Emerald Necklace
January ‘12 Vol. 61 # 1
Featuring Cleveland Metroparks program guide and events
Also Inside: Institute of the Great Outdoors Catalog
Contents Special Events 2 2012 Children’s History Clubs 3 Tobogganing 7 Saturday Night Specials 11 Friday Nights With Nature
Columns 4 Notes from the Field 6 Naturalist’s Almanac 8 Inside the Emerald Necklace 12 Zoo News
In Addition 14 Institute of the Great Outdoors 21 Events by Location 22 Events Calendar 32 Directory All photos by Casey Batule or Cleveland Metroparks photo archive unless otherwise noted.
2012 Children’s History Clubs Hey kids (and parents)! Come join Cleveland Metroparks Children’s History Clubs - Time Travelers or History Hounds for Homeschoolers. Both groups have a full year of historic fun planned for 2012. These childrenfriendly clubs are designed for kids 8 - 12 years old to expose them to exciting historical people, places and events that helped fashion our region and state. This year’s theme will be Towns along the Towpath. We will visit towns that flourished because of the Ohio & Erie Canal. Cleveland, Akron, Peninsula, Canal Fulton, Canal Dover and Zoar will be just a few of the locations we will visit and study. (Each participant will be responsible for museum and program fees.) • History Hounds for Homeschoolers (HH) is designed for homeschooled children ages 8-12. Each program will be on Wednesday from 1 - 3 p.m. • Time Travelers (TT) is designed for any child 8 - 12. Each program will be on Saturday from 10 a.m. - noon. Each club will be limited to 30 children plus their parents, so join soon!
2012 Schedule January 25 (HH) January 28 (TT)
Garfield Park Nature Center
February 15 (HH) February 18 (TT)
CanalWay Visitor Center (Cuyahoga Heights)
March 21 (HH) March 24 (TT)
CanalWay Exploration Center (Canton)
216-635-3200 TTY 216-351-0808 clevelandmetroparks.com Paulette Welch
April 18 (HH) April 21 (TT)
Mustill Store (Akron)
May 16 (HH) May 19 (TT)
Canal Fulton
Erie Reproduction
June 20 (HH) June 23 (TT)
Historic Zoar
July 25 (HH) July 28 (TT)
Towpath Bike Ride/Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway/Peninsula
August 15 (HH) August 18 (TT)
Anna-Dean Farms (Barberton)
September 12 (HH) September 15 (TT)
Magnolia Mill
October 17 (HH) October 20 (TT)
Canal Dover
November 14 (HH) November 17 (TT)
Final Meeting/Reports
Emerald Necklace Published monthly by:
Cleveland Metroparks
Editor
Graphic Design
RR Donnelley Printing
Board of Park Commissioners Bruce G. Rinker Dan T. Moore
David Whitehead
Brian M. Zimmerman
Executive Director-Secretary
For editorial questions or comments, contact Paulette Welch at 216-635-3205. Cleveland Metroparks does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age or disability in employment, services or access to programs or activities. Special assistance for Cleveland Metroparks programs or facilities is available by calling 216-635-3264 in advance.
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To become a History Hound or Time Traveler, call: Foster Brown, Historical Interpreter 440-786-8530
Slip Slide into the New Year at the Chalet Toboggan Chutes! Make a New Year’s resolution to embrace the winter season by getting outside and stay active by tobogganing down the only public ice chutes in Ohio! The Chalet Toboggan Chutes are not only fun, but they’re a great form of exercise. Grab a toboggan (great weight training)…climb a few stairs (good for cardiovascular)…place the toboggan on the chute, climb aboard…and then, enjoy the winter breeze as you slide down the ice at 50 miles per hour - over 700 feet long with a vertical drop of approximately 70 feet - pure fun!
And, add to the tobogganing experience by attending one of the great promotional days at the Chalet: Toast the New Year with a FREE Travel Mug Sunday, January 1 Student I.D. Night - All Students with Valid I.D. Pay $5 Thursdays, January 5, 12, 19, & 26, February 2, 9, 16, & 23 Aloha! - Wear a Hawaiian Shirt & Save $2 Friday, January 6 Winteriffic! Sunday, January 8 (see page 8 for details)
The regular tobogganing hours are: Thursdays 6 - 10 p.m. (January/February) Fridays 6 - 10:30 p.m. Saturdays Noon - 10:30 p.m. Sundays Noon - 5 p.m. Holidays call for hours
Dollar Dog Day - $1 Hot Dogs & $1 Sodas
Special Holiday Hours for tobogganing: Sunday, January 1 - Noon to 5 p.m. Monday, January 16 - Noon to 5 p.m. Monday, February 20 - Noon to 5 p.m.
Cleveland State Vikings Street Team, Cheerleaders & Magnus the Mascot with Activities. AND, all kids receive a FREE ticket to the February 25 Vikings basketball game vs. Wright State (Fan Appreciation Day) Friday, February 3
Tobogganing costs $8 for adults and $6 for children, ages 11 and under. One-time ride tickets are available for $3. All riders must wear gloves or mittens. Children, ages 11 and under, must be at least 42-inches tall to ride, and must be accompanied by an adult.
Kickoff the Big Day - Wear a Team Jersey/Shirt and Save $2 Sunday, February 5
Group rates, for 20 or more people, are available for tobogganing during public hours. Groups must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance (not valid for season pass holders). Season passes are available for $35 for adults and $25 for children, 11 and under. A family pass (for up to four) may be purchased for $100. Private Use: The Chalet, including the ice toboggan chutes, can be rented for exclusive private use during non-public hours. The Chalet, including the ice toboggan chutes, can be rented for private, exclusive use during non-public hours. Semi-private rentals are offered on January 5 & 19 and February 2 & 16 from 6 to 9 p.m. for a maximum of five groups or 150 riders. Book now - dates fill up fast! For more information and to make group, private and semi-private rentals, call 440-572-9990. Make a New Year’s resolution to stay active this winter at the Chalet Toboggan Chutes in Cleveland Metroparks – on the only public ice chutes in Ohio!
Sunday, January 15, Friday, February 24, & Friday, March 9 FREE Winter Hat for Your Noggin Sunday, January 22 & Saturday, March 3 FREE Ice Scraper Sunday, January 29
Lake Erie Monsters Street Team Activities 6 - 8 p.m. Drawing to Race Sully the Mascot at 8 p.m.! AND, Receive a $5 Off Discount to the February 12 Monsters Game. Friday, February 10 Sweetheart Deal - $20 for 2 Toboggan Passes, 2 Hot Dogs, 2 Sodas, & 1 FLEECE BLANKET! Sunday, February 12 Military I.D. Day - All Military with a Valid I.D. Pay $5 Sunday, February 19 Family 4-Pack - $30 for 4 Toboggan Passes, 4 Hot Dogs & 4 Sodas Sunday, February 26 & March 4 & 11 Race Day - Fastest Toboggan Riders Receive 2012-13 Season Passes (Day of Registration) Friday, March 2 Chalet Toboggan Chutes Appreciation Day Saturday, March 10 (All promotional items are with paid admission while supplies last.)
The Chalet Toboggan Chutes Located at 16200 Valley Parkway in Mill Stream Run Reservation, between Routes 42 and 82 in Strongsville, are open through mid-March, weather permitting. 3
Notes from the Field
Pondering on a January Afternoon
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In the late fall, after the leaves were gone and the meadows of Cleveland Metroparks turned golden brown, I took a walk through one of my favorite places, Jackson Field in South Chagrin Reservation. Jackson Field is one of a dozen or so little known, out-of-the-way places that have the unique gift of bringing nature close to us. Looping trails lead from the parking lot to the river, follow along the river and return, offering habitats of forest and field and pond and river to explore. It is bluebird heaven, with the beautiful little birds often present there all winter, and nature photographers often seek it out for that feature alone. But I digress. I didn’t come to Jackson Field for the birds this time, or the rivers, or even the beautiful little pond. I came in search of one special little insect whose life story is played out in the dried brown stems of Jackson Field and nearly every other open meadow in Cleveland Metroparks, and that was the object of my quest. Goldenrod gall
The peacock fly, so small that you have probably never noticed it, visited the fields in early and mid-summer, and it left a gift for me to find. There is a plant, abundant in these meadows in Cleveland Metroparks, called Canada goldenrod. Like many other goldenrods, it displays a showy yellow plume of flowers in mid- to late summer and on into fall, but it was not the flowers or their dried autumn petals that I came to find.
Emerald Necklace, January 2012
Somewhere in the mists of time long, long ago the peacock fly and the Canada goldenrod cut a deal. The goldenrod would allow the fly to lay its eggs in the growing tip of the goldenrod, before the flowers began to develop, while the plant was still struggling among its fellows toward the sun. Since the fly was so small, and its eggs were so small, the plant wasn’t harmed. Instead, the deposition of the eggs would trigger a special growth hormone, and the goldenrod would grow a gall, a thick layer of spongy tissue, around the eggs and keep them safe. The goldenrod stem would show a balllike lump, perhaps a foot below the flower. Some goldenrod stems might even show two, or three, if successive female peacock flies laid their eggs on the same growing goldenrod tip a few days apart. Later, when the eggs hatched into tiny larvae, they could spend the winter gradually eating their new home from the inside out. If they are fortunate, downy woodpeckers won’t notice their little ballhome, or if the stem falls over, field mice or meadow voles looking for some tender winter protein won’t gnaw upon them. Most survive, however, and in mid-winter change from the cream-colored larvae into darker brown pupae, a resting stage, as the substance that was once a worm-like larva begins to reorganize and become a fly. Sometime before the change from larva to pupa, however, something quite amazing happens. The little larva stops chewing the walls of the
and I and the fly and the downy woodpecker and the meadow vole are more alike than different genetically, I’m told. The goldenrod is made up of the same genetic material that the rest of the critters are, it’s just sequenced differently. But, my friends, how does the peacock fly larva know to chew the tunnel for itself months before the little creature completely reorganizes its structure, and changes from pupa to adult fly? How does it know to chew just so far but no farther? And, what’s with that inflatable balloon on the top of its head?
Goldenrod gall
gall for a short while and instead starts chewing a tiny tunnel outward towards freedom. When it reaches the outermost layer of plant skin, it stops, crawls back down into its snug little home, and continues to munch until pupating time arrives. Then, in spring, something completely amazing happens. The pupa changes into a tiny fly. The fly needs to get out of the goldenrod gall, but it has no chewing mouthparts. What to do? The tiny fly is equipped with an inflatable balloon-like structure on the top of its head. The fly crawls down the tunnel until it feels that last thin layer of plant tissue, the thin outer wall of the Canada goldenrod ball gall. It hooks its legs into the side of the tunnel for strength, touches its forehead against the last thing blocking it from freedom, and it begins to inflate the tiny balloon atop its head. The structure inflates only once, the fly gets only one chance, and as the tiny balloon gets larger and larger, “POP!” goes the hatch and the peacock fly flies off to freedom. Now, I’ve been on the planet for a while, and I’ve seen a lot of things. Some defy explanation - though the physics of them are or will be known and understood - but it’s the biology that gets me every time. You
Why do these things happen? We search through encoded DNA helixes of living things and try to imagine how just the right patterns can create a balloon on a tiny fly’s head. Some say that life is inevitable, that if just the right molecules and compounds are brought together at just the right time, life happens. That may well be. The fly that escapes the gall has no perception of that which is me, and probably no ability ever to perceive me, at least as he and I exist today. It has been argued that in the understanding of life and living things, we are more like the fly. The mysteries are too complex and the concepts too large. There are things in plain sight that we do not have the tools to comprehend. For me, I like it that way. When January comes I’ll slip my old hiking boots on and once again walk through the snow at Jackson Field, in search of the galls of the peacock fly among the dried stems of Canada goldenrod. The work of the grand design is everywhere, in the myriad wonderful mysteries that surround us every day. Robert D. Hinkle, PhD Chief, Division of Outdoor Education rdh@clevelandmetroparks.com
Goldenrod gall photos used by permission - Jim McCormac, Ohio Department of Natural Resources
QR Code Connects Nature with Technology Scan this QR code into your smartphone and you can read, hear and see what’s happening each week in the natural world. Or pick up a QR code sticker at any Cleveland Metroparks nature center to affix to your field guide, binoculars or even your car or bike. No smartphone? No problem! Log on to http://blogs.clemetparks.com/naturalists-almanac to access the same information. 5
Naturalist’s Almanac
January
The beginning of a new year goes by largely unnoticed in the world of nature. Perhaps the most important day of the winter season occurred on December 22, when the days begin to lengthen again and the apparent threat of a snowy decline into permanent darkness was broken by the winter solstice and the return of longer days. The change is noticed, though, in the world of birds and mammals who stay active throughout the winter in Cleveland Metroparks. The creeping increase in day length, or photoperiod, triggers a host of changes in nature including, later in the month, the first of the birds’ spring songs. The winter world of a meadow mouse becomes limited by snow this month as the gradual accumulation begins to impede his search for food. Ever thrifty, the little mouse has stored away some grains for times like these. Unless the snow gets more than two feet deep, some plants will receive suitable sunlight and remain green, providing a winter salad for those creatures still active under the snowpack. Month’s end usually brings the first breath of spring with an annual thaw, but winter will return usually with a vengeance in a week or so.
First Week
Second Week
Fourth Week
Birds
Birds
Birds
The harshest time of winter has arrived! Please keep your bird feeders brimming full each day if you have begun a feeding program. The birds will appreciate your handouts at least through late March.
Red-tailed hawks by day and screech owls by night forage over open fields as their small furry prey disappears beneath the snows of winter. Woe be to the tiny brown mouse that ventures out for “one last look” and is spotted against the white background of snow!
Tree sparrows may be scratching about under your bird feeders this week. Watch for a sparrow-sized bird with a rusty cap and unstreaked breast with one central black spot. These birds come from northern Canada to winter in this area.
Mammals
Tufted titmice singing “Peter-Peter!” and the bright “Cheer-Cheer-Cheer!” of cardinals announce their recognition of lengthening days and the first hints of spring.
High energy suet at feeders will attract downy, hairy, red-bellied and possibly pileated woodpeckers. Mammals Although the pace of the rut has slackened, the breeding season for deer continues this month. Fawns conceived in January will still be born in late May, as these embryos will develop more quickly than those conceived in October.
Meadow voles and deer mice welcome the snowy white blanket as they stay safe in their snug tunnels beneath the snowpack until the coming of spring.
Third Week Birds Watch for small flocks of northern cardinals to appear at your feeder. Their normally tightly-controlled territories break down as food becomes scarce and they must range farther for food.
northern cardinal
Mammals Bucks begin to drop their antlers this week. Every year in late winter, male deer shed their antlers and grow them back in the spring. Some may hold one or both antlers as late as March, however.
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Emerald Necklace, January 2012
Mammals Deer are seen throughout most Cleveland Metroparks locations now that the trees are bare and the snow has fallen. Winter is a difficult time, when food is scarce and less preferred foods are taken. Many forests are showing “browse lines” from winter-hungry deer feeding on buds and stems of small woody plants. Where deer become too abundant and begin to destroy forests, control methods may become necessary.
Saturday Night Specials 2012
7:30 - 9 p.m. • North Chagrin Nature Center • North Chagrin Reservation Explore natural history near and far… from the Appalachian Trail to the remote rainforests of Africa; spend your January and February Saturday evenings at North Chagrin Nature Center, as we travel the world exploring the marvels of nature. January 7 The Sierra Nevada - of Mountains, Mines and Men
February 4 Rainforest and the Mountains of Peru
Karen Beck takes us on an educational and historic look at the mountain range and the men who tamed it. View its soaring heights and its cascading falls. Contemplate the uniqueness of its wildlife and the majesty of its plants and trees. Hear tales of tremendous human courage, greed and tragedy. La Gran Sierra Nevada a truly grand environment with a story to match the mountains.
Nancy Hughes, from Cleveland Metroparks Zoo was part of an expedition to explore Peru’s lowland tropical rainforest and its Andean sub-tropical cloud forest, including a visit to World Heritage site, Machu Picchu. They formed partnerships aimed at promoting environmental awareness, preserving biodiversity and addressing climate change.
January 14 You Too Can Hike the Appalachian Trail Experienced hikers Chuck and Lori Warfield will share their adventures while hiking on the Appalachian Trail. They will suggest ways that you might enjoy the Trail while section-hiking, using car shuttles, and enjoying restaurants and off-trail accommodations. January 21 Marvels of Mughal Architecture The Mughals came from Persia and ruled Northern India for two and a half centuries. They brought their own craftsmen, and these craftsmen amalgamated different architectural traditions - eventually developing their own distinctive style. This presentation by Muhammed Hassanali looks at mosques, palaces, and mausoleums that depict the masterpieces of Mugal architecture. January 28 An Epic Summer in the Alaskan Arctic Lukas Padegimas will share his summer experiences at a remote four-person field camp in Cape Kruzenstern National Monument, Alaska. It is a story of an intensive study of nesting shorebirds, survival and adventure in this remarkably wild place.
February 11 Autumn in the Eastern Mountains Professional photographer Gary Meszaros will take us on a trip to our eastern mountains through seven states and end up in the Adirondacks, considered by many to be one of the ten most beautiful places in the world. February 18 Living My Wildest Dreams Filmmaker, naturalist and musician Miles Reed shares stories of adventures from the rainforests of Africa, deep into the Amazon, to filming tigers in tribal India and more. Miles goes alone on foot and survives under the most primitive conditions. February 25 Upper Michigan: Rare Plants, Rugged Scenery Bordering the Great Lakes, rugged escarpments, beach dunes and swales, boreal forest and rare plants along with lots of birds and critters attract the naturalist to this region. Tom Sampliner will share the natural beauty of Upper Michigan. North Chagrin Nature Center Located off Buttermilk Falls Parkway, off the Sunset Lane entrance of North Chagrin Reservation, off SOM Center Road/Route 91 in Mayfield Village. 7
Winteriffic! Sunday, January 8 • Noon to 5 p.m.
Inside the Emerald Necklace
Chalet Recreation Area Mill Stream Run Reservation There are so many things that you can do outdoors in winter - especially within Cleveland Metroparks. Come out of the house and sample a few of these activities. There will be plenty to see and do: ice fishing and snowshoeing demonstrations, winter hikes, horse-drawn wagon rides, dog sled demonstrations, ice carving, and more. (The event is free but some activities are available for a nominal fee.) For more information, call 440-734-6660 Chalet Recreation Area Located at 16200 Valley Parkway in Mill Stream Run Reservation, between Routes 42 and 82 in Strongsville.
Bird Photography Opportunity January 14, 15, 28, 29 • 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. North Chagrin Reservation Photographers, here is an opportunity to photograph some winter birds at North Chagrin Reservation. We will be placing a photo blind near the Nature Education Building’s feeding station and allow one to two photographers at a time to reserve a one hour time slot to utilize the blind. Natural perches will be placed in strategic areas photo by Tim Krynak for that perfect photograph! Call 440-473-3370 for more information and to reserve your time slot.
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Emerald Necklace, January 2012
2012 Look About Lodge Fireside Concert Series Come out of the cold to cozy Look About Lodge for our annual Fireside Concert Series. All concerts are from 7 - 8 p.m. and cost $5 per person. Registration required - call Look About Lodge at 440-247-7075 to reserve your seat. January 13 UpRiver (Celtic, Appalachian mountain music) January 20 Steve Madewell (folk) January 27 Logan Wells (pop, blues, oldies, country) February 3 Martin & Marshall (blues) February 10 Jen Maurer & Paul Kovac (traditional & original Americana)
Discover Winter Recreation Fun in Cleveland Metroparks Winter offers Cleveland Metroparks visitors to experience the outdoors with sledding, ice fishing, crosscountry skiing, ice skating, tobogganing at the Chalet, and hiking.
For the truly dedicated fishing enthusiast, the recreational sport of ice fishing is a perfect way to relax and enjoy the winter season. Call 440-331-8017 for more ice fishing/ ice conditions information.
For sledding enthusiasts, Cleveland Metroparks has a number of sledding hills including some with night lighting.
The Chalet Recreation Area provides tobogganing thrills on the twin ice chutes, open through March 6, with or without snow. For more information visit page 3.
Cross-country skiers can use the unplowed trails, and are also permitted on the fairways and rough areas at Little Met, Big Met, Shawnee Hills, Seneca, and Sleepy Hollow golf courses when there is a four-inch base of snow. The hiking and bridle trails can be used by crosscountry skiers, but skiers should use caution and must yield to hikers and horses. Park visitors can enjoy pond ice skating at various Park District locations, including one with night lighting. The areas are not monitored and skaters are responsible for clearing the ice. Visitors should skate with caution and only when proper ice conditions exist.
Student Art Show It’s time for all art students to think “spring”! Get your art supplies and paper ready for the park-wide Student Art Show at Look About Lodge on May 5 and 6. Students in grades 1 - 12 are invited to submit their best piece of art for a show themed, “Spring is Hopping and Popping in Nature.” Entries will be accepted from now until April 5. For more information, contact Look About Lodge at Lookabout@clevelandmetroparks.com or call 440-247-7075.
Winter is also a perfect time to take a hike and explore the various trails throughout the reservations, especially the all purpose trails. When snowfall is two inches or more, portions of the all purpose trails will be plowed as time permits. Cleveland Metroparks encourages everyone to dress properly for the weather and to exercise caution when outdoors. To truly enjoy the winter season, park visitors should prepare themselves and their equipment for strenuous outdoor activities and then get out there and have some fun. Winter recreation locations are open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Additional information is available in the Winter Recreation brochure, that can be obtained at any Park District facility, by calling 216-635-3200, or online at www.clevelandmetroparks.com.
Join us on And, if you would like to receive the special events monthly E-Newsletter, subscribe now and start receiving monthly updates on special events and featured programming from Cleveland Metroparks. Register via email to: pr@clevelandmetroparks.com. 9
Clip & Save! 2012 Cleveland Metroparks Special Events Calendar Saturdays & Sundays, February 25 & 26 March 3, 4, 10, & 11 History of Maple Sugaring Maple Grove Picnic Area Rocky River Reservation Thursday, March 15 Annual Return of the Buzzards Buzzard Roost Hinckley Reservation Sunday, March 18 Buzzard Sunday! Buzzard Roost Hinckley Reservation Saturday, March 31 “Toad-ally” Awesome Amphibians North Chagrin Nature Center North Chagrin Reservation Saturday & Sunday, April 21 & 22 Outdoor FUNdamentals CanalWay Center Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation Saturday, May 19 Children’s Fishing Derby Ohio & Erie Canal Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation Sunday, May 20 Children’s Fishing Derby Wallace Lake Mill Stream Run Reservation Saturday, June 2 Farm & Garden Day Garfield Park Nature Center Garfield Park Reservation Saturday, June 9 Healthy Planet, Healthy People & 5K Run/Walk Rocky River Reservation Saturday, June 16 Train Day CanalWay Center Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation Sunday, June 24 Knee-High Naturalists Arboretum South Chagrin Reservation Saturday, July 14 Nature at Night North Chagrin Nature Center North Chagrin Reservation Saturday, July 21 BrookStock - A Celebration of Music and Nature Brookside Valley Event Site Brookside Reservation 10
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Saturday, July 28 Area 49: Alien Invasion CanalWay Center Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation Saturday, August 4 Summer Beach Party Huntington Beach Huntington Reservation Saturday, August 11 Bug City Garfield Park Nature Center Garfield Park Reservation Sunday, August 19 Touch-a-Truck Strongsville Parks Operations Facility Mill Stream Run Reservation Saturday, August 25 Snakes, Turtles & Fun! The Shelterhouse Picnic Area South Chagrin Reservation Sunday, August 26 Dog Paddle & More! Ledge Pool & Recreation & Area Hinckley Reservation Saturday, September 8 Monarch Magic North Chagrin Nature Center North Chagrin Reservation Sunday, September 16 Cedar Valley Settlers Celebration & Music Festival Frostville Museum & Rocky River Nature Center Rocky River Reservation Sunday, September 30 FallFest: 18th Century Festival Meadows Picnic Area Brecksville Reservation Saturday, October 13 Outdoor Odyssey Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation Saturday & Sunday, October 13 & 14 North Chagrin Nature Photography Weekend North Chagrin Nature Center North Chagrin Reservation Saturday & Sunday, November 10 & 11 Reflections of Nature Quilt Show Rocky River Nature Center Rocky River Reservation
Emerald Necklace, January 2012
Stay Close To Nature “Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.” Frank Lloyd Wright
January is an ideal time to be close to nature in Cleveland Metroparks. Whether it is a hike to view breathtaking frozen waterfalls, or watching birds from the comfort of a rocking chair inside a nature center, winter in Cleveland Metroparks is spectacular! Winter months are also a great time to review your estate plans or create your first will to include a gift to the Emerald Necklace Endowment Fund. Cleveland Metroparks established the Emerald Necklace Endowment Fund within The Cleveland Foundation to allow individuals to make financial contributions that will protect and preserve Cleveland Metroparks for generations to come. All funds contributed remain in the Emerald Necklace Endowment Fund and generate annual income for Cleveland Metroparks. Gifts may be made to the Emerald Necklace Endowment Fund through cash donations, bequests, appreciated securities and other forms of estate planning. Donations may also be designated for a specific reservation or program within Cleveland Metroparks. To learn more about including Cleveland Metroparks in your estate plan or other types of giving, or if you have already included Cleveland Metroparks in your estate plan, please contact Karen Kannenberg, manager of gift and donor development at 216-635-3217 or kjk@clevelandmetroparks.com for more information.
Friday Nights with Nature
Fridays, January 6, 13, 20, & 27 and February 3, 10, 17, & 24 Doors open at 6:45 p.m. • Program from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Rocky River Nature Center • Rocky River Reservation This January and February, spend your Friday nights with nature! Take an armchair journey to a variety of world locations and explore the delicate yet sometimes harsh beauty of nature, or discover the culture and heritage of our cousins around the globe. For more information, call 440-734-6660.
February 3 • Rambling in Dorset Over a period of several years, Mary Huey participated in four walking tours to Dorset County on England’s south coast. From birds to geology to the local customs, Mary shares her experiences in one of England’s loveliest rural regions.
January 6 • Galapagos Islands: More than the Beaks of Finches
February 10 • Birth to Border: Tales of the Rio Grande
Join Tom Stanley as he shares pictures and stories of his recent Galapagos Islands adventure. From their geological birth, to Darwin’s visit, to today’s ecotourists, the islands are clearly one of nature’s most exciting marvels.
Karen Beck presents this entertaining and historic look at the Rio Grande River. From its source in the Rockies to its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico, this misunderstood river traverses spectacular physical and historic landscapes.
January 13 • Yellowstone in Winter
February 17 • Rainforest and Mountains of Peru
Visit our first National Park in its most awesome season, winter. Traveling by van, cross country skis and snowshoes, Naturalists Paul and Gretchen Motts share close-up views of elk and bison, frozen waterfalls and erupting geysers.
January 20 • Hong Kong: Nature Meets the City For most people, bustling Hong Kong probably translates to crowded streets and choking pollution. Can natural beauty exist in such urbanity? Naturalist Bethany Majeski shows us just how beautiful a paradox this unique Chinese territory can be.
January 27 • Climbing Mt. Rainier the Hard Way Liberty Ridge is considered one of North America’s 50 classic climbs. Ed Kowalski recounts the high winds, cold temperatures and snow avalanches he and his climbing partner faced on their five-day summit of Mt. Rainier.
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s Nancy Hughes shares her exploration of Peru’s rainforest and cloud forest, including a visit to the World Heritage site Machu Picchu. We’ll also learn about exciting environmental partnerships formed during her visit.
February 24 • Patagonia What’s at the end of the world? Patagonia! Glaciers, birds and beautiful scenery abound in Patagonia. Find out what Naturalist Min Keung learned from her recent travels to the end of the world.
Don’t miss the adventures!
Rocky River Nature Center Located in Rocky River Reservation at 24000 Valley Parkway, 1/4 mile north of Cedar Point Road in North Olmsted. 11
Warm up to The RainForest at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo A trip to The RainForest at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is a sure cure for cabin fever any winter, but this year is an especially fitting time to visit as the Zoo prepares to mark The RainForest’s 20th anniversary. The RainForest is home to more than 10,000 plants and 600 animals, providing a dose of lush greenery that will make you forget all about the gray days and bare trees outside. From the moment the 25-foot tall waterfall greets you at the entrance you can feel the warm air and begin to leave the chill behind you for a few hours. In order to properly care for the tropical plants and animals in The RainForest the temperature has to stay at a constant 78-80 degrees, which is a welcoming break from the elements for many visitors! The animals that call The RainForest home come from tropical jungles in all three of the world’s rainforest regions, Africa, Asia and South America. Often called “the lungs of the world” these forests generate 20 percent of the planet’s oxygen and are home to more than half of the plant and animal species, yet they cover just 6 percent of the earth’s surface.
Zoo News
The Zoo’s two-story, equatorial rainforest biome exhibit features a simulated rain storm every 12 minutes, a video theater, open-air aviary and some of the most extraordinary and endangered animals on the planet. No trip to The RainForest would be complete without a stop on the second floor to see the Bornean orangutans. The Zoo has five orangutans living in the 39-foot tall glass dome inside The RainForest, including Daniel, a youngster whose boundless energy and feats of strength make him a favorite with visitors. The RainForest is also home to the Zoo’s ocelot, a medium-sized wild cat native to southern Texas, Mexico and Central and South America. Ocelots hunt mostly at night and have eyesight six times more powerful than a human’s. They are also strong swimmers and will cross rivers or streams while patrolling their territory. Several of the Zoo’s smaller primates, including the golden lion tamarin, Francois’ langur and white-fronted marmoset, also live in The RainForest along with the majority of the Zoo’s reptiles, frogs and turtles. Other must-see residents include the gharial, a relative of the crocodile native to India and Nepal with a long, narrow snout, Asian small-clawed otters, Egyptian fruit bats, a fishing cat, giant anteater, two-toed sloth and capybaras. Visiting the entire Zoo in the winter is even easier, especially for families, because admission prices are discounted through March 31 to just $8 per person and $5 for children ages 2 to 11. Admission for Zoo members and kids younger than 2 is always free. For more information, call 216-661-6500 or visit clemetzoo.com. Joe Yachanin Marketing & Public Relations Specialist all photos courtesy of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
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Emerald Necklace, January 2012
Noon Year’s Eve Saturday, December 31 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There’s no two ways about it, the holidays are exhausting. With all the running around and obligations to fulfill, by the time New Year’s Eve rolls around most families are too pooped to party! Fortunately, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo has an alternative. Bring the entire family to celebrate Noon Year’s Eve at the Zoo. The party starts a little earlier than most - 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, December 31 - and features kid friendly versions of year end merrymaking.
Zooperstars! Cleveland Metroparks Zoo would like to thank its many corporate and nonprofit community partners for their generous support throughout 2011: b.a. Sweetie Candy Company Baker & Hostetler
Now in its sixth year, Noon Year’s Eve lets kids ring in 2012 with a dance party hosted by Radio Disney, a countdown to noon complete with a ball drop and non-alcoholic toast on the Welcome Plaza, crafts, Get Close animal encounters and costumed characters. Visitors also can check out ice carving demonstrations, make their New Year’s ReZOOlutions and see a special holiday performance of Professor Wylde’s Animal Show.
BJ’s Wholesale Club
Admission to Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is $1 off for Noon Year’s Eve adult tickets are $7, and children 2 - 11 are $4. Admission for children younger than 2 and Zoo members is free.
Dodd Camera
Dollar Bank presents Noon Year’s Eve with support from UH Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital and Kohl’s.
Polar Bear Days at the Zoo January 2 through 31 Polar Bear Days are back at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, and there’s no better way to beat the winter blues than by taking a brisk walk through the park and visiting the cold-weather loving animals in Northern Trek! What’s a Polar Bear Day? Throughout the month of January, whenever the day’s predicted high temperature is 32 degrees or below, a Polar Bear Day is declared and admission to Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is cut in half. Considering Zoo admission is already reduced for the winter, a Polar Bear Day means adults can get into the Zoo for only $4. Children ages 2 - 11 are just $2.50, and as always Zoo members and children younger than 2 are free. How will you know if it’s going to be a Polar Bear Day? Check out clemetzoo.com, facebook.com/ClevelandMetroparksZoo, call 216-661-6500 or listen to V107.3 FM between 6 - 10 a.m. for the announcement. Last year there were 28 Polar Bear Days, so check in often!
Clear Choice Custom Lasik Center Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital Cleveland Public Power COIT Cleaning & Restoration Services Discount Drug Mart Dollar Bank Dominion Earth Fare Supermarket Fifth Third Bank Firefly’s Mini Golf First Merit Foundation Giant Eagle Good Nature Organic Lawn Care Kaiser Permanente Marc’s Menchie’s Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District The Ohio Lottery Omnia, a Telos Company Outback Steakhouse Pet Supplies Plus Renewal by Anderson Tavens Container UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital
Polar Bear Days are supported by V107.3 13
Programs are inclusive for all abilities
Institute of the Great Outdoors The IGO Mission To provide nature based outdoor recreational experiences and classes that enable participants of all abilities to connect with nature.
Inclusive Outdoor Recreation Opportunities All IGO programs have been evaluated regarding accessibility and activity level. With our professionally trained staff and ability to make equipment adaptations, most programs are accessible to anyone who would like to participate. For further information regarding program accessibility, or to schedule an accessible custom program, contact IGO at 216-341-1704.
Program Registration Programs are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so register early to get a spot. By Phone: Call 216-341-1704 Monday - Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Have your MasterCard, Visa or DiscoverCard number ready. In-person: Stop by the Garfield Park Nature Center located in Garfield Heights; Monday - Friday between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. A 25% non-refundable deposit is required at time of registration for all Escape to Nature programs. Balance is due no less than two months before the pre-trip meeting. For all other programs, fees must be paid in full upon registration. Your payment confirms that you are registered for the program. Program fees recover the direct program costs. Late Registration/Registration Changes All programs require a minimum number of participants and program deadlines are assigned to limit cancellations. Anyone registering after program deadlines will be assessed a $5 per person per program charge. Anyone making class changes will be assessed a $10 change fee. Please note that IGO reserves the right to deny registrations after program deadlines due to limited space, planning, etc. Confirmation/Cancellation To minimize costs and paper waste, IGO does not mail program confirmations. Maps for program locations can be found on Cleveland Metroparks website: www. clevelandmetroparks.com on the IGO page. Registrants will be notified if programs are cancelled due to low enrollment or weather. Program fees and deposits are not refundable unless Cleveland Metroparks finds it necessary to cancel a program. Participants assume risk of all changes in personal health and affairs. Returned Checks A $25 cash fee will be charged for all checks returned for insufficient funds. General Information By registering, you acknowledge that you have read and understand the refund policy. A liability waiver and medical emergency form will be emailed to participants and must be completed and signed prior to participation in all programs. IGO programs are listed bi-monthly in the Emerald Necklace. For more information call 216-341-1704 or visit www.clevelandmetroparks.com.
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Emerald Necklace, January 2012
Programs are inclusive for all abilities
Institute of the Great Outdoors Escapes to Nature
KAYAKING & BOATING
Hocking Hills Winter Weekend
All boating programs are funded in part through a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Watercraft.
Join us on a weekend excursion to explore one of Ohio’s treasured natural areas. A trip to Old Man’s Cave or Conkles Hollow in winter is truly spectacular. We’ll stay warm in comfortable cabins and spend our days hiking along various trails, some steep and with steps, enjoying this natural winter wonderland. Registration deadline: January 11. Ages: adults Pre-trip meeting: January 18 • 7 - 9 p.m. Garfield Park Nature Center Trip dates: January 27 - 29 Program fee: $295 (includes lodging, dinner Saturday night and on-site transportation)
ACCESSIBLE ADVENTURES Kayaking I Designed specifically for individuals with disabilities, both adults and children can enjoy learning to kayak. This entry-level course will teach the basics for paddling safely on inland lakes and rivers. Bring clothing to get wet in. Registration deadline: January 26. Activity Level: easy Ages: 10 years & up (with participating adult) Date/Time: February 9 • 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Baldwin-Wallace College Fee: $35 (includes boats and equipment)
Learn to Snowshoe This program is designed to get individuals with disabilities and their families out and enjoying the snow. We will spend time outside on a snowshoe course set up for the day then warm up with activities and hot chocolate indoors. No special boots are required for snowshoeing, but waterproof footwear is suggested. Dress in layers to keep warm outside. Registration deadlines: January 26 & February 9. Ages: 10 years & up (with participating adult)
American Canoe Association Level I: Introduction to Canoe & Kayak Instructor Certification Workshop This workshop follows standards established by the ACA and is designed for individuals and programmers interested in offering certified canoe and kayak classes. The first day is designed as an Introduction to Canoeing or Kayaking class and will focus on practicing paddling strokes, braces and rescues. On day two, participants will start off in the classroom reviewing instructor teaching topics and will then split into kayak and canoe instructor groups to spend the afternoon outside. On day three, experienced trainers will evaluate each candidate’s paddling skills, knowledge and teaching abilities. Candidates will teach a minimum of two subjects both in the classroom as well as on the water and will receive a critique of their on- and offwater teaching and paddling skills. Upon successful completion of the workshop, participants can receive instructor certification through the American Canoe Association. Please specify either the canoe or kayak instructor workshop when registering. Registration deadline: May 31. Pre-requisite: previous paddling experience is required. Completion of ACA Intro. to Canoe/Kayak course preferred. For certification, all participants must be members of the ACA & SEIC prior to the program. To become a member, visit www.americancanoe.org Activity Level: moderate Ages: adults Date/Time: June 14 - 16 • 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Hinckley Reservation Fee: $225 per person (includes instructor manuals, training tools, paddling equipment and lunch first two days)
Dates/Times: February 12 • 3 - 5 p.m. February 25 • 1 - 3 p.m. River Grove Picnic Area - Chestnut Shelter North Chagrin Reservation Fee: $15 per person To register for an IGO program, call 216-341-1704.
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Programs are inclusive for all abilities
Institute of the Great Outdoors American Canoe Association Level I: Introduction to Stand Up Paddleboarding Instructor Certification Workshop This workshop follows standards established by the ACA and is designed for individuals and programmers interested in offering stand up paddleboarding classes. Individuals successfully completing the workshop can receive Level 1 certification. Previous paddling experience is required. For certification, all participants must be members of the ACA & SEIC prior to the program (www.americancanoe.org). Activity Level: moderate
Kayak Rescues It’s a great time of year to hone your kayak rescue and re-entry skills. Join trained kayak instructors for an in-depth pool session of kayak safety including solo and tandem rescue techniques. Practice strokes you learned last summer while improving your advanced skills. Registration deadline: January 30. Activity level: moderate Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult) Date/Time: February 12 • 9 a.m. - noon Lakewood High School Fee: $30 (includes boats & equipment)
Ages: adults
Kayaking Basics
Dates: June 7 - 9 or June 28 - 30 (tentative)
Interested in kayaking, but nervous about getting in the water for the first time? Learn the basics to having a safe and enjoyable kayak experience without investing in expensive gear. During this classroom session we’ll discuss types of kayaks, gear, safety, places to go and trip planning. Test your balance and have fun in our kayak “on-the-water” simulator. Registration deadlines: December 28, January 18 & February 9.
Hinckley Reservation Program Fee: $300 per person (includes instructor manuals, training tools and paddling equipment)
Kayaking I: Introduction to Kayaking Learn to kayak in a pool this winter. This entry-level course combines classroom and on-the-water practice to introduce you to equipment, basic paddling strokes and more. Sessions include all necessary kayaking equipment and participants should be prepared to get wet. Registration deadline: January 23.
Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult) Dates/Times: January 11 • 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. North Chagrin Nature Center February 1 • 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Activity Level: easy
Garfield Park Nature Center
Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult)
February 23 • 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Dates/Times: January 19 or February 16
Rocky River Nature Center
6:30 - 9:30 p.m. • Baldwin-Wallace College
Fee: $10
January 22 or February 5 • 9 a.m. - noon Lakewood High School Fee: $35 (includes boats & equipment)
Kayaking I for Teens Need a break from your typical routine? Have fun learning basic kayaking skills this winter. The class will include both classroom and on-the-water instruction. See Kayaking I class description for details. Registration deadline: January 5. Activity Level: easy Ages: 13 - 16 years Date/Time: January 12 • 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Baldwin-Wallace College Fee: $35 (includes boats & equipment) 16
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Emerald Necklace, January 2012
Ohio Boaters Education Class Before boating season starts, learn tools to becoming a safe boater. This three-part class teaches fundamentals of safe boating, state boating laws and more. The last session includes a test for certification of completion and the course meets the mandatory education requirement for those persons born on or after January 1, 1982 who plan to operate a watercraft of 10 horsepower or greater. Registration deadline: February 1. Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult) Dates/Times: February 14, 21, 28 • 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Garfield Park Nature Center Fee: $15
Programs are inclusive for all abilities
Institute of the Great Outdoors OUTDOOR RECREATION SKILLS
Backcountry Cooking
Ice Fishing Basics
Discover new cooking tricks and recipes for your next camping or backpacking trip. Learn easy meal preparation, stove selection and more. Use different cooking setups and heat sources as you prepare unique cuisine. Registration deadline: February 16.
Join Aquatic Biologist Mike Durkalec to learn the basics of ice fishing on inland lakes. This outdoor session will introduce you to ice fishing gear, bait selection and basic safety gear. Equipment will be provided so you can drill your own hole in the ice and try catching a few pan fish and trout. Bring your own seat for the ice and dress warm. Participants will be required to wear a lifejacket. Gear will be provided if you do not have your own. Participants must have a valid Ohio fishing license to fish. Registration deadline: December 28. Activity Level: moderate Ages: adults Dates/Times: January 8 • 9 - 11 a.m. February 11 • 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. Wallace Lake • Mill Stream Run Reservation Fee: $20
Backpacking Basics Learn the basics to having a safe and enjoyable backcountry experience before investing in expensive gear. Topics such as tents, backpacks, and other gear; water treatment; and outdoor ethics will be covered during this relaxing classroom session. Registration deadlines: January 25 & February 3. Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult) Dates/Times: February 8 • 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Activity Level: easy Ages: adults Date/Time: March 1 • 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Garfield Park Nature Center Fee: $15
48 States in 48 Days on a Bicycle Join local adventurer Phil Nagle on a trip around the United States. During the summer of 2009, Phil pedaled 8,170 miles solo through all 48 contiguous states. Live his adventure through photographs and short video clips while being motivated to explore the outdoors on a bike. Phil will share the gear he took and how he planned his adventure. Refreshments provided. Registration deadline: February 1. Ages: all Date/Time: February 15 • 7:30 - 9 p.m. Look About Lodge • South Chagrin Reservation Fee: $3
Wilderness First Aid
Ladies, join female staff as we discuss the basics to having a safe and enjoyable backcountry experience including female-specific gear options. Other important topics include tents, backpacks, and other gear; water treatment; and outdoor ethics. Registration deadlines: February 8 & 15.
Join us for a two-day workshop to learn wilderness first aid skills from staff from SOLO (Stonehearth Outdoor Learning Opportunities.) Designed specifically for groups and their leaders, the workshop stresses preparedness for first aid emergencies when help is an hour or more away. Classroom lectures and discussions will be combined with hands-on experiences in the field. The curriculum includes assessment and treatment of specific injuries, long term patient care and more. Mock rescues will be practiced in the field allowing participants to practice skills learned in class. Meets the Boy Scouts of America requirements for backcountry training. Registration deadline: April 19.
Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult)
Ages: adults
Dates/Times: February 22 • 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Activity Level: moderate
North Chagrin Nature Center
Date/Time: May 5 - 6 • 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
February 29 • 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Location: Intergrove Lodge • North Chagrin Reservation
Rocky River Nature Center
Fee: $195 (includes lunch, instruction text and first aid supplies)
Garfield Park Nature Center February 19 • 4 - 7 p.m. Rocky River Nature Center Fee: $10
Backpacking Basics for Women
Fee: $10 To register for an IGO program, call 216-341-1704.
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Programs are inclusive for all abilities
Institute of the Great Outdoors
How to Survive Just About Anything Natural disasters have been on the minds of many of us this year. With proper planning and the right kit, you stand a greater chance of surviving winter storms, tornadoes, floods and other disasters. You’ll get resources to begin making your own disaster kits for home and on the road and discover how to reuse your old camping gear. Registration deadline: January 11.
Snowshoe With IGO Try a pair of snowshoes and hike along a course set up for the day. No special boots are required for snowshoeing, but waterproof footwear is suggested. Catch us on facebook for weekend updates. Preregistration is suggested but drop-ins are welcome. IGO staff will be on location when snow is 4 inches or deeper. Please note - dates are subject to change. Ages: 8 years & up (with participating adult)
Ages: adults
Dates/Times: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Date/Time: January 25 • 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.
January 14, 21, 22, 28, 29
Garfield Park Nature Center
Squire’s Castle • North Chagrin Reservation
Fee: $15
February 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26
American Red Cross First Aid Class
Sledding hill at corner of Sulphur Springs Drive and
Learn skills to become better equipped to respond to first aid emergencies. Lessons include proper wound care, splinting broken bones and more. Upon completion of this course participants will be qualified to receive an American Red Cross First Aid certification good for three years. Registration deadline: February 9.
Chagrin River Road • South Chagrin Reservation Fee: $10/pair
Snowshoe Night Hikes
Date/Time: February 26 • 1 - 5 p.m.
Strap on snowshoes and use your night vision to explore the beauty and wonder of nature at night. Snowshoes, headlamps and hot cocoa are provided. Please dress for the weather. No special boots are required for snowshoeing, but waterproof footwear is suggested. Registration deadlines: December 28, January 19 & February 8.
Garfield Park Nature Center
Activity level: easy to moderate
Fee: $40 (includes certification card and workbook)
Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult)
Activity Level: easy (must meet ARC requirements) Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult)
CPR/AED - Adult/Child/Infant This American Red Cross class will provide you with skills to help an infant, child or adult showing signs of respiratory or cardiac arrest symptoms. Materials and American Red Cross certifications will be provided. Registration deadline: January 26. Activity Level: easy (must meet ARC requirements) Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult) Date/Time: February 11 • 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Rocky River Nature Center Fee: $55 (includes workbook, certification cards)
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Emerald Necklace, January 2012
Dates/Times: January 11 • 7 - 9 p.m. River Grove Picnic Area • North Chagrin Reservation February 2 • 7 - 9 p.m. Look About Lodge • South Chagrin Reservation February 22 • 7 - 9 p.m. River Grove Picnic Area • North Chagrin Reservation Fee: $15
Lake Erie Nature & Science Center Wild Winter Classes and Programs for All Ages Begin Soon!
Log Cabin Sampler: Camouflage Animals
Join us for a variety of winter programs that cater to all ages from parent and child programs (1 - 5 years), Nature Nuts preschool classes (3 - 5 years), Log Cabin Kindergarten classes (5 - 6 years), Weekend Adventure Club for elementary ages and Junior Naturalist programs for middle-schoolers. Call 440-871-2900 or log onto www.lensc.org for full program details and registration information.
Monday, January 23 9 - 11 a.m. OR 1 - 3 p.m. Fee: $20/child; members $15/child
After School Adventures Club Tuesdays, January 10 - February 14 4 - 5:30 p.m. Fee: $110/child; members $90/child
Children ages 4 - 6 can sample our ongoing Log Cabin Explorers Club through this themed, 2-hour program. Science experiments, live wildlife encounters, crafts and more help your child build important school skills while they have a blast in and around the Log Cabin classroom. Pre-registration required.
Children in Grades 1 & 2 discover signs of animal life as they hike through Huntington Reservation. Learn how animals survive the cold, harsh, winter weather. Experience the winter night sky in the Planetarium. Meet and learn about animals from the Nature Center. Students will record their discoveries during each session in their very own journal. Pre-registration required.
NEW SERIES! Second Nature: A Series for Lifelong Learners Lake Erie 101: What Does the Future Hold for Our Great Lake?
Thursday, January 12 • 7 - 8:30 p.m. Fee: $7/Adult (advance pricing); $10/Adult (day of the program)
NEW! All Access Pass Wednesday, January 11 6:30 - 8 p.m. or 8 - 9:30 p.m. Fee: $12/person; members $10/person Families with children aged 5 and up can now go “Behind-the-Scenes” with Director of Wildlife, Dave Wolf, as he leads you where few have ever gone before! Go upstairs & downstairs, on & off display with Dave as he promises to leave no door unopened. Find out what happens when injured wildlife arrives at the Center, go hands-on with rarely seen resident animals and find out what they get up to after-hours! This exclusive tour is limited to just 10 participants per time-slot. Pre-registration required.
Dr. Jeffrey Reutter will describe current programs and opportunities at the Ohio Sea Grant College Program and Stone Laboratory, Ohio’s Lake Erie Laboratory on Gibraltar Island at Put-in-Bay and the oldest freshwater biological field station in the country. He will explain the way the Lake Erie ecosystem operates and discuss the most significant issues affecting the lake now and in the future.
Walter R. Schuele Planetarium Family Programs * Twinkle Tots
Thursdays & Saturdays • 11 a.m. Fee: $1/person (including infants) This is a program for the toddler in your family. Watch lights dance across the sky, see some magic and learn what’s new in space. This program is fun for just about everyone in the family!
Stellar Stars
Wednesdays • 11 a.m. & Saturdays • noon Fee: $2/child
Monthly SkyQuest: Animals in Space
Saturdays, January 7, 14, 21 & 28 • 1:30 p.m. Saturdays, January 7 & 21 • 7 p.m. Fee: $3/person Here at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center, our visitors get the opportunity for a close encounter of the furry, feathery or scaly kind, thanks to our fascinating live creature collection, rehabilitation efforts and animal outreach. But did you know that the first living things we launched into space were animals? Come join us in the planetarium this month as we talk about Earth’s very first space travelers and look at experiments involving animals in space. Even see how we’ve studied animal migration patterns on Earth from outer space. Recommended for ages 7 and up.
Telescope Viewing
Grab your passports, blast off to a new planet and find a different picture in the stars each week. Watch lasers moving to music, take home a planet picture to color and add a sticker to your passport. Great for children 2 years and up!
Saturdays, January 7 & 21 Free Join us in the field outside the Center as we explore the night sky! Telescope viewing takes place following the evening Monthly SkyQuest program on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of every month, weather permitting.
*Planetarium seating is first-come, first-served. Door closes promptly and no one will be admitted after posted program start time.
Lake Erie Nature & Science Center Located at 28728 Wolf Road in Bay Village • 440-871-2900 • www.lensc.org Lake Erie Nature & Science Center is an independent nonprofit affiliate of Cleveland Metroparks 19
Did you know?
earthwords
Did you know that each EarthWords shop is located in a Cleveland Metroparks nature center with a unique, specific and fascinating historical feature. You can’t miss the giant replica of “Dunk” as you enter the Rocky River Nature Center. Travel through the beautiful North Chagrin Reservation and you will be enticed into Squire’s Castle. High above you at the CanalWay Visitor Center, you can see and hear trains rumbling across the giant train trestle. Our nature shops are stocked with merchandise that will help you recall the memorable experience of discovering these awesome pieces of history. Did you know that Dunkelosteus Terrelli was a fearsome fish measuring over 20-feet long, complete with an armor-plated head and massive bony plates for teeth? He swam the seas of the Devonian Period in the area that is now Cleveland Metroparks. Fossil remains are found in Cleveland shale deposits over 360 million years old in the Rocky River valley.
Dunk Mug - Black ceramic mug with illustration of Dunk. $9
Did you know that Squire’s Castle is a shell of a building located in the North Chagrin Reservation. It was built in the 1890s by Feargus B. Squire for use as the gatekeeper’s house for his future country estate, which was never built. Squire, a founder of Standard Oil Company, bought the surrounding 525 acres of land but never completed the project. Squire sold the property in 1922 and Cleveland Metroparks acquired it in 1925.
Squire’s Castle Wall Plaque - Hand-carved, 61/2” round ceramic wall plaque/bread warmer. $8
Did you know that the two-track trestle above Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation was built by American Bridge Company in 1907 as part of the Cleveland Short Line? The trestle stands 160 feet high over the Cuyahoga River and spans 1988 feet across the valley. Up to 50 trains a day take this east-west bypass around Cleveland.
Wind Up Train Book - Three train stories are retold with a new twist! Each story has a sturdy track embedded in the pages which the accompanying wind-up train toy can then be placed upon to follow around and bring the story to life. $29.99 20
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Emerald Necklace, January 2012
CanalWay Center Cuyahoga Heights 216-206-1003 North Chagrin Nature Center Mayfield Village 440-449-0511 Rocky River Nature Center North Olmsted 440-734-7576 Wednesday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. Sunday Noon - 4:45 p.m.
Are you a member of Cleveland Zoological Society? Bring your membership card to receive 10% off non-sale merchandise - every day!
Subscribe to our free email newsletter to see new products and specials! Send an email to hjs@clevelandmetroparks.com, and type “subscribe” in the subject.
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January Events by Location
Monthly Morning with the Birds
Off-site programs
12 • Urban Explorations: Old Stone Church 19 • Urban Explorations: Trinity Cathedral 26 • Bird or Bust: Erie Gulls & Waterfowl
(HuR) Huntington Reservation
7 • Extreme Hiking
3 • Going Coastal: Birds and Terrain of Lake Erie (LENSC) Lake Erie Nature & Science Center Open daily 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. (closed January 1) 28728 Wolf Road, Huntington Reservation, Bay Village, 440-871-2900 7 • Weekend Adventures Club 16 • Holiday Preschoolers Program: Martin Luther King Jr., Day 25 • Owl Prowl
(BNC) Brecksville Nature Center
(MSRR) Mill Stream Run Reservation
(BeR) Bedford Reservation
8 • Bedford Hike 21 • Woodlands of Bedford: Winter Season
(BCR) Big Creek Reservation 15 • Cabin Fever Hike
(BrR) Brecksville Reservation
Open daily 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Rt. 82 entrance, Brecksville 440-526-1012 7 • 8 • 14 • 15 • 21 • 22 • 28 • 29 • Hand Feed a Chickadee 8 • Drop In Discovery - Making Fire with Flint and Steel 14 • Drop In Discovery - White-tailed Deer 15 • Drop In Discovery - Pine Cone Birdfeeders 17 • Hiking for the Young at Heart 18 • 25 • Animal Crackers 19 - 21 • For Adults Only: Meteorology 21 • Drop In Discovery - Birdfeeders 21 • Cabin Fever Hike 22 • Drop In Discovery - Making Fire with a Bow Drill 26 • Owl Prowl 28 • Artist in the Park 29 • Paw Print Hike
(CWC) CanalWay Center
Open daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Off E. 49th St., Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation, Cuyahoga Hts. 216-206-1000 EarthWords Nature Shop Open Wed. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 4:45 p.m., Sun. noon - 4:45 p.m. 216-206-1003 2 - 31 • Hunt of the Month 2 - 2/28 • Artwork of Ed Palsha 4 • Holiday Hike 7 • The Great Flood of 1913 8 • Bird Banding 14 • Make and Take Table - Candlemaking 20 • Preschool: Birds 20 • CanalWay Coffeehouse 21 • Backyward Birds and Banding 21 • Acoustic Players Circle 22 • Meet the Artist: Ed Palsha 26 • Hidden Valley Homeschoolers: Keeping Warm 28 • Soup Hike Cleveland Astronomical Society 5 • Monthly Meeting
28 • Winter Walk
(NCR) North Chagrin Reservation
6 • 13 • 20 • 27 • North Chagrin Reservation Trail 7 • Winter Fun Day 8 • Birds and Coffee 8 • Withered Weeds 18 • Trail Trackers: Coyote and Fox 21 • Dog Hike 22 • Evergreen Hike 27 • Outdoor Education for Homeschoolers: Five Kingdoms 28 • Boy Scout Saturday: Bird Study Merit Badge 29 • The Frozen Swamp
(NCNC) North Chagrin Nature Center
Open daily 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Mayfield Village 440-473-3370 EarthWords Nature Shop Open Wed. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 4:45 p.m., Sun. noon - 4:45 p.m. 440-449-0511 7 • 14 • 21 • 28 • Saturday Night Specials 13 • Family Friday Night: Thirteen Moons 14 • Hike For Your Health 15 • Sunday Bird Walk 15 • Chickadees at the Overlook 19 • Full Moon Hike 20 • Friday Movie Night - Life in the Freezer 24 • Stroller Science - Sky Tree 27 • Family Friday Night: Mammals Wear Fur 29 • In Search of…Snowflakes Cleveland Metroparks Photography Club East 2 • 16 • Bi-monthly Meeting
(RRR) Rocky River Reservation 28 • Busy Beavers 29 • Winter Wellness Walk 29 • Sunday “Souper Supper”
(GPNC) Garfield Park Nature Center Open daily 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Broadway Ave. or Turney Rd. entrance, Garfield Heights 216-341-3152 2 - 31 • Winter Scavenger Hunt 5 • Celebrate Birds 6 • For Women Only 14 • Bird Banding 18 • Walking the Winter Woods 21 • Soup Hike 22 • Curious about Coyotes 29 • Pollinators in Film: The Bee Movie*
Group Programming – For information on group programs, call any Cleveland Metroparks nature or visitor center. Outdoor Adventures With IGO The Institute of the Great Outdoors (IGO) offers year-round courses in canoeing, backpacking and more, plus Escapes to Nature throughout the U.S. and Canada. For details, visit www.clevelandmetroparks.com. * Cleveland Metroparks is celebrating the “Year of the Pollinator.” This month, look for an asterisk next to Cleveland Metroparks special “Year of Pollinator” related programs and events.
(RRNC) Rocky River Nature Center
Open daily 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., 24000 Valley Parkway, North Olmsted 44070 440-734-6660 EarthWords Nature Shop Open Wed. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 4:45 p.m., Sun. noon - 4:45 p.m 440-734-7576 2 - 16 • Gallery Wall 6 • 7 • Meet a Chickadee 6 • 13 • 20 • 27 • Friday Nights with Nature 7 • 22 • Bird Banding at Rocky River Nature Center 7 • Welcome Winter Hike 8 • Coffee with the Birds 8 • John Burroughs Hike 8 • Winterrific! 9 • 10 • Little Explorers 9 • Full Moon Hike 9 • 23 • 30 • Chair Caning Class 12 • Inviting the Planet to Dinner 14 • Natural Crafts: Part 1 18 - 31 • Gallery Wall 18 • Focus on the Planet Film Series: Queen of the Sun 19 • Homeschool Happenings 21 • Monthly Morning with the Birds 21 • Extreme Fossil Road Show 21 • 25 • Science Olympiad Coaching: Leaf and Tree ID 22 • Nature a la Carte: Nature Picture Books 22 • 25 • Science Olympiad Training: Reptiles and Amphibians 22 • Gems & Jewels of the World 22 • Winter Book Review 25 • Rocky River Watershed Council 26 • Hiking for Your Health 28 • Winter Tree Identification for Beginners 28 • Cinema Saturday Night: Northern Harrier – Living on the Wing 29 • School of the Wilds: Wildlife at the Airport 31 • Science Olympiad - Ohio Birds Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society 3 • Monthly Meeting Cleveland Metroparks Southwest Camera Club 9 • 23 • Bi-monthly Meeting Cuyahoga Astronomical Association 9 • Monthly Meeting Trout Unlimited 10 • Monthly Meeting Greater Cleveland Beekeepers Association 11 • Monthly Meeting
(SCR) South Chagrin Reservation
ook About Lodge L Open for scheduled programs. Miles Rd., east of Rt. 91, Bentleyville 440-247-7075 6 • Preschool Green Time 7 • Hike for your Supper 8 • Lodge is Open 8 • Daring and Dangerous 13 • Fireside Concert Series: Up River 14 • Drop-in Leaf and Tree I.D. 14 • Nature Journaling through the Seasons 14 • Second Saturday Storytelling 15 • Winter Lodge Overnight 20 • Fireside Concert Series: Steve Madewell 21 • Create Art in Nature 22 • One Trail, Twelve Times 27 • Fireside Concert Series: Logan Wells 28 • Nature Writing: Crows in Winter 29 • Naturalist at the Sledding Hill Cleveland Natural Science Club 21 • Monthly Meeting
(WCR) West Creek Reservation 5 • Cabin Fever Hike-off
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January Events Calendar
2 • Monday Gallery Wall
Enjoy the nature photography of Joe Boyle who has traveled from northeastern Ohio to Glacier National Park and beyond to gather images for this show. Through January 16. 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. RRNC Hunt of the Month
This January we have hidden 20 hiking boots around CanalWay Center. Can you find all of them? Stop by to find the boots and then go outside to hike around. Through January 31. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. CWC Artwork of Ed Palsha
Cleveland Metroparks Maps Visit clevelandmetroparks.com for maps of Cleveland Metroparks 16 reservations. Or, call 216-635-3200 and request a Pathfinder Map & Guide.
3 • Tuesday Going Coastal: Birds and Terrain of Lake Erie
Join Naturalist Jen Brumfield, an avid birder, on a quest to visit the tundra-esque shore of Huntington Reservation in winter. We’ll be on the lookout for rare waterfowl, gulls, finches and other winter specialty birds. We may visit multiple locations along the lakefront, including Rocky River Park. Dress extremely warm. Binoculars required. Spotting scope recommended. Max of 10 participants. 9:30 a.m. - noon HuR Ages: adults Terrain: flat, possibly icy walkways, Register beginning January 1 440-526-4095, ext. 119
Come escape the winter blahs with the vibrant colors of Ed Palsha’s art. Venture into “The New World” to find out how long it takes you to find the items familiar to our world. On display through February 28. Meet the artist January 22. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. CWC Winter Scavenger Hunt
Come warm up at the nature center with a fun indoor activity. Look for hidden winter-themed items hidden throughout the building. There are lots of things to find so be sure to bring your best scavenger hunting skills with you when you visit! Through January 31. 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. GPNC Cleveland Metroparks Photography Club East
The Best of ‘11 - There were your very best shots of the previous year. Why do you think so? Share with us your five top picks and give us the details. 8 - 10 p.m. NCNC
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Emerald Necklace, January 2012
Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society
Climate change: Look past the controversy and politics to the scientific evidence. Dr. Eric Schreiber presents Global Warming, an Emergency in Slow Motion. Review evidence of rapidly changing climate, its impact in various parts of the world and solutions that can help slow the process. 7:30 - 9 p.m. RRNC
4 • Wednesday Holiday Hike
The fourth and final holiday hike will take us on a brisk walk around the Lower 40 loop trail. We will meet inside the warm CanalWay Center and then head out into the chilly January air for a short hike. 1 - 2 p.m. CWC
5 • Thursday Cabin Fever Hike-off
Join Naturalist Jen Brumfield on a pleasant winter hike through the wintry woods of West Creek. There’s no better way to fend off cabin fever than to hit the trails! 10 - 11:30 a.m. WCR Terrain: moderate, 2 miles 440-526-4095, ext. 119 Celebrate Birds
Celebrate birds at this program all about birds and their fantastic beaks! Create a bird of your own as we sing a song or two and explore the wonderful world of birds. 2 - 3 p.m. GPNC
Cleveland Astronomical Society
Guest speaker Arthur B. Kosowsky, associate professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Pittsburgh, presents New Results from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope located in Chile’s Atacama Desert. 8 - 9 p.m. CWC
6 • Friday North Chagrin Reservation Trail
Get to know the trails in North Chagrin Reservation with Naturalist Angelec Hillsman. Every Friday this month we will hike a different trail. Today we will hike Squire’s Lane, Hemlock, Scenic and White Pine loop trails. 9 a.m. - noon NCR Strawberry Picnic Area parking lot Terrain: moderate, boardwalk, 6 miles Meet a Chickadee
If it lands in your hand, you’ll have an opportunity to meet a chickadee close-up. Let’s try our hand at hand feeding a chickadee. Sunflower seed will be provided. 10 - 11 a.m. or 2 - 3 p.m. RRNC Terrain: may be snow, 1 mile For Women Only
Come join other women for exercise and camaraderie as we recharge after a busy week. This month’s hike will take us through historic Garfield Park Reservation. 10 a.m. - noon GPNC Ages: adult women Terrain: easy, slippery, up to 3.5 miles 440-526-1012
Friday Nights with Nature Galapagos Islands: More than the Beaks of Finches
(see page 11 for details)
7 • Saturday Extreme Hiking
She’s back at it! Join Naturalist Pam Taylor as she heads down the trail on this more- walkthan-talk hike. Distance will depend upon weather and trail conditions. 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. BrR Station Road parking lot Terrain: hills, 5 - 9 miles 440-526-1012 Bird Banding at Rocky River Nature Center
Better than binoculars, you will see intricate details of birds as we capture and band birds from the feeder. Learn about bird banding, an essential tool for learning about our feathered friends. Program will be cancelled during rain. Drop in any time between the hours below. 9:30 a.m. - noon RRNC Hand Feed a Chickadee
Generations of visitors have experienced the thrill of feeding a free-flying bird that lands in your hand. Now it’s your turn! We’ll provide a handful of sunflower seeds and instructions. 10 a.m. - noon BNC
Winter Fun Day
Welcome Winter Hike
Does old man winter have his grasp on you? Break free and join us for Winter Fun Day. This fun-filled afternoon will engage the entire family in exciting outdoor activities in North Chagrin Reservation. Activities will include: winter games, crafts, sledding (bring your own sled), snowshoeing ($10 rental fee) and much more. We hope to see you out in the snow! Noon - 4 p.m. NCR Old River Farm Reserved Picnic Area Ages: families
It may be cold, but a brisk walk will warm us up. Meet at Rocky River Nature Center for a vigorous hike on our trails. Dress for cold and wind. 2 - 3:30 p.m. RRNC Ages: adults, older children Terrain: many steps; 3 miles
The Great Flood of 1913
In 1913, a statewide flood caused massive damage throughout the state and to the Ohio & Erie Canal. Cultural History Interpreter Karen Lakus will share stories, facts, and photographs about this devastating natural event that ended the canal era for good. 1 - 2 p.m. CWC Weekend Adventures Club
Children should come dressed to investigate and explore the wintry world. Design and perform experiments that will uncover more about how natural science affects our lives every day. 1 - 3 p.m. LENSC Ages: grades 3 - 4 Fee: $30/child, members $20/ child; registration required 440-871-2900
Hike for your Supper
Come to the Lodge on this cold winter evening and enjoy learning a little more about animals that are active in winter. You can choose between joining an energizing hike or a more relaxed pace hike. When you call to register you will be assigned a food item to bring as your price of admission. When the hikers return to the Lodge, we’ll all enjoy a warm supper prepared by our volunteers. 5 - 7 p.m. SCR Look About Lodge Terrain: rolling hills, 0.5 mile Register by January 5 440-247-7075 Meet a Chickadee
(see 1/6 for details) 2 - 3 p.m. RRNC Saturday Night Specials The Sierra Nevada - Of Mountains, Mines and Men (see page 7 for details)
Preschool Green Time
Children who love nature will love coming to this two part program at Look About Lodge. This month we’ll explore recycled materials. Please bring some used wrapping paper with you to the first class. Green Time will also meet on January 13. 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. or 1 - 2 p.m. SCR Look About Lodge Age: 3 years - preK and adult Register by e-mail LALreg@ clevelandmetroparks.com 23
Drop In Discovery Making Fire with Flint and Steel
Can you start a fire without a match or lighter? If not, stop by the Nature Center anytime between the hours below and learn how to use flint and steel to make fire. This primitive way of fire making is easy to master once you know the basics. Kids under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. 2 - 4 p.m. BNC Daring and Dangerous
This year-long series will follow the example of the books, The Daring Book for Girls and The Dangerous Book for Boys. Join us as we learn how to tie knots, build forts, fish, make paper and more! This month we’ll start with gathering essential gear and looking ahead. Daring and Dangerous meets one Sunday each month of this year. 3:30 - 5 p.m. SCR Look About Lodge Ages: 7 - 12 years with adult Fee: $10 per child/month Registration required 440-247-7075
8 • Sunday Birds and Coffee
Enjoy the birds visiting the feeders as you sip on hot coffee. We’ll discuss the birds we observe and how to attract them. Space is limited. 9 - 10 a.m. NCR Nature Education Building Ages: adults & families Registration required 440-473-3370 Coffee with the Birds
Observe the birds visiting the nature center feeders as we sip warm coffee. Discover which kinds of seed attract the most birds. Learn new ways to attract birds to your yard. We’ll provide coffee, binoculars and birds. 9 - 10 a.m. RRNC Registration required 440-734-6660
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John Burroughs Hike
Lodge is Open
Join Naturalist Joni Norris for a walk around West Channel Pond while discussing one of New York’s premiere naturalists, John Burroughs. Find out why winter was his second favorite season. 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. RRNC Ages: adults Terrain: flat with some stairs, 1 mile
Beautiful Look About Lodge is open today for you to stop by and enjoy the winter scenery while warming up by the fire. Noon - 3 p.m. SCR Look About Lodge
Bird Banding
Learn about bird banding, an essential tool for learning about our feathered friends. You can see the intricate details of the birds we capture, band, and release at the feeders. Drop in anytime during the hours below; however the program will be cancelled if raining. 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. CWC
Emerald Necklace, January 2012
Hand Feed a Chickadee (see 1/7 for details) Winterrific! (see page 8 for details)
9 • Monday
Withered Weeds
Little Explorers
Winter is a time of rest for the land, but the remains of last summer’s plants are winter homes for overwintering insect larvae. We’ll hike along the meadow to discover who’s spending the winter. 1:30 - 3 p.m. NCR Strawberry Picnic Area parking lot Terrain: paved, level, 2 miles
Night is when owls come out. Fly over to the nature center to learn more about these birds that hide in the daytime, but talk to us at night. 10 - 11:15 a.m. or 1 - 2:15 p.m. RRNC Ages: 3 - 5 years with adult Terrain: flat, 0.5 mile Registration required 440-734-6660
Bedford Hike
Full Moon Hike
Join a naturalist as we hike through the beautiful scenery of Bedford Reservation. We’ll take a winter walk from Tinker’s Creek Gorge Overlook to Bridal Veil Falls. 2 - 3:30 p.m. BeR Tinker’s Creek Gorge Overlook parking lot 216-341-3152
Don’t let winter keep you stuck inside. Join Naturalist Bethany Majeski for a fun frolic through the nighttime woods. Dress for the weather. 6 - 7 p.m. RRNC Terrain: mostly flat, some stairs, may be icy, 1.5 miles
Chair Caning Class
Are you a do-it-yourselfer who’d like to try re-caning an old chair? Students bring their own structurally sound chairs to re-cane. Instructor Louise Grant guides you through the seven-step caning method during this threenight class (1/23 & 1/30 also.) Some homework is required. 7 - 9 p.m. RRNC Fee: $60 plus caning supplies (approximately $30) Register beginning December 26 440-734-6660 Cleveland Metroparks Southwest Camera Club
Photoshop How-To - Members share tips and tricks of digital editing. Using a favorite software tool of many digital photographers, you can make simple corrections to your photo similar to oldfashioned darkrooms, or go crazy with the photo and create an original work of art. 7:30 - 9 p.m. RRNC Cuyahoga Astronomical Association
The Journey to Palomar: Mike Williams shares his experience with large telescopes at all three of the major observatories on the planet - all here in the U.S.A. - along with a DVD on Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay, WI, and the multiple domes of Mt. Wilson Observatory in California. 7:30 - 9 p.m. RRNC
10 • Tuesday Trout Unlimited
The therapeutic values of fly fishing and fly tying are well known. Learn how Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing volunteers in partnership with Trout Unlimited apply those values to help injured and disabled veterans throughout Ohio. 6:30 - 9 p.m. RRNC Little Explorers (see 1/9 for details)
11• Wednesday Greater Cleveland Beekeepers Association
Herbal Theatrics: All About Lavender - Edible lavender flowers and honey create a wonderful taste combination, but that’s only one of lavender’s many herbal personalities. Connie Williams and Karen Rodachy share their expertise on using lavender in a variety of ways. 7 - 9 p.m. RRNC
12 • Thursday Urban Explorations: Old Stone Church
Doug Kusak and church docents lead you in an exploration of Old Stone Church, the venerable Public Square landmark. You recognize it from the street. Take a peek at what’s inside. 10 a.m. - noon Register beginning January 2 216-206-1000 Inviting the Planet to Dinner
Have you ever wondered just what your kids are eating in their school lunch? There is a revolution underway to create healthy, sustainable lunches at school. Come and learn more about this important movement to raise healthy kids with the planet in mind. Eco Chef Rae will provide samples of the ideal lunch. 7 - 8:30 p.m. RRNC Fee: $7 (includes tastings) Registration required 440-734-6660
13 • Friday North Chagrin Reservation Trail
Get to know the trails in North Chagrin Reservation with Naturalist Angelec Hillsman. Every Friday this month we will hike a different trail. Today we will hike the bridle, Buckeye, Castle Valley and Squire’s Lane trails. 9 - 11:30 a.m. NCR Strawberry Picnic Area parking lot Terrain: hilly, rugged, 5 miles
Family Friday Night: Thirteen Moons
Make and Take Table Candlemaking
This Friday the 13th we will explore the stories behind our monthly moons. In Native American cultures the 13 cycles of the moon correspond to the 13 scales on a turtle’s back. We’ll finish our indoor program with a craft. 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. NCNC Ages: families, adults
Come to CanalWay Center to learn about how pioneers in our area lit up their lives. Find out what materials and methods were used to make candles. Make a rolled beeswax candle of your own. Drop in anytime between the hours below. 1 - 3 p.m. CWC
Fireside Concert Series: Up River
Warm up from winter’s chill and get your toes tapping as you enjoy the Appalachian Mountain music of Up River. 7 - 8 p.m. SCR Look About Lodge Fee: $5 Registration required 440-247-7075 Friday Nights with Nature Yellowstone in Winter (see page 11 for details)
14 • Saturday Bird Banding
Drop in anytime between the hours listed below to learn about this essential tool for learning about our feathered friends. See intricate details of the birds as we capture, band, and release at the feeders. Cancelled if raining. 9:30 a.m. - noon GPNC Drop In Discovery: White–tailed Deer
When you visit Brecksville Nature Center any time between the hours below, you’ll have an opportunity to discover more about whitetailed deer. You can pick up an antler, pet a pelt, and learn their winter diet. 10 a.m. - noon BNC Drop-in Leaf and Tree I.D.
Whether you’re studying for the Science Olympiad or just curious about leaves, twigs, seeds, and bark, stop by Look About Lodge for a closer look at our trees and how to identify them. 10 a.m. - noon SCR Look About Lodge
Natural Crafts: Part 1
Create something beautiful from natural woodland materials by making a small pine needle basket. Materials are provided. Part 2 (Cordage) will be in February. 1 - 3 p.m. RRNC Ages: adults Registration required 440-734-6660 Nature Journaling through the Seasons
Take a deep breath and a leisurely stroll to see how nature keeps its calendar. We will take note of the subtle and not-so-subtle changes as the seasons take their turn and reflect on our observations in a nature journal of our own creation. 1 - 3 p.m. SCR Look About Lodge Ages: 12 years - adult Terrain: some hills, slow-paced Fee: $20 (one time only) Register by January 11 440-247-7075 or LALreg@ clevelandmetroparks.com Hike For Your Health
Keep that New Year’s resolution to take care of yourself. Walking is relaxing and beneficial and the park offers an interesting place to walk. We’ll look and listen for the winter resident birds. 1:30 - 3 p.m. NCNC Terrain: slight hill, moderate, 2.5 miles
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Second Saturday Storytelling Tales from the Silk Road
Caravans carrying silk, Persian carpets, spices and other exotic goods along the ancient Silk Road also carried travelers. Traditional tales shared at firesides travelled from China to the Black Sea, inspiring tonight’s presentation by the Hassanali Family Storytellers. Following refreshments, you may share a tale. 7:30 - 9 p.m. SCR Look About Lodge Ages: adults, older students 440-734-6660 Hand Feed a Chickadee (see 1/7 for details) Saturday Night Specials You Too Can Hike the Appalachian Trail (see page 7 for details)
15 • Sunday Sunday Bird Walk
Join us as we search for species from farther north, as well as the more common winter birds. Some binoculars will be available to borrow. 9 - 11 a.m. NCNC Ages: adults & families Terrain: easy, 2 miles Drop In DiscoveryPine Cone Birdfeeders
Take a break from hand feeding the chickadees and make your own pine cone birdfeeder to take home. 10 a.m. - noon BNC Cabin Fever Hike
Let’s explore the wilds of Big Creek Reservation. Meet Naturalist Gretchen Motts to search winter animals. 1:30 - 3 p.m. BCR Snow Road Picnic Area Terrain: mostly flat, 1.6 miles 440-734-6660
Chickadees at the Overlook
One of the joys of experiencing winter is to hand feed a chickadee. Join us as we trek through A.B. Williams Memorial Woods to the Overlook, listening for the “chicka-dee-dee-dees!” of that little but hardy winter bird, the black-capped chickadee. Bird seed will be provided. Hot chocolate will be at the nature center upon our return. 2 - 4 p.m. NCNC Ages: families, adults Terrain: trails, may be muddy and/or icy, 2.25 miles Winter Lodge Overnight
An adult and child who enjoy nature are invited to spend the night with naturalists in Look About Lodge. We’ll celebrate winter through nature exploration and play, and enjoy warming up near the fire in the Lodge. Snack, take home craft, and breakfast included. 7 p.m. on Sunday - 10 a.m. on Monday SCR Look About Lodge Ages: 7 - 14 years with adult Fee: $15 per person Register by January 11 440-247-7075 or LALreg@ clevelandmetroparks.com
Hand Feed a Chickadee (see 1/7 for details)
16 • Monday Holiday Preschoolers Program: Martin Luther King Jr., Day
Learn a little about the holiday, meet an animal, make a craft, read a story, and of course have FUN! Move at your own pace in this freeflow program. Make new friends and focus on what you enjoy most. 10 - 11:30 a.m. LENSC Ages: 1 - 5 years with adult Fee: $5/child Registration required 440-871-2900 Cleveland Metroparks Photography Club East
Nature’s Natural Rhythm Join Dick Gold as we look at scenes of seasons, designs and colors that reveal nature’s rhythms. 8 - 10 p.m. NCNC
17 • Tuesday Hiking for the Young at Heart
Join Naturalist John Miller to, in the words of Fiona Maclead, “Go to the winter woods, listen there, look, watch, and let one of the ‘dead months’ give you a subtler secret than any you have found in the forest.” 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. BNC Terrain: moderate, 3.5 miles
18 • Wednesday Gallery Wall
Enjoy images of birds of prey by various photographers and painters from our area. Through January 31. 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. RRNC Walking the Winter Woods
Join us for a morning hike as we enjoy the beauty of the winter woods. We will be watching for wildlife while we walk! 10 - 11 a.m. GPNC Terrain: paved and woodland trails, 1.8 miles
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Emerald Necklace, January 2012
Trail Trackers: Coyote and Fox
CanalWay Coffeehouse
Join us as we welcome back local virtuoso acoustic fingerstyle guitarist Brian Henke to our first coffeehouse of 2012! Brian composes his instrumentals through the inspiration of the natural world around him. He will be performing music from his solo recordings and from a recent release. 7:30 - 9 p.m. CWC Fee: $5
Join Naturalist Mindy Murdock for a howling good time exploring the coyote and his cousin the fox. We’ll discover what they eat, how they hunt and what they’re doing this time of the year. Program includes a hike and craft. 10 - 11 a.m. or 1 - 2 p.m. NCR Nature Education Building Ages: 3 years - K with adult Terrain: may be slippery, 0.25 miles Register beginning January 2 440-473-3370
Friday Movie Night – Life in the Freezer
Animal Crackers
Bring your young nature explorer out to the park to learn about mammals with Miss Jenny. Bring your favorite stuffed animal along for the fun. 10 - 11:15 a.m. or 1 - 2:15 p.m. BNC Ages: 3 - 5 years with adult, no siblings Register beginning January 2 440-526-1012 Focus on the Planet Film Series: Queen of the Sun
Come and view this beautiful international documentary on the current challenges to beekeeping across the globe. As part of our film series focusing on issues facing our planet today, Queen of the Sun may inspire you to take up beekeeping in Ohio. 7 - 9 p.m. RRNC
19 • Thursday Urban Explorations: Trinity Cathedral
Doug Kusak and church docents guide you on an exploration of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and invite you to wander the ecofriendly Trinity Commons. 10 a.m. - noon Register beginning January 2 216-206-1000
photo by Aggie Batule
Homeschool Happenings
Join Naturalist David Dvorak for an indoor lesson in animal tracking followed by a test of your new skills on the trails near the nature center. 1:30 - 3 p.m. RRNC Ages: 8 - 12 years Terrain: flat with some stairs, 1 mile For Adults Only: Meteorology
This three-part program will take the mystery out of meteorology and the fiction out of forecasting. Get the low down on lows and highs, clouds, and lake effect through handouts, multimedia, lecture and hands-on activity. The first two sessions (1/19 & 1/20) will be followed by a field trip to a local TV station on January 21. Space is limited. 7 - 9 p.m. BNC Ages: 16 years - adult Fee: $20 Register beginning January 2 440-526-1012 Full Moon Hike
Hike the trails of North Chagrin Reservation under the light of the full moon. We’ll search for deer, owls, beavers and other nocturnal animals. 7:30 - 9 p.m. NCNC
20 • Friday North Chagrin Reservation Trail
Get to know the trails in North Chagrin Reservation with Naturalist Angelec Hillsman. Every Friday this month we will hike a different trail. Today we will hike Foster’s Run, Buckeye and Sylvan Loop trails. 9 - 11 a.m. NCR A.B. Williams Memorial Woods Area parking lot Terrain: hilly, moderate 4.5 miles Preschool: Birds
Bundle up your preschooler and head over to CanalWay. We are going to talk about birds and play some bird games. We will make a bird feeder to take home to bring the birds to your backyard. 10 - 11 a.m. CWC Ages: 2 - 5 years with adult Register beginning January 3 216-206-1000 Fireside Concert Series: Steve Madewell
Come inside to the warmth of Look About Lodge and beat the winter blahs with the folk music of Steve Madewell. 7 - 8 p.m. SCR Look About Lodge Fee: $5 Registration required 440-247-7075
Tonight, we will witness what happens in the arctic tundra when the ice retreats. How do the animals survive plummeting temperatures and icy 100 mph winds? Perhaps tonight’s feature will provide clues to help you discover the amazing adaptations of the animals of Antarctica. Doors open at 7:15 p.m. Popcorn will be served. 7:30 - 8:45 p.m. NCNC Ages: adults, families with older children For Adults Only: Meteorology (see 1/19 for details) Friday Nights with Nature
Hong Kong: Nature Meets the City (see page 11 for details)
21 • Saturday Monthly Morning with the Birds
Enjoy our winter birds on a hike through forest and wetlands with Naturalist David Dvorak. We will look for our year round residents such as the Carolina wren and for visitors from the north, like pine siskins. 9 - 11 a.m. RRNC Terrain: flat, some stairs, 2 miles Backyard Birds and Banding
This Saturday will be our first backyard birds program. Once a month we will offer a morning to learn about some of our local birds. This month we also will have bird banding going on so you can see the birds up close. 9:30 a.m. - noon CWC 27
Cabin Fever Hike Join Naturalist Jenny McClain for an exhilarating hike through Brecksville’s beautiful winter woods. We’ll stop at Deer Lick Cave to take in the picturesque ice formations, and then return to the nature center to enjoy the fire and a cup of hot cocoa. 2 - 4 p.m. BNC Terrain: difficult, slippery 4 miles
Drop In Discovery Birdfeeders
Take a few minutes, after you hand feed the chickadees, to make a bird feeder to hang in your own yard. All materials will be supplied. 10 a.m. - noon BNC Create Art in Nature
Come express your creative side. With nature as our inspiration, we will create works of art based on the sights of the season. No artistic experience necessary; supplies are provided. Dress for the weather, as we’ll be both indoors and outdoors. 10 a.m. - noon or 1 - 3 p.m. SCR Look About Lodge Ages: 12 years - adult Register by January 16 440-247-7075 or LALreg@ clevelandmetroparks.com
Cleveland Natural Science Club
Renell Simrau, naturalist at South Chagrin Reservation, will present Blue Herons and other Wading Birds to start of the new year! 7:30 p.m. SCR Look About Lodge Hand Feed a Chickadee (see 1/7 for details) For Adults Only: Meteorology (see 1/19 for details)
Woodlands of Bedford: Winter Season
Join us on the first of four hikes with Volunteer Naturalist Fred Losi to experience the seasonal variations of Sagamore Creek. This will include a visit to a secluded, possibly frozen, waterfall. Please dress appropriately for expected weather conditions. 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. BeR Alexander Bike Lot Terrain: rugged, moderate 216-341-3152 Soup Hike
Join a naturalist for a winter walk through Garfield Park to see beautiful Mill Creek Falls. At the end we will enjoy a hearty bowl of soup around the fireplace at the nature center in a mug you get to keep if you wish. 10:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. GPNC Terrain: paved, 2.4 miles Fee: $10 - with mug; $7 - bring your own mug. Register beginning January 2 216-341-3152
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Saturday Night Specials Marvels of Mughal Architecture (see page 7 for details)
22 • Sunday Acoustic Players Circle
Whether you want to join in or just sit back and listen you are welcome to join us for a cozy afternoon of music and friendship at CanalWay Center. this month’s theme is OH, Canada. 1 - 3 p.m. CWC Extreme Fossil Road Show
North Coast Fossil Club members will help you identify fossil finds from your collection. Bring as much information as you can about where your fossils were found. Enjoy displays by club members of their 2011 collections from throughout North America. 1 - 3 p.m. RRNC www.ncfclub.org 440-777-4820
Emerald Necklace, January 2012
Science Olympiad Coaching: Leaf and Tree ID
Are you planning on participating in this year’s elementary Science Olympiad competition? Help is on the way. Join Naturalist Valerie Fetzer for some helpful hints that will help you identify trees by their leaves, silhouettes and bark. 1 - 3 p.m. RRNC Registration required 440-734-6660 Dog Hike
Bring your best friend to the park for some exercise and socialization. We’ll hike the wooded trails of the North Chagrin Reservation. Dogs must be leashed. 2 - 3:30 p.m. NCR Strawberry Picnic Area parking lot Terrain: moderate, may be icy, 1.6 miles
Nature a la Carte: Nature Picture Books
Looking for something to do on a Sunday? Come out of the cold, stop by Rocky River Nature Center, warm yourself by our cozy fire, and enjoy reading one of our favorite nature books. 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. RRNC Ages: families, adults Science Olympiad Training: Reptiles and Amphibians
Participants, teachers, and coaches can prepare for the Science Olympiad by coming down to the nature center for a fun, hands-on training on reptiles and amphibians. Noon - 2 p.m. RRNC Registration required 440-734-6660
Evergreen Hike
One Trail, Twelve Times
Winter Book Review
How many evergreen plants can you find in the heart of an Ohio winter? Join Naturalist Tim Krynak as we hike under the pines and hemlocks searching for plants that remain green all winter long. 1 - 2:30 p.m. NCR Ages: adults & families Strawberry Picnic Area parking lot Terrain: easy, 1.5 - 2 miles
Seasons come and go but do we really pay attention to nature’s changing landscape? Walk with Naturalist Barb Holtz to discover how the plant and animal life on one trail transforms over the course of 12 months. 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. SCR Quarry Rock Picnic Area Terrain: hilly, 2 miles
Join Naturalist Joni Norris and the Rocky River Readers for Fire Season by Philip Connors. Spending time in New Mexico, Connors gives a clear picture of the life of a wilderness lookout, revealing fires and poetry burning in his soul. 2 - 4 p.m. RRNC Ages: adults
Curious about Coyotes
Hand Feed a Chickadee (see 1/7 for details)
Meet the Artist: Ed Palsha
Ed Palsha will be here telling the stories behind some of his artwork. Come find out where and how he mastered his skill as well as where he finds inspiration for his art. 1 - 3 p.m. CWC Gems & Jewels of the World
Oooh and ahhh over these beautiful rocks! Parma Lapidary Club members demonstrate faceting, cabbing, wire wrapping, silversmithing, and other skills that turn the earth’s rocks, minerals and metals from drab to delightful. View mineral collections, listen to unique presentations about mineralogy, and watch artisans at work. 1 - 4:30 p.m. RRNC
Coyotes are shy and intriguing creatures. Drop in anytime during the hours below to learn about their elusive behavior, view track prints, and examine pelts. 2 - 3:30 p.m. GPNC Drop In Discovery Making Fire with a Bow Drill
Can you start a fire without a match or lighter? If not, stop by the Nature Center anytime between the hours below and learn how to use a bow drill to make fire. This primitive way of fire making uses a fire board, hand held spindle, and a bow to make fire. Kids under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. 2 - 4 p.m. BNC
Bird Banding at Rocky River Nature Center (see 1/7 for details)
23 • Monday Cleveland Metroparks Southwest Camera Club
See members’ best works in the areas of Nature and Architecture in tonight’s digital competition. You may find inspiration for your own photo forays in what you see tonight. 7:30 - 9 p.m. RRNC Chair Caning Class (see 1/ 9 for details)
24 • Tuesday Stroller Science Sky Tree
Today, you and your precious one will hear the story of Sky Tree. Then weather permitting, we will go outside and find our own “sky tree” to investigate. Please be prepared to go outside for a brief time. 10:15 - 11:15 a.m. NCNC Ages: 2 years & under with adult Terrain: paved trail, 0.5 mile
25 • Wednesday Owl Prowl Family Night at the Center Join Cleveland Metroparks Naturalist Ken Gober for a family owl prowl. We will gather in the Center’s Planetarium for a heartwarming story, then meet some of our resident live owls. Next, venture out into the winter woods to track down some wild owls. Warm up afterward with refreshments. 6 - 8 p.m. LENSC Fee: $5/person Registration required 440-871-2900 Rocky River Watershed Council Annual Meeting and Election
Learn the results of water quality monitoring conducted in 2011 by Cleveland Metroparks and the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District on the Rocky River’s main stem. You’ll also enjoy a review of the watershed council’s 2011 accomplishments, and the annual election of trustees. 7 - 9 p.m. RRNC Animal Crackers (see 1/18 for details)
10 - 11:15 a.m. BNC Register beginning January 2 440-526-1012 Science Olympiad Coaching: Leaf and Tree ID
(see 1/21 for details) 6 - 8 p.m. Science Olympiad Training: Reptiles and Amphibians
(see 1/22 for details) 29
26 • Thursday Bird or Bust: Erie Gulls & Waterfowl
Join Naturalist Jen Brumfield, an avid birder, to see rare Arctic gulls that visit the tundra-esque Cleveland lakefront in winter. Hopefully the ice shelf will have pushed these tough gulls and waterfowl towards the shore for a morning of intense field study. Gull identification is complex and tricky, but we’ll help you get a handle on these birds. Binoculars required. Spotting scope recommended. Max of 10 participants. 9:30 a.m. - noon Ages: adults Terrain: flat, possibly icy walkways Register beginning January 440-526-4095, ext. 119 Hidden Valley Homeschoolers: Keeping Warm
Northeast Ohio is a cold place in the winter, but throughout time people have managed to keep warm. Before central heat and polar fleece how did people survive? Find out in the warmth of CanalWay Center. 1 - 2 p.m. CWC Hiking for Your Health
Enjoy a brisk walk along wetlands and through the forest to the top of Fort Hill on a hike with Naturalist David Dvorak. We will search for signs of winter wildlife. 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. RRNC Terrain: one hill, 2.5 miles Owl Prowl
Owls are amazing animals. Their unique adaptations allow them to secretly exist. Learn about the common owls in our area, and then we will head outside to see if any will respond to our calls. 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. BNC Terrain: flat, easy, 0.25 mile
27 • Friday Outdoor Education for Homeschoolers: Five Kingdoms
Homeschoolers will learn how all living things belong to one of the five kingdoms. They will gain an understanding how the kingdoms make living things easier to find, identify and study. Homeschoolers will also have the opportunity to observe some living things up close and test their knowledge about the five kingdoms. 10 a.m. - noon NCR Nature Education Building Ages: 6 - 12 years Terrain: easy, 1 - 1.5 miles Register beginning January 2 440-473-3370 North Chagrin Reservation Trail
Get to know the trails in North Chagrin Reservation with Naturalist Angelec Hillsman. Every Friday this month we will hike a different trail. Today we will hike Sanctuary Marsh, Buttermilk Falls, Wildlife Management and Hickory Fox trails. 2:30 - 4 p.m. NCNC Terrain: moderate, 4 miles Family Friday Night: Mammals Wear Fur
Winter is when mammals have the thickest fur coats. You’ll get to examine the fur from local mammals and learn how they spend their winter. We’ll take a short walk around the nature center. 7 - 8 p.m. NCNC Terrain: level, paved, 0.5 mile Fireside Concert Series: Logan Wells
Join us for a relaxing Friday evening of music by the fire. Logan’s singing talents offer a little bit of everything to her listeners. 7 - 8 p.m. SCR Look About Lodge Fee: $5 Registration required 440-247-7075 Friday Nights with Nature Climbing Mt. Rainier the Hard Way (see page 11 for details)
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Emerald Necklace, January 2012
28 • Saturday Nature Writing: Crows in Winter
With their loud “caws” and shiny black feathers, crows grab our attention. Smart and social, with close family bonds, crows have learned how to adapt and survive. Join us as we search for crows in winter and write about their surprising habits and abilities. Writers Jenny Clark and Linda Tuthill will lead us through writing prompts. 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. SCR Look About Lodge Ages: 16 years - adult Fee: $25 Terrain: easy, 0.5 mile Register by January 25 440-247-7075
Winter Tree Identification for Beginners
Identification of trees becomes more difficult once the leaves have fallen. Join us for a beginner-level course on winter tree ID. Without the leaves as a clue, we will need to focus on tree bark and buds. 10 - 11 a.m. RRNC Terrain: some steps, 1 mile Boy Scout Saturday: Bird Study Merit Badge
Naturalist and Merit Badge Counselor Mindy Murdock will guide you to complete most of your requirements for the Bird Study Merit Badge. Participants should come prepared with their blue card. 10 a.m. - noon NCR Nature Education Building Register beginning January 2 440-473-3370
Artist in the Park
Naturalist-Artist Stefanie Verish will be at Brecksville Nature Center sketching the birds at the feeder. Stop by for a look before you hand-feed the chickadees, or bring your own supplies, and join her in an artistic endeavor. 10 a.m. - noon BNC Soup Hike
Join us at CanalWay Center for a hike south along the Towpath to the sewer district and back. When we return, homemade soup will be waiting for us. You will receive a mug to take home. Bring your mug back to future hikes for a discount. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. CWC Fee: $15 Terrain: one hill, all purpose trail, 3 miles Register beginning January 3 216-206-1000 Winter Walk
Bundle up and head outside. Join Naturalist Valerie Fetzer for a brisk winter hike through the beautiful winter scenery of Mill Stream Run Reservation. 1 - 4 p.m. MSRR Royalview Trailhead Terrain: hills, moderate, snow depth may increase intensity, 4 - 6 miles depending upon weather Busy Beavers
Discover the life history of the beaver on a hike with Naturalist David Dvorak. These fascinating animals in the rodent family have many special adaptations that allow them to stay active all year. 2:30 - 4 p.m. RRR Lagoon Picnic Area Shelterhouse Terrain: level, 1 mile
Cinema Saturday Night: Northern Harrier - Living on the Wing
This intimate true-life tale closely examines the life of a pair of northern harriers nesting near the Great Lakes. This is a preview of Rocky River Nature Center’s Birds of Prey Weekend on February 4 and 5. Doors open at 7 p.m. 7:30 - 9 p.m. RRNC Ages: families with older children, adults Hand Feed a Chickadee (see 1/ 7 for details) Saturday Night Specials An Epic Summer in the Alaskan Arctic (see page 7 for details)
29 • Sunday Winter Wellness Walk
Get active and rejuvenate your mind and body on this heart-pumping walk through the beautiful winter woods. 10 a.m. - noon RRR Maple Grove Picnic Area Ages: adults, older children Terrain: some steep hills, may be icy or muddy, 2.5 miles The Frozen Swamp
Join us for this hearty hike to experience the swamp in winter. The cold January temperatures should allow us to get up and close to areas that are otherwise very difficult to access. 1 - 3:30 p.m. NCR Wilson Mills parking lot Ages: adults Terrain: difficult, hills, off trail, 3 miles Naturalist at the Sledding Hill
In Search of…Snowflakes
Ever hunted for snowflakes? Today, you can try your luck at collecting them and then seeing what they look like under a microscope since no two snowflakes look alike. You may be surprised at what you find! Hot chocolate will be available to fight off the chill of the search. 2 - 3:30 p.m. NCNC Ages: families School of the Wilds: Wildlife at the Airport
Good or bad, there is wildlife at the airport. White-tailed deer, Canada geese, coyotes and others all think life at the airport is pretty good. But the presence of wildlife conflicts with air safety. USDA-APHIS Wildlife Biologist Randy Outward will fill us in on the creative techniques used to keep wildlife conflicts at the airport at a minimum. 2 - 3 p.m. RRNC Pollinators in Film - * The Bee Movie
Celebrate the start of the Year of the Pollinator as we enjoy watching The Bee Movie in the warmth of the nature center. We will look at the real lives of honey bees and compare them to their portrayal in the movie. A “bee-approved” snack will be provided! 2 - 4 p.m. GPNC 216-341-3152
Sunday “Souper Supper”
Let’s be creative and mix lots of ingredients to make a delicious soup. We will meet at Lagoon Picnic area and hike to the Nature Center where we will enjoy a delicious soup before returning to the Lagoon area by a different route. Bring your own soup bowl, mug and spoon. 4 - 7 p.m. RRR Ages: families, adults Terrain: mostly level, 3 miles Fee: $5 adults, $2 children (3 - 12 years), free (0-2 years) Register beginning January 18 440-734-6660 Hand Feed a Chickadee (see 1/ 7 for details)
30 • Monday Chair Caning Class (see 1/9 for details)
31 • Tuesday Science Olympiad: Ohio Birds
Are you planning on participating in this year’s elementary Science Olympiad competition? Help is on the way. Join Naturalist Gretchen Motts for some helpful hints that will help you identify Ohio birds. 6 - 8 p.m. RRNC Registration required 440-734-6660
Paw Print Hike
Make tracks with your fourlegged friends. We’ll look at some of the other tracks along the way to see what other animals have been around. 2 - 3:30 p.m. BNC Terrain: hilly, slippery 2.5 miles
Cleveland Metroparks is proud to serve the following products.
Take a break from your sledding fun and go on a short hike with a naturalist. We’ll look for tracks and discover what animals are active in winter. 1 - 4 p.m. SCR Sledding Hill at Sulphur Springs Drive
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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Cleveland, Ohio Permit No. 2911
4101 Fulton Parkway Cleveland, Ohio 44144-1923 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED DATED MATERIAL DO NOT DELAY
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Cleveland Metroparks Directory Administrative Offices
216-635-3200/general Cleveland Metroparks information - 24-hours a day. TTY 216-351-0808 4101 Fulton Parkway Cleveland, OH 44144 clevelandmetroparks.com 24-hour Job Hotline 216-635-3211 Office of the Executive Director 216-635-3214 Office of the Treasurer 216-635-3231 Human Resources 216-635-3228 Marketing 216-635-3268 Planning/Engineering 216-635-3237 Brochures/Maps/Emerald Necklace 216-635-3200 Permits/Picnic Area Reservations 216-635-3200 Volunteer Services 216-635-3258
Ranger Headquarters Ranger Chief 4600 Valley Parkway Fairview Park 440-331-5530 Accidents or Emergencies 440-333-4911 Parkway Alert Line (PAL) 440-331-5963
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo & The RainForest 216-661-6500/24-hour information. TTY 216-661-1090 3900 Wildlife Way Cleveland, OH 44109 clemetzoo.com Office of the Zoo Director 216-635-3330 Education Programs/Volunteers 216-635-3391 Travel Programs 216-635-3331 Marketing & Public Relations 216-635-3338 School Group Reservations 216-635-3308 Groups/Parties/Private Events/ Facility Rentals 216-635-3389 Cleveland Zoological Society 216-661-6500, ext. 4421
Winter Recreation 216-635-3200
Chalet/Tobogganing Mill Stream Run Reservation Strongsville 440-572-9990
Golf
Golf Tee Reservations (24 hours) and directions, hours, fees etc. 216-635-3673 clevelandmetroparks.com Golf Services – for general course info and inquires 440-232-7247 Big Met Golf Course 4811 Valley Parkway Rocky River Reservation Fairview Park 440-331-1070 Food Service/Catering: Big Met Grille 440-333-5575 Little Met Golf Course 18599 Old Lorain Road Rocky River Reservation Cleveland 216-941-9672 Manakiki Golf Course 35501 Eddy Road North Chagrin Reservation Willoughby Hills 440-942-2500 Food Service/Catering: Sammy’s of Manakiki 440-946-1140 Mastick Woods Golf Course 19900 Puritas Road Rocky River Reservation Cleveland 216-267-5626 Food Service/Catering: Eagle’s Nest Cafe 216-267-5626 Seneca Golf Course 975 Valley Parkway Brecksville Reservation Broadview Heights 440-526-0043 Food Service/Catering: Back 9 Grill 440-546-7797 Shawnee Hills Golf Course 18753 Egbert Road Bedford Reservation Bedford 440-232-7184 Food Service/Catering: Double Bogey Grille 440-786-7587 Sleepy Hollow Golf Course 9445 Brecksville Road Brecksville Reservation Brecksville 440-526-4285 Food Service/Catering: Theo’s of Sleepy Hollow 440-546-1555 Washington Golf Course 3841 Washington Park Blvd. Washington Reservation 216-641-1864 The First Tee of Cleveland 216-641-7799
Outdoor Education
Outdoor Education Administration 216-341-9225 Institute of the Great Outdoors 216-341-1704 Historical Interpretation 440-786-8530 Voyageur Canoe Paddle Wallace/Hinckley Lakes 440-786-8530 West Creek Reservation 216-341-9225 Youth Outdoors 216-206-1010
Outdoor Education Facilities CanalWay Center E. 49th Street entrance Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation Cuyahoga Heights 216-206-1000 Brecksville Nature Center Rt. 82 entrance Brecksville Reservation Brecksville 440-526-1012 Garfield Park Nature Center 11350 Broadway Avenue Garfield Park Reservation Garfield Heights 216-341-3152 North Chagrin Nature Center Sunset Lane Entrance North Chagrin Reservation Mayfield Village 440-473-3370 John J. Donnelly Rocky River Nature Center 24000 Valley Parkway Rocky River Reservation North Olmsted 440-734-6660 Look About Lodge 37374 Miles Rd., east of Rt. 91 South Chagrin Reservation 440-247-7075 EarthWords Nature Shops CanalWay Center Cuyahoga Heights 216-206-1003 North Chagrin Nature Center Mayfield Village 440-449-0511 Rocky River Nature Center North Olmsted 440-734-7576 NatureTracks Education Unit/ EcoExplorers 216-341-1707 Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Lake Erie Nature & Science Center Bay Village 440-871-WILD
Boating Emerald Necklace Marina 1500 Scenic Park Drive Rocky River Reservation Lakewood 216-226-3030 Food Service/Catering: Sweetwater Landing 216-228-2233 Kayak Rentals 41° North Coastal Kayak Adventures Rocky River Reservation 1-866-529-2541 Hinckley Boathouse West Drive, Hinckley Lake Hinckley Reservation Hinckley Township 330-278-3132 Wallace Lake Off Valley Parkway, south of Bagley Road Mill Stream Run Reservation, Berea Quarry Rock Café Affiliates are supported, but not operationally-funded, by Cleveland Metroparks. These outstanding non-profit organizations depend on class fees, special events, benefactor initiatives, and your financial support to operate. Your contributions and volunteer service are encouraged.
Swimming
440-331-8111 Hotline 216-635-3383 Hinckley Lake Hinckley Reservation Hinckley Township Huntington Beach Huntington Reservation Bay Village Ledge Pool & Recreation Area Hinckley Reservation Hinckley Township Ledge Rock Café Wallace Lake Mill Stream Run Reservation Berea Quarry Rock Café
Cleveland Metroparks Affiliates and Clubs Achievement Centers for Children Camp Cheerful 440-238-6200 Mill Stream Run Reservation BAYarts Huntington Reservation 440-871-6543 www.bayarts.net Vento 440-835-4530 Brecksville Historical Society Brecksville Reservation 440-526-7165 Brecksville Stables Brecksville Reservation 440-526-6767 www.brecksvillestables.com Brilla House Slavic Village Development Mill Creek Falls Garfield Park Reservation 216-429-1182, ext. 116 Brooklyn Exchange Cabin Hinckley Reservation 330-577-8882 exchangecabin@gmail.com Chagrin Valley Trails and Riding Club South Chagrin Reservation 216-635-3200 Cleveland Archery Club 216-635-3200 Cleveland Natural Science Club 440-247-4005 or 440-247-0151 Hinckley Historical Society Hinckley Reservation 330-278-3159 Huntington Playhouse Huntington Reservation 440-871-8333 www.huntingtonplayhouse.com Girl Scouts of North East Ohio Intergrove Lodge 1-800-852-4474 www.gsneo.org Lake Erie Nature & Science Center Huntington Reservation 440-871-2900 www.lensc.org Olmsted Historical Society Rocky River Reservation 440-779-0280 www.olmstedhistoricalsociety.org Rocky River Stables Rocky River Reservation 216-267-2525 (lessons & boarding – no trail rides)