Our Valentine's Day trek to Penitentiary Glen and Mentor Marsh included 15 trekkers and 6 adults!  Students carpooled with parents and a grandparent as drivers to explore Lake County.  My car full of students kept me entertained with home and school stories plus the predicted, "Are we there yet?" With weather conditions, unfamiliar directions plus a late start.  We managed to arrive 45 minutes late!  (This reminded me of our frustration as T-R-T waiting for groups to arrive. This time Ranger Tim was waiting for us at the Wildlife Center.) See: http://www.lakemetroparks.com/select-park/penitentiaryglen.shtml#nature

The second part of our trek was a brief tour of Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve by Cleveland Museum of Natural History naturalist, Becky Donaldson.  Students acted like playful puppies prancing in the deep snow at the Nature Center on Corduroy Road in Mentor. We were given a history of the marsh from prehistoric times to present detailing the change of the Grand River route creating the marsh.  Students were shown aerial photographs of the Marsh and subsequent salt landfill in the 1960's which changed the areas biotic diversity to the evasive phragmites engulfing the marsh now. See: http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/07/efforts_by_the_cleveland_museu.html Recently, Mentor Marsh has used helicopters to spread herbicides to kill the spread of this non-native species.

  "The marsh is an important breeding and nursery area for several fish that live in Lake Erie. Mentor Marsh and the adjacent Headlands Dunes State Nature Preserve are among the best places in the state to witness spring migrations of songbirds. Great numbers of waterfowl also stop at the marsh during seasonal migrations, such as Blue-winged Teal, American Wigeon, Gadwall, American Black Duck, Northern Shoveler and Hooded Merganser." from http://www.cmnh.org/site/Conservation/NaturalAreas/Map/MentorMarsh.aspx

   Students were excited to hike through the deep snow to the boardwalk bissecting the marsh to witness the reemergence of native plants in the Marsh.

Our Valentine Nature Trek took us to Penitentiary Glen in Lake County Metro parks.  Students were given  background information regarding the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of orphaned or injured animals.  Ranger Tim escorted students through the Wildlife Yard to describe the permanent residents who can not be released due to debilitating injuries. "The wild animals that successfully recuperate at the Wildlife Center are released back to their natural world. Those that have injuries prohibiting independent survival remain as part of our "Education Staff". Hawks, owls, falcons and vultures have become a vital part of Lake Metroparks environmental education programs. These animals act as "ambassadors" for their species allowing us to learn about them."   We met a juvenile bald eagle with an injured wing named Apollo.  He had been attacked by an adult mid flight.  As a juvenile, Apollo does not have the white head feathers yet.  Then trekkers met Artie, a blind Great Blue Heron. Trekkers readily agreed to adopt an ambassador with funds donated by Hiram Community Trust Grant. Kura the Red Fox was adopted by our trekkers!


 

3rd Grade Teacher Named Conservation Educator of the Year

We have a Miss Frizzle in our 3rd grade and it’s Mrs. Krupar. Congratulations for being the Conservation Educator of the year! Mrs. Krupar was awarded this honor by the League of Ohio Sportsman. Some of our 3rd grade students are participating in Nature Treks with Mrs. Krupar. Nature Treks showcases hiking in winter. Students will also work on ipads to look at hiking sites to gather prior knowledge to generate questions to ask their local rangers on their hikes. Happy Trails!