Lowe-Volk Nature Center
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Crawford Park District
2401 SR 598
Crestline, Oh  44827
419-683-9000

Lowe-Volk Nature Center
Hours:
Mon-Sat:8:00am - 4:00pm
Sun:  Closed
Look What's Happening at the CPD!!!
The Crawford Park District office and the Lowe-Volk Park Nature Center will observe the following holiday hours:

Monday, December 24, Christmas Eve - open 10am to 2pm
Tuesday, December 25,  Christmas Day - Closed
Monday, December 31, New Years Eve - open 10am to 2pm
Tuesday,  January 1, New Year’s Day - Closed

The Nature Center will be open Wednesday, December 26 through Saturday, December 29 from 8am to 4pm.  The Nature Center is closed on Sundays until April.  All of the parks of the Crawford Park District are open year round from sunrise to sunset.  Enjoy a hike this holiday season.  For more information contact the Crawford Park District office at 419-683-9000.

Sears Woods Closed for Controlled Hunt
Saturday December 15
The Crawford Park District is announcing the closing of Sears Woods State Nature Preserve on Saturday, December 15.   The Nature Preserve will be closed for a controlled deer hunt sponsored by The Division of Natural Areas and Preserves and the Crawford Park District. This hunt is only open to previously selected hunters. For more information or questions call the Crawford Park District at 419-683-9000.

Recycling at the Nature Center
Saturday, December 8 9am-12pm  Lowe-Volk Park
Here is what you can bring: #1 & #2 plas-tics, glass, paper products & cardboard, steel & aluminum cans, CFL bulbs, batter-ies, old eye glasses, cell phones, tablets, & laptops.
NO OTHER ELECTRONICS, MONITORS, ETC. WILL BE ACCEPTED!

Awesome ‘Possum
Saturday, December 8   2pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Don’t miss your chance to meet the newest wildlife ambassador that lives at Lowe-Volk Park! Virginia, the Virginia Opossum will be out and about to greet guests after a presentation about opossum life history and a fun Opossum Game.
 
Nature Hike
Sunday, December 9   3pm   Daughmer Savannah
The russet colors of the grassland habitat at Daughmer make a pleasing display in December.  And the bird activity at this time is radically different from what is experienced during the summer months.  Meet Warren Uxley at the Daughmer parking lot on Marion-Melmore Rd. just north of SR 294.
 
Just Hike It
Saturday, December 15    10am    Lowe-Volk Park
There are many benefits to getting outside and taking a hike, such as lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol, to increasing happiness levels and curbing depression. Plus there is always something new to see! Join us on our monthly treks through the parks. We will also be doing photo journaling to document how the parks and trails change from season to season!

Viewing the Night Sky
Saturday, December 15 6pm Lowe-Volk Park
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. Targets for the winter months will include: M-32 (an elliptical galaxy), M-31 (in the Andromeda Galaxy), and Comet 46P/Wirtanen will be passing by on Dec. 16th! The universe is an astronomical sight! Bring your own telescope or allow the volunteers to assist you with those provided. It’s a spectacular universe! 

Nature Hike
Sunday, December 16   3pm   Sears Woods  
Each winter brings with it a new set of challenges for all life forms.  Food supplies vary from year to year and of course the weather patterns play a key role in determining the makeup of winter bird communities.  Meet Warren Uxley at Sears Woods State Nature Preserve and find out what this winter will bring.

New at Lowe-Volk Park:
Sandstone Rockscape

The Crawford Park District is pleased to announce the recent construction of A Sandstone Rockscape at Lowe-Volk Park.  The rockscape was designed and built by a group of volunteers commonly called, The Cabin Guys. Their name was assigned because the men built the Dapper Cabin at Colonel Crawford Schools.   The historic sandstone was donated by Chuck Kimerline of Bucyrus Road Materials and Nancy Everly of The Leesville Trading Post.  Since sandstone was previously quarried at Lowe-Volk Park, it was the perfect building material for the rockscape.

Monarchs, Monarchs Everywhere!

Picture
It has been a GREAT year for seeing monarch caterpillars and butterflies! Overall across the United States there has been an increase of sightings. Every year, we are citizen scientists and order butterfly tags through Monarch Watch. We went through our first 100 monarch tags so quickly that we had to order more. Josh, Lisa, and Abby offered monarch tagging programs on 3 different dates for the opportunity to catch some wild butterflies and to also tag a few that we raised in the Nature Center. We had over 60 participants during those programs. Another opportunity the community had to experience monarch tagging is through some outreach programs to preschools, elementary schools, and senior living centers. Our latest Magical Monarch program was through our Puppet Pals adventure. We offered a puppet show, butterfly craft, monarch release, a chance to meet the cast of the show, and a photo op on stage! To date, we have tagged 128 monarch butterflies and encouraged them to “Gotta Go! Gotta Go! Gotta Go to Mexico!!” If you haven’t seen any yet, there are still a few chrysalises in the Nature Center that haven’t emerged yet, so stop out to see them. We will check back in late spring and early summer to Monarch Watch’s tagged butterfly recovery webpage to see if any of our butterflies were found!