Courtesy of the ODNR Division of Wildlife
“A Night in the Forest” will provide woodland owners and enthusiasts a unique opportunity to “fill up their senses” with the night sounds and sights of the forest in springtime on Friday, May 8. This program takes place at the Vinton Furnace State Forest near McArthur, and is designed to introduce participants to the critters that inhabit the deep woods in southeastern Ohio and the distinctive sounds that they make at night.
The evening begins with a light meal at 6:30 p.m. and end with s’mores, of course, at approximately 10 p.m. The program will start with a series of brief indoor presentations on night sounds, bats, flying squirrels and night skies. Afterwards participants will have the opportunity walk the forested roads and trails of the Vinton Furnace State Forest with wildlife biologists to listen for a wide array of animals from amphibians and insects to owls and bobcats. As a bonus, weather permitting, there will be opportunity to view the beautiful night sky through telescopes with minimal light pollution.
Featured presenters for the evening include: Laura Kearns (ODNR Division of Wildlife), Don Althoff (University of Rio Grande), Dan Yaussy (USDA Forest Service, retired), Levi Miller (ODNR Division of Natural Areas and Preserves) and Dave Sagan (Hocking College, School of Natural Resources).
“A Day in the Woods” and the “2nd Friday Series” are sponsored by the Education and Demonstration Subcommittee of the Vinton Furnace State Forest with support from the Ohio State University Extension, ODNR-Divisions of Forestry and Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service, Vinton County Soil and Water Conservation District, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hocking College, National Wild Turkey Federation, Glatfelter and Ohio’s SFI Implementation Committee.
Other “2nd Friday Series” programs scheduled for 2015 include: Forest Health and Invasive Species (June 12); Historic Land Use-How it Shaped our Forests (July 10); Tree Identification at Hocking College (July 24); Pollinators in the Woods (August 14); Fall Wildflowers and Edibles (September 11); and Monitoring Woodland Wildlife (October 9). See March 3rd post below for more information about these programs.
For brochures and more information, visit http://u.osu.edu/seohiowoods. A registration fee of $10 will include meal and program materials. To help prepare materials and plan for meals, please RSVP no later than the Monday preceding the event by returning a registration form, calling 740-596-5212 (OSU Extension Vinton County) or emailing Dave at apsley.1@osu.edu.
Second Friday Series Brochure 2015
Directions – Experimental Forest
Day in the Woods Partners
For those of you who don’t get the corny references in the opening paragraph or are too young to remember John Denver and Annie’s Song: