This is about 2 deals that Western Reserve Land Conservancy is helping the Cleveland Museum of Natural History with. The museum will own these two special places, while the conservancy holds permanent restrictions over both properties. These 2 layers of protection, as well as restrictions held by the state of Ohio, will ensure that no matter what happens in the future, these sensitive bog habitats will remain intact for future generations to enjoy and learn from.
One of the properties contains a sphagnum mat that you can walk on, then if you jump up and down, people 20 or 30 feet away will also bounce up and down from your movement. Really a cool feeling. You do have to watch out for the poison sumac though!
I recently read a blog post on The Acceleration of Addictiveness. Being interested in hiking and the outdoors in general, one particular passage caught my eye:
“Most people I know have problems with Internet addiction. Were all trying to figure out our own customs for getting free of it. Thats why I dont have an iPhone, for example; the last thing I want is for the Internet to follow me out into the world. My latest trick is taking long hikes. I used to think running was a better form of exercise than hiking because it took less time. Now the slowness of hiking seems an advantage, because the longer I spend on the trail, the longer I have to think without interruption.”
What better reason to get off the internet and out into Nature? Not only is it good for your health, and good for your spirit, but it is a good place to escape the pressure of our ever-increasing pace of life.
Hiking is such a contrast to everyday life that it does provide an immediate and deep sense of relaxation, at least to me. My favorite place to hike this week is the Ledges Trail at Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Check out this video explaining a new small urban park in Akron Ohio. this greenway will provide access to greenspace for a low in come community. Lockheed Martin and Western Reserve Land Conservancy partnered with the National Park Service’s Rivers Trails and Conservation Assistance program and others to create this great new park.
The New York Times recently ran an article summarizing some scientific studies that seem to indicate exposure to parks and plants can boost immunity. One of the studies indicated that white blood cell counts were elevated by 50% in men who took two 2-hour walks in the woods for two days. Other benefits cited in the studies included decreased blood pressure, lower pulse rate, and decreased levels of cortisol.
We all know Nature is good for us. Science is backing up this claim in more and more studies. Take a look at the New York Times article and think about making a permanent change to your lifestyle…Get Outside and take a hike on a trail in a park!
In our change over from Blogger to WordPress, the blog content was lost. Will repost and become active as soon as I figure this out. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Cleveland Metroparks’ North Chagrin Reservation is one of my favorite places. The big, old woods of the park beckon us to explore their secrets, even in the dead of winter. From a wide variety of trees to deep cold ravines, to rock outcroppings above frozen streams, this park is truly a winter wonderland.
I took this photo of a black-capped chickadee on my hand at the overlook shelter at the end of the Overlook Trail in A.B. Williams Memorial Woods, a National Natural Landmark located in North Chagrin Reservation. People have fed them there for years, so they are very tame. It is a great place to take kids for a surreal natural experience they will never forget.
In our fast-paced society, we seldom make time for Nature. When we do, it is a quick visit to a park or a short trek along a favorite trail. These brief intervals surrounded by the natural world refresh and relax us.
Then, we return to our “real” lives. Deadlines, commitments, paperwork, phone calls. What a strange way to view the world. People are, and always have been an integral part of Nature. The more removed from Nature we are, the more removed we are from our true selves.
Too often, environmentalists implicitly underwrite and perpetuate the false assumption that humans are trespassers or interlopers. Granted, we as a species have wrought horrific terrors upon the earth, and taken many concepts to extremes which threaten the health of the earth. The answer to that, however, is not a strict preservationist’s “hands off” attitude. The answer to that problem is moderation and a realization that what we do to the earth, we ultimately do to ourselves.
Living in balance, there are many uses we can make of our natural endowment that can enhance our lives and still leave the system healthy. This ultimately brings us closer to Nature, and to our own ultimate reality. Check out “Thumping Hickories,” a new essay from naturalist William Hudson, and then get outside, learn something, and refresh your soul.
Okay. We all know it gets dark early during winter, making it difficult to to lots of outdoor activities after work. Of course ski slopes are lighted, so downhill skiing is an option. But, what about a night hike?
During winter, the trees are laid bare, abandoned by those fair weather friends, the leaves. This allows moonlight to penetrate to the forest floor. On nights with a full moon, the effect is transformative. Instead of a dark, shady hike, winter night hikes under a full moon are magically alive and bright.
Try it and you will be surprised. Don’t use a flashlight. Just let your eyes adjust and get out in the woods. If you are reticent to try it alone, join an organized hike. Here are two upcoming full moon hikes being held at Cuyahoga Valley National Park:
Saturday, January 30 This easy 3.75-mile hike on the Valley and Towpath trails will begin at the Everett Road Covered Bridge at 7 p.m. and end at approximately 8:45 p.m.
Sunday, February 28 Another easy 3.5-mile hike on the Towpath Trail between Boston and Red Lock will depart from Boston Store Visitor Center and runs from 7 – 8:45 p.m.
The Darke County Park District has 12 parks with 500 acres of passive recreation opportunities. If you have never been to Darke County, it is northwest of Dayton, near the Indiana state line.
From a press release from Malabar Farm State Park:
The 33rd Annual Maple Syrup Family Festival is planned for the first two weekends in March (DATES: March 6,7,13,14, 2010) from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. daily. This free festival is a great opportunity for families and friends to step back in time, learn, and enjoy the history of Ohio syrup making at Malabar Farm State Park.
This festival includes demonstrations of sugaring techniques from the early days, when Ohio was home to Native Americans, through present day. A self-guided tour of the sugar camp and sugarhouse will reveal the evolution of sugaring equipment and how maple sap is transformed into maple syrup. A peek inside the summer bell house, behind the Pugh Log Cabin, will take you back to Ohio’s past. Presented by the Richland County Museum, the summer bell house is now set up as a pioneer’s cabin, where kids and adults can take part in daily pioneer chores like washing clothes, tending fire, making candles, and cooking. Kids and adults will also enjoy the horse-drawn wagon rides to the sugar camp provided by the Central Ohio Draft Horse Association.
Free samples of maple syrup will be available at the sugar house. Pure Ohio maple syrup, homemade Maple Walnut Fudge, Maple Cotton Candy, Maple popcorn, and other maple products will be on sale during the event, and in the Malabar Farm Gift Shop throughout the season. Live musical entertainment will be provided along with light refreshments and snacks during the festival in the Pugh Log Cabin located near the event. Bromfield’s historical 32-room mansion will be open for self-guided tours. Tickets can be purchased in the Visitor’s Center Gift Shop.
The Malabar Farm Restaurant will offer lunch and dinner specials featuring Malabar Farm products and maple food items both weekends – kids menu available. For reservations or more information call 419-938-5205.
Additionally, overnight accommodations for individuals, groups, and families are available at the Malabar Farm Hostelling International – call 419-892-2055 for reservations.
