Darke County Parks needs help! Butterfly habitat is declining, and scientists need to monitor their populations very closely. Every Friday at 2pm from now through September, join a naturalist to hike a pre-set path and record all the butterflies observed. These numbers will then be sent on to the Ohio Lepidopterists for scientific study. There’s no need to be an expert. A staff member will be present for the hike, and field guides will be provided. Hikes will occur as long as temperatures are above 60 without rain.  For more information, please contact the Nature Center at (937) 548-0165 or email info@darkecountyparks.org.

Photo Caption- Because a silver-spotted skipper’s flight is fast and powerful, it is almost impossible to observe on the wing. This species is best observed while it is visiting flowers or perching on leaves.

Recently the Darke County Park District completed a project incorporating technology and greener practices into its daily operations. Through the generous support from the Ami McClurkin Community Fund administered by the Darke County Foundation, Darke County Parks was able to purchase a large flat screen television equipped with software to display photos, advertise upcoming events, and display the daily program schedule. Not only does this project save physical resources, but because it can be updated from an office PC, it also is much less labor intensive requiring far fewer staff hours to keep up to date, freeing up more time for educational pursuits. The Nature Center has over 50,000 visitor occasions each year, and all of those visitors use the digital display every day that the park offices are open to stay informed about daily programing and upcoming special events. The Darke County Park District would like to thank the Ami McClurkin Community Fund and the Darke County Foundation for their generous support to make this project come to fruition.