January 4, Friday 7:00 pm: Orchids of Ohio- The West Woods Nature Center. 9465 Kinsman Rd., Novelty OH 44072. Geauga County. Tom Sampliner presents a pictorial journey through the seasons with Ohio's native orchids and their habitats. No registration required.
February 10th, Sunday: 3:00 pm: The Best in Bloom. The West Woods Nature Center. 9465 Kinsman Rd., Novelty OH 44072. Geauga County. Discover the diversity of flora found around Ohio and elswhere as members share their best photos, including NPS field trips from 2007. Directions: Take Rt. 87 east from Rt. 306. 2 miles to the park entrance on south side of the road. If you have pictures to share (slides or digital) please contact Ami. No registration required.
March 2nd, Sunday: 2:00 pm: Native Plants in Civilized Areas. Chagrin Falls Public Library. NPS board member Kathryn Hanratty of Enviroscapes Landscape Design shares how you too can landscape with native plants, advantages of using natives, basic design information, and suggestions on natives that are easy to use and are readily available. Directions: 100 East Orange St., Chagrin Falls, OH 44022, just east of Main St. No registration required.
March 9th, Sunday: 2:00 pm: Skunk Cabbage Walk. South Chagrin Reservation, Polo Field parking area. Skunk Cabbage blooms long before any of the other spring wildflowers. We will search the wetland areas near the Chagrin River for this unusual plant. Directions: Take I-271 to the Chagrin Blvd. exit. Head east on Rt. 87 (the road name changes at a traffic circle, follow Rt. 87). Continue just past Chagrin River Rd., to the parking area of the Polo Field on the right. Call Ami for registration.
April 26th, Saturday: 8:00 am: Birds and Botany at Bacon Woods. Lorain County, OH. We will join Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society in a joint trip to Bacon Woods, for an amazing display of spring wildflowers and migrating songbirds, including the Cerulean warbler. We'll have the pleasure to pull a few garlic mustard invasives along the way. Pot luck picnic afterwards, bring a dish to share. Directions: Take Rt. 2 west to Bumhart Rd., exit south to North Ridge Rd. Turn right on North Ridge Rd., go 2 miles to a "T". Turn right past Vermillion Rd., bear left, go down hill. Entrance on right just before Vermillion River bridge. Call Diane to register and for car pool info.
May 3rd, Saturday: 9:00 am: Spring Wildflowers Workshop. Big Creek Park, Geauga County. 9160 Robinson Rd., Chardon OH 44024. From Trilliums to Mayapples, learn to identify the wonderful diversity of woodland spring wildflowers, including common families, in this Basics of Wildflower identification workshop using Newcomb's Wildflower Guide. Book will be available to purchase at the workshop. Directions: Take I-90 east to Rt. 44, go south 2 miles to Clark Rd. Turn left and head east 1 mile to Robinson Rd. Turn right . Park entrance is 1 mile on right. Bear left and continue all the way to Deep Woods Shelter back parking area. Call Judy to register.
May 17th, Saturday: 10:00 am: Wildflowers of Cox preserve. Medina County, OH. We will join CMNH Natural Areas naturalist Judy Smeroc on this joint trip with Northeast Ohio Naturalists (NEON) for a wildflower trek in one of Cleveland Museum of Natural History's newest preserves. It is one of the nicest examples of a beech-sugar maple forest in NE OH. Spring ephemerals found troughout the preserve include white trillium, wild geranium, sweet violet, false and true solomon's seal, bishop's cap, dwarf gingseng and false mitrewort. Mature cucumber magnolia trees in the heart of the forest add to the species divrsity. Directions: 7960 Wooster Pike, Seville, OH; From Medina Square, go South on Route 3 (S. Court St., later named Wooster Pike) approx. 5.7 miles to a very long drive, just after a field on the right side of the road. If you see a large, square farm house, or reach Kennard Rd. you've gone too far. Call Diane to register.
June 14th, Saturday: 9:00 am: Morgan Preserve Plant Survey. Portage County, OH. Join us for our annual plant survey for the Western Reserve Land Conservancy, as we explore this 558-acre property the Consevancy is working to preserve. Containing 390 acres of high-quality category 3 wetlands, including blueberry bogs, forested swamps and vernal pools. It is located at the boundary of the Cuyahpoga and the Mahoning rivers watersheds. Waterprooof boots are recommended. Directions: From I-80 take Rt. 44 south approx 1.6 miles to Nicodemus Rd. Turn left 0.5 miles to a sharp bend. Small parking area on right at bend. Call Judy for reservations.
June 21st, Saturday: 10:30 am: Kitty Todd Preserve. Lucas County, OH. 10420 Old Stae Line Rd., Toledo, OH. Celebrate summer solstice with a special visit to The Nature Conservancy's Kitty Todd Preserve with manager Gary Haase during the peak of wildflower season. This preserve contains Ohio's finest Oak Openings Region and is home to the globally endangered black oak savanna community. Directions: Take Rt. 2 west to Airport Highway. Turn right (north) on Eber Rd. which dead ends at Old State Line Rd. Turn left and follow signs to preserve parking on the right. Parking is limited. Call Ami to register and for carpool information.
July 24th, Thursday: 9:00 am: Lake Pleasant. Union City, PA. Jim Bissell leads this combined trip with Northeast Ohio Naturalists (NEON) to this pristine glacial lake in NW Pennsylvania to look for aquatic plants, including water marigold. Directions: Take I-90 east into PA.. In Erie, take PA 8 Exit 29 Hammett/Parade St. Turn right onto Wattsburg Rd. (PA 8) 2.2 miles. Turn right on Tate Rd. 0.3 miles. Turn left on Lake Pleasant Rd. 5.1 miles. Turn right on Valley Rd. 0.5 miles. Meet in field station parking lot. Call Diane to register.
July 26th, Saturday: 10:00 am: Mantua Bog State Nature Preserve. Portage County, OH. ODNR State Botanist Rick Gardner and Preserve Manager Adam Wohlever lead this special trip to see bunchberry and other species in one of the best alkaline fens in Ohio. The Preserve is not open to the public. Registration is limited for this fragile habitat. Call Judy for reservations and directions.
August 16th, Saturday: 9:00 am: Ohio Prairie Nursery and Hiram Field Station. Portage County, OH. 11961 Alpha Rd. Hiram, OH 44234. Looking for a natural alternative to landscaping? Get an overview of prairie ecosystems at Ohio Prairie Nursery, tour the prairie in bloom, and see how you can create your own prairie. Agrerwards, visit the 400 acre James A. Barrow Field Station at Hiram College for a special tour of the diversed habitats with the Director, Professor of Biology Matt Hils, featuring old fields, wetlands and flood plains along Silver Creek, and mature Beech-Maple forest. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at the center. Directions: From the intersection of Rt. 44 and Rt. 82 head east 3.3 miles to Alpha Rd. Turn left 0.6 miles to nursery. Call Judy for reservations.
September: Annaul Meeting: Details to be announced later..
September 27th, Saturday: Time TBD: Mushroom Foray. Fall is peak time for locating the diversity of fungi found in the woods and fields. We will join the Ohio Mushroom Society on this mushroom foray. Time and location to be determined closer to program date based on conditions. Watch for further info in the Journal and this web site. Call Tom Sampliner to register: 216-371-4454.
October: Date and Time TBD: Edible Natives. Cleveland Garden Center. Watch for further details in the Journal and this web site.
