CRAWFORD COUNTY—The Crawford Park District has many events for kids and adults to discover what the parks in Crawford County have to offer for the Fall season.

Bustling Bears

Wednesday, November 10, 5 pm Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Kids, the Crawford Park District invites you to bring your adults to learn about bears that live in North America. While the Black Bears that live in Ohio might be slowing down and denning up soon, we will stay active with ways to learn all about them and their behaviors. In addition to seeing some bear biofacts, you will also make a craft to take home.

Birding Basics

Saturday, November 13, 8 am   Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Curious about birding, but don’t know how to get involved? Join Crawford Park District Land Manager and Naturalist Kyle Bailey for an interactive, family-friendly program suitable for all ages. Autumn is winding down and so is migration. Woodlands are alive with winter species such as chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, and Brown Creepers. This program will focus on birding basics such as learning how to identify common Ohio species, when and where to bird, how to bird, what to look for, and much more! Please bring binoculars or cameras to better view the birds. Binoculars are limited and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Stewardship Program: Woody Species

Saturday, November 13, 11 am-1 pm Sandusky Headwaters Preserve, 2400 State Route 598

Do you enjoy getting your hands dirty while contributing to preserving our native habitats? Then come out and assist Land Manager Kyle Bailey with the Crawford Park District’s monthly Stewardship Program. We will be focusing our attention on removing unwanted woody species such as Glossy Buckthorn (Frangula alnus), Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata), Honeysuckle (Amur sp.), Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), and more. We will begin with a brief introduction about stewardship and our target species before heading out into the field. Closed-toe shoes are required; long sleeves and pants are suggested. There is a possibility of contact with Poison Ivy. Dress for the weather. Some gloves and loppers will be available.

Millipedes & Centipedes

Saturday, November 13, 2 pm   Heckert Nature Preserve, 1601 State Route 19

Join Crawford Park District Naturalist Abby on a hike through Heckert Nature Preserve to find some of the “many-legged” creatures that live under logs and leaf litter in our forests. Dress for the weather as the event will happen rain or shine unless severe weather is present.

Owl Prowl

Saturday, November 13, 7 pm   Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Did you know that Ohio is home to eight species of owls with only four species being full-time residents? The Crawford Park District invites you to come to Lowe-Volk Park to learn about these amazing avian predators of the night. We will meet in Lowe-Volk Nature Center to discuss the natural history of owls before heading out onto the property to listen and look for owls.

Feeding Day

Sunday, November 14, 1 pm   Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Will it be fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, shrimp, worms, or mice? Can you guess what’s on the menu for the animals in the Crawford Park District’s Nature Center? If you want to help feed some of the animals, stop by the Lowe Volk Park Nature Center for this fun-filled program.  Lowe-Volk Park is located 3 miles north of US Route 30.

Infant Explorers: Pumpkins 

Wednesday, November 17, 5 pm   Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Your first instinct may be to keep your babies indoors. However, research tells us that infants in outdoor spaces benefit from access to a wide variety of sensory stimuli which they just can’t experience indoors. Join Crawford Park District Naturalist Abby and baby Vincenzo for a program about pumpkins that will engage your infant’s senses and get parents and baby out of the house for some fresh air! Dress for the weather; we will be outside for at least part of the program.

For information on programs offered by the Crawford Park District call 419-683-9000, visit their website at crawfordpd.org, or follow them on Facebook.