Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District

Spring 2019 www.johnnyappleseedparks.com

A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF NATURAL AREAS AND PRESERVES IN ALLEN COUNTY

Inside this issue:

Cooperative Park Improvement Grant Program 2

Campground To Open 2

Nature Photography Winners Announced 3

Junior Naturalist Club 4

Nature Photography Club 4

Nature: 101 4

Memorial Donations 4

Spring Programs 5/6/7

Scouting Programs 8

Park Locations & Map 8

Metro Park Adventures Summer 2019 9

Save the Wildflowers 9

Bird Banding Help Needed 9

Take Time To Smell The 10 Flowers

Job Opportunities 11

Activity Page 12

Director

Kevin L. Haver

Board of Commissioners

Robert K. Antibus

Kevin P. Bruin

Donna M. Creamer

2355 Ada Road

Lima, OH 45801

Phone: 419-221-1232

E-mail: jampd@jampd.com

As many of you know, the Park Dis-

trict Foundation of Allen County was

established to benefit the citizens of

Allen County through projects and pro-

grams in the Johnny Appleseed Metro-

politan Park District. Many of the ma-

jor capital projects that you see being

accomplished in your parks are the

results of generous donors supporting

improvements and programs through

non-tax monies. Without the Founda-

tion, most of the projects simply

wouldn’t happen.

In 2018, individual donors shared

their resources to sponsor the Nature

Photography Contest, Ottawa Metro

Park (Ahl) Amphitheater programs and

concert series, and the Lauer Histori-

cal Farm Open House entertainment

in August. Projects through the Foun-

dation included the Apple Festival en-

tertainment, tent rentals and supplies.

Over 7,000 people enjoyed the Apple

Festival! In addition, the Allen County

Farm Park bicentennial mural was

paid for through the Foundation as

well as ongoing support for the Veter-

ans Freedom Flag monument. Among

the larger donations and more notice-

able projects was the introduction and

use of the “B.E.E.T.L.E.” van, a mobile

nature center that is used at venues

all across Allen County. Keep an eye

out for the “B.E.E.T.L.E.” this year; it’s

been exceptionally well received and

will continue to be used extensively

for years to come.

While the listed projects and pro-

grams are the most noticed, citizens

of Allen County and beyond continue

to share their resources in big and

small ways…ALL of which are im-

portant and very much appreciated.

The Park District Foundation of Allen

County is a non-profit corporation and

(Continued on page 2)

PARK DISTRICT FOUNDATION OF ALLEN COUNTY

The “B.E.E.T.L.E.” Mobile Nature Center

Ottawa Metro Park Amphitheater Program

2

COOPERATIVE PARK IMPROVEMENT GRANT

PROGRAM CONTINUES TO IMPACT

The Cooperative Park Improve-

ment Grant Program (CPIGP) contin-

ues to make an impact on village

and city parks in Allen County. The

CPIGP was started in 1994 and to

date has supplied over $1.5 million

dollars to help build playgrounds,

restrooms, shelters, baseball dia-

monds and more. Electrical, drain-

age, water and other infrastructure

updates are included as well. A total

of $100,000/year revenue sharing is

provided by the Johnny Appleseed

Metropolitan Park District to 12 polit-

ical subdivisions including cities,

villages and townships. Several of

the subdivisions have leveraged ad-

ditional “outside” monies by using

our grants as local matches for

state/federal grants.

Projects are selected by a “review

team” for recommendation to the

Board of Park Commissioners. The

review team consists of one repre-

sentative from each eligible subdivi-

sion who is appointed by the legisla-

tive body of that subdivision. The

review team priorities for awarding of

grant monies are as follows:

1) Health and Safety Issues; 2) Major

Repairs to Upgrade Existing Facili-

ties; 3) New Outdoor Recreation

Needs; 4) Special Opportunities

(Grants, Emergencies, Joint Efforts,

Etc.).

On December 12, 2018 the re-

view team met to make recommen-

dations for the 2019 CPIGP. The

following is the summary of the

awarded grants for 2019.

Auglaize Township Park District -

$9,800

Westminster Park - Swing set/

Playground surfacing

Village of Bluffton - $ 8,000

Buckeye Park - Playground

Equipment & Playground surfacing

Village of Cairo - $14,000

Cairo Park - Playground

Equipment & Playground surfacing

City of Delphos - $ 2,625

Leisure Park - Replace Roof on

Shelter/Restroom

Village of Harrod - $10,000

Community Center Park -

Playground Equipment

Jackson Township Park District -

$13,500

Jackson Township Park - Concrete

Park & Walkways

City of Lima - $25,000

Faurot Park - Playground Equipment

Village of Spencerville - $ 4,000

Village Park - Replace existing

swing set

Spencer Township Park District

$ 6,500

Swing Set & safety surfacing

Sugar Creek Township - $7,500

Dad’s Club Park —two serving

stations & Air Conditioning

SUMMARY OF 2019 AWARDED GRANTS

(continued from page 1)

a 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) organization.

If you’d like more information, please

take a look at our website:

www.johnnyappleseedparks.com or

give us a call for a private meeting at

your convenience. There are many

ways to become involved now and/or

in the future.

We deeply appreciate and respect

the trust that the people of Allen

County have placed in us and we’ll

continue to work hard to honor and

earn your trust. As always, your com-

ments are welcome. Thank you for

your support!

Kevin L. Haver

Director

PARK DISTRICT

FOUNDATION OF

ALLEN COUNTY

City of Lima - Robb Park Playground

CAMPGROUND TO OPEN

FOR SEASON

Ottawa Metro Park Campground,

located at 2632 Ada Road, will open

for its 20th season on Friday, April

12 and remain open through Sun-

day, October 13, 2019.

The campground has 30 family

campsites with 3 handicap accessi-

ble sites on a first-come, first served

basis.

Call the Park District office at

419-221-1232 for more information.

Ottawa Metro Park Campground

3

NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

We are pleased to announce the

winners of our annual Nature Pho-

tography contest. The contest was

judged by professional photographer

Christopher Collins, photo editor for

Ohio Ornithological Society and for-

mer photography instructor.

Thank you to all of our partici-

pants and congratulations to all the

winners. All of the winning photos

can be viewed on our website

johnnyappleseedparks.com

A special thank you to Alloway

Environmental Testing Services for

their continued sponsorship. Also,

thank you to Art Space Lima and the

Lima/Allen County Civic and Conven-

tion Center for displaying the winning

photos.

Best of Show - Jamie Cunningham

Youth Landscape

1st place - Dylan Hohenbrink

2nd place - Samantha Peachey

3rd place - Emalee Cunningham

Youth Nature - Flora

1st place - Emalee Cunningham

2nd place - Samantha Peachey

3rd place - Dylan Hohenbrink

Youth Nature - Fauna

1st place - Dylan Hohenbrink

2nd place - Samantha Peachey

3rd place - Dylan Hohenbrink

Youth Parks Potpourri

1st place - Samantha Peachey

2nd place - Dylan Hohenbrink

3rd place - Dylan Hohenbrink

Adult Landscape

1st place - Tammy Smith

2nd place - Sandra Litton

3rd place - Sharon King

Adult Nature - Flora

1st place - Jamie Cunningham

2nd place - Tom Ramsey

3rd place - Megan Kennedy

Adult Nature - Fauna

1st place - Awilda Ortiz-Pastor

2nd place - Jamie Cunningham

3rd place - Mandy Roberts

Adults Parks Potpourri

1st place - Amanda Piper

2nd place - Danielle Hodges

3rd place - Amanda Piper

Best of Show

Jamie Cunningham

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4

Open to anyone age 12-18

who has an interest in nature or

animal related careers, or just

wants to spend time learning

about nature. When we have 10

club members signed up, we’ll

begin meeting on the second

Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m.

at the McElroy Environmental Ed-

ucation Center (MEEC) 2355 Ada

Road, Lima, OH. The meeting

topics will focus on natural histo-

ry and include animal handling

and care, conservation, native

gardening and environmental

awareness. We will regularly go

out into the field to observe,

study and experience nature first

hand. We will also have guest

speakers and the occasional field

trip. For questions or to apply,

please call the Naturalist office

(419-223-1025) or email Jessie

(jelsass@jampd.com) for an appli-

cation form.

JUNIOR NATURALIST CLUB

Combine your love of nature

and the art of photography – with

a little help from your friends!

The Nature Photography Club is

for ages 12 and up and is open

for any skill/equipment level. It is

free to join, with nominal fees for

some activities. The club will offer

workshops, classroom sessions,

field trips, photo contests and

more. Meetings will be held the

third Monday of every

month. Join us for an

informative meeting March 18th

at 7:00 at McElroy Environmental

Educational Center (MEEC) 2355

Ada Road, Lima, OH. Please reg-

ister by March 14 at 419-221-

1232.

Mon., March 18 - 7 p.m.

Mon., April 15 -7 p.m.

Mon., May 20 -7 p.m.

Allen County, although primari-

ly agricultural in its land use, is

full of life! Both flora and fauna

abound if you know where to look

and what to look for. Join a Natu-

ralist the 2nd Thursday of each

month this season as we explore

some of the natural world’s most

fascinating topics. We try to ex-

amine all facets of these topics in

depth so, while all are welcome,

moderate maturity is encouraged.

These indoor presentations are

paired with hands on adventures

to explore and apply what we

have learned.

Thurs., March 14 - 6 p.m.

Thurs., April 11 - 6 p.m.

Thurs., May 9 - 6 p.m.

McElroy Environmental Education

Center - 2355 Ada Road, Lima,

OH 45801

NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB

NATURE: 101

Donations

In memory of

Thomas Arheit

Larry Cloyd Converse

Larry A. Curl, Sr.

Chuck Dell

Geraldine Dobner

Wilson Dodds

Dick Evans

James P. Fisher

Marjorie E. Hake

Jean Henze

Richard E. Hover, Sr.

Lillian Lee Kazee

Carmen Kollars

Steve Lindsay

Kathryn “Kitty” Lusk

Wesley McGinnis

Alfred “Bud” Northup Jr.

Bonita Glee “Bonnie” Place

Nancy Steiner

Constance Strayer

Patricia Varga

Melvin Wilkins

In honor of

Richard & Mary Campbell

Volunteers of the Johnny Appleseed

Metropolitan Park District

Julie Nunley & Rick Jordan

Willetta & Don Knepper

Carol Wright

5

***To register for programs, please call 419-221-1232

unless otherwise noted

PARKS LEGEND

ACF Allen County Farm Park

AR Agerter Road River Access

DC Deep Cut

FA Fort Amanda Park

HP Heritage Park

HWMP Hermon Woodlands Metro Park

KW Kendrick Woods

LBS Lippincott Bird Sanctuary

MEEC McElroy Environmental

Education Center

MTB McLean Teddy Bear Park

OMP Ottawa Metro Park

OMP/AMP Ottawa Metro Park Amphitheater

OMP/CG Ottawa Metro Park Campground

LIMA AREA WOODCARVERS

Mon., March 4 - 7 p.m. – MEEC

Join Mick McCune of the Lima Area

Woodcarvers this month to work on

memorial Christmas tree ornaments.

Beginners are always welcome. Con-

tact Dave Betts at 419-204-1571 for

more information.

TEETH, JAWS & CLAWS -

THE CARNIVOROUS DINOSAURS

Tues., March 5 - 7:30 p.m. -

OSU Visitors Center

Dale Gnidovec, collections manager

and curator at the Orton Geological

Museum at The Ohio State Universi-

ty, will present on the tremendous

diversity of theropods, or carnivorous

dinosaurs that walk on two legs. Dale

will also discuss why scientists be-

lieve birds are living dinosaurs.

*Co-sponsored with the

Tri-moraine Audubon Society

NATURE PALS: WONDERFUL WACKY

WEATHER

Thurs., March 7 - 10 a.m. or

1 p.m. - MEEC

Children, ages 3-5, and their adult

companion are invited to join us as

we learn about clouds, wind and

rain. Stories, a craft and a short

hike, weather permitting, are all part

of the fun. Dress to be outdoors.

Registration required by March 5.

NATURE 101: SALAMANDERS

Thur., March 14 – 6 p.m. – MEEC

*See Nature 101 Article

Salamanders are incredibly underap-

preciated members of our local eco-

systems. These important amphibi-

ans play major roles in the environ-

ment, including telling us how it is

doing. An indoor presentation will be

followed by a short hike. Be prepared

for weather and ground conditions.

*This program is paired with an out-

door exploration on Mar. 20* Regis-

ter by March 12.

SUNRISE HIKE

Sat., March 16 – 7:30 a.m. – MMP

Enjoy the last few official days of win-

ter and the start of Daylight Savings

Time with a sunrise hike in beautiful

Motter Metro Park. Bring a camera if

the weather is nice! Be prepared for

the weather and (likely wet) ground

conditions. Register by March 15.

KIDS NATURE JEOPARDY

Mon., March 18 – 6 p.m. – MEEC

Kids, come test your Nature

Knowledge in a fun, interactive trivia

game inspired by Jeopardy. Ques-

tions will be based on fun and inter-

esting facts about our world and all

that live in it. This program is geared

toward elementary and middle

school ages but older and younger

kids are welcome as well. Partici-

pants may work in pairs if they

choose. Prizes will be awarded to the

top scorers. Please register by March

14.

GLORY BOUND QUILT WORKSHOP

Tues., March 19, April 2 &

April 16 -5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. -

MEEC

Get your scrap material out and

learn how to make this beautiful

scrap quilt that is 64”x64”. You will

make two different sizes of squares

and half square triangles. Class size

is limited. Class fee is $35 per per-

son plus materials. Call 419-221-

1232 for more information.

SPRING BEGINS!

Wed., March 20 - 7 p.m. – KW

Finally! Spring officially begins at

5:58 p.m. today, so start the new

season the right way – with a walk in

nature! Join a naturalist for a sunset

hike in Kendrick Wood’s, followed by

a meander to the edge of the wet-

lands to look for salamanders and

listen for frogs. Dress for the weather

and ground conditions. No registra-

tion required.

FULL MOON HIKE

Fri., March 22 – 8 p.m. - HP

Let’s see what nighttime spring activ-

ity is going on in our park. Come join

a naturalist on a nighttime stroll in

the moonlight. Please dress for the

weather. No registration required.

6

KILLDEER PLAINS FIELD TRIP

Sat., March 23 - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Meet at Eastgate Parking Lot

Join a naturalist to explore some of

the 8,000+ acres of wetlands, prai-

ries and woodlots at Killdeer Plains

as we look for waterfowl and more!

Experienced and beginning birders

are welcome. Partnering with the

Tri-moraine Audubon Society, we

will mostly be driving between

points of interest with limited walk-

ing. Prepare for the weather and

pack lunch/snacks/beverages. A

limited number of binoculars and

field guides will be provided. A car-

pool, including the park van, will

depart at 10 a.m. from Lima’s East-

gate Mall parking lot behind Wen-

dy's on SR 309. We will meet at the

Killdeer Upground Reservoir at 11

a.m. The park van will plan to be

back at 4 p.m. Register by March

22 for a seat in the van.

WOODCOCK WATCH

Tues., March 26 – 7:30 p.m. – MTB

Take a break this week with a twi-

light walk as we look and listen for

the American Woodcock. After a

short presentation we will hike to

see the male timberdoodle perform

his unique sky dance to show off for

the ladies as part of their courtship

rituals. Be prepared for a hike in the

(wet) woods. No registration re-

quired.

HOUND HIKE

Sat., March 30 – 2 p.m. to

4 p.m. - HWMP

It’s national “Take a walk in a park

day!” So bring your four-legged

friend to enjoy a stroll through the

park. Dogs must be leashed, up to

date on shots and friendly to other

dogs. Arrive anytime between 2-4

pm, check in at the B.E.E.T.L.E. for a

trail map and a prize from That

Place For Pets. Then walk the trails

at your own pace. As always, clean

up after your dog.

LIMA AREA WOODCARVERS

Mon., April 1 – 7 p.m. – MEEC

Join Cindy Croy to learn about and

practice chip carving. Beginners are

always welcome. Contact Dave

Betts at 419-204-1571 for more

information.

FAMILY FUN NIGHT

Tues., April 2 - 6:30 p.m. –

OSU Visitors Center

Join the Tri-moraine Audubon Socie-

ty and Johnny Appleseed Metro

Park District for a variety of nature

related games and activities for chil-

dren ages 1 to 101. No registration

is required!

NATURE PALS: TERRIFIC TURTLES

Thurs., April 4 - 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. -

MEEC

Children, ages 3-5, and their adult

companion are invited to meet the

park district’s resident live turtles.

Weather permitting, we will also

hike through the woods. Please

dress appropriately. Register by

April 2.

NEW MOON HIKE

Fri., April 5 – 8 p.m. – HP

Let’s see what nighttime spring ac-

tivity is going on in our park. Come

join a naturalist on a nighttime

stroll. Register by April 4.

ADULT NATURE JEOPARDY

Mon., April 8 – 6 p.m. – MEEC

Adults, come test your Nature

Knowledge in a fun, interactive triv-

ia game inspired by Jeopardy. Ques-

tions will be based on fun and inter-

esting facts about our world and all

that live in it. Prizes will be awarded

to the top scorers. Register by

April 5.

NATURE 101: WILDFLOWERS

Thur., April 11 - 6 p.m. – MEEC

As I wandered the forest,

The green leaves among,

I heard a Wild Flower

Singing a song. - William Blake

Join a naturalist to explore the song

of spring wildflowers, their natural

history, biology, identification, and

lore. An indoor presentation will be

followed by a short hike. See Nature

101 article on page 4. *This pro-

gram is paired with an outdoor ex-

ploration on April 29* Register by

April 9.

KAYAK ADVENTURES

Sun., April 14 - 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. -

FTA

Bring your kayak and join a Natural-

ist as we enjoy the beauty of spring

on the beautiful Auglaize River.

Birds, trees, fish—nothing is off lim-

its as we explore the natural history

of this hidden gem. This program is

dependent on the weather & water

level and is for boaters with some

experience and the proper equip-

ment (registered kayak, life jacket,

paddle). Register by April 12.

GOOD FRIDAY HIKE

Fri., Apr. 19 – 2 p.m. – KW

Any day is a good day for a hike but

let’s celebrate today with apprecia-

tion and awe of the world around

us. No registration required.

SPRING BIRD WALK

Sat., Apr. 20 – 9 a.m. – LBS

We'll venture into the trails of Lip-

pincott Bird Sanctuary through

woodland, prairie, and wetland to

see what feathered friends are out

and about. A limited number of bin-

oculars will be provided and bird-

watchers of all skill levels are wel-

come. Be prepared for the weather

and (often wet) ground conditions.

Register by April 19.

7

AREA HORSES & HARNESS

19TH ANNUAL SPRING

PLOW DAY

Sat., April 27 - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. -

ACF (Rain date - May 4)

Horses and antique tractors will be

preparing the ground for spring

planting, for more information call

419-302-2707.

WILDFLOWER WALKABOUT

Mon., April 29 – 6:30 p.m. – KW

Don’t miss the fleeting beauty of the

wildflowers that blanket the forest

floor in the spring. Join a naturalist

on an easy hike to explore one of

this county’s most treasured wild-

flower hotspots and State Nature

Preserve, Kendrick Woods. Be pre-

pared for the weather and ground

conditions. No registration required.

NATURE PALS: SPRING

SCAVENGER HUNT

Thurs., May 2 - 10 a.m. or 1 p.m -

MEEC

Join us as we celebrate the season

of spring. Children ages 3-5 and

their adult companion are invited to

participate in a spring scavenger

hunt. Dress appropriately to be out-

doors. Register by April 30.

GLOBAL BIG DAY

Sat., May 4 – 8 a.m. – KW

How many birds can we see today?

Join more than 20,000 birders

across the world as we see how

many birds can be recorded in a 24

hour period. While we will only

spend an hour or two at the park,

you are free to continue birding all

day long! A limited number of binoc-

ulars will be provided and bird-

watchers of all skill levels are wel-

come. Be prepared for the weather

and ground conditions. Register by

May 3.

LIMA AREA WOODCARVERS

Mon., May 6 – 7 p.m. – MEEC

Join the Lima Area Woodcarvers this

month to help with the club chip

carving project. Beginners are al-

ways welcome. Contact Dave Betts

at 419-204-1571 for more infor-

mation.

WARBLERS

Tues., May 7 - 7:30 p.m. -

OSU Visitors Center

A small but challenging group of

song birds, warblers are often dis-

missed (or unknown!) because they

can be difficult to see for the casual

observer. Dan Hodges, Naturalist

for Johnny Appleseed Metro Park

District, will help walk you through

the natural history of some of these

flying gems; their beauty, songs,

habits & more! *Co-sponsored with

the Tri-moraine Audubon Society.

NATURE 101: ODONATA

Thurs., May 9 - 6 p.m. – MEEC

Dragonflies and Damselflies make

up the insect order Odonata and

they are the invertebrate rulers,

above and below the water. Join a

naturalist to learn about these in-

credible insects, Their natural histo-

ry, biology, identification, lore. And

how you can participate in a state

wide survey! An indoor presentation

will be followed by a short hike.

*This program is paired with an out-

door exploration on May 25* Regis-

ter by May 7.

BIG BIRDING DAY!

Mon., May 13 - 6:30 a.m. -

2:30 p.m. – Eastgate Parking Lot

Join a naturalist for a visit to one of

the hottest birding spots in the

world, Magee Marsh! Partnering

with the Tri-moraine Audubon Socie-

ty, we will spend the morning on the

boardwalk and after lunch visit the

nature center before returning. A

carpool, including the park van, will

depart (rain or shine) at 6:30 a.m.

from Lima’s Eastgate Mall parking

lot behind Wendy’s on SR 309. We

should arrive at Magee close to

8:15 a.m. Some may stay longer,

but the park van will plan to be back

at 3:00 p.m. Prepare for the weath-

er and pack lunch/snacks/

beverage. A limited number of bin-

oculars and field guides will be pro-

vided and bird-watchers of all skill

levels are welcome! Register by May

10 for a seat in the van.

BEGINNING ARCHERY

Wed., May 15 - 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. -

KW (Evans Archery Range - 1376 N.

St. Marys Road)

Participants age 9 through adult

can go to the Evans Archery Range

anytime between 6 pm & 8 pm.

Certified archery staff will be on

hand to assist beginning archers on

the fundamentals of archery.

Mathews Genesis bows and all oth-

er supplies will be provided by the

Park District. Archery supplies are

co-sponsored by ODNR Division of

Wildlife in cooperation with the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife serve and the Wild-

life Restoration Program. Partici-

pants in the program must use

bows provided. Please call the of-

fice at 419-221-1232 by May 13 to

let us know you are coming.

CROUCHING DAMSEL, HIDDEN

DRAGONFLY

Sat., May 25 – 2 p.m. – OMP

Flying jewels and tigers of the sky,

these aerial masters are inverte-

brate kings. We’ll visit the lake,

pond, prairie and river at Ottawa

Metro Park to catch and observe as

many of these awesome insects as

we can! Some nets will be provided.

Be prepared to hike in the weather

and to get your feet wet/muddy in

the stream. Register by May 24.

8

The Johnny Appleseed Park Dis-

trict is happy to help you and your

scouts complete requirements for

badges, achievements and electives.

Below is a list of what programs we

offer. Please contact the naturalists

at 419-223-1025 to schedule a pro-

gram.

Cub Scouts & Webelos

Tiger Adventure: Backyard Jungle

/Tigers in the Wild

Wolf Adventure: Paws on the Path

Bear Adventure: Fur, Feathers, and

Ferns

Bear Elective Adventure: A Bear

Goes Fishing

Webelos/Arrow of Light Elective Ad-

venture: Into the Wild / Into the

Woods / Earth Rocks/Walkabout

Boy Scouts

The JAMPD naturalists are

merit badge counselors in:

Bird Study, Mammal Study, Insect

Study, Reptile & Amphibian Study,

Nature, Hiking, Environmental Sci-

ence, Fish and Wildlife Management,

Sustainability

Girl Scouts

Daisies: Rose Petal, Clover

Petal

Brownies: Bugs, Senses, Hiker

Juniors: Flowers, Animal Habitats

Cadettes: Trees, Night Owl,

Trailblazing

SCOUTING PROGRAMS

ANSWER KEY FROM PAGE 12 (Can You Identify These Spring Wildflowers?)

1. F.; 2. G..; 3. D.; 4. A.; 5. C.; 6. H.; 7. B.; 8. E.

The Johnny Appleseed Metropoli-

tan Park District may offer “pop-

up” programs when opportune

conditions align for special

seasonal events or to reschedule a

cancelled program. Please follow

our Facebook page to receive any

opportunities that might arise.

Example of pop-ups include Sala-

mander Run, Sunset/Sunrise Hike

or Stargazing.

ALLEN COUNTY FARM PARK

1582 Slabtown Road

AGERTER ROAD RIVER ACCESS

16410 Agerter Road

DEEP CUT HISTORICAL PARK

22900 St. Rt. 66

FT. AMANDA STATE MEMORIAL

22800 St. Rt. 198

HERITAGE PARK

2092 Reed Road (West Entrance)

1772 Reed Road (East Entrance)

HERMON WOODLANDS

485 N. Wapak Road

KENDRICK WOODS

971 N. Defiance Trail

EVANS ARCHERY RANGE

1376 N. St. Marys Road

LAUER HISTORICAL FARM

800 Roush Road

LIPPINCOTT BIRD SANCTUARY

3093 Bellefontaine Road

McLEAN TEDDY BEAR PARK

2004 N. Dixie Hwy.

MOTTER METRO PARK

10740 Columbus Grove-Bluffton

Rd. Bluffton

OTTAWA METRO PARK

2632 Ada Road

PARK OFFICE/McELROY CENTER

2355 Ada Road

ROTARY RIVERWALK/ OTTAWA RIVER

BIKEWAY

From Heritage Park to Ottawa Metro Park

VETERANS FREEDOM FLAG MONUMENT

1191 Buckeye Road

Park Office Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

2355 Ada Road, Lima, Ohio 45801

Phone 419-221-1232

Emergency Assistance at Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan

Park District Properties call 911.

Your METRO PARKS!

9

Mark your calendars now for our summer youth program series in the

Metro Parks. More details will be available soon. Please contact the Park

District office at 419-221-1232. Registration begins May 1.

METROPARK TRAILBLAZERS (ages 5-6)

Three Cheers for Trees

June 18, 19 & 20 - 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. - McLean Teddy Bear Park

Every Day is Earth Day

July 9, 10 & 11 - 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. - McLean Teddy Bear Park

METROPARK DISCOVERERS (ages 7-9)

Science Camp: Naturally

June 25, 26 & 27 - 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. - McLean Teddy Bear Park

Animal Adaptations

July 23, 24 & 25 - 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. - McLean Teddy Bear Park

METROPARK EXPLORERS (ages 10-14)

Dashing Dragons, Daring Damsels

June 11, 12 & 13 - 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. - McLean Teddy Bear Park

Archery Day Camp

June 18 & 19 - 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. - Allen County Farm Park

Powerful Pollinators

July 16, 17 & 18 - 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. - McLean Teddy Bear Park

Land Stewardship Day Camp

August 6 & 7 - 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. - Ottawa Metro Park &

Hermon Woodlands

Help us save our spring ephemer-

als from garlic mustard, an invasive

weed from Europe. We will be pulling

at Kendrick Woods, Hermon Wood-

lands, McLean Teddy Bear Park, Lip-

pincott Bird Sanctuary, and Heritage

Park. Pulling will take place every

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday

mornings from April 15th through

May from 9 am to 12 pm. If you

would like to help, please contact

Anne Smedley at

asmedley@jampd.com or Austin Roby

at aroby@jampd.com or call 419-

221-1232. If you have any sturdy

woven plastic bags to put the pulled

mustard in, please bring them along

or donate at the Park Office.

SAVE THE WILDFLOWERS

Licensed Bird Bander, Anne

Smedley, is looking for help with the

Monitoring Avian Productivity and

Survivorship program. There will be

8 bird banding sessions at Lippincott

Bird Sanctuary between May 21st

and August 8th. Each session begins

at approximately 6 a.m. and lasts for

7 to 8 hours. No experience is nec-

essary but bird ID skills are helpful.

Volunteers will help with setting up

equipment, handling birds and writ-

ing down data. Two or three volun-

teers are needed each day You do

not need to commit to all 8 sessions.

Please contact Anne Smedley at

asmedley@jampd.com.

BIRD BANDING HELP

NEEDED

METRO PARK ADVENTURES

SUMMER 2019

10

According to the color wheel, I must have a red

thumb. Whatever is opposite of a green thumb when

gardening, I have that. Maybe it would be better to say

that I have a black death-to-most-plants thumb. Al-

though I have a few random houseplants, I find most

indoor and outdoor plants to be extremely needy. Oh,

I’m so thirsty – water me! Oh, I’m feeling so weak – fer-

tilize me! Oh, the sun is too bright – move me! Ack, they

are just like my kids. Why would I want to deal with

needy plants when I already have needy kids??? Okay,

so, I’m not much of a gardener. I would love to say that I

have a beautifully landscaped yard (with native species,

of course) and a large garden brimming with vegetables .

. . that I use fresh each evening for our made-from-

scratch dinners . . . alfresco on our beautiful outdoor pa-

tio . . . on the herringbone patterned bricks I laid out by

hand . . . but, alas, that’s only in my fantasy world. I can,

however, appreciate a beautiful garden when I see it. I

truly know that a garden - whether vegetable, flower, or

shrub - requires a lot of energy, time and patience.

I recently read about an idea for a garden that is ex-

tremely creative and just plain awesome. I know that I

will never attempt to plant a garden like this, but maybe

one of you will. (Be sure to let me know if you do!) The

idea for this garden was actually developed in the eight-

eenth century in Sweden by Carl von Linné, otherwise

known as Carolus Linnaeus. Yes, the same Linnaeus

who developed the binomial nomenclature system used

to classify all living organisms. (Remember “Kingdom,

Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species” from high

school biology class?) In 1751, Linnaeus published

Philosophia Botanica in which he proposed – unfortu-

nately, in theory, only – what he termed a horologium

forae, translated as “Watch of Flora” or simply “Floral

Clock”.

Linnaeus’ Floral Clock finds its basis in chronobiology,

the natural biological rhythms found in all organisms. All

animals, plants, fungi and cyanobacteria have an inter-

nal, 24-hour circadian clock which dictates when biologi-

cal processes, such as hormone production, sleep, and

muscle strength, ebb and flow. In his scientific studies

over many years, Linnaeus noticed that plants opened

and closed their flowers at consistent times during the

day, these times varying from species to species. In the-

ory, one could tell the approximate time of day based on

the flowering behavior of different plants. The different

species of flowers could potentially be arranged in se-

quence as on the face of a clock. In Philosophia Botani-

ca, Linnaeus included a diagram of his proposed horolo-

gium florae. Imagine a circle divided into 12 pie-shaped

segments each planted with a different type of flower.

The species would be arranged such that the flowers

opened or closed in sequence clockwise around the cir-

cle throughout the day. How cool is that?!

Linnaeus’ Horologium Florae

The first true attempts to plant a Floral Clock using

Linnaeus’ suggested species occurred in a few English

Victorian gardens in the nineteenth century. The effort

was not met with complete success. Unfortunately, flow-

ering times are dictated by weather and seasons, as well

as variations in latitude. Also, plants that thrive in Swe-

den do not necessarily grow well in other areas due to

differences in soil and habitat. We would encounter the

same problems here in Allen County. So, for any garden-

ers out there, I challenge you to develop a plan for a Flo-

ral Clock that could thrive in our hometown. Please

share your idea with me so I can at least enjoy the

thought of a beautiful garden . . . because you know that

it would never flourish at my house!

Beth Theisen

Naturalist

TAKE TIME TO SMELL THE FLOWERS

11

JOB OPPORTUNITES

The Park District is seeking quali-

fied applicants to fill openings in

the following positions:

1) FULL-TIME ENVIRONMENTAL

EDUCATOR SUPERVISOR

Qualifications

Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in natural resources, conserva-tion, education, or a related field.

Ability to build and maintain ef-

fective working relationships with

Park District employees, volun-

teers, administration, and the

public.

Excellent organization, communi-

cation (written and verbal) skills.

Ability to effectively plan pro-

grams/events assuring the nec-

essary personnel, volunteers,

equipment, supplies, and sites

are met.

Five years prior experience

(preferred) supervising full-time

interpretive staff and successful

creation of environmental and

cultural programs.

Application Deadline: Friday, March

15, 2019. Submit cover letter, re-

sume & application in person, by

mail or email to Tyler Black,

tblack@jampd.com

2) SEASONAL NATURALIST

Qualifications

Earned or working towards a Biol-ogy, Environmental Science or Education degree preferred.

Knowledge of basic ecology and general plant and animal ID preferred.

Experience in environmental edu-cation preferred.

Excellent public relation, organi-zation and communication skills.

Valid Ohio driver’s license in com-bination with a clean driving rec-ord.

Ability to work flexible hours—some evenings & weekends.

Application Deadline: Friday, March

1, 2019. Submit cover letter, resume

& application in person, by mail or

email to Jessie Elsass,

jelsass@jampd.com

3) SEASONAL PART-TIME RANGER

Qualifications

High School diploma with an in-

terest in Natural Resources Law

Enforcement.

Interested in the mission of the

Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan

Park District, and willingness to

convey support for that mission

to the public.

Thorough understanding of the

criminal justice system, Park Dis-

trict Rules and Regulations,

Chapter 1545 of the Ohio Re-

vised Code (ORC), local and state

laws (criminal and wildlife).

Must maintain the highest ethical

standards of professional and

personal conduct, and present a

professional law enforcement

appearance.

Must demonstrate trust, open-

ness, reliability, integrity, and

credibility.

Employee must be 21 years of

age with a clean felony record.

One year of law enforcement ex-

perience (preferred).

Ohio Peace Officer Certification.

A valid Ohio Driver’s License in

combination with a good driving

record.

Current certification in First Aid

and CPR.

Application Deadline: Until filled

Submit cover letter, resume & appli-

cation in person, by mail or email to

waltenbach@jampd.com (attention

Chief Ranger)

4) SEASONAL MAINTENANCE

TECHNICIANS

Qualifications

Knowledge of grounds mainte-

nance equipment.

Good work ethic, self motivated

and arrives at work on time.

Working toward a high school

diploma AND/OR a college de-

gree in natural resources related

field OR can possess equivalent

life experience.

Application Deadline: Friday, March

8, 2019. Submit application in per-

son, by mail or email to Vince Sarno,

vsarno@jampd.com

5) SEASONAL LIFEGUARDS

Qualifications

Lifeguard certification by the Red

Cross, BSA or Ellis & Associates.

CPR for the Professional Rescuer

and first aid.

Application Deadline: Until filled

Submit application in person, by mail

or email to Vince Sarno,

vsarno@jampd.com

A complete list of qualifications,

job descriptions and applications

can be found at:

johnnyappleseedparks.com or by

calling the Park District office at

419-221-1232.

12

Administrative Office

2355 Ada Road

Lima, OH 45801

Phone: 419-221-1232

Fax: 419-225-5593

E-mail: jampd@jampd.com

Website: www.johnnyappleseedparks.com

To be placed on The Cider Press mailing list,

please call the Park District Office.

Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District

PRSRT STD

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

LIMA OH

PERMIT # 27

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

1. 2. 3.

4. 5.

6. 7. 8.

A. Bloodroot

B. Jack in the pulpit

C. Mayapple

D. Dutchman’s

breeches

E. Spring beauty

F. Trout lily

G. Large flowering

trillium

H. Yellow violet

ANSWER KEY

LOCATED ON PAGE 8