CRAWFORD PARK DISTRICT
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    • Lowe-Volk Park >
      • Nature Playscape
    • Sandusky Headwaters Preserve
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    • Event Calendar
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    • Forest Friends Preschool
    • Junior Naturalist
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  • Conservation
    • Natural Resources >
      • Current Issues >
        • Emerald Ash Borer
        • Spotted Lanternfly
        • Asian Longhorn Beetle
        • Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
        • Black Bear
        • Bobcat
        • Beech Leaf Disease
        • Oak Wilt
        • Tree of Heaven
        • Callerypear
      • Resource & Land Management
      • Surveying & Monitoring >
        • Bluebird Monitoring
        • Butterfly Monitoring
        • Citizen Science
      • Report a Land Concern
    • Flora & Fauna
    • Wildlife Emergency
  • Newsletters
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    • Gallery >
      • Photo Archive
      • Water Carnival 2019
      • Animal Extravaganza 2019
      • Mud Day 2019
      • Kids Learning Tree
      • Daughmer Savannah Controlled Burn
      • Spring Wildflowers
      • Fall Color
      • Winter Scenes
    • Newsletters
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Lowe-Volk Nature Center
Upcoming Events

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ching Policy
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Upcoming Programs & Events

Little Explorers: Flowers
Tuesday, June 6   5pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Little Explorers is an interactive program for young children, ages 0-5. Activities focus on stimulating infants’ senses and developing toddlers’ and preschoolers’ fine motor skills. This month we’ll explore all the parts of flowers! Dress for the weather!

Creekin’ at CPD
Wednesday, June 7   1:00 pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Join us on a rock flippin’, water splashin’, bug catchin’, crawdad huntin’ adventure! Explore the stream that runs through the park and find out why these awesome ecosystems are so important! Wear your water shoes!
 
Canoeing
Wednesday, June 7   5pm   Neff Reservoir
Stop out for an evening paddle around Neff Reservoir. After learning some canoeing basics and safety, you will then take to the water! Please wear shoes that can get wet. All
equipment will be provided. No registration required, but it will be first come, first served.
 
Nature Story Time
Thursday, June 8, 15, 22, & 29   10am   Lowe-Volk Park
Join Miss Chelsea for a nature-themed story each Thursday morning throughout the summer! In addition to the story, we will have animal visitors and other activities related to the week’s book. Check out our Facebook page each week for updates on what we’ll be reading and who will be visiting! This program will be held inside the Nature Center if it is raining.

Fishing Derby
Saturday, June 10   9-11am   Lowe-Volk Park
Join CPD staff and volunteers for our annual fishing derby. Children ages 5-12 can enjoy this activity at the Lowe-Volk Pond. Prizes will be awarded in many categories such as biggest catch and smallest catch. You must provide your own fishing pole, tackle, and bait. Make it a family event! Registration starts at 8:30am.
 
Midnight Mothing
Thursday, June 15   9pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Ohio is home to thousands of species of moths, and the Division of Wildlife is currently undertaking a statewide survey to determine the status of our moth species. 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 rescheduled if it is rainy or too windy—please check our Facebook page for updates.
 
Ohio Odonata Society Conference
Saturday, June 17   8:30am-4pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Are you interested in learning more about dragonflies and damselflies? Join the OOS for its annual meeting, engaging speakers, netting and identification demonstrations, and field trips to local Odonata hotspots. This is a free conference, but registration is required since space is limited to 75 participants. For more information, see our website at crawfordparkdistrict.org.
 
Book Club
Wednesday, June 21   5:30pm   Lowe-Volk Park
 
Parks in the Dark
Friday, June 23   9:30 pm   Sandusky Headwaters Preserve
Our parks typically close at dusk, so here is your chance to explore our parks at night! We will use flashlights and ultraviolet lights to explore the woodlands and wetlands to see which animals are active at night. From singing treefrogs, to hunting owls, to glowing caterpillars—who knows what we’ll discover!
 
Mud Day
Saturday, June 24   11am-1pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Current science points to many positive attributes of playing in the dirt. Why not help the CPD celebrate International Mud Day! There will be opportunities to just get your toes or hands muddy… or to get completely covered in mud! Jefferson Twp. Fire Department will be on hand to give you a rinse. Fun for the whole family!
 
Viewing the Night Sky
Saturday, June 24   9:30pm   Lowe-Volk Park
 
Archery
Wednesday, June 28   5-7pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Whether for sport, food, or fun, archery is a great outdoor activity that gets us away from the hustle and gadgets of life, allowing us to focus on one thing: hitting the target. Join us for an archery shoot that will include an introduction to archery safety and shooting basics. All equipment will be provided. Call the Park District at 419-683-9000 to register.
 
Feeding Day
Monday, July 3   10am   Lowe-Volk Park
Join Lisa to help feed some of the animals that reside in the Nature Center. Help prepare food for the box turtles or dangle a worm for the snapping turtles to grab. Don’t forget our snakes would love a mouse too!
 
Little Explorers: Mud
Monday, July 3   5pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Little Explorers is an interactive program for young children, ages 0-5. Activities focus on stimulating infants’ senses and developing toddlers’ and preschoolers’ fine motor skills. This month we’ll explore mud! We will be outside, wear your mud clothes!
 
Creekin’ at CPD
Wednesday, July 5   1pm   Sandusky Headwaters Preserve
Join us on a rock flippin’, water splashin’ bug catchin’, crawdad huntin’ adventure! Explore the stream that runs through the preserve and find out why these awesome ecosystems are so important! Wear your water shoes!
 
Nature Story Time
Thursday, July 6, 13, 20, & 27   10am   Lowe-Volk Park
Join Miss Chelsea for a nature-themed story each Thursday morning throughout the summer! In addition to the story, we will have animal visitors and other activities related to the week’s book. Check out our Facebook page each week for updates on what we’ll be reading and who will be visiting! This program will be held inside the Nature Center if it is raining.
 
Animal Extravaganza
Saturday, July 8   12-3pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Animal lovers are in for a treat! Come experience snakes, salamanders, turtles, invertebrates, and much more. Various pet owners will be on hand to answer your questions and to allow you to hold and touch when appropriate. Get your face painted! Do a kid’s activity! A great family event you won’t want to miss! Food concessions will be available.
 
Wild Edibles
Sunday, July 9   10am   Lowe-Volk Park
Many of the plants (and fungi) growing in our local wild spaces are edible and tasty, and some of them can even be found in your own yard! Learn which wild plants are the most nutritious and delicious while foraging around the Nature Center. There will also be opportunities to sample some of our best summer wild edibles. Please wear appropriate footwear for a walk through the woods. Fun for all ages!
 
Archery
Sunday, July 9   1-3pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Whether for sport, food, or fun, archery is a great outdoor activity that gets us away from the hustle and gadgets of life, allowing us to focus on one thing: hitting the target. Join us for an archery shoot that will include an introduction to archery safety and shooting basics. All equipment will be provided. Call the Park District at 419-683-9000 to register.
 
Looking at Nature’s Micro World
Saturday, July 15   10am   Lowe-Volk Park
Have you ever seen the fine details of a feather, sand, snake shed, shells, tree rings, or insects under a microscope? Nature’s microscopic world is amazing! We just received a grant and have a lot of new equipment to study many small things in nature. Come and learn how to use a microscope, stereo microscope, digital microscope, bug viewers, and a variety of magnifying lenses. You will have hands-on opportunities to use the magnifiers to explore the small things in our natural world. This class is designed for ages 5-12, but teens and adults are invited to come and explore nature’s micro world. Call the Park District at 419-683-9000 to register, but walk-ins are welcome.
 
Book Club
Wednesday, July 19   5:30pm   Lowe-Volk Park
 
Parks in the Dark
Friday, July 21   9:30 pm   Unger Park
Our parks typically close at dusk, so here is your chance to explore our parks at night! We will use flashlights and ultraviolet lights to explore the prairie and woodlands to see which animals are active at night. From singing treefrogs, to hunting owls, to glowing caterpillars—who knows what we’ll discover!
 
Face to Face: Axolotls
Saturday, July 22   10am   Lowe-Volk Park
Come meet one of our most popular animal ambassadors: axolotls! Axolotls are aquatic salamanders native to Mexico, and their frilly external gills give them an unusual appearance. Endangered in the wild, they have become quite popular with kids since they are featured in Minecraft! There will be opportunities to hold and/or touch the axolotls.
 
Girl Scout Day
Saturday, July 22   12pm-4pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Are you a Girl Scout or interested in joining Girl Scouts? If so, join us for a day of nature fun in the park! Activities to complete nature badges for all age levels will be available along with general nature activities. Girl Scouts from all troops are welcome!
 
Viewing the Night Sky
Saturday, July 22   9:30pm   Lowe-Volk Park
 
Canoeing
Wednesday, July 24   5pm   Neff Reservoir
Stop out for an evening paddle around Neff Reservoir. After learning some canoeing basics and safety, you will then take to the water! Please wear shoes that can get wet. All equipment will be provided. No registration required, but it will be first come, first served.
 
Family Astronomy Night
Saturday, July 29   6:30-9pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Come on out and join the Astronomy Club for a fun evening filled with all things astronomy! Thanks to a Hessenauer Grant, many new puzzles, games, and other fun activities, like BINGO, will be available for the entire family to play and interact with. Don’t forget, immediately after is a Viewing the Night Sky program where you will have opportunities to look through the telescopes and see many beautiful celestial sights! Call the Park District at 419-683-9000 to register, but walk-ins are welcome.
 
Viewing the Night Sky
Saturday, July 29   9:30pm   Lowe-Volk Park
 
Archery
Wednesday, August 2   5-7pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Whether for sport, food, or fun, archery is a great outdoor activity that gets us away from the hustle and gadgets of life, allowing us to focus on one thing: hitting the target. Join us for an archery shoot that will include an introduction to archery safety and shooting basics. All equipment will be provided. Call the Park District at 419-683-9000 to register.
 
Nature Story Time
Thursday, August 3, 10, 17, & 24   10am   Lowe-Volk Park
Join Miss Chelsea for a nature-themed story each Thursday morning throughout the summer! In addition to the story, we will have animal visitors and other activities related to the week’s book. Check out our Facebook page each week for updates on what we’ll be reading and who will be visiting! This program will be held inside the Nature Center if it is raining.
 
Feeding Day
Monday, August 7   5pm   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.
 
Little Explorers: Water
Tuesday, August 8   5pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Little Explorers is an interactive program for young children, ages 0-5. Activities focus on stimulating infants’ senses and developing toddlers’ and preschoolers’ fine motor skills. This month we’ll explore water! We will have cool water experiments and plenty of splashing, sprinkling fun! We will be outside, bring a towel and maybe some dry clothes!
 
Water Carnival
Sat, August 12   11am-2pm   Lowe-Volk Park
The Water Carnival is a great way to appreciate the importance of water in an ecosystem and also to have a great time getting wet during water games! There will be fire trucks, an inflatable ball that floats on the water, a slip and slide, water balloons, and much more! Come ready to get wet and have fun with the entire family!
 
Book Club
Wednesday, August 16   5:30pm   Lowe-Volk Park
 
Parks in the Dark
Friday, August 18   9pm   Heckert Nature Preserve
Our parks typically close at dusk, so here is your chance to explore our parks at night! We will use flashlights and ultraviolet lights to explore the prairie and woodlands to see which animals are active at night. From singing treefrogs, to hunting owls, to glowing caterpillars—who knows what we’ll discover!
 
Face to Face: Dragonflies
Saturday, August 19   2pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Dragonflies are our fastest insects, reaching speeds of nearly 35 miles per hour! Come meet dragonflies and damselflies up close—we will touch and hold dragonflies and their nymphs, while learning all about the life cycle of a dragonfly. Then, we’ll use insect nets to go on a dragonfly hunt around the pond and wetland!
 
Viewing the Night Sky
Saturday, August 26   8:45pm   Lowe-Volk Park
 
Canoeing
Wednesday, August 30   5pm   Neff Reservoir
Stop out for an evening paddle around Neff Reservoir. After learning some canoeing basics and safety, you will then take to the water! Please wear shoes that can get wet. All
equipment will be provided. No registration required, but it will be first come, first served.

Become a Friend of the
​Crawford Park District!

Friends of the CPD is dedicated to helping the Crawford Park District achieve its goals of continuing nature conservation and education in Crawford County.  Financial contributions by our Friends members helped build the Lowe-Volk Nature Center, preserve over 300 acres of parks, support community nature programs and develop an Astronomy Club!  The groups we serve in our community include day cares, public & private schools, home-school groups, assisted living centers, 4-H and Scout clubs, civic clubs and more!  Crawford Park District oversees the care and continued development of 6 public parks and nature preserves in Crawford County.  We appreciate your continued support and welcome you as a Friend of the CPD!  Please click on the DONATE tab to give!  Thank you for your generosity!
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Crawford Park District
2401 SR 598
Crestline, OH 44827
419-683-9000
​
Business Hours

Mon-Fri 8:00am - 4:00pm
Saturday 12:00pm - 4:00pm 
​Sunday 12:00pm - 4:00pm
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  • HOME
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • CPD Park Rules
    • Employment with the CPD
    • Stormwater Demo Site
    • Quarry book available
  • Parks
    • Heckert Nature Preserve
    • Daughmer Prairie Savannah State Nature Preserve
    • Lowe-Volk Park >
      • Nature Playscape
    • Sandusky Headwaters Preserve
    • Sandusky Wildlife Area
    • Sears Woods State Nature Preserve
    • Unger Park
  • Programs & Events
    • Event Calendar
    • Educator Resources
    • Forest Friends Preschool
    • Junior Naturalist
    • Nature Camp
  • Conservation
    • Natural Resources >
      • Current Issues >
        • Emerald Ash Borer
        • Spotted Lanternfly
        • Asian Longhorn Beetle
        • Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
        • Black Bear
        • Bobcat
        • Beech Leaf Disease
        • Oak Wilt
        • Tree of Heaven
        • Callerypear
      • Resource & Land Management
      • Surveying & Monitoring >
        • Bluebird Monitoring
        • Butterfly Monitoring
        • Citizen Science
      • Report a Land Concern
    • Flora & Fauna
    • Wildlife Emergency
  • Newsletters
  • Archives
    • Gallery >
      • Photo Archive
      • Water Carnival 2019
      • Animal Extravaganza 2019
      • Mud Day 2019
      • Kids Learning Tree
      • Daughmer Savannah Controlled Burn
      • Spring Wildflowers
      • Fall Color
      • Winter Scenes
    • Newsletters