Nature Storytime on Monday, December 30, at 10:30 a.m. at Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

The Crawford Park District invites young children and their adults to join Lisa for storytime every Monday this winter! Listen to a different nature-themed book each week. After reading the story, we will have an activity, game, or craft that goes along with the story.

Audubon Christmas Bird Count on Sunday, January 5, at 7 a.m. Meet at Bob Evans, 1517 N. Sandusky Ave, Bucyrus

The Crawford Park District is looking for volunteers to help with their annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count.  The classic example of citizen science, the Audubon Christmas bird count collects data on bird populations throughout North America. The Crawford Park District invites those who wish to participate in the field to meet Warren Uxley at the Bob Evans at the intersection of US Route 30 and state route 4 in Bucyrus at 7 AM.  If you interested in counting birds at your home feeder, call the Crawford Park District office to see if they are located within the count circle.

Nature Storytime on Monday, January 6, at 10:30 a.m. at Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

The Crawford Park District invites young children and their adults to join Lisa for storytime every Monday this winter! Listen to a different nature-themed book each week. After reading the story, we will have an activity, game, or craft that goes along with the story.

Book Club on Tuesday, January 7, at 5:30 p.m. at Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Do you love nature and also love to read?  With the abundance of books available for nature lovers, sometimes it is hard to choose the next great book to read. Join the Crawford Park District’s Book Club and we will figure it out together!  Pre- Registration is recommended as the club will be limited to 15 members.  So come armed with your favorite book about nature or a nature-centered book you want to read and be ready to make your case to the club!

Wild Wednesday on Wednesday, January 8, at 10 a.m. at Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Come to the Crawford Park District’s Lowe-Volk Park Nature Center and enjoy an hour of nature exploration! Program topics will vary and may include a story, short hike, craft, or a visit from an animal.  For pre-schoolers and their parents.  Come dressed for the weather.

Uncorked Nature: What’s That Smell? On Friday, January 10, at 6 p.m. at the Fox Winery, 227 Harding Way East, Galion

Join Crawford Park District Naturalist Abby at the Fox Winery for this interesting program on smells.  When you smell a wine, you’re preparing your brain for the wine you’re about to taste. Our sense of smell has a profound effect on the way our brain processes flavor. Can your nose identify the different smells from nature and wine? We will play a sorting game to find out! This program is for ages 21+!

Recycling on Saturday, January 11, from 9 a.m. to noon at Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Due to cold temperatures, volunteers may not be available to help with unloading.

The Colonel Crawford Lions Club and The Friends of the Crawford Park District will have a RECYCLE DAY the second Saturday of each month through the year.

We will be accepting: Cardboard, clear/brown/green/blue glass (separated by color), #1 (PETE) plastics, #2 (HDPE) plastics (colors do not have to be separated), newspaper/magazines/office paper/junk mail, steel cans, aluminum cans, household batteries, eyeglasses, CFL lightbulbs – from households only, no businesses, please, laptops, tablets, and cell phones.——–NO ELECTRONICS – NO COMPUTER TOWERS – NO COMPUTER MONITORS -OR- TELEVISIONS—————–

Any recyclables taken to the Crawford Park District, outside of the second Saturday of every month do not get credited to the Park District. If you would like the money generated from recycling to go to them, you must take your recyclables to the Park District during their monthly collections.

Nature Storytime on Monday, January 13, at 10:30 a.m. at Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

The Crawford Park District invites young children and their adults to join Lisa for storytime every Monday this winter! Listen to a different nature-themed book each week. After reading the story, we will have an activity, game, or craft that goes along with the story.

Winter in the Woods on Tuesday, January 14, at 6 p.m. at Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Life in the woods can be challenging for animals, especially in winter. The Crawford Park District’s Joy Etter-Link will help you explore the lives of some animals and what they do in the winter. For school-aged children up to 5th grade and an adult.

Women of the Wilderness on Thursday, January 16, at 5:30 pm. at Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Join Crawford Park District Naturalist Lisa for an informative program on these wonderful women of the wilderness and learn how or what they contributed to the natural world. You might be familiar with some of the men who are great environmentalists like Aldo Leopold or John Muir, but how many women can you name that have contributed greatly to conservation efforts or those that have made wilderness history?

Toddler Trot on Saturday, January 18, at 10 a.m. at Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Getting little ones outside is very important, regardless of the season. Join Crawford Park District Director Josh and McKinley as they explore a winter wonderland. We’ll incorporate matching shapes, counting, balance, and many other skills appropriate for young children, all while enjoying all nature has to offer. For toddlers and an adult.

Winter Tree ID on Saturday, January 18, at 1 p.m. at Heckert Nature Preserve, 1601 State Route 19, Bucyrus

Many people are familiar with identifying trees by its leaf but might struggle after they fall to the ground. Join Crawford Park District Director Josh Dyer to discover the skill of winter tree identification by looking at twigs and bark. Observing trees in the winter is a great way to get to know a tree from all aspects and is a great tool for hunters, woodcutters, woodlot owners, and anyone that just wants to know their trees. Heckert Nature Preserve is located at 1601 State Route 19 west of State Route 602.

Nature Storytime on Monday, January  20, at 10:30 a.m. at Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

The Crawford Park District invites young children and their adults to join Lisa for storytime every Monday this winter! Listen to a different nature-themed book each week. After reading the story, we will have an activity, game, or craft that goes along with the story.

Feeding Day on Monday, January 20, at 2 p.m. at Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

The Crawford Park District invites animal lovers to stop out to the Lowe-Volk Park Nature Center to find out who eats what and take turns helping Naturalist Lisa feed some of the animals! Will it be fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, shrimp, worms, or mice? Can you guess what’s on the menu for the animals in the Nature Center?

Woodpeckers on Tuesday, January 21, mat 7 p.m. at Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598 

Meet Crawford Park District Naturalist Warren Uxley at the Lowe-Volk Park Nature Center for a PowerPoint Program on the 10 Woodpecker species that live in the eastern U.S. Woodpeckers are an extremely important group of birds: their impact ripples throughout the forest community they inhabit.

Trail Cam Adventures on Thursday, January 23, at 6 p.m. at  Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

If you’re interested in seeing wildlife when no one is looking; or maybe you’re interested in setting up your own trail cam but don’t know where to start. Well, this program is for you! The Crawford Park District has compiled thousands of pictures over the many years of operating trail cameras at our winter bait stations, local school properties, and during Nature Camp. From the run-of-the-mill animals to shapeshifters, and the changing environment, we’ve captured nature when our eyes weren’t there to witness it. Join Josh for this fun, informative program that will cover trail cam how-to’s, the many animals we’ve snapped photos and videos of, and how science uses these as a research tool. Fun for all ages.

Viewing the Night Sky on Saturday, January 25, at 7 p.m. at Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Join members of the Crawford Park Astronomy Club as they share their knowledge and telescope skills with all who are interested in the celestial sights.  Some of the targets for the winter are *Jupiter, which is 1/2 billion miles away and has four moons! View it while it lasts, because it is quickly setting in the west. *Saturn-Lord of the Rings! This beautiful sight is one billion miles away. *Andromeda Galaxy-is 2.4 million light-years away. You’ll first see if with your naked eyes and then get a better look through a telescope. *Winter Sky-is completely different from the summer sky. The Milky Way’s outer band isn’t nearly as bright. *Comets, (a comet is a dirty snowball from deep space).

Nature Storytime on Monday, January  27, at 10:30 a.m. at Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

The Crawford Park District invites young children and their adults to join Lisa for storytime every Monday this winter! Listen to a different nature-themed book each week. After reading the story, we will have an activity, game, or craft that goes along with the story.

Book Club on Tuesday, January 28, 2020, at 5:30 p.m. at Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Do you love nature and also love to read?  With the abundance of books available for nature lovers, sometimes it is hard to choose the next great book to read. Join the Crawford Park District’s Book Club and we will figure it out together!  Pre- Registration is recommended as the club will be limited to 15 members.  So come armed with your favorite book about nature or a nature-centered book you want to read and be ready to make your case to the club! Meetings are held at the Lowe-Volk Park Nature Center on the last Tuesday of each month.

Holiday Hours

Lowe-Volk Nature Center is located three miles north of US Route 30 on Ohio 598 near Crestline. The Park District and Nature Center will be closed on December 31, New Year’s Eve and on January 1, New Year’s Day. Beginning January 2, the district will resume normal winter hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Monday through Saturday. The Nature Center is closed on Sundays throughout the winter months.

For more information, please contact the Crawford Park District office at 419-683-9000 or visit the website or Facebook page.