Lowe-Volk Nature Center
Upcoming Events
Nature Notes
Flora & Fauna Surveys
Bike Way
Photo Gallery
Adopt-an-Animal
Geo-Caching Policy
Volunteer
Park Rules
Friends of the CPD
Contact Us

Upcoming Programs & Events

Living Landscapes: How to Attract Birds, Butterflies, & Pollinators to Your Yard
Wednesday, May 4   6pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Are you a bird watcher who would like to attract more species of birds to your yard? Perhaps you’re interested in enticing beautiful butterflies to your landscape? Or, maybe you’d just like to make your property more eco-friendly? Whether you live in town or in the country, what you choose to plant in your yard makes a huge difference to birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. Join Chelsea to learn why including native plants in your landscape can create an ecological oasis for our dwindling bird and insect populations. Program participants will be given a native plant to take home!
 
Caterpillar Craze
Thursday, May 12   5:30pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Did you know that caterpillars are the larval stage of butterflies and moths or that they shed their exoskeleton several times to grow? Join Joy Etter-Link for a fun and interactive program and make a wiggling caterpillar craft to take home. This program is for children in 5th grade and younger accompanied by their adult.
 
Bird Banding
Saturday, May 14   7am-1pm     Lowe-Volk Park
In conjunction with the Pancake Breakfast, we’ll be banding birds on the front porch of the Nature Center. Join Bob Placier and CPD staff for a morning of science! We’ll be monitoring mist nets to see which birds inhabit or pass-through Lowe-Volk Park. Banding is used to track trends in bird populations, among other research applications. All ages welcome and grab some pancakes in support of your Park District!
 
Pancakes in the Park
Saturday, May 14   8am-1pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Come and support your Parks while satisfying your appetite. For a $5.00 donation, you can get pancakes topped with REAL maple syrup, a side of delicious ham, and a great morning enjoying and supporting your Park District!
 
Nature Hike 
Sunday, May 15   3pm   Daughmer Savannah
Many of the threatened plant species found at Daughmer are at their best in late spring.  There is also an assemblage of colorful breeding birds, butterflies, and dragonflies.  Meet Warren Uxley to explore this unique habitat.
 
Magee Marsh/Lake Erie Bird Watching
Saturday, May 21   7am   Magee Marsh
May is peak time for spring migration in Ohio, and Lake Erie provides much suitable habitat and myriads of opportunities to view birds! Join CPD staff for a co-lead field trip with the Richland County Park District staff to the world-famous warbler capital of the world Magee Marsh! We will carpool from Lowe-Volk and head to Magee Marsh searching for warblers, vireos, thrushes, and flycatchers. Then we will work our way along the Lake Erie Coastline stopping at other famous locations such as the recently opened Howard Marsh, Maumee Bay Boardwalk, Ottawa Wildlife Refuge, and other sites searching for waterfowl, gulls, shorebirds, and other local rarities! We will eat lunch at the famous Blackberry Corner Tavern known for their assortment of fresh pie. This is a family friendly program. Dress for the weather. Optics are recommended. Please call the Park at 419-683-9000 to register.
 
Stream Fishes of the Sandusky
Saturday, May 21   11am   Sandusky Headwaters Preserve
Sportfish like bass and walleye get lots of attention due to their larger size and economic importance. However, there are many more species of stream fishes – from suckers to darters – in our waterways that play crucial roles in our aquatic habitats. Join staff from the Ohio Division of Wildlife to explore these small, but important, links in riverine food chains. Division staff will demonstrate stream fish sampling, including electrofishing. Park staff will also be on hand to demonstrate stream quality monitoring techniques. A prefect program for the entire family! Old shoes are recommended.
 
CANCELLED - Ohio Summer Adventure Day Trips - CANCELLED
Saturday, May 21   1pm   Lowe-Volk Park
THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN CANCELLED
 
Feeding Day
Sunday, May 22   1pm   Lowe-Volk Park
The animals that reside in the Nature Center get a variety of food. Some prefer worms or mice while others gobble up leafy greens and vegetables. Stop by to help Lisa feed some of our animal ambassadors.
 
Book Club
Monday, May 23   6pm   Lowe-Volk Park
 
Little Explorers:  Farm Day 
Thursday, May 26   5pm   Lowe-Volk Park 
Little Explorers is an interactive program for children ages 0-5 years. Activities will focus on stimulating the senses for infants while also engaging fine motor skills for toddlers. Join Naturalist Abby and Baby Vinny for a program exploring farm life that will engage your infant’s senses, with a chance to meet farm animals! Dress for the weather as we will be outside for at least part of the program.
 
Midnight Mothing
Friday, May 27   9pm-12am   Lowe-Volk Park
Ohio is home to thousands of species of beautiful moths, including the giant fuzzy Cecropia Moth. We will use bright lights and UV lights to attract our nocturnal moths to a mothing sheet. Stop in any time after dark to get an up-close look at these moths and other intriguing insects that fly in. There will even be opportunities to hold some of the bigger moths! This program is weather-dependent and will be cancelled if it is rainy or too windy. Fun for all ages!
 
Bird Walk
Saturday, May 28   8am   Sandusky Headwaters Preserve
Spring is almost over, which means migration is nearing an end! Join Land Manager Kyle Bailey for an interactive and informative monthly bird walk.  The majority of birds have passed through on their way to their breeding grounds. Large numbers of late season warblers, vireos, and flycatchers remain. We will meet in the parking lot before heading out onto the trail. Optics are recommended. Binoculars are limited and will be available on a first come first serve basis.
 
Stewardship
Saturday, May 28   11am   Sandusky Headwaters Preserve
Join Land Manager Kyle Bailey for our monthly Stewardship Program where the focus will be on managing the easily identifiable and extremely invasive non-native known as Garlic Mustard. There will be a brief introduction about stewardship and our target species before heading out into the field. Closed-toe shoes, long sleeves, and pants are required. Dress for the weather. Some gloves and loppers will be available on a first come first serve basis.
 
Owl Prowl
Saturday, May 28   9pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Eight species of owls call Ohio home with only four species being full-time residents. Join CPD staff to learn about these amazing avian predators of the night. We will meet in the Nature Center to learn about our local owls, then head outside for a night hike searching for roosting birds in our woods. Binoculars are recommended.
 
Viewing the Night Sky
Saturday, May 28   9pm   Lowe-Volk Park
 
Flycatchers
Sunday, May 29   3pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Among nature’s supreme athletes, flycatchers enliven our fields and woodlands with their magnificent flight skills.  Meet Warren Uxley for a PowerPoint program followed by an outdoor excursion to observe flycatchers.
 
Living History Days
Friday, June 3- Sunday, June 5
Join the CPD and Colonel Crawford’s Company to step back into the 18th Century. More event details will be shared in the coming weeks. Save the date!
 
Nature Story Time
Tuesday, June 7   10am   Lowe-Volk Park
Nature Story Time is back! Join Miss Chelsea for an interactive read aloud every Tuesday morning throughout the summer. We will be outside and will have a fun story-related activity or animal visitor. Kids will receive a nature story time ticket to track their attendance and can choose a prize after five visits!