Outside media coverage of Mill Creek MetroParks

Children’s garden vision grows

The seeds that have been planted to redevelop a large children’s garden in one of Mill Creek MetroParks’ most popular destinations are beginning to bear ripe fruit — one donor at a time.

“The board and members of Friends of Fellows Riverside Gardens were captivated by the plans for transforming the northwest corner of Fellows Riverside Gardens into a true destination spot for children and families,” Denise Stewart, Friends’ president, said.

To bring such a goal closer to reality, Stewart’s organization has pledged about $341,000 toward the 1.5-acre project, estimated at $3.4 million. The monetary effort began some years ago with a $200,000 pledge for naming rights for one of the five gardens within the larger project that, with accrued interest, has grown to $241,000 before the organization’s board raised an additional $100,000, she noted.

“I’m very excited to have our organization designated in the naming of one of our gardens. It will be a beauty spot for all to enjoy,” said Stewart, who also teaches a course on human trafficking at Youngstown State University.

The Friends of Fellows Riverside Gardens is among the 112 donors who, collectively, have raised slightly more than $1 million for the effort, Chris Litton, the park’s development director, noted.

Fort Collins, Colorado-based Russell + Mills Studios is handling the design and architectural aspects of the expansive and nearly rectangular reshaped children’s garden, which will stretch from near Mahoning and McKinley avenues to the Fellows Riverside Gardens’ parking lot next to the D.D. and Velma Davis Education and Visitor Center. The project also will include security fencing, along with a stone wall with iron gates.

Another prominent donor has been the Youngstown Foundation, which, last year, pledged around $250,000 for the garden’s second phase, Litton said.

Within the larger space, for which work began in early 2022, will be six individual component units: sensory, wonder room, harvest, forest and stream gardens for children and adults to enjoy, each with its unique characteristics, he noted.

Also in the mix will be a hummock lawn in the center of the space that will emulate glacial formations with small glacial hills and cairns.

The six gardens’ specific features will include areas for children to climb and explore, raise plant-based foods, play in a small meandering stream, walk along wooden boardwalks and tree platforms and climb mounds of grass, Litton said.

The redevelopment also will represent a vast improvement to the original garden that was built in the early 1980s as an educational resource for FRG. The current work also entailed removing old tires and other outdated apparatus that had been installed in that area, he added.

“At the end of the day, kids deserve to have something like this,” Litton said.

Also on the acreage is the Margaret Cushwa Outdoor Educational Building, a 680-square-foot classroom that opened in November 2022 and served as the garden project’s first phase. Two of its sides have large sliding-glass doors that open and will face the large garden.

The building was named in honor of the late Cushwa, who died in 1995 and was a former Mill Creek Park commissioner. She and her family also were among the city’s leading industrialists.

Stewart said that she also hopes the large children’s garden will capture the spirit and vision of Elizabeth A. Fellows, an 1878 graduate of The Rayen School who willed the land and funds to Mill Creek MetroParks to build and maintain the free public botanical gardens named after her.

“We envision a beautiful and inspiring children’s garden that adds to the splendor that Elizabeth Fellows envisioned in her will ‘to create a beauty spot to be enjoyed by all,’” Stewart added.

To make a donation, go to www.childrensgarden.fund or www.lovemillcreek.org. Contributions to the project also can be made to the Mill Creek MetroParks Foundation by calling Litton at 330-718-2699.

 

Read the original article at the Tribune Chronicle.

The little insect that’s bugging local park officials

Right now, there’s a war on an invasive species that’s happening right under your nose. You probably don’t even notice it, but it’s really bugging officials with the Mill Creek Metroparks.

Sometimes the biggest problems come from the smallest of sources.

“You would need a microscrope to really look at them. So it’s a very, very small insect,” said Nick Derico, Mill Creek Park natural resource manager.

Since 2020, the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid has been calling the Mill Creek MetroParks home. The only problem is wildlife officials don’t want it taking up residence.

“It feeds on the hemlock trees, and over time it can cause pretty significant decline or even death in the tree,” Derico said.

Native to Asia, the bug is a nuisance, attacking North American Hemlocks since it was first introduced back in the 1950s.

“How it got here to the MetroParks, hard to say,” Derico said. “It could’ve came in on an ornamental tree or carried by birds.”

Park officials are fighting back against the insect with insecticides, tagging trees that have been treated. But it takes about 18 months before they start seeing any results.

The pest appears like a small wool bundle, not much bigger than the size of a pinhead. Left untreated, infested trees can die within four to 10 years.

“The hemlocks play a super important role in the ecosystem,” Derico said. “They’re a keystone species. … They’re vital. They create very unique habitats, especially in these creekside habitats.”

Wildlife officials say they keep finding new populations every year and are treating the outbreaks as they find them.

“Once treated, the chemical will stay active in the tree for about seven years,” Derico said. “The unfortunate reality is we probably won’t be able to save every tree.”

 

Read the original article at WKBN.

‘Everything Eclipse’ Lecture at MetroParks Farm

Mill Creek MetroParks will present “Everything Eclipse with Planetarium Engineer Curt Spivey” at 1 p.m. March 23.

The hourlong lecture will take place in McMahon Hall on the MetroParks Farm, 7574 Columbiana-Canfield Road.

Participants will learn about the April 8 solar eclipse, which will be visible throughout northeastern Ohio. Tips will include where to go to experience totality, how to safely view the eclipse and more.

Eclipse glasses will be provided while supplies last. Registration is required. The deadline to register is March 22. Registration can be done online or by calling 330 740 7107, ext 129. The fee is $3.

To register online, click HERE.

Here’s a look at some other eclipse-related programming:

TV Documentary: The April 3 episode of “Nova” will shine a light on the total solar eclipse that will be visible in northeastern Ohio on April 8. The one-hour documentary will air at 8 p.m.

The April 8 eclipse will sweep across the U.S. from Texas to Maine and will be the last total solar eclipse until 2044.

The extraordinary astronomical event will plunge locations in the path of totality into darkness for more than four minutes in some places – nearly twice as long as the last American eclipse in 2017.

The episode will offer instructions on how to watch an eclipse safely and follow scientists as they work to unlock secrets of the sun – from why its atmosphere is hundreds of times hotter than its surface to what causes solar storms and how we might one day predict them.

Pink Floyd: The “Darkside of the Moon – Solar Eclipse Show” will be shown at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 6, at Kent Stage, 175 E. Main St., Kent. Tickets range from $30 to $24 and can be purchased HERE.

MetroParks to host ‘Everything Eclipse’ with YSU planetarium engineer

Mill Creek MetroParks is hosting an event where you can learn everything you need to know about the upcoming solar eclipse.

The show titled “Sky Talk: Everything Eclipse with YSU Planetarium Engineer Curt Spivey” is set for March 23 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at MetroParks Farms McMahon Hall, 7574 Columbiana-Canfield Road, Canfield.

Spivey will talk about the eclipse happening on April 8 and the best place to watch it. He will also have information about how to safely view the eclipse and will be giving out eclipse glasses while supplies last.

Registration is required and there is a charge of $3. You can register online through the Mill Creek MetroParks or call 330-740-7107. Registrations must be taken by March 22.

 

Read the original article at WYTV.

More facility upgrades coming to Mill Creek Park

More restroom facilities in Mill Creek Park will be closed in the coming weeks as the existing structures are replaced with new ones.

The two facilities at the East Golf Hike & Bike Trail near Shields Road will be closed starting Monday. The current restrooms are scheduled to be demolished and replaced with a new, prefabricated concrete restroom.

The anticipated project duration is approximately three weeks.

The East Golf Hike & Bike Trail will remain open throughout the project. Access to the adjacent Sheilds Road parking lot will be maintained throughout the project; however, intermittent closures for demolition/construction activities are to be expected.

In the event of closures, trail users are encouraged to utilize the parking lots near Boardman-Canfield Road and West Golf Drive.

A similar project took place at the beginning of February with the replacement of the Newport Wetlands facilities.

 

Read the original article at WKBN.

Two comfort stations in Mill Creek Park to close

Two existing comfort stations at the East Golf Hike & Bike trail located near Shields Road in Mill Park Creek will be closing down starting the week of March 11, 2024.

These comfort stations are going to be demolished to make way for a new, prebuilt concrete restroom. The project is expected to last around three weeks. That includes all the excavation, installation, as well as construction.

The East Golf Hike & Bike Trail is going to remain open during the project. People will be access the adjacent parking lot on Shields Road during this time as well. However, some intermittent closures for demolition and construction activities are to be expected.

During these closures, trail users are encouraged to use parking lots near Boardman-Canfield Road and West Golf Drive.

Read the original article at WFMJ.

More facility upgrades coming to Mill Creek Park

More restroom facilities in Mill Creek Park will be closed in the coming weeks as the existing structures are replaced with new ones.

The two facilities at the East Golf Hike & Bike Trail near Shields Road will be closed starting Monday. The current restrooms are scheduled to be demolished and replaced with a new, prefabricated concrete restroom.

The anticipated project duration is approximately three weeks.

The East Golf Hike & Bike Trail will remain open throughout the project. Access to the adjacent Sheilds Road parking lot will be maintained throughout the project; however, intermittent closures for demolition/construction activities are to be expected.

In the event of closures, trail users are encouraged to utilize the parking lots near Boardman-Canfield Road and West Golf Drive.

A similar project took place at the beginning of February with the replacement of the Newport Wetlands facilities.

 

Read the original article at WKBN.

Disc out of place? Check at MetroParks seeks owners of disc golf discs

If you forgot or overthrew your golf disc in Mill Creek MetroParks, you may be in luck.

Mill Creek MetroParks has 45 unclaimed discs left behind from disc golfers, according to Mill Creek Farm supervisor Brian Moff.

Most of the discs left behind were from last year, but some have been found from this year as people make the most of the unseasonably warm weather this winter.

“I have about two or three from this year,” Moff said.

Moff said it’s common for discs to be left behind and that if someone puts their name and number on them, he always calls so the owner can claim it.

He said the disc golf course is located on the farm, across the street from the Canfield Fairgrounds.

Disc golf is similar to golf, Moff said.

“With disc golf, you throw a disc from one spot, a tee, to a target, (which is) a basket and you try to get the disc into the basket with as few throws as possible,” he said. “Just like with regular golf, there’s birdies and holes in one.”

He said the course, which was built in 2019, is very popular.

“Two-hundred and eighty-two people played in June of last year. (On) the busiest day, there were 25 people,” Moff said. “In January it was much slower due to the weather. Fifty-seven people played in January of this year.”

Moff said the park has two disc golf courses, a nine-hole beginner course and an 18-hole advanced course, at the MetroPark Farm, 7574 Columbiana-Canfield Road in Canfield.

The disc golf course is a par 60 and measures about 6,000 feet.

“It’s available to host for tournaments,” he said. “It’s ranked one of the top 20 disc golf courses in Ohio.”

To claim your lost golf disc, call the park at 330-702-3000, ext. 111.

 

Read the original article at The Vindicator.

Valley bird watchers take flight on national count

Bird watchers in the tri-county area were watching their bird feeders and other locations over the weekend to record the number of birds they saw for the annual worldwide Great Backyard Bird Count.

The count started Friday and ends today. A group gathered recently at the Ford Nature Center at Mill Creek MetroParks to go over the itinerary for what they need to do to record the data.

Jeff Harvey of Youngstown, past president of the local Audubon Society, said there are 20 feeder birds that people often see in the winter because they do not migrate south.

“People help with the count by recording the greatest number of each bird species at one time at their feeders or in their backyards. They are counting the maximum number of birds of a particular type at one time,” Harvey said.

Among the local birds recorded in the winter are cardinals, chickadees, titmouse, red-breasted nuthatch and gold finches.

Launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, the Great Backyard Bird Count was the first online participatory-science project to collect data on wild birds and display results in near real time.

Harvey said information will be submitted by the participants to the Cornell Lab via the national bird count website at birdcount.org.

The area’s Audubon Society includes residents from Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties. Harvey said people can stay inside their homes and watch their bird feeders or they can go outside to a particular area and count the birds they see.

“This data is recorded and can be used to see any bird population changes. Cornell looks over the data on resident bird species across the nation,” Harvey said.

Cindy Fernback, education manager at the Ford Nature Center, said the center often offers programs about birds.

She said the center has many bird feeders.

“We do on occasion have bald eagles come here, but usually they stay at Lake Glacier. We see turkeys and hawks in the forest,” Fernback said.

Jason Short, president of the local Audubon Society, started birding four years ago, and said bird watching has made a comeback since the coronavirus pandemic when people were at home and had more time to watch birds.

“It has really taken off again. More and more people are bird watching. It is a multi-million dollar industry with people buying bird seed, bird feeders and other items,” Short said.

Erika Somerville of Newton Falls said she has participated in the bird count before.

“I am a bird person. I always love looking for unusual birds. I enjoy sitting and watching the birds. If I can contribute to a citizen science project while I am watching, why not,” Somerville said.

Siena Larrick of Youngstown said she has not participated in a previous bird count.

“I have always been interested in birds. I plan to be here at the park to watch and help count with other people,” Larrick said.

Gary Davenport of Youngstown said his wife does a lot of the bird counting. He said he helps document the ravens, Carolina chickadees and other birds he has seen at the park.

Short said the Audubon Society will take part in the Mosquito Lake Bird Festival in May and also various presentations in the three counties.

TRUMBULL COUNTY

Jason Lee, park naturalist for Mosquito Lake State Park in Bazetta, led a group of 15 people to record data at the Trumbull Agricultural Center property in Cortland. He said the group included regular birders and new people.

Lee said during the pandemic in 2020, many people had to stay in their homes, so they began watching the birds and helping to record data.

“The pandemic opened up birding to many people who continue today,” he said.

For the data gathering, a minimum of 15 minutes is needed on any day for watching and recording birds.

Steve Craiger of Bristol, a member of the Friends of Mosquito Lake State Park, said he has taken part in many different bird counts, including the Christmas Bird Count in February,

Becky Dobson of Kinsman with the Young Birders Club said she likes to get younger people involved in birding events.

Larry Richardson of North Bloomfield said people taking part are contributing scientific data which help people see what is happening with bird species.

“You are contributing information for science, which helps people better understand things happening with birds,” Richardson said.

Lee is planning a birding weekend event in May.

Organizers said each February, participants from around the world come together for the love of birds. Over the four days, people spend time in their favorite places watching and counting as many birds as they can find and reporting them to the Cornell Lab.

According to Cornell Lab, in 2020, a new website was created to help make the four-day count easy.

Birds Canada joined the project in 2009 to provide an expanded capacity to support participation there. In 2013, a global project began, with researchers entering data into eBird, the world’s largest biodiversity-related participatory science project.

Read the original article at The Vindicator.

Meet the Mill Creek MetroParks’ MetroMutts, a group for dog walking

A group of dogs and their human companions took advantage of last week’s sunshine by heading out to Mill Creek MetroParks’ new East Park hike and bike trail. They’re called the MetroMutts, a membership for local nature lovers who bring their dogs along for walks through Mill Creek MetroParks.

HOW TO JOIN THE METROMUTTS If you have a dog who loves going for long walks and you’re looking to get out into nature more, consider joining the Mill Creek MetroParks’ MetroMutts. Members of MetroMutts get advance notice of programs, special hikes and events that are scheduled throughout the year, like last week’s “New Year, New Trail” hike. Traverse new parts of the park and make new friends in the area.

If you know other dog lovers, consider gifting them a MetroMutts memberships. Members also receive a “I love my MetroMutt” car window cling. Annual memberships start at $30 to register one dog and one walker, and if you have multiple dogs it’s $40. Fill out a membership application online; if you have questions, call (330) 740-7114. Dogs have to be on leashes, non-aggressive and under owner’s control at all times.

Read the original article at Mahoning Matters.