Vol. 57 No.
WINTER 2O6
GREEN ISLANDS S U M M I T M E T RO PA R KS
Q U A RT E R LY M A G A Z I N E
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Prairies in Winter
Important habitat has hidden winter activity
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SPOTD Turtle Project A collaborative reintroduction project
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Great horned Owls ‘Whoo’ is this winged predator of the night?
Your Metro Parks are funded by a small Summit County real-estate tax. This magazine is an example of your public dollars at work.
Our parks are like green islands in an urban landscape. IN THIS ISSUE Prairies in Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 In Your Back Yard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 SPOTD Turtle Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Great Horned Owls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 Trail Icons Get a Facelift . . . . . . . . . . . . Winter Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS Herb Newman Chair Joel D. Bailey Tonya Block Mark A. Spisak Jane Bond Lisa M. King Executive Director EDITORS Nathan Eppink Chief of Marketing & Communications Lindsay Smith Marketing Coordinator
BOARD of PARK
commissioners
The park district’s governing body is appointed by the Summit County Probate Judge. Commissioners serve overlapping three-year terms and are assisted by the executive director, who oversees the work of full-time and part-time employees, seasonal workers and volunteers. For more information, please call the administrative offices at 330-867-55.
ART DIRECTOR Karl Simonson Graphic Design Coordinator Summit Metro Parks 975 Treaty Line Rd. Akron, OH 4433-5837 330-867-55 F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm: 330-865-8065 Liberty Park Nature Center: 330-487-0493 Seasonal Information: 330-865-8060 Volunteer Information: 330-865-8047 Photos contributed by: Rob Blair Jerry Cannon Doug Dawes
Debbie DiCarlo Jeff Hill Tami Hill
Robert Roach Karl Simonson Keith Shy
This magazine is mailed free of charge to Summit County residents. To join the mailing list, send your name and mailing address to marketing@summitmetroparks.org or call 330-867-55.
Green Islands can be downloaded online: summitmetroparks.org
ABOUT the cover The prairie at Springfield Bog Metro Park provides important native habitat for plants and wildlife.
PARK news • 206 is the 95th anniversary of the park district. Be on the lookout this year for special celebrations and projects as we celebrate this milestone.
• Need help attaching your 205 Fall Hiking Spree shield to your staff? Volunteers will help you on Saturday, February 3, from to 3 p.m. at Goodyear Heights Metro Park (2077 Newton St., Akron). Remember: March 3 is the last day to claim 205 Fall Hiking Spree rewards.
Printed on FSC®-certified Chorus Art Silk; a 30% post-consumer, processed chlorine-free recycled paper.
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©206 Summit Metro Parks
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GREEN ISLANDS Magazine | WINTER ’6
PARK news (continued) • Registration is open for the 5th annual Mother’s Day 5K, Sunday, May 8, at the Lake Area in Munroe Falls Metro Park (52 S. River Rd., Munroe Falls). For details and to register, visit summitmetroparks.org. For more news, visit our website: summitmetroparks.org
RECYCLE YOUR The park district “recycles” Christmas trees by chipping them into mulch. Drop off your tree, cleaned of all decorations and tinsel, through January 3 at the following locations: FIRESTONE METRO PARK Little Turtle Pond | 2400 Harrington Rd., Akron FURNACE RUN METRO PARK Brushwood Area | 4955 Townsend Rd., Richfield GOODYEAR HEIGHTS METRO PARK Main Entrance/rear lot | 2077 Newton St., Akron NIMISILA RESERVOIR METRO PARK 553 S. Main St., Green SAND RUN METRO PARK Treaty Line Area | 995 Treaty Line Rd., Akron SILVER CREEK METRO PARK Big Oak Area | 599 Medina Line Rd., Norton
FRIENDS OF METRO PARKS Friends of Metro Parks is a nonprofit 50(c)(3) organization that supports the park district in many ways, including educating visitors about important issues and connecting residents of Summit County with the rich resources of our Metro Parks. Membership dues allow Friends to support the mission and programs of the park district. For information about joining Friends: friendsofmetroparks.org summitmetroparks.org
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GREEN ISLANDS Magazine | WINTER ’6
PRAIRIES G
rasslands in North America are called prairies. They provide increasingly rare and native habitat for birds, butterflies, insects, reptiles and other small wildlife. Permanent plants like grasses, sedges and flowers grow in a prairie’s rich soil with very few trees in the landscape. It is this richness that attracted European farmers to cultivate nearly all prairie habitats. Unlike agricultural fields, prairie plants need no fertilizers or pesticides, and the root systems are drought resistant,
Taken in July and December from similar vantage points, these images show the dramatic changes from season to season.
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absorb water and hold soil in place.
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GREEN ISLANDS Magazine | WINTER ’6
IN WINTER By Naturalists Meghan Doran and Pat Rydquist
ground are slowly decaying. They are mostly made up of cellulose, and in the spring will create dense, cool mulch that protects new growth. Hidden in the pristine stillness of winter are the life cycles of many creatures that don’t migrate. While hawks soar Prairies look deceivingly quiet in winter, but they’re just waiting to burst into life in the spring.
WINTER’S SLEEP Although no plants are growing during
overhead during the day and coyotes patrol at night for mice, moles and voles, insects are cozy in their eggs, or pupas. Crickets and grasshoppers have already laid their eggs in the soil while adult tiger beetles and native bee pollinators have
By late-September, flowers and leaves die off while insects settle in for winter.
burrowed in the soil. The birds that do not fly south for the winter — like bobwhite quail, field sparrows, horned larks and chickadees — have a banquet
this senescent, or “sleeping time,” two-
of seeds to keep them fat through the
thirds of a prairie plant’s structure still
cold months.
lives deep below the ground, preserving energy. Some roots die each year and
CONTROLLED BURNS
decompose, adding organic matter to the soil. The chemical energy reserves
Prairies need fire, which is why Summit
(carbohydrates and lipids) in the roots,
Metro Parks often performs controlled
rhizomes and tubers are waiting for mid-spring to push up new stems and leaves. Last year’s stems and leaves above
Park staff coordinated a controlled burn at Springfield Bog Metro Park in April 204.
burns. Without them, invading trees and shrubs gradually turn grasslands into continued on page 6
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GREEN ISLANDS Magazine | WINTER ’6
continued from page 5
woodlands. Eric Fitch, resource project
natives and are wonderful examples of
manager, leads controlled burns for the
turning old fields into amazing displays
park district. Fitch said many factors are
of insects, birds and blooms throughout
considered when deciding if, and when,
the year.
to burn a prairie. “We have to consider how many days have passed since it Pollinators like this eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly are just one of the species that call the Nature Realm prairie home.
rained. Relative humidity is critical — it needs to be less than 50 percent,”
Summit Metro Parks continues to work hard to create and maintain these pockets of open space.
said Fitch. He added that the predicted wind direction, wind speed and the atmospheric mixing height are important to consider for smoke dispersal.
Early Ohio Despite what you may have
OUR PRAIRIES The 200 renovation of F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm (828 Smith Rd., Akron) brought opportunities to plant native Native yellow and purple coneflowers thrive in the Tallmadge Meadows prairie at Munroe Falls Metro Park.
with trees when the early settlers arrived. Prairies were
planted natives so visitors of all ages can
scattered throughout the state,
learn about the wildlife that use these ing: eastern bluebirds, native pollinators, eastern garter snakes, various turtles and even muskrats now call the Nature Realm home. The Tallmadge Meadows Area of Munroe Falls Metro Park (088 North Ave., Tallmadge) and Springfield Bog Metro Park (400 Portage Line Rd.,
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was not completely covered
grasses, shrubs and wildflowers. Staff
beautiful areas. The results were shock-
The Springfield Bog prairie is the ideal habitat for northern bobwhite quail.
learned as a young child, Ohio
Springfield Twp.) opened in 20. Both
creating open spaces for wildlife such as elk and buffalo. Our state was mostly forests and wetlands, but there were also about 300 small prairies that provided great resources for wildlife and early people.
parks had the perfect space for planting
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GREEN ISLANDS Magazine | WINTER ’6
IN YOUR BACK YARD AMPHIBIANS OF SUMMIT COUNTY Look for the following AMPHIBIANS in the Metro Parks this SPRING:
WOOD FROG 3 2 – 2¾" 4 Length ½"
Wood frogs can freeze solid in winter.
REDBACK SALAMANDER 4 – 3½" 2 Length 2¼"
These “frogsicles” thaw out in spring — no damage done. One female wood frog can lay up to ,000 eggs.
Female redback salamanders stay with their eggs for almost two months, guarding them from predators. They lay about a dozen eggs a year.
SPOTTED SALAMANDER 3 4 Length 6" – 7¾"
Each spotted salamander has its own unique spot pattern and can live in the
SPRING PEEPER 3 4 – ¼" 4 Length ¾"
wild for 2 years. Females lay about 00 eggs each spring.
Spring peepers are one of the first amphibians to emerge each spring. One tiny spring peeper can lay more than 800 eggs.
Watercolor illustrations by Interpretive Naturalist Danette Rushboldt ~ Illustrations are not to scale. summitmetroparks.org
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GREEN ISLANDS Magazine | WINTER ’6
SP TD
LENDS HELP
By Ramsey Langford, Biologist
Save and Protect Ohio Turtle Diversity
immediate conservation management.
(SPOTD) is a regional program created
The SPOTD committee was formed to
by Geauga Park District and Cleveland
address the problem together.
Metroparks. The goal is to conserve rare and unique native turtles, especially the spotted turtle. Summit Metro Parks is a X-ray of female turtle with eggs
Newly hatched spotted turtle
contributing partner.
WHERE DID SPOTTED TURTLES GO? Spotted turtles are an especially vul-
WHY DID SPOTD FORM?
nerable group because of their strong
The Ohio Division of Wildlife currently
including delayed sexual maturity and
lists spotted turtles as a “threatened”
nest predation from raccoons. Addition-
species. Continued or increased stress
ally, the loss of preferred habitat coupled
will result in this animal becoming an
with an illegal pet trade has added to the
endangered species in our state. In other
dependence on specific wetland habitats and their various life-history traits —
creatures’ scarcity.
neighboring states and Canada, spotted turtles are a major conservation concern endangered. With these red flags in
HOW IS SPOTD HELPING?
all of its range, local biologists agree
The main objective of this project is
that spotted turtles are experiencing a
to increase survivorship of turtle hatch-
significant threat now and are in need of
lings and rebuild populations of this
with a listed status of threatened to
Nest preyed upon by raccoons
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GREEN ISLANDS Magazine | WINTER ’6
TO LOCAL TURTLES threatened species in protected habitats within Northeast Ohio.
HOW YOU CAN HELP There are many ways you can help
Secondary objectives include an
local turtles:
increased recruitment of these animals
• Don’t take turtles from the wild.
into adult populations, new opportunities
Let them become a reproducing
for public education, local academic
member of a population.
involvement through research and improved communication/collaboration among conservation partners.
DID YOU KNOW? • According to research, nearly twothirds of all turtle species are under some form of threatened status. • Turtles, tortoises and terrapins are all included in the order Testudines. • Turtles lived among the dinosaurs. • Spotted turtles can live to be 65 to 0 years old. • The oldest tortoise lived to be 255 years old.
summitmetroparks.org
• Try not to disturb turtles nesting in yards or gardens.
SPOTD MEMBERS: Cleveland Metroparks Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
the wild — it most likely will not
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
survive. Species that are not native
Cleveland State University
to our area could introduce deadly
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
• Never release a captive turtle into
diseases to native populations. • Conserve wetland habitat wherever you can.
Geauga Park District The Greater Cleveland Aquarium John Carroll University
As you drive, watch for turtles crossing
Lake Metroparks
the road. Most of the time, turtles
Malone University
crossing roadways are pregnant females.
Medina County Park District
Keeping safety in mind, you may pick up a
Stark Parks
turtle from the road and move it to the side it is headed. (It’s best not to mess with a snapping turtle, though.)
Summit Metro Parks USDA: Wildlife Services Wild4Ever
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GREEN ISLANDS Magazine | WINTER ’6
Species Spotlight
GREAT HORNED OWLS
APPEARANCE
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Scientific name: Bubo virginianus
Height: .5 – 2 feet
MATING / NESTING
Wing span: 4 – 5 feet
Owls mate for life.
Tail length: 7 – 0 inches
Raise young in the abandoned nests of other birds, tree cavities or in the
Found all over North America,
“V” of bare branches
Central America and in certain regions of South America
Have especially keen hearing and vision
Average male’s weight: 3 lbs.
Average female’s weight: 4 lbs.
Feather tufts resembling horns are often mistaken for ears.
BEHAVIORS Mostly nocturnal; sometimes seen in late afternoon or early morning Great-horned owls are the only animals that eat skunks. Eat rodents, rabbits, large birds — crows, ducks, geese and herons — and, of course, skunks
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Wing feathers have soft fringe to reduce the sound of air rushing through them, making it almost impossible for prey to hear an owl’s approach.
Use third transparent eyelids, or “nictitating membrane,” to protect eyes when hunting
Start nesting in January Lay up to five eggs; usually two or three. Male delivers prey to female while she is incubating the eggs Six weeks after hatching, owlets leave the nest and walk around.
In another three weeks, young owls learn to fly. Parents continue to feed their young for several months, often until October. summitmetroparks.org
GREEN ISLANDS Magazine | WINTER ’6
TRAIL ICONS GET A FACELIFT Coming soon to a Metro Park near you!
OLD
NEW Chippewa Trail at Silver Creek Metro Park
Indian Spring Trail at Munroe Falls Metro Park
Bluebird Trail at Liberty Park
Deer Run Trail at O’Neil Woods Metro Park
Old Mill Trail at Furnace Run Metro Park
Bridle Trail at Silver Creek Metro Park
Glens Trail at Gorge Metro Park
Mingo Trail at Sand Run Metro Park
Piney Woods Trail at Goodyear Heights Metro Park
OLD
NEW
OLD
NEW
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G R E E N ISLANDS Vol. 57 No.
WINTER 2O6
975 Treaty Line Rd. Akron, OH 4433-5837
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WINTER SPORTS As conditions permit, several winter sports can be enjoyed in the Metro Parks, and some locations are lighted for after-sunset fun. Visitors must bring their own equipment. To learn if winter sports areas are open, call 330-865-8060 or follow @metro_parks on Twitter. SLEDDING The best conditions for sledding include frozen ground with at least two inches of snow cover. Walk up the side of sled hills, not in the center where you may be in the path of moving sleds. Sledding is prohibited on trails and wooded hills. ICE SKATING Never skate on a pond or lake unless signs indicate it is open for skating. Ice must be four inches thick and free of snow, and temperatures must remain several degrees below freezing for long periods of time. Wear properly fitted skates with sharpened blades for enhanced control and safety. ICE FISHING Ice fishing is possible in Liberty Park’s Tinkers Creek Area, Nimisila Reservoir Metro Park and the lake in Silver Creek Metro Park, dawn to dusk as conditions allow. Users may not light fires, take motorized vehicles onto the ice, or build/leave structures and shelters on park property. Temporary shanties may be moved only by hand from the parking lot to the lake, and must be removed daily. CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING Some areas are too steep to negotiate safely on skis. To help keep your skis from being damaged by sharp, uncovered stones, ski only when the trails have at least two inches of snow cover.
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