sugaring activities and demonstrations include:

• Maple flavored ice cream making
• Sugar bush and maple conservation tours
• Make a model mokuk (bark bucket)
• Silver dollar pancake samples
• Horse-drawn sap gathering
• Hand tree tapping
• Sugar making
• Maple leaf craft
• History of maple sugar exhibit 

 

Sample the delicious end product with freshly made maple syrup and maple sugar. Maple stirs available for purchase to make your own tasty treat. Take some of Farmpark’s very own pure maple syrup and other maple items home to enjoy. Maple products are available for sale in the Woodland Science Center and Gift Shop.

Maple Sugaring Weekend pours into Farmpark March 10 and 11. Hours are 9 am – 5 pm. For more information, visit lakemetroparks.com or call 440-256-2122 or 800-366-3276.  

If you can’t join us this weekend then mark your calendars as maple maple activities and pancake breakfasts will also be offered March 17 and 18.

Kids Explore the Outdoors this Summer at a Lake Metroparks Day Camp!

Hey moms and dads: let your children explore the outdoors this summer at a summer day camp with Lake Metroparks.  Children ages five to 16 will experience the outdoors this summer while participating in one or more of the 50 offerings available.  Lake Metroparks summer day camps offer hands-on fun and educational activities including nature, farming, fishing, wildlife, boating, field trips, and so much more.  Camps are held at various parks throughout Lake County and are led by qualified staff.   Extended care is available for some camps.

A complete listing of Lake Metroparks summer day camps is available online at lakemetroparks.com and in the Spring Parks Plus! activity guide.

 


Pre-registration is required to participate in Lake Metroparks Summer Day Camps and/or the extended hours offerings.  Registration for Lake County residents begins at 8:00 am Thursday, March 1.  Open registration begins 8:00 am March 8. Registration for camps is available online at lakemetroparks.com or by calling 440-358-7275 or 800-669-9226.  In person registration is available at the Lake Metroparks Registration Office located at 11211 Spear Rd in Concord Twp.   Registration for extended care is available by phone or in person only.

Enjoy the benefits of a Winter Hike

Come on…get outside and enjoy the beauty of winter woodlands on a guided nature hike with Lake Metroparks naturalists. What could be better than a hike, campfire, warm food and music to cure your cabin fever! Winter Hike activities will step off at Penitentiary Glen Reservation in Kirtland beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 19. 

There are four hikes, varying in length and terrain, from which hikers may choose.

1. An interpretive hike about three miles long with a few stops along the way.
2. A shorter and easier hike for novice hikers.
3. Fast walkers who want to get some fresh air and enjoy the park.
4. A self-guided short trail option for families with young children or more limited mobility. Easy-to-follow trail maps are available in the Nature Center.

Enjoy hot soup and beverages served inside the comfortable Nature Center after the hike and enjoy live folk music, all included in the program fee. Outdoors, the warmth of a roaring campfire will be ready with s’mores for everyone.

All participants receive a Winter Hike patch and an add-on year patch. 

Hikers are reminded of the importance of wearing comfortable footwear which is sturdy, warm and water-repellent. Hiking boots are recommended as the trails maybe snow- and/or mud-covered. Remember to dress in warm, comfortable layers. For more winter safety tips, visit lakemetroparks.com. 

Registration Information

Pre-registration is required for participation in the Winter Hike at Penitentiary Glen Reservation. Register online at lakemetroparks.com or call registration at 440-358-7275 or 800-669-9226. Program is $8 per person, all ages welcome, under 18 with an adult, please.

Directions
Penitentiary Glen Reservation is located at 8668 Kirtland-Chardon Rd in Kirtland. Take I-90 to Rt. 306 south for about one mile. Turn left onto Rt. 615. Turn right (east) onto Kirtland-Chardon Road and continue for two miles. Penitentiary Glen Reservation is located on the right (south) side of the road.