Blog
Blog Entries - Knowing Nature In Your Yard
Go Spots!
By Olivia Espinoza, Natural Areas Manager I’m certain that one of the staples of a childhood is the discovery of a tadpole in a ditch, puddle, or pond. I grew up with a lake in my backyard and would spend the summers
The Myth of Groundcover
by Jason Neumann I didn’t plant it, but there it is at the bottom of my wood privacy fence: wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei). As a naturalist, I know that this unwanted botanical surprise is courtesy of neighborhood
What’s (Probably) Growing in Your Yard: Our Bioblitz Round-Up
By Connie O’Connor and Jason Neumann
We had a great time with our first-ever bioblitz—our Lawn Plant Identification Challenge! We totaled 349 observations of 175 different species in and around lawns in our region!
Rethinking Your Lawn: A Guide to Living with Imperfection
By Jeff Sperry, Director of Development and Marketing There’s a reason the lawn treatment companies put little signs up saying “Stay Off the Grass for 24 Hours” when they finish a treatment. The chemicals they
The Story of My Land—Keeping a Phenology Journal
By Connie O’Connor “Every place, like every person, is elevated by the love and respect shown toward it, and by the way its bounty is received.” -- Richard Nelson I bought my first home, hidden away on 3.6
Knowledge & Confidence in the Palm of Your Hand
By Connie O’Connor Here’s a confession: I sometimes dread “what’s this” questions when leading a hike. When I teach Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist students, they express similar concerns. We can’t know