We are pleased to announce that our June 11, A DAY in the WOODS – Shrub Identification program will take place as an in-person event at the Vinton Furnace State Forest near McArthur. This will be our first in-person A DAY in the WOODS program since the fall of 2019.  Please be patient with us!  Due to COVID-19 we will limit participation to 24 attendees and will follow current COVID-19 protocol as prescribed by our employers and the State of Ohio.

What:  Shrub Identification program

Where: Vinton Furnace State Forest near McArthur

When: June 11, 10 AM to 3 PM

Registration:  $12 per person (payable on the day of the event by cash or check to Vinton SWCD) includes a box lunch

RSVP, limited to the first 24 people who reserve a spot via email apsley.1@osu.edu, or by calling  740-596-5676.  Once we reach capacity, we will maintain a list in the order that requests are received if slots become available.

We plan to hold this entire program in the woods in small groups of approximately 10.  We currently have 6 instructors lined up to assist with this program.   Again, we will follow COVID-19 protocols that are in place at the time.   Please bring a face covering to use when:

• you are not fully vaccinated
• you in are in the training center to use restroom facilities or for any other reason
• you are unable to social distance from people outside of your normal circles
• it is necessitated by COVID-19 protocol changes
• it makes you comfortable

The Vinton Furnace State Forest is located in a very remote portion of Vinton County.  Signs will be posted on the morning of the event along the route from both entrances. Directions – Experimental Forest

For more information contact Dave Apsley (apsley.1@osu.edu or 740-710-3009)

Health Benefits of Woodlands (PDF of Powerpoint) – Jarel Bartig: Health Benefits of Woodlands

Selected reference from  Health Benefits of Woodlands:

  -The Nature Fix by Florence Williams

-Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv

-Forest Medicine by Qing Li

-Ohio Leave No Child Inside Collaborators – https://ohiolnci.org/

-International Society of Nature and Forest Medicine – https://www.infom.org/

-The Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs – https://www.natureandforesttherapy.org/Walk with a Doc – https://walkwithadoc.org/

-Children and Nature Network – https://www.childrenandnature.org/

-National Environmental Education Foundation’s
Children and Nature Initiative – https://www.neefusa.org

-Park RX America – https://parkrxamerica.org/

What’s Your Eco-Zip Code (PDF of Powerpoint) – Lisa Kluesner: 

DayInTheWoods_EcoZipcodes_05142021

USDA Forest Service Section, Subsection, and Landtype Descriptions for Southeastern Ohio: https://www.fs.fed.us/nrs/pubs/rmap/rmap_nrs10.pdf

Lookout Rock-Zaleski State Forest

Forest Ecology will be offered by A DAY in the WOODS on Friday, May 14 from 10 am to noon via Zoom Webinar

Click here to register!

This program will focus on southeast Ohio – our most heavily forested portion of the state located in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains and part of the greater Appalachian Mountain Ecosystem.  The workshop has two parts – the first will explore the role that our woodlands can have in enhancing our physical and mental health and the second will provide an introduction to the landscape ecology of southeast Ohio.  We hope you can join us as we explore the ecological “zip codes” of southeast Ohio and how we all fit in.

Photo credit: Brad Perkins

Below you will find links to the program recording and other resources from “Migratory Birds”, A DAY in the WOOD, program on April 9, 2021.  Learn about the ecology of avian migration, tricks to identifying birds by sight and sound, and the critical conservation implications of this ecological phenomenon in a developing landscape. We will go over the timing of migration for different groups of birds and how to find out where and when birds are showing up.

Video recording link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9BdazCG2WA

Timing of the Spring Migration in Ohio slides (PDF): Day in the Woods – 2021 – Shumar – & Matthews

Warblers in Ohio (PDF): Birding with Brad_Warblers

eBird website: https://ebird.org/

Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative website: https://obcinet.org/

More birding with Brad videos

• Marsh Birds of Ohio: https://mediasite.osu.edu/Mediasite/Play/4e7ad0a1d73344b8962e49c9f932a5cd1d
• Raptors: https://mediasite.osu.edu/Mediasite/Play/a04c831d7de74776a2aed10f1a0633b51d

Blackburnian warbler. Photo credit: Brad Perkins

Migratory Birds will be offered on Friday April 9th from 10 am to noon via Zoom Webinar.

Click here to register!

Learn about the ecology of avian migration, tricks to identifying birds by sight and sound, and the critical conservation implications of this ecological phenomenon in a developing landscape. We will go over the timing of migration for different groups of birds and how to find out where and when birds are showing up.

Featured speakers include Matthew Shumar (Program Coordinator, Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative, The Ohio State University SENR), Stephen Matthews (Associate Professor, The Ohio State University SENR) and Brad Perkins (Executive Director, Ohio Forestry Association)

“Native trees and shrubs for wildlife”  was offered via Zoom Webinar on March 12, 2021. This program focused on the food provided by native trees and shrubs for Ohio’s many species of wildlife.  Below is the video of this program, a copy of the presentation materials and a related web links.

Featured presenters include Ryan Boyer (District Biologist IN, MI, OH; National Wild Turkey Federation), Marne Titchenell (Wildlife Program Specialist, OSU Extension), and Dave Apsley (Natural Resources Specialist, OSU Extension).

Topics covered included:

• Types of food provided by trees and shrubs for wildlife

• Seasonality and nutritional value of food (mast) produced by trees and shrubs

• Importance of providing a diverse mix native, woody plant species

• Methods you can employ in your woodlands to enhance the production of mast and other wildlife benefits

• Resources available help you to enhance these habitat elements in your woods

Additional Resources

PDF – A Day in the Woods- Native Trees and Shrubs for Wildlife (Final)

National Wild Turkey Federation – Manage Your Property – website

Ohio Woodland Stewards website

Note:   Due to COVID-19, these programs will be offered virtually until we get authorization to conduct them on site and in person.  At that time, we hope to offer most of the programs in a hybrid format with both live and in-person options. Program details and updates will be posted at http://u.osu.edu/seohiowoods as they become available.    Contact Dave Apsley apsley.1@osu.edu for more details.

April 9- Migratory Birds (click to register)

May 14- What’s Your Ecological Zip Code? and the Health Benefits of Woodlands

June 11- Shrub Identification

July 9- Assessing the Health of Your Woods with HEALTHYWOODS Phone App.

Aug 13- New Woodland Owner Program: The ABC’s of Owning and Caring for Your Woodland

Sep 10- Invasive plant Identification and Control

Oct 8- Woodland Practices: A wagon tour of the Vinton Furnace and State Forest

Nov 12- Winter Tree Identification – Vinton Furnace State Forest….In Person….

Dec 10- Locating, Maintaining and Marking your Property Boundaries

Jan 14-2022- Pollinator/Grassland/CRP

Registration is open for our 2nd Virtual A DAY in the WOODS program for 2021,   “ADVICE from the WOODS”.

“ADVICE from the WOODS” will take place from 10 AM to noon on Friday, February 12 in the form of a Virtual question and and answer session with professional foresters and wildlife biologists including Stephanie Downs (ODNR-Division of Forestry), John Morton (ODNR-Division of Wildlife) and Dave Apsley (OSU Extension).  Other foresters and NR professionals will be recruited to assist depending on expertized needed to answer questions submitted in advance.

The program will be offered via ZOOM Webinar.  Click here to register!

Submit your forestry, wildlife and other natural resources related questions to Dave Apsley ( apsley.1@osu.edu) on on before February 5, 2021.

Eagle Presentation for Day in the Woods _PDF slides_20210108

Ohio Division of Wildlife – Wildlife Reporting Website:

Opening page: https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-ODNR/wildlife/Report+Wildlife+Sightings

Direct link: https://apps.ohiodnr.gov/wildlife/speciessighting/

Ohio Division of Wildlife Bald Eagle page

https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/discover-and-learn/animals/birds/bald-eagle 

Ohio Bald Eagle Webcams

Eastlake: https://hdontap.com/index.php/video/stream/eastlake-ohio-eagle-nest-cam-aef-live-stream     

              Avon Lake: https://www.youtube.com/c/AvonLakeEagleCam/live

Cleveland Metroparks: https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/about/conservation/natural-resources/bald-eagle-nest-livestream

Midwest Region Fish and Wildlife Service guidance for activities near eagle nests (e.g. logging, etc.):

               https://www.fws.gov/midwest/eagle/permits/index.html

 Reducing Lead

https://peregrinefund.org/projects/north-american-non-lead-partnership

More Birding with Brad Opportunities

             Warblers of Ohio: ID and Ecology https://mediasite.osu.edu/Mediasite/Play/1f715f51ea3c4421849fb8e19dcdc5991d

             Marsh Birds of Ohio: https://mediasite.osu.edu/Mediasite/Play/4e7ad0a1d73344b8962e49c9f932a5cd1d

             Raptors: https://mediasite.osu.edu/Mediasite/Play/a04c831d7de74776a2aed10f1a0633b51d

Photo courtesy of Brad Perkins

Our first A DAY in the WOODS program for 2021 “The Fall and Rise of Bald Eagles in Ohio” will take place on January 8 at 10 am.  This program will be presented by Brad Perkins, Executive Directory of the Ohio Forestry Association, and Laura Kearns, Wildlife Biologist with ODNR-Division of Wildlife.

Brad is passionate about bald eagles and photography.  He has monitored eagle nests in Ohio for 25 years.  Laura is actively involved in bald eagle surveys and nest census work in Ohio.

Learn about the recovery of this magnificent bird and its current status in Ohio.   Brad and Laura will share stunning photography, current statistics and trends,  tips for observing and identifying eagles, rescue stories, as well as, their personal experiences studying and photographing bald eagles in Ohio.  The program will conclude with a question answer session.

To register for this Zoom Webinar visit: http://go.osu.edu/ditw2021