Emerald Necklace July ‘11 Volume 60 #7
Inside: Institute of the Great Outdoors Catalog
Featuring Cleveland Metroparks program guide and events
Contents Special Events 2 Dive-In Movie 9 Hear Here! Audio Tour
Features 3 Cedar Waxwings 10 First In Ohio, First On Lake Erie 12 Of Toads and Tortoises
Columns 4 Notes from the Field 5 Naturalist’s Almanac
In Addition 6 13 14 15 16 23 24
Inside the Emerald Necklace Zoo News Learn With These “Golf Courses” Swing Into Summer Golf Institute of the Great Outdoors Events By Location Events Calendar
All other photos by Casey Batule or Cleveland Metroparks archives unless otherwise noted.
Emerald Necklace Published monthly by:
Cleveland Metroparks 216-635-3200 TTY 216-351-0808 clevelandmetroparks.com
Paulette Welch Editor
Nobbynees Ltd. Graphic Design
RR Donnelley Printing
Board of Park Commissioners Bruce G. Rinker President
Dan T. Moore Vice -President
David W. Whitehead Brian M. Zimmerman Vice-President
Executive Director-Secretary
Cleveland Metroparks Dive-In Movie II: THE WIZARD OF OZ Friday, July 15 • 8 p.m. • Free! Ledge Pool & Recreation Area • Hinckley Reservation • Hinckley Twp. Put on the red slippers and follow the yellow brick road to Ledge Pool! The Wizard of Oz will be showing for Dive-In Movie II! Visitors can bring something to sit on and enjoy the movie from a spot on the lawn, or view the movie while relaxing in an inner tube in the heated luxury of Ledge Pool. Inner tubes are available by reservation only and are $5 for single tubes and $7 for double tubes. Doors open at 8 p.m. with the movie starting at approximately 8:45 p.m. depending on sunset. All ages welcome to this great movie, but visitors 8 years and under must be accompanied by an adult in the pool. No outside floating devices will be permitted in the swimming area. Space in the pool is limited, so be sure to reserve your inner tubes today! For more information and to reserve an inner tube starting July 1, call 330-239-2911. Refreshments will be available at Ledge Rock Café. The last Dive-In Movie is on August 12 – Yogi Bear.
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 and activities. Special assistance for Cleveland Metroparks programs or facilities is available by calling 216-635-3264 in advance.
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Emerald Necklace, July 2011
Ledge Pool & Recreation Area is located at 1151 Ledge Rd., between State and Kellogg roads in Hinckley Reservation in Hinckley Township.
Cedar waxwings – the whistlers of the sky Look! Up in the sky, it’s a bird, it’s a …well OK it’s just as I thought…a bird…and a pretty cool one at that. Actually, now that I’ve heard it enough times over the years, I’m alerted to its presence, before looking up, by its highpitched “whistle” call. What is it you ask? Why, it’s none other than the beautiful cedar waxwing. This bird looks like it flew right out of the beauty shop into the blue skies. Always so groomed and sleek looking, it’s one of the prettiest birds you’ll see. I like the way The Cornell Lab of Ornithology describes it on their All About Birds website, “… the Cedar Waxwing is a silky, shiny collection of brown, gray, and lemonyellow, accented with a subdued crest, rakish black mask, and brilliantred wax droplets on the wing feathers.” Think cardinal-shape, a smidge smaller and sleeker, with the above-mentioned colors….and then groom it well in your mind. I do enjoy seeing them, especially up close. I make a game of trying to see the red wing tips and yellow-tipped tail, without binoculars, which means I need to get real close…usually from the other side of my kitchen window. Years ago, while walking by the old boating pond in Garfield Park during an early August day, I noticed some birds off in the distance flying from various tree limbs that hung out over the water. They would flit about, appear to come to a mid-air screeching halt and then high tail it back to their perch. They would do this over and over again. After curi-
ously enjoying the show, during which I realized was a feeding frenzy on hovering insects, I retrieved a pair of binoculars to discover these were a flock of cedar waxwings. Every mid-summer to early-fall I now venture out to the “pond” to watch these flying marvels.
Photo courtesy of Birdchick.com
Fortunately, cedar waxwings enjoy fruit as well as insects, so I also get to enjoy them in the gardens. Fruiting shrubs and trees like highbush cranberry, serviceberry or flowering dogwood help to attract them to land areas. Gardening seems much less tedious when shared with the whistlers. I can go about my business and know they are there by their call. Last year in the nature center garden, I followed a constant whistle, albeit a weaker one, to the base of a redbud tree where a fledgling waxwing was calling out to the adults. That amazing encounter was definitely close enough for me to see the wing and tail tips!
If you live near open water, or can plant some fruiting shrubs or trees in your yard or neighborhood, you too can discover the whistlers of the sky - the cedar waxwings. Oh and by the way, they like to hang out in flocks, so when you hear or see one, keep an eye (or ear) out for many more! Carl Casavecchia Garfield Park Nature Center Manager cjc@clevelandmetroparks.com
Whether by sight or by sound, get to know these flying whistlers in your neighborhood or nearby park. It will be worth your trip!
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Notes From The Field 4
Each year, from the time we were children, we all have special times in nature that we look forward to. The first snow, for example. Sometime in November, when nature looked forward and brought fresh freezing air down from Canada for the first time, we’d look out our classroom windows to the sight of tiny white flakes wafting down from above. It brought a thrill almost as exciting as Christmas morning, as we anticipated days of sledding and skating and snowballs ahead. The damp, fresh, earthy odors of March meant that the warm winds of April were coming, and with them kiteflying and playing outdoors in evergreening grass. April brought days of clean, fresh air and the scent of formerly frozen earth soaking up sunshine and releasing wet, muddy smells to entice our young nostrils. The blooming of ox-eye daisies in May meant that the long, lazy days of summer were just ahead. School would soon end, and three months of play beckoned. The brilliant colors of October led toward the year’s end, and the first snowflakes of winter were only a week or so away. There are events and experiences in nature we all look forward to each year, and so it goes, one season into another, creating memories of the outdoors that stay with us for a lifetime. Not too many years past, I discovered a place and time in nature that have become an annual celebration, and which mark the very essence of summer for me. Twenty years ago, Cleveland Metroparks began offering nighttime canoe floats in spring, summer and fall. Some were held on nights of the full moon and others on nights with no moon, taking advantage of the darkness to find constellations, talk about night-sky legends, and see
Emerald Necklace, July 2011
Photos courtesy of Outdoor Education
The Fabulous Firefly Float
satellites passing overhead. One July evening, on a dark night float on the Upper Cuyahoga River just east of Solon, we were paddling through a stretch of river bordered closely on both sides by floodplain forest. Branches stretched overhead, nearly blocking the sky. Darkness was full upon us, and as we traveled we were greeted by dozens, then hundreds, then thousands of fireflies. They were not just the kind we find in our backyards, but also those of another species, which not just lit, but flashed so quickly that they seemed almost to twinkle like Christmas tree lights. These occupied the middle and upper forest canopy, complementing the more common fireflies that flew through the underbrush and alongside our canoes. A veritable chorus of light, so to speak, and we learned that the spectacle lasts for only a week or so, then is lost for another year. And so the annual July Firefly Float was created, held on the middle weekend of July each year for almost two decades, as it will be held again this month on two consecutive evenings. I have seen much of the country and found beauty and inspiration from mountaintops to desert and in virtually every habitat in between. Still, the mid-July firefly spectacular on the Upper Cuyahoga River remains one of my very favorite events in
nature, and one that I eagerly look forward to each year. We mark our lives not with things, but with adventures and experiences. It doesn’t take a rafting journey down the Colorado River to let a river and its friends into your heart. Here, on the lowly Upper Cuyahoga River, for a dozen days in July each year, something plain and simple, yet so magnificent, happens. And there are only a handful of people who have ever seen it. This month two dozen more adventurous folks have the opportunity to come and paddle the peaceful Upper Cuyahoga River and see it for themselves. Interested? Find the “Fabulous Firefly Float” in this month’s IGO listings, and call to register. Robert D. Hinkle, PhD Chief, Division of Outdoor Education
rdh@clevelandmetroparks.com
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/naturalistsalmanac to access the same information.
Naturalist’s Almanac July The richness of July is found throughout Cleveland Metroparks at every bend in the parkway or any turn in the path. This month the fields explode in a rainbow of colors as summer wildflowers return. The warmth of the summer you dreamed about in January is finally here. Another month remains before we begin to consider autumn, and many more hot and sunny days remain before summer ends. No season begins and ends suddenly, yet even in July we are given hints of yet another season to unfold in Cleveland Metroparks.
First Week
Birds As Canada thistles begin to go to seed, goldfinches gather the thistledown for nesting material Wildflowers Canada lily and other lilies begin to bloom along Cleveland Metroparks roadsides this week. Buckwheat begins to bloom. Later in the fall, this wildflower’s seeds become an important part of the diet of migrating waterfowl. It is planted in many wet places by Cleveland Metroparks wildlife management staff.
Second Week
Birds Mallards and wood ducks begin to change color as they go into their summer “eclipse” plumage. This is an especially wary time for them, as they are unable to fly for several weeks. Canada geese become flightless at this time too. Wildflowers Queen Anne’s lace, yarrow, milkweed, ox eye daisy, butter-and-eggs, evening primrose and enchanter’s nightshade should all be in full bloom by now. Teasel heads, looking like tall purple burrs, are beginning to bloom along roadsides and in sunny open meadows
Third Week
Wildflowers Early goldenrod, first of many goldenrods to bloom, becomes a harbinger of autumn as it adds touches of bright yellow to shady open places along parkways. The tall lavender blossoms of joe pye weed may stand six feet tall in low wet places like Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation’s Towpath Trail, Big Creek Reservation, Mill Stream Run Reservation and along Brecksville’s Riverview Road. Shrubs Crab apples become ripe this week, much to the delight of Cleveland Metroparks deer!
Fourth Week
Birds As the days grow shorter, blackbirds begin to flock together to prepare for the long journey south. Surprisingly, the young of some species, who have never migrated before, often leave before the adults. Young house wrens should have fledged by this week. Wildflowers The brilliant reds of cardinal flowers contrast with the golds and greens of cattails and sedges in wet meadows and woods this week. White boneset flowers and the rich purple of ironweed brighten marsh edges. Insects Katydids and cicadas should be in full chorus by the end of the week. Trees Tulip trees are turning orange, black tupelo is turning crimson and sassafras is turning orange. Can autumn be far away?
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Nature at Night
Saturday, July 16 • 5 - 11 p.m. • Free! North Chagrin Nature Center North Chagrin Reservation • Mayfield Hts.
Inside the Emerald Necklace
Discover the park after dark and all the night noises that fill the air at Cleveland Metroparks Nature at Night. Celebrate the wonderful world of nocturnal animals and more! Look forward to:
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Live Nocturnal Animal Presentations 5 - 9 p.m. Storytelling 5 - 9 p.m. Crafts 5 - 9 p.m. Nocturnal Maze 5 - 10 p.m. Shadow Puppets & Crafts 5 - 10 p.m. Starlab 5 - 11 p.m. Music 5:30 - 7 p.m. & 7:30 - 9 p.m. Self-guided Night Stations 9 - 11 p.m. Astronomy and Moon Gazing 9 - 11 p.m. (weather permitting) And, be sure to bring lawn chairs/blankets to enjoy an outdoor movie, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, at 9 p.m on the lawn next to the nature center. For more information, call 440-473-3370 North Chagrin Nature Center is located off Buttermilk Fall Parkway, off the Sunset Lane entrance of North Chagrin Reservation, off SOM Center Road/Route 91 in Mayfield Village.
BrookStock A Celebration of Music & Nature Saturday, July 23 • 2 - 8:30 p.m. • Free! Brookside Valley Event Site • Brookside Reservation • Cleveland
Kick back and relax as the sound of music fills Brookside Reservation with a wide array of great local sounds. The afternoon and evening are also filled with children’s activities and games as well as vendors and exhibitors that promote and celebrate all things earthy, sustainable, local and ‘60s. So, along with a day-long schedule of music, enjoy arts and crafts, kite flying demonstrations, live animals, refreshments for sale, and more! EarthWords Nature Shop will be on site selling merchandise and offering a tie-dye station. Visitors can buy shirts from EarthWords for $5, or bring their own t-shirts and dye for $1 to create their own tie-dye shirt. We proudly welcome the following bands to BrookStock 2011: Main Stage 2 p.m. Workman’s Circle Klezmer Orchestra (Yiddish) 4:30 p.m. JiMiller Band (old rock ‘n’ roll, jazz & bluegrass) 6:45 p.m. Abbey Road (Beatles tribute band) Beer Garden Stage 3:30 p.m. DC – 3 (blues) 7 p.m. Blue Lunch (Chicago-style blues & jump swing) For more information, call 216-206-1000. Renewal by Andersen, WNCX and WKRK are proud sponsors of Brookstock. Brookside Valley Event Site is located off John Nagy Blvd., off the Ridge Road entrance of Brookside Reservation in Cleveland north of the I-480/Ridge Road Exit.
Emerald Necklace, July 2011
Look About Lodge Summer Concert Series
6 - 8 p.m. • Look About Lodge • South Chagrin Reservation • Bentleyville • Free! Join us on the west lawn of rustic Look About Lodge for many evenings of live music. Bring a blanket or a lawn chair, a picnic, and some family and friends for this free concert series. In case of rain, we will move inside. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 440-247-7075. July 10 July 17 July 24 July 31 August 7 August 14
JiMiller Band Brigid’s Cross Hollywood Slim Band Revolution Pie Foster Brown & Friends City Heat
American Roots Irish Blues/Jazz/Swing Beatles Cover Band Kids Concert Oldies
Look About Lodge is located at 37374 Miles Rd. in South Chagrin Reservation, between SOM Center Road/Route 91 and Chagrin River Road in Bentleyville. There is limited parking at Look About Lodge. Overflow parking is available at Chagrin River Rd. and Sulphur Springs Dr.
Brookside Lawnchair Concert Series Brookside Valley Event Site • Brookside Reservation • Cleveland - Free! All the free concerts begin at 8 p.m., and are held rain or shine. Bring a blanket or lawnchair! For more information, call 216-206-1000. July 8 August 26
Brian Henke Folk, new-age and classical guitar Hey Mavis Modern old-timey
Brookside Valley Event Site is located off John Nagy Blvd., off the Ridge Road entrance of Brookside Reservation in Cleveland - north of the I-480/Ridge Road Exit.
Join Walking Works!
Explore new trails with Cleveland Metroparks Walking Works. Now through October, hike at least eight of 13 designated trails on your own – any time - it’s fun and easy. This year take an easy hike in Bedford, Big Creek, Garfield Park, Huntington, Mill Stream Run and Rocky River reservations. Moderate walkers can hit the trails in Brookside, Hinckley, North Chagrin, Ohio & Erie Canal and South Chagrin reservations. Those looking for a difficult hike will appreciate the challenging Brecksville Reservation hike. After completing each walk, sign and date your Walking Works form. Complete eight walks and return your form to Cleveland Metroparks to receive this year’s Walking Works shield. Display your shield on your own walking stick or purchase a walking stick at any EarthWords Nature Shop. Want to walk with others while learning about the natural features of the trails? Naturalist-led hikes along the designated trails will be available June through October. Look for naturalist-led walks starting on page 24. For a list of the designated hikes and directions, and to download the Walking Works form check our website at www.clevelandmetroparks.com. Walking Works forms are also available at Cleveland Metroparks nature centers.
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Frostville Museum Farmers Market
Saturdays, July 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 • 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
New to Frostville Museum, this weekly Saturday event running through October will sell fresh Ohio grown fruits and vegetables. The Frostville Farmer’s market is a producers’ only market, where all vendors grow and/or produce their own goods within a 75-mile radius of the market. Emphasis will be on education of a sustainable lifestyle through special programs supporting local family farms, master gardeners, and area nurseries. Each week we will also feature music, cooking demonstrations and kids’ activities that promote the wellbeing of our environment. For more information, visit www.olmstedhistoricalsociety. org.
Frostville Museum
is located on Cedar Point Road in Rocky River Reservation, between Valley Parkway and Columbia Road/Route 252 in North Olmsted
You Can Give Back to Nature! Nature gives each of us special gifts every day. Queen Anne’s Lace swaying in the breeze! A sunset to remember! Or, a chorus of cicadas and katydids. Now is the time to return the gift through including Cleveland Metroparks Emerald Necklace Endowment Fund in your estate plans. Through a simple addition to an existing will or a new estate plan, you can help Cleveland Metroparks preserve and protect our natural world. Gifts may be designated for specific programs within Cleveland Metroparks such as outdoor education programs, wetland protection or research initiatives. The Emerald Necklace Endowment Fund was established within The Cleveland Foundation to preserve and protect Cleveland Metroparks. To learn more about including Cleveland Metroparks in your estate plan, or discuss other types of giving, please contact Karen Kannenberg, CFRE, manager of gift and donor development at 216-635-3217 or kjk@clevelandmetroparks.com to confidentially discuss the best way for you to make your gift to nature.
Angels Haven Horse Rescue Fun Horse Show
Sunday, July 31 (Rain date Sunday, August 7) • 9 a.m. until ? Lewis Road Riding Ring • Rocky River Reservation • North Olmsted The Angels Haven Horse Rescue Fun Horse Show, open to any breed, continues the tradition of the Lewis Road Show held by the Kiwanis Club. For those showing, there are 25 classes and cost $5 per class. However, as always, spectators are admitted free! Join in on the fun! For more information on showing or about attending the event, call 440-781-5060.
Lewis Road Riding Ring
is located off Lewis Road in Rocky River Reservation, between Cedar Point and Barrett roads in North Olmsted.
Applications Available Reflections of Nature Quilt Show - One of the warmest and coziest Cleveland Metroparks events is the annual “Reflections of Nature” Quilt Show held November 12 & 13 at Rocky River Nature Center. Nature-themed quilts and wall hangings can be entered into the juried show. Pick up applications at any nature center or download an application online at www.clevelandmetroparks.com. For more information, call 216-635-3200. North Chagrin Nature Photography Show & Contest - Applications are now available for the Photography Contest & Show which is part of the “North Chagrin Nature Photography Weekend” on Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16 at North Chagrin Nature Center. Photography Contest forms/rules are available online at www. clevelandmetroparks.com and at all Park District outdoor education facilities. The photographic pieces must be at least 8”x10” and no larger than 11”x14” framed and ready-to-hang prints of wildlife, macro and close up and landscape photography of Northeast Ohio. For more information, call 216-635-3200 or 440-473-3370.
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Emerald Necklace, July 2011
Discover the History & Beauty of South Chagrin Reservation on the Hear Here! Audio Tour Through December 1, visitors of all ages can enjoy a half-day adventure on a self-led tour of five different sites celebrating Cleveland Metroparks South Chagrin Reservation. Spend a morning or afternoon solo or with a group of people, hop in the car, and get ready to tune your radio to 1620 AM at each Hear Here! site for interesting facts about the area you are visiting. You can learn who carved images in the sandstone boulder called Squaw Rock, learn about the fascinating history of South Chagin’s impressive Look About Lodge made from area chestnut trees, and learn the natural history of Quarry Rock and Jackson Field, and the series of waterfalls at Sulphur Springs Picnic Area. The Hear Here! tour is great for all ages and allows you the flexibility of experiencing the tour all in one day or by making different stops on different days. At each stop on the tour, you can pull your car into a parking space, turn off the engine, and tune into 1620 AM to listen for fun facts and interesting stories. The broadcast may be in progress. But the message repeats itself and can be listened to more than once to ensure all the fascinating details about the site and its surroundings are covered. To experience the wonders of the five sites even more, you are encouraged to get out and explore by hiking, picnicking or just relaxing at the site. For maps or directions to help locate Hear Here! sites, visit www.clevelandmetroparks.com or call 216-635-3200.
Have Your Next Meeting at the Chalet Recreation Area! Cleveland Metroparks Chalet Recreation Area in Strongsville is a great reservable area to have recreational, social and business meeting opportunities in the natural beauty of the “Emerald Necklace.” The Chalet Recreation Area can be rented for family outings, group functions, and company meetings/picnics during the spring, summer and fall seasons. The area features charcoal grills, picnic tables, sand volleyball court, horseshoe pits, and swings. The Chalet facility can accommodate up to 65 people in the main lounge and an additional 50 in the second floor loft. The back patio area can seat about 100 under a tent, with additional tents and seating available with prior arrangement. There are also tables and grills scattered throughout the picnic grove. A small kitchen area with commercial freezer and refrigerator, coffee maker, sinks, and counter space is also available. The Chalet also features a large screen TV with cd/dvd/vcr/tape player, indoor and outdoor stone fireplaces, and indoor restrooms. The staff is on-site throughout the private events, as well. Find out more about renting the Chalet by calling 440-572-9990 (M – F, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.)
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A Look Ahead: Cleveland Metroparks August Special Events Saturday, August 6 • 5 - 11 p.m.
Summer Beach Party with Movie on the Beach Free Willy
Huntington Beach Huntington Reservation • Bay Village Friday, August 12 • 8 p.m.
Dive-In Movie III - Yogi Bear
Ledge Pool & Recreation Area Hinckley Reservation • Hinckley Twp. Saturday, August 13 11 a.m - 4:30 p.m.
Bug City
Garfield Park Nature Center Garfield Park Reservation Garfield Hts. Sunday, August 21 • Noon - 4 p.m.
Touch-a-Truck
Park Operations Mill Stream Run Reservation Strongsville Saturday, August 27 • 4 - 8 p.m.
Snakes, Turtles & Fun! The Shelterhouse Picnic Area South Chagrin Reservation Bentleyville
Sunday, August 28 • 1 - 5 p.m.
Dog Paddle & More!
Ledge Pool & Recreation Area Hinckley Reservation • Hinckley Twp.
All events except Dog Paddle & More, which requires a $5 donation per dog, are FREE
For more information, call 216-635-3200 or visit www.clevelandmetroparks.com.
FIRST IN OHIO FIRST ON LAKE ERIE Cleveland Metroparks Huntington Beach Certified by Blue Wave
The Clean Beaches Coalition of Washington, D.C. announced on June 2 that Cleveland Metroparks Huntington Beach in Huntington Reservation is the first beach in Ohio and on Lake Erie to meet the rigorous standards required at Blue Wave beaches. The Blue Wave program is the first national environmental certification for beaches and is implemented by the Clean Beaches Coalition. The Blue Wave certification process is designed to help maintain robust, healthy and vibrant beaches. “The Clean Beaches Coalition is proud to welcome Huntington Beach as the first certified Blue Wave Beach on Lake Erie,” said Walter McLeod, founder of the Clean Beaches Coalition. “This designation is a confirmation of the hard work and dedication delivered daily by the Cleveland Metroparks staff, and their commitment to providing a clean and safe environment for all beach goers.” The Clean Beaches Coalition performed a multi-tiered inspection on Huntington Beach to determine its suitability to participate in the program. The beach was measured against independent criteria developed to assess the overall beach “experience.” This included principles that insured compliance with the highest standards for the categories of supeTop: Walter McLeod of the Clean Beaches Coalition rior water quality, universal Bottom: Dan Walsh, president, northeast Ohio, Huntington Bank, and Brian Zimmerman, Cleveland accessibility, commitment to Metroparks executive director beneficial safety practices, habitat conservation, quality information and education, excellence in service and maintenance, and proactive erosion management. Cleveland Metroparks staff implemented many upgrades and changes to improve the visitor experience as part of this effort, including installing an information kiosk, new signage, improved debris removal systems, and extended lifeguard operations. The program would not have been implemented without the assistance of Huntington National Bank. The bank sponsored the application process and the reservation improvements.
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Emerald Necklace, July 2011
July is the Perfect Month to Enjoy Cleveland Metroparks Water Recreation
Cleveland Metroparks is a great place to enjoy a Staycation! Enjoy a wide variety of water recreation, including swimming, boating, fishing and more throughout the Park District. Swimming - The beach swimming areas are open June 4 through August 14 - Huntington Beach also will be open weekends only from August 14 to Labor Day, September 5. Ledge Pool is open May 28 through August 21. Swimming hours are: • Huntington Beach, Huntington Reservation, Bay Village 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. • Hinckley Lake, Hinckley Reservation, Hinckley Township 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. • Wallace Lake, Mill Stream Run Reservation, Berea 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (paddle boat rental available) • Ledge Pool and Recreation Area, Hinckley Reservation, Hinckley Township (daily pool admission fee or season pass access) 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., also features reservable picnic shelters, fishing along Ledge Lake shore (fishing license required), volleyball and basketball courts, and swimming lessons. Lifeguards are on-duty during posted hours at all four swimming areas. Boating - Cleveland Metroparks offers a number of areas to enjoy boating, including: • Emerald Necklace Marina (216-226-3030), Rocky River Reservation, Lakewood • Hinckley Lake Boathouse (330-278-3132), Hinckley Reservation, Hinckley Township • Wallace Lake (440-826-1682), Mill Stream Run Reservation, Berea (non-motorized boats only.) Fishing - Recreational fishing may be enjoyed throughout the Park District. An Ohio fishing license is required for all anglers, ages 16 and over. A variety of fish can be caught including bass, trout, walleye, crappie, and bluegill. Major fishing areas include: the Chagrin, Cuyahoga and Rocky rivers, and Bunns, Hinckley, Judge’s, Ledge, Ranger, Shadow, and Wallace lakes. Brochures are available on warm-weather recreation information - Spring/Summer/Fall Recreation, Fishing Areas in Cleveland Metroparks and Ledge Pool and Recreation Area publications. The brochures are available at all Park District facilities or by calling 216-635-3200.
Sweet Summer Fun in Cleveland Metroparks Ledge Rock Cafe • 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Ledge Pool & Recreation Area Hinckley Reservation, Hinckley Twp. Quarry Rock Cafe • 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Wallace Lake • Mill Stream Run Reservation Berea Stay cool at Cleveland Metroparks swimming areas, and enjoy a snack after your swim. Or, rent a paddle boat (for a fee) and tour Wallace Lake. 11
Of Toads and Tortoises The furrier, more familiar denizens of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo might garner the . . . lion’s share of headlines and popularity, but when it comes to important conservation work, the Zoo helps creatures great and small with equal dedication. Two tiny inhabitants of The RainForest get the spotlight here today - both of which are critically endangered the Puerto Rican crested toad and the northern spider tortoise. Puerto Rican crested toads are the only species of toad native to the island of Puerto Rico. They are endangered due to habitat loss and the influence of an invasive, non-native species, the marine toad, introduced to Puerto Rico in an effort to protect sugar cane crops from pests like the cane beetle.
A Puerto Rican crested toad next to a penny.
Zoo News
Northern spider tortoise compared to a quarter
Last year, on the recommendation of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, the Zoo sent its first successful shipment of tadpoles to Puerto Rico for reintroduction to the wild. Assistant Animal Care Manager Lynn Koscielny has also spent time in Puerto Rico helping to build new release site ponds for crested toads. The Zoo takes its role in the Species Survival Plan very seriously, keeping the toads off exhibit in a bio-secure room in order to minimize any exposure to foreign pathogens that might affect the development of the eggs or be accidentally transmitted back to their release site in the wild. The Zoo hopes to send a second shipment of tadpoles this year. All photos courtesy of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
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Emerald Necklace, July 2011
The northern spider tortoise is native to the island of Madagascar, off the southeastern coast of Africa. Spider tortoises are endangered due to the illegal pet trade and habitat loss. The northern spider tortoise is one of the smallest tortoises in the world reaching only 4.5 inches as an adult. They get their name from the pattern markings on their shell.
In addition to threats from illegal pet traders and encroachment from human activity, the spider tortoise faces difficulty in the wild population-wise because unlike many other tortoise species females lay only one egg at a time, making reproduction slow. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo has one of the largest breeding groups of spider tortoises in captivity in the world, and the group has seen some notable success in the past few years. Unfortunately at this time there is no designated safe haven for these tiny tortoises to be released back into the wild, but they can be seen on exhibit in The RainForest. Joe Yachanin
Marketing & Public Relations Specialist
African Elephant Crossing Summer is in full swing and the Zoo’s newest exhibit, African Elephant Crossing, is drawing crowds almost as big as the herd of five elephants that call it home! The exhibit is vastly different than the old Pachyderm Building Clevelanders remember, with two huge outdoor yards for the elephants to roam, improved viewing areas for guests, an interactive visitor center, an African village, an aviary full of colorful African birds, meerkats, naked mole rats and an African rock python. Meet the keeper sessions are scheduled daily, as are chances to see the elephants use the Crossing Gate when they migrate from one yard to the other and daily training sessions inside the visitor center at the new working wall. Your summer in Cleveland won’t be complete without a trip to the Zoo to see Willy, Jo, Moshi, Martika, Shenga and the rest of the animals inside African Elephant Crossing. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with hours extended to 7 p.m. on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Admission is $11 per person, $8 for kids ages 2 to 11 and free for children younger than 2 and Zoo members. Parking is free. To learn more, visit clemetzoo.com or call 216-661-6500. Fifth Third Bank is the proud sponsor of the inaugural season of African Elephant Crossing with support from Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital.
Red, White & Zoo Monday, July 4
Celebrate the Fourth of July at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo on Monday, July 4. Just wear red, white or blue and receive discounted admission. The celebration also features special enrichment activities with holiday treats for the animals. Note: Because Monday, July 4 is the observed Independence Day holiday, free Zoo admission for residents of Cuyahoga County and Hinckley Township will be on Tuesday, July 5.
ZooBlooms & Plant Conservation Day Saturday, July 9
ZooBlooms is an annual event in honor of all the green thumbs out there. The Zoo’s horticulture staff will be on hand to discuss all things gardening and tours of the specialty gardens will be available. There also will be a special display on sustainability practices, activities and crafts for kids.
First Merit Foundation is the proud sponsor of ZooBlooms with support from Good Nature Organic Lawn Care and Outback Steakhouse.
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LEARN WITH THESE “GOLF COURSES”
Are you one of the estimated 27 million people who consider themselves “highly interested” in learning to golf? Or, are you a golfer who would like to improve your short game, or learn how to drive for distance? Then check out these golf learning opportunities available from Cleveland Metroparks Academy of Golf. Look for these upcoming classes:
Beginners - An Introduction to Golf -A hands-on series covers the basics of the full swing, chipping and putting. Basic golf terms, rules and etiquette are covered. Loaner equipment available. All participants completing the course will be given a pass to a Cleveland Metroparks short course. Students in this class should be beginners to 25 handicap. Date Time No. of Sessions Location Fee Instructor Sat. July 16 9 - 10:30 a.m. 6 Manakiki $150 Kochensparger Sat. July 16 9 - 10:30 a.m. 4 Washington $100 Short Sat. July 16 12 - 1:30 p.m. 4 Washington $100 Short Thu. Aug. 4 6:30 - 8 p.m. 6 Shawnee $150 Taylor Beginners II - This four-session class is suggested for graduates of the Beginners Series (although that is not mandatory.) It will reinforce the fundamentals and try to advance the skill levels needed to be more successful and confident on the golf course. Graduates of this course also receive a 9-hole golf pass. Call 216-641-1864 for more information. Date Time Location Fee Instructor Fri. July 15 6 - 7:30 p.m. Washington $125 Short Intermediate Series - The Next Step - This four-session class is suggested for graduates of Beginners and Beginners II
(although that is not mandatory.) It will refine previously learned skills and help convert these to use on the golf course. There will be less emphasis on fundamentals and more time spent on game management, specialty shots, and situational golf. A brief video analysis for each student will be included. Graduates of this course also receive a 9-hole golf pass. Call 216-641-1864 for more information. Date Time Location Fee Instructor Wed. July 6 6:30 - 8 p.m. Washington $125 Short Mon. July 18 6:30 - 8 p.m. Washington $125 Staker Tue. July 26 6:30 - 8 p.m. Washington $125 Staker Thu. Aug. 4 6:30 - 8 p.m. Washington $125 Short
The Golf Swing - Hitting Woods - Learn the fundamentals and refine skills. For players who have abandoned using their
driver or struggle to use it well. This session will focus more on how to launch a ball with a driver and control its flight. Designed for golfers from beginning to 10 handicap. Call 216-641-1864 for more information. Date Time Location Fee Instructor Wed. July 13 10-11:30 a.m. Seneca $30 Taylor
The Golf Swing - The Fundamentals - This hands-on clinic covers aspects of a solid, fundamental golf swing, including grip, set-up and swing. The class will provide general, fundamental and basic instruction useful for players of every skill level, gender and age. Date Time Location Fee Instructor Thu. July 14 6 - 7:30 p.m. Sleepy Hollow $30 Fiander The Short Game - Putting and Chipping -This session reviews basics of successful “around the green shots.” The class will provide general, fundamental and basic instruction that is useful for players of every skill level, gender and age. Date Time Location Fee Instructor Thu. July 21 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Seneca $30 Taylor
The Golf Swing- Hitting Woods Complete – This two-week session will cover all aspects of hitting woods from off the tee, in the fairway and rough. The first session will cover hitting your driver off the tee. The following session will cover how to hit fairway woods. Also covered will be the effectiveness of hybrids versus fairway woods. Date Time Location Fee Instructor Tue. July 12 6 - 7:30 p.m. Sleepy Hollow $60 Fiander Junior Programs Little Birdie Class - Series 200 - This 5-week class is designed for parents seeking to get their toddlers, ages 3 to 5, in the
game of golf. This introductory class will give parent and child the basics in putting, chipping, pitching, and the full swing. Equipment and experience is not necessary. For children ages 3-5. A maximum of 32 students. For more information call, 440-232-7184. Date Time Location Fee Instructor Tue. August 2 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Seneca $100 1 child/ 1 adult Taylor
Classes fill up early. Visit clevelandmetroparks.com for class schedules. For more information or to register, call 440-232-7247
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Emerald Necklace, July 2011
Swing into Summer Golf Father/Son Golf Tournaments Bring your family two-some for these events designed for dads and sons. Saturday, July 16 Fathers and pee wees, ages 6-9 Mastick Woods Golf Course • Rocky River Reservation 9-hole play (modified alternate shot) - $25 per team Saturday, July 9 Fathers and juniors, ages 14 - 17 Big Met Golf Course • Rocky River Reservation 18–hole play (front 9 - scramble, back 9 - better ball) $60 per team Sunday, July 10 Fathers and cadets, ages 10 - 13 Little Met Golf Course • Rocky River Reservation 9-hole play (modified scramble) - $35 per team Sunday, July 17 Two adult players, ages 18 & over Manakiki Golf Course • North Chagrin Reservation 8 a.m. shotgun start -18-hole play (front 9 - scramble, back 9 - better ball) - $140 per team (includes golf cart, hamburger/hot dog roast)
Friday, July 8 • 9:30 p.m. Mastick Woods Golf Course • 216-9267-5626 Golfers challenge their night vision and play nine holes with a Nitelite golf ball - it glows in the dark! This month, a shotgun start at 9:30 p.m. takes players into a night world of golf, with glowing golf balls, tees and greens. Registration is required, and space is limited. The fee is $20 per person. Players should plan on arriving 30 minutes before the listed start time.
Course Championships
All course championships are 36-hole events. Top finishers qualify for the 54-hole Greater Cleveland Amateur Championship to be played at Sleepy Hollow Golf Course, August 12 - 14. Saturday, July 23 & Sunday, July 24 Big Met Golf Course - $90 per player Sleepy Hollow Golf Course - $100 per player Saturday, July 30 & Sunday, July 31 Shawnee Hills Golf Course - $90 per player Manakiki Golf Course - $100 per player
Senior Greater Cleveland Amateur Championship
Thursday & Friday, July 14 & 15 Big Met Golf Course • Rocky River Reservation $70 per player This 36-hole contest for those 50 and older allows senior duffers to compete for bragging rights to the title of best senior golfer in the area. For more information, call 440331-1070.
Women’s Greater Cleveland Amateur Championship Saturday & Sunday, August 6 & 7 Sleepy Hollow Golf Course • Brecksville Reservation $70 per player Women can test their skills against other female golfers in this 36-hole event. The event is open to women of any age. However, it is recommended that participants have a handicap index of 18.4 or less. For more information, call 440-526-4285. Registration is required at least six days prior to a tournament. Space is limited - see the directory on page 32 for individual golf course numbers to register.
Moonlight Golf continues on: Aug. 5 • Shawnee Hills Par 3 Golf Course • 9 p.m. Aug. 26 • Mastick Woods Golf Course • 8:30 p.m. Sept. 23 • Little Met Golf Course • 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28 • Shawnee Hills Par 3 Golf Course • 6:30 p.m. Oct. 28 • Mastick Woods Golf Course • 6:30 p.m. Individual event entry forms may be found and printed from Cleveland Metroparks website at www.clevelandmetroparks.com. Click on golf and scroll down to tournament registrations and results. For more information on golf events offered throughout the season, call 440-232-7247.
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Institute of The Great Outdoors
Programs are inclusive for all abilities
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, please 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 Garfield Park Nature Center located in Garfield Heights; Monday - Friday between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. By mail / fax: Complete a registration form and send it to the IGO office. Cleveland Metroparks Institute of the Great Outdoors 11350 Broadway Avenue Garfield Heights, OH 44125 216-341-1704 / 216-341-8528 fax igo@clevelandmetroparks.com On line: Registration forms are available for printing by visiting www.clevelandmetroparks.com
General Information: • • • •
For programs with more than one session, please specify your choice when registering. A program reminder and location map will be mailed prior to the first program session. By registering, you acknowledge that you have read and understand the refund policy. Participants must complete and sign a liability waiver and medical emergency form prior to participation in any program. • IGO programs are listed bi-monthly in the January, March, May, July, September and November issues of the Emerald Necklace. For more information call 216-341-1704 or visit www.clevelandmetroparks.com.
Registration & Refund Policy: • 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. Registration should be made no less than two weeks before a course begins, so please register early. Program fees recover the direct program costs. • Program fees and deposits are not refundable unless Cleveland Metroparks finds it necessary to cancel a program. 16 16
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Programs are inclusive for all abilities
Escapes to Nature
Golfing With Nature
Enjoy a week-long getaway to Charleston, South Carolina this fall. This six-night, fiveday excursion will be filled with three days of golf at various courses, kayaking, historical tours of Charleston, a behind the scenes visit to the South Carolina Aquarium sea turtle hospital and more. We’ll stay on Mt. Pleasant and be shuttled around Charleston while enjoying the natural beauty and history that makes this southern town special. Activity Level: easy Ages: adults Pre-trips: September 24 • 1 - 4 p.m. Hinckley Reservation and October 15 • noon - 3 p.m. Big Met Golf Course Trip Dates: October 23 - 29 Cost: $1,100 (includes hotel, three rounds of golf, carts, shuttle service, breakfast, activity fees and expert guide service)
Plovers, Pipers & Peeps: Shorebirds of the North Coast
Join Jen Brumfield for a daylong adventure designed with shorebirds in mind. Late summer, Ohio’s wetlands, beaches reservoirs and mudflats provide vital habitat for migrating sandpipers. More than 15 species are possible and the chance for rarities is high. While we study the common “peep” complex, we’ll be sure to look for godwits and phalaropes. (Destinations may change due to habitat conditions or rare bird sightings.) Activity Level: moderate Ages: adults Pre-trip: August 11 • 6:30 - 8 p.m. CanalWay Center Trip: August 26 • 6 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Fee: $49 (includes transportation and lunch)
Institute of The Great Outdoors Exploring Hinckley Lake
This excursion will transport you by bus to Hinckley Lake to experience two different time periods. Once at Hinckley, you’ll travel by large canoe and become a French Voyageur transporting goods for trade. Then join the 21st century on a pontoon conducting experiments that tell the story of water quality in this healthy ecosystem. Activity Level: easy Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult) July 13 • 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Fee: $40 (includes transportation from North Chagrin Nature center and lunch)
Presque Isle Eco-Float
Join IGO on this “one-tank trip” to discover the unique history and diverse ecosystem of Presque Isle State Park just outside Erie, PA. Paddle with us by kayak while enjoying a guided eco-tour on the water. Prior paddling experience is preferred. Activity Level: easy Ages: adults Pre-Trip: August 10 • 6 - 8 p.m. • Hinckley Reservation Trip: August 14 • 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Fee: $85 (includes boating equipment, transportation and lunch)
Hocking Hills Kayak Weekend
For those looking for a less adventurous, more relaxing weekend, join us for a kayak camping weekend along the Hocking River. During this shortened version of the adventure weekend we will hike through Old Man’s Cave, and take a leisurely tour of the Hocking River. Activity Level: moderate Ages: adults Pre-Trip: August 30 • 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Garfield Park Nature Center Trip: September 9 - 11 Fee: $95 (includes camping & paddling gear & campground fees)
Hocking Hills Adventure Weekend
Spend your weekend with us on this popular camping getaway to the Hocking River. The weekend will be filled with kayaking, canoeing and a three-hour treetop adventure. Visit Hocking Hills Canopy Tours as professional guides lead us along 10 ziplines and five adventure sky bridges offering a never-before-seen perspective of Hocking Hills. Activity Level: moderate Ages: adults Pre-Trip: September 14 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Garfield Park Nature Center Trip: September 22 - 25 • Logan, OH (meet at Garfield Park Nature Center) Fee: $310 (includes camping & paddling gear, transportation on site, campground & tour fees)
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Institute of The Great Outdoors
Programs are inclusive for all abilities
ADAPTIVE OUTDOOR RECREATION Accessible Adventures – Kayaking Class
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 in-land lakes and rivers. This class will cover kayaking basics and paddling skills. Bring clothing to get wet in. Activity Level: easy Ages: 10 years & up (with participating adult) Date/Time: July 27 • 5 - 8 p.m. OR August 28 • 4 - 7 p.m. Hinckley Reservation Fee: $25 (boats and equipment included)
Accessible Adventures Fishing
Designed specifically for individuals with disabilities, both adults and children can enjoy a day of fishing and learning new skills. Enjoy learning basic casting skills and fishing knots while trying to catch some fish. All participants 16 years and over require a current Ohio fishing license and must bring it to fish. A one-day fishing license is available for purchase at www.wildohio.com. Activity Level: easy Ages: 5 years & up with participating adult Dates/Times: August 19 • 6:30 - 9 p.m. Wallace Lake Fee: $3 first person, $2 each additional sibling (equipment and bait provided)
CANOEING, KAYAKING & MORE
Hand Cycle Clinics
Learn a new skill or re-visit an activity you once loved. Hand-cycling is a great way to use your upper body strength to pedal a bike. Riding distances will vary between 2-6 miles over mostly flat terrain. Five hand cycles are available and first priority will be given to people with physical disabilities. Riders of all abilities welcome. Helmets required. Activity Level: easy Ages: 13 years & up (with participating adult) Date/Time: July 10 • 1 - 4 p.m. North Chagrin Reservation OR August 11 • 6 - 9 p.m. Bacci Park Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation Fee: $10
All boating programs are funded in part through a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Watercraft.
Canoeing I: Canoeing Basics
Activity Level: easy Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult) Dates/Times: July 7 • 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Hinckley Reservation Fee: $30 (includes boats & equipment)
Canoeing I.5: Supplemental Skills
Activity Level: easy Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult) Date/Time: July 12 • 7 - 9 p.m. Hinckley Reservation Fee: $25 (includes boats & equipment)
Private lessons and group rates are available for paddling classes. Call IGO to schedule.
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Standup Paddleboarding Introduction
Lessons are fun and will teach you how easy it is to balance and maneuver on a board that looks like a surfboard. Anticipate spending some time in the water so participants must be comfortable treading water in a PFD. Activity Level: easy Dates/Times: Wallace Lake • Mill Stream Run Reservation Family (10 years & up with adult) July 8 • 13 • 26 • 6:30 - 8 p.m. Adults only (16 years & up) July 10 or 24 • 10 - 11:30 a.m. Kids only (10 - 15 years) July 10 or 24 • 1 - 2:30 p.m Huntington Reservation Family (10 years & up with adult) August 16 or 23 • 6:30 - 8 p.m. Adults only (16 years & up) August 20 • 10 - 11:30 a.m. Kids only (10 - 15 years) August 20 • 1 - 2:30 p.m. Fee: $15 Adult $5 child (age 10-15)
Natural History Floats
Explore the beautiful Ohio landscape from a canoe or kayak this summer. Naturalists and IGO staff will take you to various waterways to broaden your knowledge while enjoying a relaxing time on the water. Previous paddling experience is recommended for night floats. Activity Level: easy Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult) Canoe Breakfast & Paddle (Upper Cuyahoga River) July 9 or August 6 • 8 - 11 a.m. Fee: $30 Fabulous Firefly Canoe Float (Upper Cuyahoga River) July 15 or 16 • 8 - 11 p.m. Fee: $20 Kayak the Upper Cuyahoga River July 16 • 4 - 7 p.m. Fee: $20 Kayak Hubbard Valley, Medina August 5 • 7 - 9 p.m. Fee: $15 Kayak LaDue Reservoir August 6 • 6 - 9 p.m. Fee: $20 Full Moon Canoe Float (Upper Cuyahoga River) August 13 • 8:30 - 11:30 p.m. Fee: $20
Programs are inclusive for all abilities
Paddling the Cuyahoga – What you Should Know
The Cuyahoga River is full of history and excitement, but can be deadly for the unprepared paddler. This indoor class will give you tools to prepare for a safe paddling trip along the river. Discussions will include; knowing water quality before heading out, handling freighter encounters, paddling with power boats and more. Activity Level: easy Ages: adults Dates/Times: July 12 • 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Rivergate Park Fee: $5
Kayaking 1.5: Supplemental Skills
Activity Level: easy Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult) Date/Time: July 13 or August 17 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Hinckley Reservation Fee: $25 (includes boats & equipment)
Kayak the Cuyahoga River
Join us to paddle along the Cuyahoga River through Cleveland. We’ll access the river from Cleveland Rowing Foundation’s new Rivergate Park and discover the river’s uniqueness. Pre-requisite: must complete a pre-trip paddle prior to river trip. Activity Level: easy Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult) Pre-trip paddles: July 14 or 27and August 4 or 18 • 6:30 - 9 p.m. Hinckley Reservation Trips: July 17 • 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. July 29 • 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. August 13 or 20 • 9 - noon Fee: $35 (includes lunch)
Institute of The Great Outdoors American Canoe Association Level I: Introduction to Canoe & Kayak Instructor Certification Workshop
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: July 20 – 22 • 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Hinckley Reservation Fee: $225 per person (includes instructor manuals, training tools, paddling equipment and lunch first 2 days)
Kayaking I: Introduction to Kayaking
Activity Level: easy Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult) Dates/Times: July 28 • 6 - 9 p.m. Brunswick Lake Nature Preserve, Medina July 31 • 4 - 7 p.m. August 24 • 6 - 9 p.m. Hinckley Reservation Fee: $30 (includes boats & equipment)
Kayaking II: Flat-water Fundamentals
Activity Level: easy Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult) Date/Time: July 30 or August 27 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Hinckley Reservation Fee: $55 (includes boats & equipment)
Explore Nature: Stand Up Paddle Style
Gain a new perspective on nature SUPing Ohio’s lakes this year. Join a naturalist to discover the beauty of LaDue Reservoir. Pre-requisite: Must take a SUP Intro. class prior to program. Activity Level: easy Ages: 15 years & up (with participating adult) Dates/Times: August 12, 19 or 26 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. LaDue Reservoir Fee: $20
Basic Sailing Course
This entry-level course to small boat sailing will consist of both classroom and on-water instruction. Learn how to sail in pairs and solo in small 14-foot sailboats. Boats and safety equipment are provided, but be dressed to get wet as you practice righting a capsized boat. Activity Level: moderate Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult) Date/Time: August 16 • 1 - 4 p.m. and August 17 & 18 • 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Hinckley Reservation Fee: $35 (includes textbook)
WELLNESS CLASSES Yoga in Nature
Yoga is a gentle form of exercise that works for all ages and abilities. Instructor Linda Baron incorporates nature into this age old practice. This class is perfect for newcomers as well as veteran yoga practicioners. Activity Level: easy Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult) Dates/Times: Fridays, July 8 - August 12 9 - 10:30 a.m. Wallace Lake Wednesdays, July 13 - August 17 10 – 11:30 a.m. Huntington Beach Fee: $8 or 3 sessions for $20
Tai Chi for Beginners
T’ai Chi Ch’uan, originally practiced as a martial art. combines deep breathing with slow, flowing movements that relax the muscles and mind to create a balanced and healthy body. Learn and practice traditional movements from instructor, Sifu Jim Holz, that help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, improve balance and muscle strength and improve your overall health. This six week session is perfect for all ages and abilities. Activity Level: easy Ages: adults Dates/Times: Saturdays, July 16, 23, 30 AND Sundays, August 7, 14, 21 • 9 - 10:30 a.m. Rocky River Nature Center Fee: $65
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Institute of The Great Outdoors OUTDOOR RECREATION SKILLS
Interpretive GPS – Reservations Revealed
Discover the uniqueness of our reservations with the use of GPS technology. Once we teach you how to use a GPS, we’ll explore past cultures, forgotten landscapes and our natural world. Activity Level: easy Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult) Date/Time: July 12 • 7 - 9 p.m. Rocky River Nature Center August 24 • 7 - 9 p.m. Garfield Park Nature Center Fee: $10
Family Outdoor Survival
If you have ever become disoriented during a hike, this is the class for you. Discover basic tools to survive a night in the woods. Learn shelter building, fire starting and how to make your own personal survival kit. Activity Level: easy Ages: 10 years & up (with participating adult) Dates/Times: July 14 • 6:30 - 9 p.m. Look About Lodge August 11 • 6:30 - 9 p.m. Rocky River Nature Center Fee: $10
Youth Adventure Days
Enjoy outdoor adventures at Hinckley Reservation as we hike, paddle and explore. This mini-day camp will expose you to canoeing, kayaking, stand up paddleboarding, camping and more. Activity Level: easy Ages: 10 - 13 years Date/Time: July 17 - 19 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Hinckley Reservation Fee: $105
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Fly Fishing Classes
Join instructor Bill Grake for an evening class followed by a full day at Sunnybrook Trout Fishing Club. Learn how inexpensive fly fishing can be and discover knot tying, lure selection, casting basics and more. Activity Level: easy Ages: adults Dates/Time: August 17 • 6 - 9 p.m. Rocky River Nature Center & August 20 • 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sunnybrook Trout Fishing Club Fee: $150 (includes equipment & lunch)
Beginner Backpacking Part 1
Explore the Buckeye Trail through Cleveland Metroparks. Learn what gear you need for an overnight trip and how to load your pack. “Shakedown” your gear and take a day hike to get a sense of backpacking before going “all the way”. Then, enjoy an overnight and learn Leave No Trace camping and backpacking techniques. No camping experience needed. Activity Level: easy Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult) Dates/Times: August 17 • 6:30 - 9 p.m. Garfield Park Nature Center August 21• 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Brecksville Reservation August 27 - 28 • Hinckley Reservation Fee: $65
Map & Compass
Join us for basic map and compass instruction. Learn how easy it is to use a compass and topography map together to accurately navigate anywhere. Dress for the weather and wear sturdy hiking shoes for an outdoor activity. Activity Level: easy Ages: 16 years & up (with participating adult) Date/Time: August 18 • 7 - 9:30 p.m. Mill Stream Reservation Fee: $12.50
Programs are inclusive for all abilities
Geocaching 101
Discover the underground phenomenon “geocaching”. We will discuss common types of caches; where to find them; how to navigate the geocaching website; and set up our own cache. Activity Level: easy Ages: 10 years & up (with participating adult) Dates/Times: August 31 • 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Look About Lodge September 7 • 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. North Chagrin Nature Center Fee: $10
Backcountry Cooking
Discover new cooking tricks and recipes for your next camping trip. Learn easy meal preparation, stove selection and more. We will use different cooking setups and heat sources as we prepare unique cuisine. Activity Level: easy Ages: adults Date/Time: August 25 • 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. South Chagrin Shelter House Fee: $15
Backpacking Conditioning
Planning a backpack trip this fall or looking for a new way to exercise? Meet us with your daypack filled with 20 pounds of gear as we set out on 5-7 mile hikes. Learn ways to prevent common hiking injuries while toning and conditioning your body. Activity Level: moderate Ages: 12 years & up (with participating adult) Dates/Times: July 10 • 9 a.m. - noon Buckeye Trail, Cuyahoga Valley National Park July 24 • 9 a.m. - noon Brecksville Reservation July 30 • 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Hinckley Reservation Fee: $8 per session
TAKE NOTICE OF NIGHTTIME NATURE Venture out into the world of nighttime nature to see what is out and about after dark. All three EarthWords Nature Shops want to support your quest for more nighttime nature information. Don’t miss out on these great products for both children and adults. Night Sounds Every child will love pushing a button to hear the grunts, croaks, hoots, and howls that make the nightly music of the woods. $18.99
Raccoon in Garbage Can Puppet Who can resist a cuddly masked creature peeking his head out of a garbage can lid? Is he telling us to recycle? $26
Advice from a Raccoon T-Shirt What words of wisdom might a raccoon profess? Be curious? Enjoy the night life? Find out more as you proudly wear our newest “Advice” shirt. This forest green tshirt is available in adult sizes S-2XL. $17
Guide to Night-Singing Insects The mysteries behind the musical chirps, buzzes, and songs of the night are revealed in this in-depth guide. It comes complete with an audio guide and CD. $24.95
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
July 16 • Nature at Night at North Chagrin Nature Center: using fabric paint, stencils and our white t-shirts, create your very own nighttime design. $5 July 23 • Brookstock - A Celebration of Music & Nature at Brookside Reservation: enjoy the fun process of tie-dying a t-shirt! Purchase a white t-shirt to tie-dye from EarthWords for $5. Or, bring your own shirt and tie-dye it for $1.
Monday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. Sunday Noon - 4:45 p.m.
SHIRT OF THE MONTH
Are you a member of Cleveland Zoological Society? Bring your membership card to receive 10% off non-sale merchandise every day!
Think Outside! Our Think Outside the Stars t-shirt is perfect for July. It features the big dipper twinkling in the sky on a deep navy 100% organic cotton, pre-shrunk tee. Designed and printed in the U.S.A. Available in adult sizes S-2X. $18
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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Lake Erie Nature & Science Center Nature Nuts Preschool Summer Camps 4-week Session meets one day per week, the weeks of July 18, 25, August 1 and 8. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays OR Thursdays 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. OR 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. For children ages 3 - 5* Fee: $125/child; members $100/child The wonder of nature is at your fingertips. Sing, paint, hike, explore and meet live animals up close. Dress for messy fun and wear your favorite hiking shoes! *All children must be potty-trained. Pre-registration required. NSI: Nature Scene Investigations Day Camp Tuesday – Friday, July 12 – 15 • 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. For children who have completed Grades 1 – 8 and are ages 6 – 14 Fee: $240/child; members $220/child Use your investigative skills as you collect evidence, perform experiments, and test your hypothesis to solve real mysteries. Perform case-breaking detective work as you use tricks and tools to investigate earth, life and physical science through nature. Campers grouped by age. Pre-registration required.
Beginner & Advanced Rocket Camps Friday July 8 OR July 29 • 9 a.m. – Noon Fee: $35/beginner child; $40/advanced child For children who have completed Grades 2 – 6 Construct and launch a real rocket under our expert guidance. Family members are encouraged to attend the 3 p.m. launch. Pre-registration required. Wanderers Field Biology Overnight Camp Monday – Friday, July 18 – 22 \ 10 a.m. Monday – 3 p.m. Friday For students who have completed Grades 6 – 8 and are ages 11 – 14 Fee: $500/child; members $450/child Explore parks and places from Lake and Geauga Counties all the way to Erie County and back, searching for forest inhabitants and getting wet examining stream life. Spend a night each in Punderson State Park cabins, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and in a train boxcar bunk at the Coupling Reserve historic train depot. Pre-registration required.
Don’t Miss a Minute of the Fall Fun!
We’re planning a variety of programs for the fall that cater to all ages from parent and child programs (1 - 5 years), preschool classes (3 - 5 years), Kindergarten classes (5 - 6 years), after school enrichment, Junior Naturalist programs for middle schoolers, adult and family programs and much more. Member registration begins this month and opens to everyone on August 2. Call 440-871-2900 or log onto www.lensc.org for program and registration information.
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 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!
Monthly SkyQuest: The Rockets’ Red Glare! Saturdays, July 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 • 1:30 p.m. Fee: $2/person Saturdays, July 2 & 16 • 8 p.m. Fee: $3/person July is “Rocket Month” at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center, when we host camps full of future rocket scientists and young astronauts who build and launch their own model rockets. So, this month, SkyQuest will review the history of rockets slightly larger than those filling the sky at Huntington Park. This longer program is recommended for ages 5 and up. * Door closes promptly and no one will be admitted after posted start time for all planetarium programs.
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
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Emerald Necklace, July 2011
July Events by Location Off-site Programs
(HuR) Huntington Reservation
(LENSC) Lake Erie Nature & Science Center Open daily 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 28728 Wolf Rd., Huntington Reservation Bay Village 440-871-2900 2 • Meet An Animal: Ohio’s Eagles 22 • Family Picnic Night 23 • Meet An Animal: The Chinchilla
28 • Urban Explorations: Steamship William G. Mather
(BCR) Big Creek Reservation
1 • For Women Only 7 • Walking Works: Beyers Pond 12 • Pond Dipping 14 • Around the Emerald Necklace 24 • Tour de Necklace
(MSRR) Mill Stream Run Reservation
(BeR) Bedford Reservation
3 • Creek Walk 10 • Forest Hike 23 • Hike on the Floodplain 30 • Woodlands of Bedford: Annual Tinker’s Creek Stream Walk
(BrR) Brecksville Reservation
10 • Raft Race 28 • Around the Emerald Necklace 30 • Family Creek Walk
(BNC) Brecksville Nature Center
(BR) Brookside Reservation
8 • Brookside Lawnchair Concert Series 23 • Brookstock - A Celebration of Music and Nature 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 Mon. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. Sun. noon - 4:45 p.m. 216-206-1003 1 – 30 • CanalWay Artists in the Park Display 1 – 31 • Hunt of the Month 8 • Family Adventure - Bike the Ohio & Erie Canal 9 • 15 • 30 • CanalWay Cart Tours Northern Route 9 • Living History: Rebecca Carter 15 • CanalWay Sunset Concerts 16 • 22 • CanalWay Cart Tours - Southern Route 20 • Celebrate Moon Day! 21 • Treasure Hunt Adventure - GPS for Beginners 29 • Preschool: Water Life 29 • CanalWay Campfire 30 • Bird Banding 30 • Acoustic Players Circle
(ECR) Euclid Creek Reservation 23 • Dog Hike
(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 9 • Brunch at the Falls 17 • Grasshopper Safari 24 • Spiders are Spectacular
(HiR) Hinckley Reservation
9 • 10 • Voyageur Canoe Paddle 12 • Hiking for the Young at Heart 25 • Junior Lifeguarding Workshop 26 • Hidden Story Hike
Each month, look for the
(NCR) North Chagrin Reservation
1 • 8 • 15 • 22 • 29 • North Chagrin Reservation Trail Hike 4 • Holiday Hiking 8 • Family Friday Night – Birds of Prey 10 • Sunday Bird Walk 24 • Valley Snake Hike 26 • Hillcrest Concert Band 29 • Family Friday Night: Hotdog Roast and Music 31 • Cool of the Hemlock Ravine
(NCNC) North Chagrin Nature Center
Open Daily 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Rt. 82 entrance, Brecksville 440-526-1012 31 • Beat the Heat Dog Walk
(CWC) CanalWay Center
16 • Salamander Hunt 23 • 24 • Voyageur Canoe Paddle
Open Daily 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mayfield Village 440-473-3370 EarthWords Nature Shop Open Mon. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 4:45 p.m., Sun. noon - 4:45 p.m. 440-449-0511 2 • Families Explore: Snakes 3 • Wetland Exploration 6 • Mid-Week After Work Hike 9 • A Forest is About Trees 12 • Stroller Science 15 • Day to Dusk to Dark 16 • Nature at Night 17 • Dark Side of Nature Book Club 22 • Friday Movie Night 27 • Trail Trackers: Habitats 30 • Family Adventure Hike Cleveland Metroparks Photography Club East 18 • Monthly Meeting
(OECR) Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation 13 • Hike the Canal Series 21 • Bike the Ohio & Erie Canal
(RRR) Rocky River Reservation
1 • 15 • 29 • Cedar Valley Square Dance 4 • Explore the Pond 5 • Walking Works Hike 9 • Nocturnal Creatures 16 • Summer Night Flashers 17 • Evening Lagoon Walk 23 • Firefly Frenzy 30 • Campfire Olmsted Historical Society 31 • Frostville Museum’s Antique Gas Engines and Clocks & Nickel Plate Railroad Show 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.
(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 Mon. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. Sun. noon - 4:45 p.m. 440-734-7576 1 - 31 • Perspectives Gallery Wall 2 • Walking Works Pond Walk 2 • Hands-on Nature! 3 • Summer Book Review 6 • Books Alive 6 - 8 • Junior Eco Chefs Camp 10 • 17 • 24 • Simplicity and Seeing in Nature 11 • 12 • Little Explorers - Happy Hummingbirds! 12 • 13 • 25 • 26 • Junior Explorers 13 • Rain Barrel Workshop 13 - 15 • Pollinator Power Camp 17 • Bird Banding at Rocky River Nature Center 19 • 20 • Beginning Explorers 20 • Books Alive 21 • Inviting the Planet to Dinner: Film Night 23 • Summer Song Sing-Along 23 • Cinema Saturday Night The Return of the Cuyahoga 24 • School of the Wilds: Honeybees 25 • Full Moon Frolic 27 - 29 • FBI (Fungus, Bacteria and Invertebrates) Camp 30 • Monthly Morning with the Birds 30 • Boy Scout Merit Badge: Insect Study 30 • 31 • Pollinator Power! Cuyahoga Astronomical Association 11 • Monthly Meeting Greater Cleveland Beekeepers Association 13 • Monthly Meeting
(SCR) South Chagrin Reservation Look About Lodge
Open for scheduled programs. Miles Rd., east of Rt. 91, Bentleyville 440-247-7075 3 • The Lodge is Open! 9 • Second Saturday Storytelling 10 • Look About Lodge Summer Concert: JiMiller Band 12 • Beavers are Amazing 16 • Nature Writing: Dragonflies and Damselflies 17 • Nature 101: What Lives in the River? 17 • Look About Lodge Summer Concert: Brigid’s Cross 19 • Up the Falls of South Chagrin 21 • Hike the Chagrin 23 • Young Nature Artists’ Exhibition 24 • Look About Lodge Summer Concert: Hollywood Slim Band 26 • Dragons and Damsels 29 • Moths of the Moonlit Forest 30 • S’more Extravaganza 31 • Look About Lodge Summer Concert: Revolution Pie Cleveland Natural Science Club 16 • Monthly Meeting
(WCR) West Creek Reservation
NOTE: W. Ridgewood Road entrance is closed - programs will meet at Center Park, on Park Dr. off of State Rd./94
5 • Birds and Bugs
Cleveland Metroparks is celebrating the Year of the Forest. symbol next to Cleveland Metroparks special Year of the Forest related programs and events
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July Events Calendar 1 • Friday North Chagrin Reservation Trail Hike Get to know the trails in North Chagrin Reservation with Naturalist Angelec Hillsman. Every Friday this month we will hike different trails. Today we will hike Squire’s Lane, Hemlock, bridle, Scenic and White Pine trails. 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. NCR Strawberry Picnic Area parking lot Terrain: moderate, boardwalk, 6.5 - 7 miles CanalWay Artists in the Park Display Naturalist-Artist Stefanie Verish will showcase a variety of artwork created for or inspired by Cleveland Metroparks. Young nature artists from CanalWay Center’s Art Adventure Camp will feature their creative projects. Through July 30. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. CWC
Cleveland Metroparks Maps
Visit clevelandmetroparks.com for maps of Cleveland Metroparks 16 reservations. Or, call 216-635-3200 and request a Pathfinder Map & Guide. For Women Only Join other women for exercise and camaraderie as we recharge after a busy week. Today we’ll enjoy the summer sights and sounds around Lake Isaac and part of the Lake to Lake Trail. 10 a.m. - noon BCR Lake Isaac Waterfowl Sanctuary Ages: adults Terrain: easy, mostly flat, 3 – 3.5 miles 440-526-1012 Cedar Valley Square Dance Allemande left and do-si-do with your regular partner or an acquaintance. This oldfashioned activity provides fun and gentle exercise, rain or shine. Caller Frank Koenig leads you through a graceful sequence of moves in circles, lines and squares. 7:30 – 9 p.m. RRR Frostville Museum 440-734-6660
Hunt of the Month It is the middle of the summer and the sun is out. Discover the 20 suns hiding throughout CanalWay Center. See how many you can find. Through July 31. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. CWC Perspectives Gallery Wall Enjoy the artistry of Cleveland Metroparks employee Andrea Nagy as you view her perspective on nature through photographs. Through July 31. 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. RRNC
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Emerald Necklace, July 2011
2 • Saturday Families Explore: Snakes Snakes are fascinating animals that have suffered from human ignorance and superstition. This program will highlight snakes found in this area and how they are important to us. We will learn about the snake survey project taking place in North Chagrin Reservation and go out into the field to search for snakes. 10 - 11:30 a.m. NCNC Terrain: wet/muddy, grasses, moderate, 1-1.5 miles Walking Works Pond Walk Explore part of West Channel Pond from the trail. We will be looking for turtles, frogs and birds that live around the pond on this easy hike and get credit for a Walking Works hike. 10 - 11 a.m. RRNC Terrain: some steps, 0.5 mile
Hands-on Nature! Get up-close and personal with nature and join Naturalist Bethany Majeski for a fun afternoon exploring the woods and wetlands of Rocky River Reservation. Participants should expect to go home muddy and wet! 2 - 3:30 p.m. RRNC Ages: 8 - 12 years Terrain: 1.5 - 2 miles, muddy, wet, off-trail Registration required 440-734-6660 Meet An Animal: Ohio’s Eagles This program will take a look at Ohio’s largest bird of prey; the bald eagle. Learn about their history, current status in Ohio and other interesting tidbits about this aweinspiring bird. 3 p.m. LENSC 440-871-2900
3 • Sunday Creek Walk Walk down the watershed to the creeks of Bedford Reservation. Gently turn rocks as you experience the “cooler” air found in the forest’s shade. 10:30 a.m. - noon BeR Bridal Veil Falls parking lot Terrain: hills, off-trail The Lodge is Open! Drop by Look About Lodge to take in its beautiful architecture, peaceful ambiance and verdant surroundings. Noon - 3 p.m. SCR Look About Lodge
Wetland Exploration Have you ever wondered what lives below the surface of a marsh? We will search for tadpoles, frogs, and other aquatic life. Wettable shoes and clothing recommended. 1 - 2:15 p.m. NCNC Terrain: wet, level, 0.4 miles
inhabiting the park. Binoculars recommended. 9 - 11 a.m. WCR Ages: adults, young adults Terrain: moderate trails but slow pace, 2 miles 216-341-9225 Walking Works Hike Explore the area around South Mastick and enjoy a stroll through the summer woods searching for nesting birds and early summer flowers. 10 - 11 a.m. RRR Cottonwood Picnic Area Terrain: level, often muddy, 0.8 miles
Summer Book Review Join Naturalist Joni Norris and the Rocky River Readers for a review of Kathleen Dean Moore’s book, The Pine Island Paradox, a beautiful narrative on how caring deeply for places and people nurtures each and sustains us all. 2 - 4 p.m. RRNC 6 • Wednesday Ages: adults
4 • Monday Holiday Hiking Allow some extra time this holiday to enjoy a hike through the forests of North Chagrin Reservation. We’ll look and listen for the forests’ summer residents. 10 - 11:30 a.m. NCR Strawberry Picnic Area parking lot Terrain: inclines, moderate, 2.5 miles Explore the Pond Stop and join a naturalist to search the pond to discover the creatures that live there. 10:30 a.m. - noon RRR Pond Deck (stop by nature center for map)
5 • Tuesday Birds and Bugs The forests, grasslands, and riparian corridor of West Creek provide a refuge for nearly 50 species of nesting birds. Join Naturalist Jen Brumfield as we seek out colorful songbirds on breeding territories. We’ll also keep an eye out for multi-colored butterflies and dragonflies
Books Alive Farmer Boy, by Laura Ingalls Wilder, is filled with fascinating detail. Naturalist Kathy Schmidt will help bring the activities and experiences in this book to life. Reading the book is required. 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. RRNC Ages: 9 - 12 years Register beginning June 21 440-734-0660 Junior Eco Chefs Camp Connecting the planet to the plate can start with the kids. Have your children join eco-chef Rae Endreola for a three-day series of learning earth-friendly kitchen tips and fun, healthy seasonal recipes. Class will end with a themed meal with parents. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. RRNC Ages: 9 – 12 years Fee: $54 (includes lunch) Registration required 440-734-6660 Mid-Week After Work Hike Join us to experience the shade of the eastern hemlocks along the Hemlock trail. We will be following the two largest ravines in the reservation, crossing creeks and
valleys. Be prepared to listen to nature’s music as day transitions to dusk while working towards your Walking Works shield. 5:30 - 7:15 p.m. NCNC Terrain: moderate; dirt trails, stairs, 3.5 miles
7 • Thursday Walking Works: Beyers Pond Enjoy a walk to Beyers Pond with Naturalist David Dvorak. Bring your binoculars to look for wildlife around the pond and surrounding wetlands. 10 - 11:30 a.m. BCR Main Street Ballfield Terrain: level, 1.5 miles 440-734-6660
8 • Friday North Chagrin Reservation Trail Hike Get to know the trails in North Chagrin Reservation with Naturalist Angelec Hillsman. Every Friday this month we will hike different trails. Today we will hike bridle and all purpose trails. 9 - 11:30 a.m. NCR A.B. Williams Memorial Woods parking lot Terrain: level, paved, 5 miles
our most charismatic birds. Learn more about some of our local hawks and owls, and see some live birds. 7 - 8 p.m. NCR Nature Education Building Brookside Lawnchair Concert Series - Brian Henke (see page 7 for details)
9 • Saturday Brunch at the Falls Join naturalists for an invigorating walking tour of Garfield Park Reservation including Mill Creek Falls. This walk will help you work up an appetite so we can return to the area near the nature center to eat our brunch. 9:30 a.m. - noon GPNC Terrain: hilly, moderate 3.4 miles Registration required 216-341-3152
CanalWay Cart Tours – Northern Route If you have found the terrain too difficult for walking but would like to see the park, join us for one of these tours focusing on the natural and cultural history of the northern Cuyahoga River valley. Each tour accommodates seven passengers and lasts one hour. 10:30 a.m. or noon CWC Family Adventure Register beginning July 1 Bike the Ohio & Erie Canal 216-206-1000 Doug Kusak leads a history/ nature bicycle adventure on Voyageur Canoe Paddle Ohio & Erie Canal Reserva- Join Cleveland Metroparks tion’s all purpose trail. We’ll French Canadian voyageurs travel at a leisurely pace, for an hour-long paddle. This starting at CanalWay Center living history program gives and pedaling north to the you the opportunity to paddle Overlook. Helmet required. a 34-foot canoe, sing, and hear 7 p.m. CWC tales of fur traders who padTerrain: easy to moderate, dled the Great Lakes long ago. paved, 3 miles 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., Register beginning July 1 and 3:30 p.m. HiR 216-206-1000 Hinckley Lake Boathouse Ages: individuals, families, Family Friday Night Fee: $5 Birds of Prey Registration required Hawks and owls are some of 216-206-1000
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A Forest is About Trees A forest is defined by its trees. Enjoy the shade and coolness as you hike through a historical beech-maple forest. 1 – 3:30 p.m. NCNC Terrain: stairs, moderate, 2.5 miles
10 • Sunday
Sunday Bird Walk July brings fledglings into the mix of birds we may find. Join us as we search out these new arrivals and the summer plumages that July brings. Some binoculars will be available to borrow. Living History: 8 - 10 a.m. NCR Rebecca Carter Wilson Mills Road Helenmary Ball from Wom- parking lot en in History portrays pio- Ages: families & adults neer woman Rebecca Carter Terrain: one hill, 2 miles whose family was the first to permanently settle in CleveForest Hike land. Find out how she saw Meet us for a summertime Cleveland grow from wilder- hike through the forest surness to a city and how her rounding Sagamore Creek. home was the first center of We will be looping in and out the community during this of forested areas and crossing engaging presentation. over the creek. Make sure to 3 p.m. CWC bring your water! 10 a.m. - noon BeR Nocturnal Creatures Alexander Bike Lot Have you ever wondered Terrain: moderate; 3.6 miles what goes bump in the night? 216-341-3152 Join us for a light hike as we search for a few of these nocRaft Race turnal residents. We will dis- Spend some quality time with cover what keeps these fasci- the kids. You will design and nating creatures busy during construct a raft from natural the evening hours. materials found in the woods. 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. RRR Then we will head down to RRNC parking lot Chippewa Creek to race our Registration required rafts. Be prepared to get wet. 440-734-6660 1 - 2 p.m. BrR Plateau Picnic Area Second Saturday Terrain: slippery, 1 mile Storytelling Independence Day is past, but Simplicity and Seeing we’ll enjoy tales of the rebels in Nature who made our country great. Join Naturalist Joni Norris for You may bring your own 4th a three-session discussion of of July tale, or another story Joanna Greenfield’s book, The from “I Forgot Day,” “Cleri- Lion’s Eye. Space is limited. hew Day,” “Spoonerisms Register only if you can atDay,” “Tell an Old Joke Day,” tend all three sessions, as one or another of the 70+ special- builds on the other. The book named days in July. will be provided. 7:30 - 9 p.m. SCR 3 - 5 p.m. RRNC Look About Lodge Ages: adults Ages: adults, older students Fee: $5 440-734-6660 Register beginning July 1 440-734-0660
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Emerald Necklace, July 2011
Stroller Science Look About Lodge Summer Summertime brings great Concert: JiMiller Band weather, good times AND (see page 7 for details) bugs! Bring your little one Voyageur Canoe Paddle out to discover butterflies, (see 7/9 for details) dragonflies, beetles, and other buggy residents living in 11 • Monday our reservation. Since we will be around bugs, bring insect Little Explorers repellant. Long sleeves and Happy Hummingbirds! pants are recommended. Finally, the baby humming- 10:15 - 11:15 a.m. NCNC birds are ready to leave the Ages: 2 years & and under nest and mom’s job is mostly with adult done. Bring an adult along Terrain: easy, tall grasses, to discover more about these 0.5 mile tiny birds with the long beak. 10 - 11:15 a.m. or Junior Explorers 1 - 2:15 p.m. RRNC Join Naturalist Min Keung Ages: 3 - 5 years with adult as we go on an insect safari. Terrain: some steps, 0.5 mile Search for beautiful butterRegistration required flies, daring dragonflies, and 440-734-6660 other incredible insects in this catch and release proCuyahoga Astronomical gram. Association 1 - 2:30 p.m. RRNC Astronomy is more than star- Ages: 6 - 8 years gazing. Learn how amateur Terrain: some steps, 0.5 mile astronomers work with pro- Registration required fessionals to further astro- 440-734-6660 nomical research. 7:30 - 9 p.m. RRNC Beavers are Amazing Join us at Jackson Field to 12 • Tuesday discover the amazing world of beavers. As we hike along Hiking for the the river we’ll look for signs Young at Heart Enjoy a morning stroll around that the beaver are there and Hinckley Lake. We’ll search learn about the special adapfor wildlife that call the lake tations beaver have to live in home while working towards their aquatic habitat. our Walking Works shields. 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. SCR Jackson Field 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. HiR Terrain: easy, flat, 1.5 miles Hinckley Lake Boathouse Terrain: moderate, 3.5 miles 440-526-1012
Pond Dipping Stop by the Lake Abram pond dipping deck and see what creatures you can find living in the water. Naturalists John Miller and Sharon Hosko will provide instructions and pond dipping nets. Stay for a few minutes or a few hours. 10 a.m. - noon BCR Lake Abram Trailhead Terrain: flat, wet, .02 miles 440-526-1012
Little Explorers Happy Hummingbirds! (see 7/11 for details)
13 • Wednesday Pollinator Power Camp These highly-evolved creatures are responsible for most of the food we eat and the plants we love. Learn who these creatures are, how they do what they do and how to attract pollinators to your yard, or take a net out to catch and identify some of these beloved bugs. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. RRNC Ages: 9 - 11 years Fee: $36 Terrain: direct sun, flat, 1 mile Register by July 5 440-734-6660 Junior Explorers Water World Join Naturalist Min Keung as we go on a water safari. Search for crayfish, fish, and other underwater marvels in this catch and release program. 1 - 2:30 p.m. RRNC Ages: 6 - 8 years Terrain: some steps, 0.5 mile Registration required 440-734-6660 Rain Barrel Workshop Make your own rain barrel to collect and store rainwater that would otherwise be lost to runoff or diverted to a storm drain. Use collected water to water lawns and gardens. Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District’s Jared Bartley will guide you. 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. RRNC Fee: $60 (includes supplies) Register before July 11 440-734-6660 Hike the Canal Series Join us for a hike from Harvard southbound to the flood pole. See where the trails were flooded this past spring as well as where the towpath was moved during a previous flood. 7 p.m. OECR Harvard Rd. parking lot Terrain: all purpose trail, 2 miles
Greater Cleveland Beekeepers Association Many beekeepers will move their hives to be close to flowers at their peak. Come and learn what flowers make the best honey. 7 - 9 p.m. RRNC
14 • Thursday
Day to Dusk to Dark We’ll hike along Fosters Run to see frogs and dragonflies. As the sun sets, we’ll be serenaded by birds settling in for the night. When the sky darkens we’ll watch the bats arouse and leave their roosts to feed on insects. 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. NCNC Terrain: downhill, moderate, 2.5 miles
Around the Emerald Necklace CanalWay Cart Tours Cleveland Metroparks natuNorthern Route ralists are excited to share (see 7/9 for details) their favorite trails around the Emerald Necklace with you. These hikes rotate through- Cedar Valley Square Dance (see 7/1 for details) out Cleveland Metroparks. Our hope is to introduce you to a few spots that will be- 16 • Saturday come your favorite as well. Nature Writing: 9:30 a.m. - noon BCR Dragonflies Lake Isaac parking lot and Damselflies Terrain: paved, moderate, Join us to discover the com5 miles plex lives of dragonflies and 440-526-1012 damselflies, gaze at their dazzling colors, and write our 15 • Friday way into a watery world of compound eyes, aerodynamic North Chagrin wings, and hawk-like seizing Reservation Trail Hike Get to know the trails in of prey. Writers Jenny Clark North Chagrin Reserva- and Linda Tuthill will lead us tion with Naturalist Angelec through writing prompts. Hillsman. Every Friday this 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. SCR month we will hike differ- Look About Lodge ent trails Today we will hike Ages: 16 years - adult bridle, Buckeye and Castle Fee: $25 Terrain: easy, 0.5 mile Valley trails. Register by July 13 9 - 11:30 a.m. NCR 440-247-7075 Squire’s Castle Picnic Area parking lot CanalWay Cart Tours Terrain: hilly, rugged, Southern Route 4.5 - 5 miles For those who have been on our northern tour and want CanalWay to see more of the reservation, Sunset Concerts Back by popular demand, this cart tour takes you south Erie Heights Brass Ensemble along the towpath. We will will perform their Concert in focus on the natural and culthe Park selections. Jurassic tural history of the area. Each Park, MacArthur Park, and tour accommodates seven Teddy Bear Picnic will be just passengers. a few of the familiar songs to 10:30 a.m. or noon CWC be enjoyed. Bring your chair Register beginning July 1 216-206-1000 or blanket. 7:30 - 9 p.m. CWC
Salamander Hunt Join Naturalist Valerie Fetzer on an adventure in the wet areas of Mill Stream Run Reservation. We will search under every nook and cranny for stream-dwelling salamanders. Wear shoes that can get wet and muddy. 2 - 4 p.m. MSRR Royalview Trailhead Ages: 7- 10 years Registration required 440-734-6660
Cleveland Nature Science Club
Meet Jungle Bob and his animals. Bob Tuma, teacher and member of the N.E. Ohio Sierra Club, will introduce his collection of small snimals. 7:30 p.m. SCR Look About Lodge 216-475-0703 Summer Night Flashers Lightning bugs, alias fireflies, are one of summer’s wonders. Join Naturalist Gretchen Motts to discover what makes them so interesting. Bring a plastic jar to catch them. At the end of the evening, we will have a special ceremony as we release the ones we captured. 8 - 9:30 p.m. RRR Lagoon Picnic Area Ages: 3 years & up with adult Register beginning July 11 440-734-6660 Nature at Night (see page 6 for details)
17 • Sunday Bird Banding at Rocky River Nature Center Learn about bird banding, an essential tool for learning about our feathered friends. You will see intricate details of birds as we capture and band the birds from the feeder. Program will be cancelled during rain. Drop in between the hours below. 9:30 a.m. - noon RRNC
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Grasshopper Safari Bring your favorite grown up and help us hunt the meadow for grasshoppers! We will use sweep nets to catch, study and then release these fascinating creatures. At the nature center, we will do grasshopperthemed activities and make a fun grasshopper craft! 1 - 2:30 p.m. GPNC Ages: 4 - 7 years with adult Registration required 216-341-3152 Nature 101: What Lives in the River? The Chagrin River is alive with beaver, birds and fish but wait, there’s more. Spend the afternoon searching for life under rocks and in the pools of the river. Discover what these small creatures tell us about river health. Wear wettable shoes. 1 - 4 p.m. SCR Jackson Field Terrain: flat, in water, 0.5 mile
Simplicity and Seeing in Nature (see 7/10 for details)
18 • Monday Cleveland Metroparks Photography East The Creative Faces of Water Water, water, everyway, in all its phases and forms. Bring in five “extra-creative” images of your take on this fluid subject. Tech Talk: S-curves, C-curves and diagonals. 8 - 10 p.m. NCNC
19 • Tuesday Beginning Explorers Learn about the plants and animals that live in this wild habitat. We will explore the forest floor, pond habitats, and more. 10 a.m. - noon RRNC Ages: 6 - 7 years Terrain: some steps, 0.5 - 1 mile Register beginning June 23 440-734-6660
Up the Falls of South Chagrin Join a naturalist as we explore and climb some waterfalls in the creeks of South Chagrin Reservation. Hikers must wear well-fitting, wettable shoes (Croc-type shoes or flip-flops are not appropriate). 1 - 2:30 p.m. SCR Chagrin River Rd. sledding hill Evening Lagoon Walk Join Naturalist Dave Miller Ages: 7 years - adult for an evening stroll. See what wild things we can find around 20 • Wednesday the Lagoon Picnic Area as we Books Alive walk into the twilight. Little House on the Prairie, by 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. RRR Laura Ingalls Wilder, is filled Lagoon Picnic Area with fascinating detail. NatuTerrain: mostly level, ralist Kathy Schmidt will help 0.5 - 1 mile bring the activities and experiences in this book to life. Look About Lodge Reading the book is required. Summer Concert: 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. RRNC Brigid’s Cross Ages: 9 - 12 years (see page 7 for details) Register beginning June 24 440-734-6660 Dark Side of Nature Book Club Join us as we discuss Liberty Falling by Nevada Barr and Whisper to the Blood by Dana Stabenow. You can bring a snack to share. We will provide beverages. 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. NCNC Ages: adults
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Emerald Necklace, July 2011
Celebrate Moon Day! On July 20, 1969, United States astronauts landed on the moon. Tom Benson, senior research engineer from NASA Glenn Research Center, will discuss the challenges and triumphs of the Apollo 11 mission and its astronauts. You will also be able see a real moon rock! 7 p.m. CWC Beginning Explorers (see 7/19 for details)
21 • Thursday Treasure Hunt Adventure GPS for Beginners Want to learn how to use a handheld GPS? Doug Kusak teaches you how. He hides stuff, you find it. Bring your handheld GPS or borrow one of ours (ID required). 2 p.m. CWC Fee: $5 Register beginning July 1 216-341-1704 Bike the Ohio & Erie Canal Doug Kusak and Jill Hauger lead a history/nature bicycle adventure on Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation’s all purpose trail. Helmet required. 6 p.m. OECR Harvard Rd. parking lot Terrain: easy to moderate, paved, 12 miles Register beginning July 1 216-206-1000 Hike the Chagrin Join Naturalist Carly Martin as we explore the Aurora Branch of the Chagrin River by hiking in it (must wear well-fitting, wettable shoes.) 6 - 8:30 p.m. SCR Chagrin River Rd. sledding hill Ages: 15 years - adult Terrain: knee-deep water, slippery rocks, fast current, small waterfalls, Register by July 19 440-247-7075 or email LALreg @clevelandmetroparks.com
Inviting the Planet to Dinner: Film Night Fresh - This 2009 documentary celebrates farmers, thinkers, and business people across the nation who are reinventing our food system. This positive film gives us a formula of how to move forward to a healthier food system for our communities. 7 - 8:30 p.m. RRNC
22 • Friday North Chagrin Reservation Trails Hike Get to know the trails in North Chagrin Reservation with Naturalist Angelec Hillsman. Every Friday this month we will hike different trails. Today we will hike Foster’s Run, bridle, Buckeye and Sylvan trails. 9 - 11:30 a.m. NCR Squire’s Castle Picnic Area parking lot Terrain: hilly, moderate, 4.5 miles Family Picnic Night We’ll provide the picnic dinner - you bring a blanket for your family. After supper, meet some animals close up, take a guided hike and enjoy a campfire! In case of rain, all activities will move inside. 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. LENSC Fee: $8/person; $40/family of 5 or more. Pre-registration required 440-871-2900 Friday Movie Night Tonight’s feature is Insect Hunters from The Life of Mammals series narrated by Naturalist Sir David Attenborough. Witness how these insectivorous mammals have survived since their beginnings millions of years ago and how they are still thriving today. Doors open at 7:15 p.m. Popcorn will be served. 7:30 - 8:45 p.m. NCNC
CanalWay Cart Tours Southern Route (see 7/16 for details)
23 • Saturday Dog Hike Bring your best friend to the park for some exercise and socialization. We’ll hike the wooded trails of Euclid Creek Reservation. Dogs must be leashed. 10 - 11:30 a.m. ECR Highland Road Picnic Area parking lot Terrain: moderate, 1.5 - 2 miles 440-473-3370 Young Nature Artists’ Exhibition Come and see the creative works of Look About Lodge’s Nature Art Camp. Campers ages 10 - 12 will have their artwork on display today as a demonstration of their talents and camp activities. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. SCR Look About Lodge Voyageur Canoe Paddle Join Cleveland Metroparks French Canadian voyageurs for an hour-long paddle. This living history program gives you the opportunity to paddle a 34-foot canoe, sing, and hear tales of fur traders who paddled the Great Lakes long ago. 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. MSRR Wallace Lake Ages: individuals, families, Fee: $5 Registration required 216-206-1000 Hike on the Floodplain Join Naturalist Stacey Allen for a hike along the floodplain of Hemlock Creek. The spring wildflowers are long gone, but this area is still teaming with life. Many animals escape the heat of a summer day by taking refuge in the valley along the creek.
Let’s investigate who is here. 1 - 2:30 p.m. BeR Hemlock Creek picnic area parking lot Terrain: easy 1.25 miles 216-341-3152
24 • Sunday
Spiders are Spectacular Explore the life of spiders through a story, craft, and an adventure in the garden. Find out that spiders are not Meet An Animal: so unfriendly after all. The Chinchilla 2 - 3 p.m. GPNC They’re much more than Age: 4 - 7 years with adult coats! Come find out why Registration required this fascinating creature is 216-341-3152 the most popular animal for students and adults to touch Tour de Necklace at this free, hands-on familyLake to Lake Trail friendly program. Join us for a day of cycling on 3 p.m. LENSC one of our newest and nar440-871-2900 rowest trails. Start at Eastland parking lot on the Lake Summer Song Sing-Along to Lake Trail and ride to Fern Bring your whole family and Hill Picnic Area, stopping at join Naturalist Dave Miller Lake Abram and Lake Isaac. for songs about summer. Ev- Helmets are required; bring eryone is encouraged to sing your own lunch. along to these fun and edu- 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. BCR cational songs that highlight Eastland Rd. parking lot the season. Terrain: some hills, 18 miles 3 - 4 p.m. RRNC Register beginning July 1 216-206-1000 Cinema Saturday Night The Return of the CuyaValley Snake Hike hoga - This film looks at the Join Naturalist Tim Krynak death and life of a 100-mile for a hike through the Chastretch of the Cuyahoga Riv- grin Valley searching for er. Known to most people snakes and other reptiles tryin America as the “river that ing to stay cool in the hot July burned” the Cuyahoga now sun. hosts new life. 1 - 2:30 p.m. NCR 7:30 – 9 p.m. RRNC Squire’s Castle parking lot Ages: adults & teens Firefly Frenzy Terrain: some off trail Fireflies are fascinating. Join 2 miles Naturalist Valerie Fetzer on a short hike in search of glowSchool of the Wilds: worms and lightning bugs. Honeybees Bring the entire family to Cleveland Metroparks Natuwatch the show! ralist and Beekeeper Kathy 7:30 - 9 p.m. RRR Schmidt will weave the sweet Little Cedar Point Picnic story what life is like for the Area honeybee. After the indoor talk Terrain: flat, 0.5 - 1 mile we will go out and look inside one of the nature center’s hives. Brookstock 2 - 5 p.m. RRNC A Celebration of Music and Nature (see page 6 for details)
Look About Lodge Summer Concert: Hollywood Slim Band (see page 7 for details) Simplicity and Seeing in Nature (see 7/10 for details) Voyageur Canoe Paddle (see 7/23 for details)
25 • Monday Junior Lifeguarding Workshop This American Red Cross program gives young adults a jumpstart into a lifeguarding job. It provides a foundation in aquatic knowledge, leadership, attitudes and a variety of lifesaving skills. Call for prerequisites. 9 a.m. - 1 p.m HiR Ledge Pool Ages: 11 - 15 years Fee: $35 for Ledge Pool season pass holders / $55 for non-season pass holders Register by July 18 330-239-2911 Junior Explorers Frogs, turtles and snakes are the topics for this two-day exploration of the wonderful world of herps. 10 a.m. - noon RRNC Ages: 8 - 9 year Terrain: trails and stairs, 1.5 miles Register beginning June 27 440-734-6660 Full Moon Frolic The balmy nights of summer are perfect for a moonlit stroll! Join Naturalist Bethany Majeski for a hike around West Channel Pond, where we’ll search for signs of nocturnal wildlife while working towards our Walking Works shields. 8 - 9:30 p.m. RRNC Terrain: mostly flat, some stairs, 1.5 miles
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26 • Tuesday Hidden Story Hike Worden’s Ledges is a fascinating place. Join Naturalist Kelly McGinnis on an adventure through the impressive ledges and boulders to learn some hidden stories of the area. 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. HiR Worden Heritage Homestead Terrain: rocky, uneven 1.5 miles 440-526-1012 Dragons and Damsels Enjoy an evening looking for dragonflies and damselflies around Dragonfly Pond. We’ll use dip nets to find their nymphs in the water and scan the plants and sky around the pond and field to see the adults. Bring or borrow binoculars. 7 - 8:30 p.m. SCR Chagrin River Rd. sledding hill Hillcrest Concert Band “International Intrigue” is the theme of this free concert. The Hillcrest Concert Band will partner with Fairview Park Community Band and they will play selections from around the world including Europe, the Far East, South Pacific and South America. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit upon. 7:30 p.m. NCR Forest Picnic Area Junior Explorers (see 7/25 for details)
27 • Wednesday FBI (Fungus, Bacteria and Invertebrates) Camp Use your investigative powers to discover the mysterious world of FBI. Join us for a three-day exploration into the heart of some of the most important organisms on this planet! Meet Walt Sturgeon, a mushroom expert and learn
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about the wonder of worms from our resident worm expert, Nidia Arguedas. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. RRNC Ages: 8 - 10 years Fee: $36 Registration required 440-734-6660
29 • Friday
Preschool: Water Life When you visit Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation you see water. Today we are going to discover what lives in the water at our wetlands. We will be looking for water bugs as Trail Trackers: Habitats well as tadpoles and maybe Animal homes are every- even some fish. where! We’ll discover what 10 a.m. CWC every animal needs in its Age: 2 - 5 years with adult home with a hike and craft. Register beginning July 1 10 - 11 a.m. or 216-206-1000 1 - 2 p.m. NCNC Ages: 3 years - K & adult North Chagrin Terrain: level, 0.5 miles Reservation Trail Hike Register beginning July 1 Get to know the trails in 440-473-3370 North Chagrin Reservation with Naturalist Angelec 28 • Thursday Hillsman. Every Friday this month we will hike a differAround the Emerald ent trail. Today we will hike Necklace Cleveland Metroparks natu- Sanctuary Marsh, Buttermilk ralists are excited to share Falls, Wildlife Management their favorite trails around the and Hickory Fox trails. Emerald Necklace with you. 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. NCNC These hikes rotate through- Terrain: easy, 4 miles out Cleveland Metroparks. Our hope is to introduce you to a few spots that will become your favorite as well. 9:30 - 11:30 BrR Brecksville Stables Terrain: hills, 2.5 - 3 miles 440-526-1012
Family Friday Night: Hotdog Roast and Music Kick off the weekend with us! Experience nature’s wonders through a relaxing stroll. Afterwards, we will sit around the warm fire to roast hotdogs and listen to music. 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. NCR Urban Explorations: Nature Education Building Steamship Terrain: easy, 1 mile William G. Mather Doug Kusak leads an in-depth Fee: $2 adults, $1 child tour of this 1925 bulk cargo Register beginning July 1 carrier - once the flagship of 440-473-3370 the Cleveland-Cliffs Co. We’ll CanalWay Campfire go stem to stern, exploring Gather near the fire and the history and workings of share your favorite campfire this National Engineering stories and jokes. Our staff Landmark. $2 off voucher for will also have a few tales to registrants. tell as well as grilling sticks 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and marshmallows. Fee (after $2 off voucher): 8 - 9:30 p.m. CWC adults $4.95/seniors & students $3.95/children $2.95 Terrain: uneven deck plates, roughly 60 stairs (steep) Register beginning July 1 216-206-1000
Emerald Necklace, July 2011
Moths of the Moonlit Forest Explore a dark and different world once the stars emerge. Come in search of night’s winged beauties: moths. We’ll begin indoors with an introduction, then see what we can find and attract on the trail. 9 - 11 p.m. SCR Look About Lodge Terrain: some hills Cedar Valley Square Dance (see 7/1 for details)
30 • Saturday Woodlands of Bedford: Annual Tinker’s Creek Stream Walk Join Volunteer Naturalist Fred Losi on an in-stream exploration of the ‘green grand canyon’ of Bedford Reservation, the great gorge of Tinker’s Creek. We will traverse the stream, floodplain and nearby habitats of this remote area that features massive shale and sandstone cliffs, waterfalls and pools, and secluded groves of mature floodplain trees with lush ferns and wildflowers. Bring a light lunch, camera and binoculars. 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. BeR Hemlock Creek Picnic Area Terrain: flat, wet, mud 216-341-3152 Monthly Morning with the Birds Discover what birds are still nesting and those that are getting ready to migrate south on this walk through forest, field, and wetlands with Naturalist David Dvorak. 8 - 10 a.m. RRNC Terrain: level, 2 miles
Bird Banding Learn about bird banding, an essential tool for learning about our feathered friends. You can see the intricate details of the birds that we capture, band, and release at the feeders. Drop in anytime, however the program will be cancelled if raining. 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. CWC
Acoustic Players Circle Songs about home will be the theme for July. Join this well established player’s circle, in singing songs, swapping songs, chords and styles of playing. If you don’t play an instrument, don’t worry, listeners are always welcome. 1 p.m. CWC 216-206-1000
Boy Scout Merit Badge: Insect Study Join Naturalist Min Keung to complete most requirements for your merit badge. We will learn about what makes an insect an insect, start your scrapbook and go on a catch and release insect safari. 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. RRNC Register beginning July 1 440-734-6660
Pollinator Power! Come to Rocky River Nature Center for a celebration of pollinators. These highly evolved creatures (mostly insects) are responsible for most of the food we eat and the plants we love. Come to the nature center and meet a beekeeper, learn how to attract pollinators to your yard, or take a net out with a naturalist and identify some Family Creek Walk of these beloved bugs. Bring Nothing beats the heat on a all of your favorite people! hot summer day like wad- 1 - 4 p.m. RRNC ing in the creek! Your family can have fun learning about Family Adventure Hike the creatures that live in the Bring the kids for an exshallows, and stay cool. Wear ploration adventure in our your water shoes. pond and marsh searching 1 - 2:30 p.m. BrR for aquatic insects, tadpoles Plateau Picnic Area and fish! Make sure to wear Terrain: wet, slippery, clothes that can get muddy .05 mile and wet. Registration begins July 1 1:30 - 3 p.m. NCNC 440-526-1012 Ages: 8 - 14 years with adult Terrain: flat, muddy & wet S’more Extravaganza Nothing builds fond campfire memories like biting down on a crunchy, sweet and gooey s’more. Join us this summer evening for a chance to enjoy the outdoors together and sample an extravaganza of s’more recipes. 7 - 9 p.m. SCR Look About Lodge Fee: $5 per person Register by July 26 440-247-7075 or email LALreg @clevelandmetroparks.com
Campfire Meet at Rocky River’s Trailside Amphitheater for a campfire with stories and songs. Bring a family favorite song or story to share. When the fire dies down, we will gather around to roast marshmallows. 8 - 9:15 p.m. RRR Trailside Amphitheater CanalWay Cart Tours Northern Route (see 7/9 for details)
31 • Sunday Beat the Heat Dog Walk Take advantage of the morning’s cool air to walk with your dog on this naturalistguided outing. We’ll see beautiful prairie flowers and pretty woodland streams. 8 - 9:30 a.m. BNC Terrain: hilly, stairs 2.25 miles Antique Gas Engines and Clocks & Nickel Plate Railroad Show Olmsted Historical Society Everything from small gaspowered saws to large tractors will be on display at this free event. In addition, speakers will present memorabilia and a slide program on the history of the Nickel Plate Railroad. Children can paint an engine to take home and model railroads will be set up. An authority on antique clocks also will be on-hand to discuss the museum’s antique clocks as well as others. All buildings will be open and food and beverages will be available for purchase. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. RRR Frostville Museum
Cool of the Hemlock Ravine Enjoy a cool hike through the forests in North Chagrin Reservation and complete one of your Walking Works hikes. We’ll explore the ravines along the Hemlock trail. 1 - 3 p.m. NCR Buttermilk Falls parking lot Terrain: uneven, hills, 3.5 miles Look About Lodge Summer Concert: Revolution Pie (see page 7 for details) Pollinator Power! (see 7/30 for details)
Cleveland Metroparks is proud to serve the following products
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4101 Fulton Parkway Cleveland, Ohio 44144-1923 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED DATED MATERIAL DO NOT DELAY
printed on recycled paper 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
Cleveland Metroparks Directory Golf
Outdoor Education Facilities
Golf Services – for general course info and inquires 440-232-7247
Brecksville Nature Center Rt. 82 entrance Brecksville Reservation Brecksville 440-526-1012
Golf Tee Reservations (24 hours) and directions, hours, fees etc. 216-635-3673 clevelandmetroparks.com
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
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo & The RainForest
Shawnee Hills Golf Course 18753 Egbert Road Bedford Reservation Bedford 440-232-7184 Food Service/Catering: Double Bogey Grill 440-786-7587
Office of the Zoo Director 216-635-3330
Sleepy Hollow Golf Course 9445 Brecksville Road Brecksville Reservation Brecksville 440-526-4285 Food Service/Catering: Theo’s of Sleepy Hollow 440-546-1555
Parkway Alert Line (PAL) 440-331-5963
216-661-6500/24-hour information. TTY 216-661-1090 3900 Wildlife Way Cleveland, OH 44109 clemetzoo.com
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
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
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
Historical Interpretation 440-786-8530
Winter Recreation
Voyageur Canoe Paddle Wallace/Hinckley Lakes 440-786-8530
Chalet/Tobogganing Mill Stream Run Reservation Strongsville 440-572-9990
West Creek Reservation 216-341-9225
216-635-3200
CanalWay Center E. 49th Street entrance Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation Cuyahoga Heights 216-206-1000
Youth Outdoors 216-206-1010
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 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)