It is officially the Year of the Owl for the Portage Park District which recently launched their new Wild Hikes Challenge with a trek around the gorgeous Towner’s Woods. Winter weather has been unseasonably warm this year which has made for comfortable hiking conditions. On January 6, 2020 about 30 people met up to experience all nature has to offer on a walk led by Education Program Coordinator Jennifer White.
You could live in an area your entire life and still learn something new about it or its people every day. This is something that the Park District regularly achieves at each of the events they host. Staff and volunteers answer questions while directing people around rocks, tree limbs and slippery portions of the trail. For example, did you know that Lake Pippin is a natural body of water and Lake Rockwell is a man-made reservoir. I did not know this, and I grew up on Lake Rockwell Road. It just goes to show you that trying new things will never let you down by experiencing this hike I was educated about the watershed system and how Lake Rockwell resources are distributed to Akron.
Seasoned veterans like Karl Liske, who was in the group led by White, are still impressed by the wonders of nature. A middle-school girl called out “Hey look at the funny colors on this log!” Then Liske, White and a handful of others goose-necked to view what was being analyzed on the ground. It just happened to be Turkey Tail mushrooms growing in between lichens. You know the weird splotchy greenish spots that you see on trees all the time? More than likely those are lichens, a type of fungus combo that grow on trees. It was an interesting sight to see as Liske chimed in with a joke “I’m sure lichen (likin’) it!” People giggled at the play on words.
An area called The Bowl off the cross-country skiing trail in Towner’s Woods can be used for sledding in the wintertime. Construction on a new multi-roofed gazebo started in Fall 2019 and will be located near the entrance of the park for visitors to enjoy overlooking the pond.
On December 21, 2019, the shortest day of the year, the Park District led 21 participants on a Winter Solstice hike at Morgan Park in Shalersville Township. White explained this is a time of year that brings all types of societies together to tell stories. “No matter what culture you are from it denotes an important time of year,” she said. “Nature is a cycle and the winter solstice signifies the start of a new season. Renewal.” It was a beautiful day to celebrate the solstice at about 46 degrees and sunny; you couldn’t have asked for a more picturesque setting to bird watch for Redtail and Cooper’s Hawks.
Upcoming events include:
-For the Birds, Wed., Jan. 22, 6-7:00 pm at Reed Memorial Library.
-Winter Animal Signs, Friday Jan. 24, 4-5:00pm at Towner’s Woods Park.
