Nineteen years ago the very first Nature Notes, Darke County Parks’ quarterly newsletter, went to print. It not only promoted the parks’ upcoming programs, it provided yet another creative outlet for the staff. One naturalist described the spring warbler migration, one explained spring medicinal plants, and another drew the beautiful trillium gracing the front cover.
Almost two decades later, the Nature Notes is still one of the best ways for the park district to communicate with its regular visitors. Whether it’s Prairie Days in autumn or Maple Sugarin’ at the Prairie in spring, the main event for the quarter always graces the front page. Inside teachers can find descriptions of field trips and naturalist in the classroom programs. Parents can learn about monthly programs tailored to children in age groups from preschool through sixth grade. Families can even discover programs for all ages about learning new outdoor skills, natural history topics, or cultural and history programs. The “3 Months at a Glance” calendar really helps put all the programs into perspective and keep everyone (including the naturalist staff) organized. Though it doesn’t include as many articles as in years past, the “Naturalist Corner” still appears with a new and exciting topic each quarter, like this quarter’s article on amazing salamanders.
Highlights from the upcoming spring issue include Maple Sugarin’ at the Prairie Festival on March 4th which includes the Friends of Darke County Parks Waffle Breakfast, Take Flight: A Celebration of Our Feathered Friends on Earth Day, and the annual Darke County Parks’ Native Plant Sale held near Mother’s Day this year. The Nature Notes are “one of the primary ways we reach our constituents,” said Roger Van Frank, Director of the Darke County Park District. He also went on to mention their facebook page www.facebook.com/darkecountyparks/, their new Instagram presence at “darkecoparks,” and their beautiful new website www.darkecountyparks.org where color copies of the Nature Notes are available for download in pdf format.
After weeks of staff preparation, nearly 2,000 copies of this quarter’s Nature Notes will go to print, and about 1,400 will arrive in mailboxes all across the region very shortly. To receive your very own copy either by email or postal mail or if you would like to reduce paper usage and switch your postal mail subscription to email, call the Nature Center at (937) 548-0165 or email info@darkecountyparks.org.
