This season, it’s time to chill – literally. When the weather cools and leaves start dropping, it’s good to be a little lazy with your yard. Leaving leaves, sticks, clippings and more provides homes for wildlife and helps create a healthy ecosystem in your yard and beyond. MetroParks sustainability coordinator, Tim Pritchard, suggests adopting a […]
Don’t put away your gardening tools as the weather begins to cool: Native trees and shrubs thrive when planted in the fall since they’ve adapted to our climate. Many of the trees’ natural changes, such as losing their leaves in autumn, ensure they enter dormancy before the coldest weather arrives and stay dormant until spring. […]
Warm displays of beautiful color, the distinct earthy autumn smell and the crunch of fallen leaves under your feet – fall is perhaps one of the best seasons to explore trees in your MetroParks and neighborhood. Crucial to the environment, trees – especially those native to Ohio – play a critical role in creating habitats […]
Hot weather crops, such as peppers and tomatoes, are getting ripe and popping up left and right in your garden. In case you were thinking about winding down, think again: You can keep the gardening fun going into fall with cooler-season vegetables and herbs.
Those who have spent many summer evenings outside may have noticed that there aren’t quite as many fireflies as there once were. Indeed, firefly species are dwindling due to many factors, including use of pesticides and habitat loss. Learn more about one of nature’s coolest glowing creatures and how you can help protect their homes.
The spectacular meteor shower, the Perseids, will light up the sky starting as early as next week. According to astronomers, stargazers can expect to see up to 60 meteors an hour on a clear night. Typically the early mornings of August 11, 12 and 13 (when the shower peaks) are opportunities to view the most […]
It’s getting warmer and you might be ready to boat – but do you have everything you need for a fun, safe paddling or boating experience? Watch our outdoor recreation team teach you how to prepare to paddle: Whether you are a seasoned paddler or new to the water, you should take these critical steps […]
How many times has a child stepped up to be your helper? Starting at a young age, children often express an interest in being involved in just about everything adults are doing. Fostering the idea of being a helper is a great way to cultivate a sense of community in children — especially when they […]
The science behind why spending time outdoors improves your physical and mental health For millennium, many have understood that time spent in nature improves human health. Take for example Hippocrates, a Greek physician born around the year 460 BC. Traditionally referred to as the “father of medicine,” he’s widely attributed to the quote, “Nature itself […]
Discover why research shows children who spend time outdoors are healthier, happier and smarter. Jai’Yanna Bass, 11, and sister Sai’Ari Cobb, 9, love playing outdoors, jumping on their trampoline, growing pumpkins, and enjoyinggames with their other sisters, cousins and friends. They also love visiting parks, climbing on the playground at Island MetroPark, as well as […]
