My husband and I are blogging together here as a team. I’m Deb, and my husband is Bob. We both enjoy hiking, camping, cycling and photography. And we often enjoy these activities in one of Ohio’s many parks. Ohio’s parks and nature preserves are owned and operated across all levels of government: federal, state, county, and municipal. There are also parks that are operated by non-profit organizations, like the Nature Conservancy or the Audubon Society. We have pulled together information about these parks and preserves in our Regional Guide to Parks to help people decide which parks have features that appeal to them. In addition to our guide, we publish photos and reviews of these parks on our blog. We also periodically post articles on nature topics, and on the geology and history of specific Ohio parks.
Since we live in Central Ohio, this area is perhaps the easiest for us to cover. But we’ve also made many treks farther afield. We’ll identify the location of a park by assigning it to one of the five geographical regions that are traditionally used in Ohio: northeast, northwest, central, southeast, and southwest.
It would delight us to learn that some of our readers found information here that helped them to plan some of their own trips, or simply enjoyed some of the nature posts and photography that we’ll be sharing here.
I was really excited to discover this blog, to help me explore natural history Ohio. I really like how the blog posts are written – easy-to-read and pleasent scientific information beautifully illustrated with pictures! I don’t know if this blog is still active but just wanted to say what an important resource it is! I will be visiting Cranberry Bog soon and glad to be able to read more about it through your story. Thanks for sharing these beautiful moments in Ohio’s nature!
Thank you for making this amazing and informative blog, My 20 year old son and I are moving out of West Texas to Urbana the first week of December 2019. We are already planning our first excursion for when we arrive. Looking forward to everything Ohio has for us.
Great blog you have here! It’s great that you’ve made the effort to create this… My wife and I love to hike as well, and I’m sure I’ll be perusing this blog in the future should I thirst for a new adventure close to home 🙂
Why is it necessary for growers of pawpaws to encourage pollination by introduce carrion into the orchard? Is there a scent to the flower? I’ve read there is and there isn’t. So, I’m confused.
Since I had heard that the blossoms smell like carrion, I tried smelling the ones that I photographed here. It didn’t smell like anything to me. I don’t know if the odor is faint, or if it is stronger at one time than another, and I wasn’t there during the peak time.
The article, How to Hand Pollinate Pawpaw Trees, may also be of interest to you.
The pawpaw flower is pollinated by flies so the carrion draws them to the orchard
Great site! I spend a lot of time in the parks around Cincinnati as I am a bird watcher. And the Ohio parks system is wonderful. When you get done with Ohio…please start on Kentucky– especially Northern KY 🙂 I am still trying to find the best places to visit closer to home.
Deb, thanks for stopping by! I’ve been a backyard birder for quite a few years, and I’ve been trying to become better at locating and identifying birds in the wild. Last year I published a post about myself, Beginning Birder at the “Biggest Week in American Birding”.
We are hoping to publish more articles this year on your corner of the state. I haven’t really explored Kentucky at all, but I have at least visited the Newport Aquarium when I’ve been in the Cincinnati area. I wouldn’t mind going back!
Hi Deb and Bob 🙂
@ Deb – I noticed I already have an old wordpress.com account 😀 Now I try to find out if this could work as a new home for Shoot & Tell group: http://my.opera.com/shootell/blog/
Thank you Deb for very comprehensive review you wrote on my MyOpera blog. Now I wonder if you know any examples if/how people can share photo albums over here at wordpress.com. And how much server space each group member can actually have.
Hi, I’ve nominated you both for the Very Inspiring Blogger award! I don’t know if you accept blog awards or not but I thought of you for this award anyway 😀 x
http://thisandthat93.wordpress.com/2013/07/10/the-very-inspiring-blogger-award
Beckarooney, I’m sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you. I recently had surgery and I’m just now getting back to my old self. First I want to thank your for your nomination. However, we haven’t been accepting awards because we have been trying to keep our posts on topic. Nonetheless I thought it was really sweet of you to nominate our blog, and I appreciate it.
You’re welcome, I hope you are feeling better and get well soon 🙂 Take care x
Hello, I love your site and have enjoyed browsing. I too live in the area and we like to frequent our local Metro Parks often and blog about our experiences. I would like to invite you to check out my site http://sharonthemoments.com
Thank you for all the wonderful images and information.
~Sharon
I am looking for a way to contact you via emial on the site, but can’t find one. Can you send me an email so that I may reply? We handle PR for Hocking Hills tourism and wanted to alert you to some very cool blog post material ideasl
I recently discovered Boch Hollow Nature Preserve and found your site looking for more info-I wanted to let you know that it is spelled with an h not a k, and the road you take to get to Beech Camp is SR 664 not SR 64. It’s great to see it listed as it is a newer park.
Hi, I’m a fourth grade teacher in need of some direction for our new science content statements. We are needing to teach that “changes in an organism’s environment are sometimes beneficials to its survival and sometimes harmful”. We need to research information on plants and animals in eco-regions unique to Ohio, such as in Hocking Hills, and how they adapted to the environment. We also need to gather information to compare enivronments of plants and animals to current, historic, and prehistoric time periods. Any chance you have suggested resources for my inquiries…thanks!
Hi Megan. I don’t know if you are aware that Ohio was almost entirely deforested by settlers to our area during the 1800s. Many of the mammals that are commonly seen in Ohio today had completely disappeared from our state due to loss of habitat and hunting. I haven’t been to the Ohio Historical Museum for a number of years, but when I was last there the natural history section had exhibits discussing the role of deforestation in the extirpation of many species of animals. If you go to Ohio Historical Society’s page on deer (http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=1886) you’ll see that deer had completely disappeared from Ohio by 1904.
If you go to Clear Creek Metro Park (http://trekohio.com/2012/05/03/clear-creek-metro-park/) you’ll see the old Williams barn right in the middle of the forest. It was built in 1837. It’s worth pausing and looking at the forest all around you at this site and realizing that all of the surrounding land had been farm fields back then. With the industrial revolution and the incredible gains in agricultural science, smaller areas of farmland have become more and more productive. As a result enough former farmland has reverted to forests to create a habitat for wildlife again.
Going back 24,000 years ago, the Wisconsinan ice sheet covered two-thirds of Ohio (http://trekohio.com/2012/04/13/wondering-about-reindeer-moss/). Where I live in central Ohio was once buried underneath 1000 feet of ice (as you move north toward Lake Erie, the ice grows in depth to an entire mile). As the ice grew and periodically retreated during this era, the land to the south of the ice sheet was also much colder and drier. It was essentially an alpine habitat and we had animals like reindeer.
If we go back a half-billion years ago (http://trekohio.com/2012/05/22/licensed-to-hunt-fossils/) what is now Ohio was at that time near the equator and was the bottom of a shallow, inland sea. If you go to the link I just posted, at the bottom there is a link to a number of places in Ohio where you can find fossils of the sea life that once inhabited Ohio.
I hope this helps you get started with your research. Best wishes to you in your research about changing climate/habitat and its impact on animal life. 🙂
I would like to update some material listed about the Darke County Park District, which I work for. Could you please contact me via the “about us” page on our site?
I have really enjoyed your blog. Being a fellow Ohioian, I have visited many of the parks and preserves you have featured. Your photos fufill my longing to return to my home state, which my wife and I are planning soon. I also have a blog and would like your permission to post some of your content with credits and links to your blog. Keep up the hiking!
Steve
First, Steven, I would like to thank you for your kind words about our blog. Although we would welcome a link to our blog, we don’t really feel comfortable about having our content re-published. No hard feelings.
I hope you and your wife have a great visit to Ohio. We have favorite places that we’ve hiked over and over again, but we’ve been making a concerted effort to try new places. We just went hiking at Shallenberger State Nature Preserve last weekend, and we really liked it.
Hi Amy! As a big supporter of the Ohio outdoors, I thought you might be interested in The Ohio Nature Conservancy’s new initiative to get Buckeye residents to explore their state’s natural treasures this summer! http://www.nature.org/allhands/naturaltreasuresohio/index.htm
Hi, Kate! I’m Deb (Amy is one of my friends at Flickr). And yes, I am interested in their sweepstakes project. What a great idea! Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
I enjoy following your blog and have nominated you for The Versatile Blogger award. 🙂
http://afternoonpopcornsnack.com/2012/05/01/1256/
Thank you, Amy! 🙂
Thanks for visiting my blog “Eyes to Heart” and liking my post “Sunrise …” … Ohio looks beautiful. Perhaps I’ll get to visit some day … Be well, Dorothy 🙂
Deb, because I enjoy and admire your blog so much, I have nominated you for the ABC Award.
http://bayphotosbydonna.com/2012/04/13/abc-award/. In order to accept this award, you must comply with the two rules. Then you may place the Award logo on your site. Please do not feel any pressure to accept this award, I understand if you do not wish to participate. But know your site is appreciated, I am enjoying your treks! Have a great weekend! Donna
Donna, your nomination means more to me than the actual award. I appreciate the gesture and your encouraging words.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. And congratulations on your blog—I look forward to exploring it. What a great resource for people living near Ohio!
Thanks! I enjoyed looking through a number of your posts. Loved the one about the Tom Turkey.
Hi Deb, Thanks for visiting and commenting on my post! I’m looking forward to seeing what you have to say about Central Ohio as I travel through there frequently and love to stop at parks.
Hi, Deb. Thanks for the “like” on my Shrooms! post. Since you are close enough to me for weekend treks, I definitely will follow along for new places to explore!
Thanks for stopping by and liking my little post about the eagles.
Great idea. I hope it is a rewarding project for you. Thanks for your comments on my blog, too. Andrew
I’ve nominated you for an ABC Award: http://wp.me/p2frWm-4p Looking forward to seeing more of your images.
Thanks for the nomination and for your kind words about my photos. 🙂
Thank you for visiting my blog “Eyes to Heart’ and liking my post “The Watchers …” … Be well, Dorothy 🙂
Great site
Thanks for stopping by at my blog and liking Billy’s pics. I think you have great idea for this blog. I love traveling and I appreciate everyone who wants to share their surroundings, and beauty of the area they are living. Have a great day,
Thanks, Ania. My blog is just getting started, but I do hope to share lots of photos and descriptions of some of the sights that my state has to offer.
Billy’s photos were adorable. 🙂 Here’s a photo of my daughter and our dog.
Can’t wait to see more. They look So cute together.