Clinton County Green Alliance

Lytle Creek League of Conservators/No Child Left Indoors Salamander Migration Hike

2012-01-22T07:26:00.000-08:00

The Lytle Creek League of Conservators/No Child Left Indoors organization is sponsoring a Salamander Migration Hike this spring. In deference to the predictable unpredictability of nature’s timing and in order to make sure we have the best chance to actually see them migrating to their breeding ponds we may hike Friday February 24, March 2, OR March 9. The actual hike date will be determined on the Wednesday before the hike date. Hike night we will meet at 7 p.m. at the Caesar Creek Lake Visitor Center, 4020 North Clarksville Road, Waynesville, Ohio. US Army Corps of Engineers biologist and Park Manager Jim O’Boyle, will lead the hike. There is no cost for this event and no experience is necessary. Together we will search for salamanders as they awaken from hibernation and move toward their breeding ponds. This is an adventure for the entire family. Please dress for the weather - boots and a flashlight are essential. Remember, salamanders prefer to move in the rain, so be prepared for muddy fun! Pre-registration is required. To register go to greenalliancecc.com or call Lori Williams, (937) 725-3811.

(Photo - one of last year's participants examines a few of the spotted salamanders we temporarily carefully placed in buckets so everyone could have a closer look. It was a perfect night last year - we saw dozens!)

Lytle Creek League of Conservators No Child Left Indoors Owl Prowl

2011-12-27T11:02:00.000-08:00

The Lytle Creek League of Conservators No Child Left Indoors volunteers are leading an almost-full-moon Owl Prowl on Saturday, January 7 at 6:30 p.m. We will meet in the Clinton Memorial Hospital parking lot in the area closest to the trail (lower area, south of the hospital). This hike will be on the Luther Warren Peace Path, which is accessible for all levels of hikers, including wheelchairs and strollers.
Owls are establishing their territory and preparing to nest, which begins in the heart of winter. Now that the leaves have fallen it is a perfect time of year to spot owls and learn about their habitat and life cycle. This will be a fun experience for the whole family, led by local Ohio Certified Volunteer naturalists and interns. Dress for the weather, wear sturdy shoes and bring a flashlight and your sense of adventure.
This program is free of charge and anyone interested in experiencing the natural world is welcomed. Please register HERE. For more information contact Lori Williams at 725-3811.

(Photo credit - this was taken on a previous NCLI winter hike. This is what a barred owl looks like in the dark with 8 flashlights focused on it!)

Walk/Ride on the Bypass Available this Wednesday!!

2011-10-31T11:15:00.000-07:00

Wednesday 11/2 marks the official opening of relocated OH73- the Wilmington Bypass. There is ribbon cutting at 1pm at the railroad overpass of the bypass. Before that ceremony, we have been working with ODOT to establish a public access time that morning for walkers, runners and bikers to use sections of the bypass and tour it before it opens.

You can walk, run or bike on a portion of the bypass from 9am to 11am on Wednesday Nov. 2. You will access the bypass at the westbound ramp from US 68, you will be able to park on the ramp there and staff will be there to direct. You'll need to sign a liability waiver which ODOT staff will provide. The weather is forecast to be cool but clear and hopefully you can enjoy the morning out on the new highway.

Please spread the word to your organizations who might be interested.

WHAT: Public Access to the Bypass
WHERE: US 68 westbound access ramp
WHEN: 9am to 11am on Weds. 11/2

Wednesday's Westheimer Peace Symposium to Focus on Water Issues

2011-10-19T12:44:00.001-07:00

Water, the lifeblood of the Earth and all living things, will take center stage as Wilmington College presents the 21st annual Westheimer Peace Symposium Wednesday (Oct. 19). This year’s theme is “WaterCARE: Conservation, Access, Responsibility, Equality.”

The all-day event will include Charles Fishman presenting “The New Age of Water: Re-Imagining How We Use Water, and How We Think About It” at 10 a.m.; Dr. Aaron Wolf, “Healing the Enlightenment Rift: Rationality, Spirituality and Shared Waters,” 1:15 p.m.; Wilmington College Chorale, “Water Song,” 2:45 p.m.; the showing of the film "Gasland," 3:45 p.m.; and Chad Pregracke, “Helping to Clean America’s Rivers,” 7:30 p.m.

All presentations will be held in the Hugh G. Heiland Theatre in Boyd Cultural Arts Center with the exception of the showing of "Gasland," which will be held in the McCoy Room of Kelly Center. The symposium is free of charge.

More information can be found at:
http://www2.wilmington.edu/news/21st-Westheimer-Peace-Symposium-to-Focus-on-Water-Issues.cfm

Tree Commission to Host Tree Dedication Ceremony

2011-10-06T14:27:00.000-07:00

The Wilmington Tree Commission is hosting a fall Tribute Tree Project with a short Dedication Ceremony that is scheduled for Friday, October 21st, 2011 at noon. The Dedication Ceremony will be held on the south side of Fife Avenue, between the Engineer’s Office and the College Art Building, at the curve of the bike path (4-C Bicentennial Trail). Please park in the David Williams Park parking lot (enter from Fife Ave.) It is a short walk across Fife Ave. to access the trail and tree dedication area.

The dedication of the Quercus Macrocarpa, (Burr oak tree), will be in memory of Keenan Rinehart.

If you are interested in assisting with the Dedication or with the process prior to the Dedication, (digging,
planting, staking, caging, mulching, gator bagging and watering) please contact Chris Hodgson at (937) 289-3449 or via e-mail kchodgson1@juno.com before Friday October 14th.

The Wilmington Tree Commission is committed to designating one area per year for Tribute Trees, commemoration of individuals and life events.

Please join us on Friday, October 21 at noon.

Lytle Creek Day 2011

2011-09-12T10:06:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 1, 2011 we will once again celebrate the special natural resource we have here in our own backyard - Lytle Creek. We will celebrate with a luncheon event at the Lytle Creek Pavilion on Davids Drive.

Thanks to a very generous donation, a "buy local" lunch will be provided to the first 100 registrations who wish to help us celebrate this special day. As part of the local Green Alliance, the Lytle Creek League of Conservators invites you to celebrate our ongoing efforts and recent accomplishments in developing the greenway and turning it into an even more special recreational and educational asset.

The luncheon will begin at 11:30 a.m. Please join us as we both celebrate what we have accomplished and look forward to the future.

Prior to the lunch, local bird enthusiast Bob Powell will lead a walk along the 4-C Bicentennial Trail to look for resident birds and possible fall migrants. There are actually more birds around in the fall than at any other time of the year; however, they lack their bright breeding plumages and aren't singing as much. Meet at the YMCA parking lot at 8 a.m. and bring a pair of binoculars. Children from 11 up are welcome. Participants will walk about 1 1/2 miles over fairly flat terrain through a variety of habitats.

Chris Hodgson, retired arborist, will lead a tree identification walk through the beautiful Wilmington College campus. The walk will begin at 10 a.m in the Hermann Court/YMCA parking lot. Chris will share her knowledge about the remarkable and wide diversity of tree species on the campus - some specimens are nearly 200 years old.

Here are three great reasons to join us...

Reason 1: We will honor two very special people for their contributions to the local environment and specifically the Lytle Creek Greenway - Christine Hodgson, retired forester and Wilmington Tree Commissioner and Don Troike, a longtime Wilmington College professor and proponent of the greenway and Clinton County's trails.

Reason 2: There is such a thing as a free lunch and you are invited to join us and other individuals who care deeply about Clinton County's natural resources.

Reason 3: You will want to see the progress we have made in restoring the woodland area and our and butterfly garden in-progress. And ... there will be a surprise!

Please register early, as seating is limited. Register HERE or by calling Lori Williams at 725-3811.

Parking for the event will be across from the Lytle Creek Greenway pavilion on Davids Drive at the R&L facility.

The Lytle Creek League of Conservators is looking forward to seeing you October 1!

Lytle Creek League of Conservators/No Child Left Indoors Spider Hunt September 17

2011-08-29T05:03:00.000-07:00

Learn about what and how Spiders eat and all about the webs they weave.

Adult leaders will assist children as they look for and observe orb weavers, funnel weavers, jumping spiders, wolf spiders and more along the trails. The educational program will include information on spider habitats and activity. We will be observing spiders and identifying them in their natural habitat. Children should wear long pants and sturdy shoes.

Spider program leader Harriett Clark shared, "We plan to observe spiders in their natural habitats without disturbing them since it is a tremendous expenditure of energy for a spider to spin a web, which it does every night. We may even get to see them eat a cricket or two."

The program is free, but registration is required. We will be able to accommodate up to 20 elementary age children (and their adult escorts, who must stay for the program). The Lytle Creek Prairie is along the 4-C Bicentennial Trail. Parking is available at the David Williams Park on Fife Avenue and the Southeast Neighborhood Park near Paris Avenue. Participants are encouraged to bike or walk from the trailheads and enjoy the trail as part of this program. From either trailhead it is approximately a 15-minute walk. Both trailheads are excellent locations for picnicking after the event.

Register HERE .

Lytle Creek League of Conservators/No Child Left Indoors is a local group of volunteers committed to the belief that children need nature and nature needs caring humans.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND... ANOTHER NO CHILD LEFT INDOORS CANOEING EVENT AT COWAN LAKE STATE PARK AUGUST 10

2011-07-19T12:55:00.001-07:00

Photo Credit--
Margo Lewis, Cowan Lake State Park, 2010

In July we had more than 100 canoeists at our No Child LeftIndoors canoeing event and we applaud the many parents and grandparents whoshared the experience with their children! We had so much fun, we want to do it all again - and this time theamerican lotus lilies will be in full bloom.

Whether you are joining us again or this is your first timecanoeing, welcome! It’s all aboutreconnecting kids to nature.

Wednesday, August 10, Cowan Lake State Park Naturalist, ErinShaw, will lead guided canoe tours of Cowan Lake to explore the beautiful LotusCove area of the park. Canoes andlifejackets will be provided. Thisactivity is geared toward children ages 5-14 and will focus on safety andproper paddling techniques.

This is a great opportunity to introduce children to thelifelong activity of canoeing at one of the Ohio’s most beautiful state parks.Please note that parents or adult companions must stay with the children duringthe event.

We will meet at Cowan Lake's Campground, parking lot"B". The campground is located at 1750 Osborn Road. Check in at the campground office and letthem know you are there for the No Child Left Indoors event. We will do a 10:00a.m. and 11:30 a.m. session. Familiesare encouraged to bring a lunch and afterwards enjoy one of Clinton County'snatural treasures.

This program is FREE, but space is limited. Register HERE and be sure to note whichsession you plan to attend.

For more information, call Lori Williams (937)725-3811.

CLINTON COUNTY PARK BOARD AND LYTLE CREEK LEAGUE OF CONSERVATORS SPONSOR LYTLE CREEK PRAIRIE EVENT

2011-07-06T06:49:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, July 16th, Lytle Creek League of Conservators and Clinton County Park Board will be hosting a FREE event for the community.

This event has something for every age! Children can explore the prairie and its butterflies, spiders, flowers, and prairie grasses as well as the amphibian pond with its frogs, tadpoles and dragonflies. Each registered child will receive outdoor chalk and be encouraged to share their prairie and pond discoveries on the bike trail surface.

Adults will have an opportunity to enjoy a cup of coffee and see native prairie plants in this four-acre restored prairie along the Lytle Creek Greenway and 4-C Bicentennial Trail. Local naturalist and County Park Board member, Bob Thobaben, will be on hand to answer questions.

The Lytle Creek League of Conservators and the Clinton County Park Board are partnering in pursuit of the goal of reconnecting kids and adults to nature.

Volunteers will be on hand 8:30 to 11:00 a.m. and participants may come anytime. This program is free, but please register Here to help us plan appropriately. This program will be re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather.

For more information, call Lori Williams (937) 725-3811.

Volunteers from Alkermes Help to Clean Up Trail

2011-07-05T08:21:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to the 15 employees from Alkermes who helped tackle the invasive Honeysuckle problem on the Luther Warren Bike Path off of S. Mulberry Street this morning.

Using chain saws and hand pruners, the conscientious volunteers assisted the Parks Department and worked diligently for several hours to thin out a small - but lovely - section along the much used trail.

Two of the challenges that the group faced were the the poison ivy vines and the steep slope of mud near the creek, which was extremely slippery due to the vast amounts of rain we have experienced.

The group hopes that by removing the Honeysuckle before the berries form, the birds will not be able to disperse the undesireable seeds.

The City of Wilmington is very fortunate to have so many volunteers from companies such as Alkermes, to take the time to share an interest in helping to beautify our parks and trails!

6/29--FREE NO CHILD LEFT INDOORS CANOEING EVENT AT COWAN LAKE STATE PARK

2011-06-21T11:09:00.000-07:00

Lytle Creek League of Conservators/No Child Left Indoorsvolunteers and Cowan Lake State Park are partnering in pursuit of the goal ofreconnecting kids to nature. This is agreat opportunity to introduce children to the lifelong activity ofcanoeing.

Photo from last year's event. Among American Lotus Lily Pads

Wednesday, June 29, starting at 10am Cowan Lake State Park Naturalist, ErinShaw, will lead a guided canoe tour of Cowan Lake to explore the creek inletsand beautiful Lotus Cove area of the park. Canoes and lifejackets will be provided. This activity is FREE to participants and is geared toward children ages5-14. We will focus on safety and properpaddling techniques, and of course, fun.

This is a great opportunity to introduce your children tothe fun activity of canoeing at one of the Ohio’s most beautiful state parks.Please note that parents or adult companions must stay with the children duringthe event. (And why would you not wantto be part of the fun?) Registration islimited due to the number of canoes available, so register online hereor call Lori Williams (937) 725-3811.

FREE Program Available For Middle School Girls

2011-05-23T13:15:00.000-07:00

Meetin' in the Middle is a program for sixth through eighth-grade girls who would like to jump start their way to a healthy lifestyle of activity and good nutrition. We will be combining fitness and exercise, yoga, dance, nutrition and most importantly, FUN!

The program will be held three Thursdays - June 16 from 2 to 4 p.m.; June 23 from 2 to 4 p.m.; and June 30 from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at the Red Brick on Main, 120 West Main Street in Wilmington. The program is free of charge and is conducted as a community service linked to the local Wilmington on the Move initiative and inspired by the national project spearheaded by the First Lady, called Let's Move.

Join us for fun, fitness, and camaraderie. Registration is limited to 10 participants, so register now by CLICKING HERE. Deadline is June 10. Once you register you will be sent a form, which must be completed and brought with you the first day of the program. (Here is the form Youth Medical and Release Form.pdf)

Volunteer instructors include Tanya Carey, Fitness Specialist; Sue Hanna, Nutrition Coach; Tammy Reed, Yoga Teacher; and Cole Haugh, Dance Instructor.

If you have any questions, please call Theresa Rembert at The Red Brick on Main, (937) 382-5153 or (937) 383-2282, 3#.

Did we mention this is all about FUN and that it is FREE?

Wilmington On The Move Scavenger Hunt

2011-04-19T11:03:00.000-07:00

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Click on the PDF version of the Flyer Below for More Information!

Magnificent Magnolia on N. South Street – Wilmington Tree Commission

2011-04-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

Spring is a wonderful time to take a drive through the Downtown streets of Wilmington and view the gorgeous trees and bushes in bloom. Attorney Mr. Ronald Carey, whose office is located in a charming building at 283 N. South Street, has a magnificent specimen of the Saucer Magnolia at its finest. In fact, now is a perfect time to view the whole frontal landscaping of this property which includes contrasting tulips and complimentary azalea bushes.

A man-made hybrid between the Chinese Yulan Magnolia and the Lily Magnolia, the Saucer Magnolia’s name was derived from the 17th Century Botanist Pierre Magnol, and “Etienne Soulange-Bodin, who raised the original hybrid of this plant on his plantation in France” according to the internet site “Flower Spy”.

Wilmington has demonstrated perfect weather this Spring for showy Saucer Magnolias, which have a tendency to lose early blooms due to frost. Some people choose a northern exposure for this type of lovely ornamental, so as to delay the blooming period long enough so that the danger of frost passes. Conscientious designers plant magnolias on the north side of green pine trees to act as a protective barrier, as well as to create a lush back drop for such gorgeous color.

Saucer Magnolias are interestingly pollution tolerant. They prefer moist, deep acidic soil (4.5 - 6), full sun to part shade, and in Zones 4-9, they grow 20 - 30’ tall with a 25’ spread,. Expect an open crown and a medium growth rate. But remember, prune this deciduous tree drastically when young, in order that one single trunk gets established. And should it be required, you may shape the crown, but only after the flowering period has been completed, so as not to inhibit bud growth for next year. Trimming protruding suckers is common, and you might even get a “start” on a new plant that way.

The fuzzy buds of the Saucer Magnolia form prior to overwintering. The flowers turn a pinkish-purple color on the outside, while the inside is porcelain white. Touch one of the petals. Its texture is smooth and extremely tactile. The scented blooms can reach 10” across when fully open, and their form resembles that of a saucer, thus its name. Some blooms last 3 weeks, are extremely showy, and are much appreciated by bees, butterflies and birds. The Saucer Magnolia’s display of glorious color is often short-lived, due to Wilmington’s tendency for high winds, which de-blooms the tree and the delicate petals end up on the ground, creating a slippery mass.

The flower buds precede the broad green leaves which end up turning brown in the Fall. Saucer Magnolias can be easily propagated by seed or softwood cuttings, (note: rooting can take up to three months), however, remove the fleshy coating on the seeds, if you wish to store them.

Dormant oil can be sprayed onto the silver-grey bark to control scale insects that over-winter, though temperatures must be above freezing in order for the oil to be effective. In some instances during the summer months, hornets can also be a problem.

Mulching at the bottom of the tree if encouraged, but do not mulch onto exposed tree roots.

If you are considering taking a drive in Downtwon Wilmington to view some of the gorgeous street trees, two other specimens of the Saucer Magnolia can be seen at the corner of S. South Street at Sugartree Street, and there is one inside the Sugar Grove Cemetery on the north east side.

Feast your eyes! These are undoubtedly spectacular! Enjoy.
If you are interested in contacting the Wilmington Tree Commission or if you would like to purchase a Tribute Tree in memory of a loved one, please e-mail our Secretary at ckrisa@cinci.rr.com.

Sign Up for the NWS Tour and Wind Demo

2011-04-14T06:48:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are interested in touring the National Weather Service and seeing a demonstration of their on-site Wind Turbine, please click HERE to RSVP. (Visitors MUST have filled out the form in order to enter the site).

The tour will take place at 1pm on Saturday, April 16th. Guests will meet at the National Weather Service office located at 1901 South SR 134, Wilmington, OH 45177.

If you have any questions, please contact Dori Sabino at 937.728.8623.

Green Alliance Candidates Surveys

2011-03-27T23:07:00.000-07:00

The Clinton County Green Alliance recently sent out a survey to all local candidates in the upcoming election.
We will be posting the surveys as they come in. To view a candidates response, please click on his name. (If the name is not able to be clicked it means that the candidate has yet to turn in his survey response).

Candidates who received the survey are:

Mayor – David Raizk (D), Randy Riley (R)
President of Council – Fred Ertel (R), Scott Kirchner (R)
Council Member at Large – Mark McKay (R), Sandy Mongold (R), Bob Mead (R), Brian Siebenaller (R), Linda Gallagher (D)
Council Member for 1st Ward – Mike Wallace (R)
Council Member for 2nd Ward – Loren Stuckert (R)
Council Member for 3rd Ward – Don Wells (R)
Council Member for 4th Ward – Rob Jaehnig (R)

Earth Day Dinner 2011 -- Focus on Solar Energy

2011-03-24T07:48:00.000-07:00

Make your reservation now for the 2011 Earth Day Dinner by calling the General Denver Hotel - 937-383-4141. $25 per person.

For a printable Flyer CLICK HERE

WHEN: Saturday, April 16, 2011 -- 5:30 Social (Cash Bar), 6:15 Dinner

WHERE: General Denver Hotel, 81 W. Main Street, Wilmington, OH

Speaker: Steve Giles, Energy Group Leader, Hull & Associates, Inc. on Solar Power and the City of Wilmington Solar Power project

Dinner: Sunflower Chicken and microgreens salad; Mediterranean Lamb Burgers & Asparagus Orzo Pasta, Berry Pie with ice cream. Other vegetarian options upon request to Chef Jen Purkey. Locally sourced foods used. Producers will be recognized.

Children's Activities Planned for Earth Day 2011!

2011-03-22T12:31:00.000-07:00

The Lytle Creek League of Conservators No Child Left Indoors and Master Gardener Volunteers are having a terrarium creation program for school-age children.

The program will be at one of the J. W. Denver Williams Park picnic pavilions and will begin at 10 a.m. Children will create a self-contained habitat they can take home.

The program is free and registration is required. Register by Clicking HERE or call Lori Williams, (937) 725–3811.

Also scheduled is a Butterfly Gala, which will take place at 10am at the same pavilion location. You can RSVP HERE or call Lori Williams at (937) 725–3811.

Children and their parents are also invited to join us at 9:30 a.m. before the program, for an Earth Day Service Project near the pavilion. We will be weeding and spreading mulch in several of the landscaped areas. This is a great opportunity to introduce your children to community service!

(As with all No Child Left Indoors programs, parents are to stay and share the experience with their children.)

Clinton County Earth Day 2011!!

2011-03-22T12:13:00.000-07:00

Clinton County's Earth Day celebration will be centrally located at the 3 Shelter Houses/Picnic Pavilions at Denver Park on April 16th starting at 9am.

There will be service projects taking place at: Denver Park, Galvin Park (across from the library), Southeast Neighborhood Park (at head of 4-C Path) and a Lytle Creek clean-up project.

No matter the age group, there is an opportunity for everyone to serve!

If you're interested in volunteering at either of those locations please sign up by CLICKING HERE

Throughout the morning and early afternoon there will be activities for all ages.

10am -- Children's activities (a Butterfly Gala and Terrarium Creation Program) presented by No Child Left Indoors (NCLI) and Clinton County Master Gardener Volunteers. Parents interested in participating with children in the Butterfly Gala should CLICK HERE or the Terrarium Creation Program, CLICKHERE to RSVP or call Lori Williams at (937) 725-3811.

11:30am -- presentations by Eric Davenport on Reptiles and the USDA will do a presentation on invasive insect species in Clinton County.

1pm -- Wind Power demonstration at the Nation Weather Service (on 134 South)

The Clinton County Parks district will be hosting hikes at Terrel Hanagan Park at 10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm call Bob Thobaben at (937) 382-4739 for more information.

5:30pm -- Green Alliance Earth Day Dinner hosted by Clinton County Open Lands, Inc. at the General Denver Hotel. Call the General Denver at 383-4141 to RSVP.

Volunteer on Earth Day!

2011-03-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

There will be service projects taking place on Earth Day 2011 in Clinton County on April 16th starting at 9am. Volunteers serving at either Denver Park, Galvin Park (across from the library), or Southeast Neighborhood Park (at head of 4-C path) will be meeting at the 3 main shelter houses at Denver Park (across from the basketball courts) starting at 9 and will depart to respective projects.

Service projects will take place from 9am to Noon at the latest and all volunteers will be invited back to Denver Park for Earth Day Festivities.

If you are interested in volunteering, please click here to RSVP online.

Upcoming Activities for the Clinton County Master Gardeners!

2011-03-14T12:57:00.000-07:00

(Click to Print)

The Majestic Sycamore Tree on Locust Street--Wilmington Tree Commission

2011-03-08T17:49:00.000-08:00

Have you ever driven by the former Marsh Funeral Home at 187 E. Locust Street and wondered what that fabulous tree was that has such interesting textured bark?

That unique tree is a majestic specimen of the Platanus occidentalis, or Sycamore tree. In 1996, this large tree measured 50.5 inches in diameter at breast height (DBH), and has grown 4 inches diameter in the last 14 years. It is the fifth largest recorded Sycamore in Wilmington, Ohio.

The Sycamore tree’s irregular spreading oflimbs, branch out to form an open head, as shown by the first two photos takenlast August and then recently in January. Third photo shows its interesting“camouflage” bark patterns.

According to East State Tennessee University, these excellent shade trees are native to eastern and central U.S. They can reach 130 feet high by 6 feet DBH and have an expansive fibrous root system.

The mottled exfoliating bark lacks elasticity and is slower growing than the inside, and thus is incapable of stretching like most trees. With increased flaking and peeling of large blotched plates, the bark of the mature branches become tan, greenish-white, gray, and quite smooth. People refer to it as camouflage or even “whitewashed”.

Though the trunk on old trees is often hollow, the wood is very “heavy, weak and difficult to split” according to the Wikipedia encyclopedia. Butcher blocks and interior finishes in homes are used with the wood of a Sycamore tree.

Most other types of trees form normal buds in August, but the Sycamore tree has an enlarged petiole, which encompasses the bud at its base.

The maple-like leaves can be 9 inches long, have 3 to 5 leaf-lobes, are coarsely toothed, and are alternate, “palmately and broadly-ovate”, with short hairs. Normally in autumn the leaves turn brown and naturally fall. However, sometimes both the leaves and the zigzag-patterned twigs suffer from “leaf-blight from spring anthracnose disease” which causes its twigs to fall off and the leaves to defoliate early.

Another problem that the Sycamore encounters is the Sycamore lace bug, which feeds on the sap of the undersides of leaves.

The male and female flowers form on the same tree in the month of May, along with the leaves. The flowers form 1-inch diameter fruit clusters, which resemble balls or buttons, and hang 6 inches down; thus the common name Buttonwood tree.

Branching begins low and it is recommended that we prune young Sycamore trees to promote one central leader. According to Jim Mason of the Great Plains Nature Center in Wichita, Kansas. the “open branching pattern and sheer size of older Sycamores creates good locations for Great Blue Heron nests”. He also notes that raccoons, squirrels and opossums make their homes in the cavities of the trunks.

Sycamore trees love sun and are often found along the edges of wetland areas. Several of these rapid growers can be seen north of Wilmington, along the Todd’s Ridge river in the Sycamore Glen sub-division. Their white/gray bark stands out majestically against surrounding foliage.

The closely related European London planetree, (Platanus x acerifolia), is also found growing in Wilmington, especially on the Wilmington College campus.

The Wilmington Tree Commission encourages you to drive by and appreciate the huge specimen at the corner of Lincoln Street and Locust Street. Or better yet, plant a Sycamore tree in your own yard to help us beautify Wilmington!

Ifyou are interested in volunteering along with the members of the WilmingtonTree Commission, help is needed to water this year’s new grove of trees that isscheduled to be planted in the spring. For more information, please contactckrisa@cinci.rr.com.

SALAMANDER MIGRATION HIKE PLANNED

2011-02-16T09:54:00.000-08:00

The Lytle Creek League of Conservators/No Child Left Indoors organization is sponsoring a Salamander Migration Hike this spring. In deference to the predictable unpredictability of nature’s timing and in order to make sure we have the best chance to actually see them migrating to their breeding ponds we may hike Friday March 3. The actual hike date will be determined on the Wednesday before the hike date.

Hike night we will meet at 7 p.m. at the Caesar Creek Lake Visitor Center, 4020 North Clarksville Road, Waynesville, Ohio. US Army Corps of Engineers biologist and Park Manager Jim O’Boyle, will lead the hike. There is no cost for this event and no experience is necessary. Together we will search for salamanders as they awaken from hibernation and move toward their breeding ponds. This is an adventure for the entire family. Please dress for the weather - boots and a flashlight are essential. Remember, salamanders prefer to move in the rain, so be prepared for muddy fun! Pre-registration is required. Register HERE or call Lori Williams, (937) 725–3811.

OWL HIKE PLANNED

2010-11-30T11:14:00.001-08:00

The Lytle Creek League of Conservators is sponsoring an owl hike Saturday, December 4, at 7 p.m. This hike will be on the Luther Warren Peace Path, which is accessible for all levels of hikers, including wheelchairs. Hikers will meet at the S. Mulberry St. trailhead.

Owls are establishing their territory and preparing to nest, which begins in the heart of winter. Now that the leaves have fallen it is a perfect time of year to spot owls and learn about their habitat and life cycle. This will be a fun adventure for the whole family, led by local biologist, Bob Thobaben.

Dress for the weather, wear sturdy shoes and bring a flashlight. This program is free of charge and anyone interested in experiencing the natural world is welcomed.

For more information contact Lori Williams at 725-3811.

Free No Child Left Indoors Fall Flower Event

2010-10-04T08:21:00.000-07:00

LYTLE CREEK LEAGUE OF CONSERVATORS NO CHILD LEFT INDOOR AND MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEERS SPONSOR A FALL FLOWER ARRANGING EVENT

Event is on October 23 at 11am.

Lytle Creek Greenway pavilion where No Child Left Indoors event will take place

Join us and learn how to turn nature's fall bounty into flower arrangements you can take home. We will be making dried flower arrangements from common fall flowers and other plants found this time of year. Learn about the useful and decorative items that can be made from materials growing in back yards and fence rows for little or no cost. Children will make and take home a wonderful piece for their home. This free program is for ages 6 and up and registration required.

The program will be held at the Lytle Creek Greenway pavilion on Davids Drive and will begin at 11:00. As with all No Child Left Indoors programs, parents will stay and share the experience. The pavilion is a perfect place to plan for a picnic lunch after the program.

Register HERE. For more information, call Lori Williams at 725-3811.

Wilmington Tree Commission

2010-09-14T15:46:00.000-07:00

Mission
To maintain the existing trees in our city, to replace hazardous trees, and to plant trees along the public right-of-ways in our local neighborhoods.

In April 2010, Mayor David Raizk reinstated the City of Wilmington Tree Commission by appointing nine members in our community to steward the public trees in Wilmington. The commission's mission is to main the existing trees in our city, to replace hazardous trees, and to plant trees along the public right-of-ways in our local neighborhoods.

Meeting Information
Meetings are normally held 1st Tuesday of each month at 8:30AM at the City Building, in the office of the Clinton County Regional Planning Commission (Suite 100).

Members
Rick Stanforth (Chairman)
Chris Hodgson (Vice)
Maria Butcher (Secretary)
Kim Law (Treasurer)
Rob Jaehnig
Christine Krisa
Tammy McKay

ReLeaf Wilmington

The Wilmington Tree Commission is seeking financial help from our residents by offering a Fall Seedling Sale. With a $10 donation, a commission member will deliver your tree/shrub seedling to your home on Friday, September 17th in appreciation of your generosity to help Releaf Wilmington.

After that date, the seedlings will be available for purchase (by donation) at Swindler's & Sons Florist on Locust Street in Wilmington or at McCarty Gardens on US 322 in Sabina. The sale will continue through the Fall while supplies last.

A variety of specias are available with your $10 donation:
Persimmon, Sweet gum, Horsechesnut, Red bud, Swamp white oak and Buttonbush.

Supplies are limited and order preferences will be filled on a first-come basis.

Please make your check payable to the Clinton County Foundation/WTC Fund and indicate your first and second choice of seedling, and mail it to: Clinton County Foundation, P.O. Box 831, Wilmington, Ohio 45177.

Thank you for your support of the Wilmington Tree Commission!

Clinton County Foundation is an I.R.C.501(c)3 and all donations are tax-deductivle to the extent allowed by law.

Three Reasons Why You Will Want To Join Us For This Year's Lytle Creek Day

2010-08-31T06:40:00.000-07:00

MORE INFORMATION | SIGN UP FOR OUR E-MAILS

Saturday, October 2, 2010 we will once again celebrate the special natural resource here in our own backyard - Lytle Creek. We are celebrating with a luncheon event at the Lytle Creek Pavilion on Davids Drive.

Thanks to a very generous donation, a "buy local" lunch will be provided to the first 100 registrations who wish to help us celebrate this special day. As part of the local Green Alliance, the Lytle Creek League of Conservators is inviting you to celebrate our ongoing efforts and recent accomplishments in developing the greenway and turning it into an even more special recreational and educational asset.

The luncheon will begin at 11:30 a.m. Please join us as we both celebrate what we have accomplished and look forward to the future.

And, as promised, here are the reasons...

Reason 1: We will be honoring Roy Joe Stuckey - greenway visionary and Lytle Creek League of Conservators Founder and President and friend to many.

Reason 2: There is such a thing as a free lunch and you are invited to join us and other individuals who care deeply about Clinton County's natural resources.

Reason 3: You will want to see the newly restored woodland area as well as the new prairie and butterfly garden in-progress.

Please register early, as seating is limited. Register HERE or by calling Lori Williams at 725-3811.

Parking for the event will be across from the Lytle Creek Greenway pavilion on Davids Drive at the R&L facility.

The Lytle Creek League of Conservators is looking forward to seeing you October 2!

Wilmington Tree Commission: The American Elm

2010-08-11T08:44:00.000-07:00

1 in 100,000! That is the estimated number of American Elm trees that is Dutch Elm Disease resistant, according to Michigan State University.

Wilmington is home to at least one of the survivors which escaped being subject to the disease that destroyed “77 million trees by 1970” according to Phil McCombs’ article in 2001 (Washington Post). One of our lovely specimen American Elm trees is located on David’s Drive at the Lytle Creek Greenway Trailhead Pavilion, across from the R+L Terminal.

Ulmus Americana, most commonly known as the American Elm tree (or White Elm, or Soft Elm), is native to North America and can survive temperatures as low as -44 degrees F. Its vase shape grows quickly reaching a height of 80-100’ tall and 60-120’wide, with a trunk measuring a diameter up to 7’ at breast height. It was once long-lived and able to reach 300+ years.

The American Elm on Davids Drive is over 2’ in diameter and stands over 55’ tall.

In the Spring before leafing-out, inconspicuous green flowers appear followed by seed-pods which feed birds and wildlife. Elm trees are known for their great arching leafy limbs, which offer perfect a nesting habitat for the orange and black Baltimore Oriole. The leaves are alternate, about 3-5” long, and 1-3” wide, coarse with serrated margins, prominent veins, and have a downy under side. In Autumn, the leaves change from green to yellow before they drop.

The wood of the Elm tree was once used for furniture. Early settlers steamed the lumber into shape, particularly for rockers on rocking chairs, barrels and wheel hoops.

Dutch Elm Disease (Ceratocystis ulmi) is a fungus that grows in the sapwood of Elm trees and can spread underground from roots of nearby Elms by easily grafting together, as Elms have a shallow yet extensive root system.

Microscopic spores are also transmitted from diseased trees to healthy specimens by two kinds of beetles, (European bark beetle and the Native Bark Beetle), which tunnel under the gray-brown/flattened-ridged bark to breed and lay eggs. It is possible for 400-2000 beetles to emerge from a square foot of bark, according to Michigan State University Extension. Since the Elm Bark Beetle is attracted to freshly cut Elm, it is best to avoid pruning American Elms from April through August.

To detect Dutch Elm Disease look in the crowns for leaves with wilt in the summer, turning yellow, curling, and then becoming brown.

If you wish to try to treat an Elm tree to kill emerging adult beetles, insecticidal sprays such as Sevin or Dursban can be applied in early April when the beetles are active. The chemical is applied to the crown, bark and the tree base.

It is interesting to note that tree geneticist Dr. Alden Townsend has been plant cloning for 25 years and has introduced two new strains of American Elm trees which are resistant to Dutch Elm Disease. These are Ulmus americana "Valley Forge" and Ulmus americana "New Harmony.

If you are interested in planting an American Elm tree, which are perfect for our zone (Zones 3-9), it prefers full sun and are known to thrive in moist, rich soil.

The Wilmington Tree Commission encourages you to stop by the Lytle Creek Greenway Trailhead Pavilion and view one of Wilmington’s surviving American Elm trees. It was properly identified by Naturalist Jim Ramsey, while Lori and Brandon Williams of the Lytle Creek League of Conservators assisted with the labeling of the tree. (View Photo of Marilyn Rollwage beside the American Elm Tree.)

Clinton County Park Board and Lytle Creek League of Conservators Sponsor Lytle Creek Prairie Event Saturday, July 31st

2010-07-22T14:02:00.000-07:00

The Lytle Creek League of Conservators and the Clinton County Park Board are partnering in pursuit of the goal of reconnecting kids and adults to nature with a free event at the Lytle Creek Prairie. The prairie is located next to the Wilmington College Hazard Arboretum, along the 4-C Bicentennial Trail just off Elm Street in Wilmington.

This event has something for every age. Children can explore the prairie and its butterflies, spiders, flowers, and prairie grasses as well as the amphibian pond with its frogs, tadpoles and dragonflies. Each registered child will receive outdoor chalk and be encouraged to share their prairie and pond discoveries on the bike trail surface.

Adults will have an opportunity to enjoy a cup of coffee and see native prairie plants in this four-acre restored prairie along the Lytle Creek Greenway and 4-C Bicentennial Trail. Local naturalist and County Park Board member, Bob Thobaben, will be on hand to answer questions.

The event will be from 8:30 to 11:00 a.m. and participants may come anytime. This program is free, but please register to help us plan appropriately. This program will be re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather.

For additional information, call Lori Williams 725-3811 or register online.

You're invited to the 3rd Annual Local Foods Dinner

2010-07-09T16:49:00.000-07:00

ATTENTION LOCAVORES! You are invited to the 3rd Annual Local Foods Dinner, Sunday August 22. 5 p.m. Social (cash bar), 6 p.m. Dinner. Place: The General Denver Hotel, 82 W. Main Street, Wilmington, OH. Chef Jen Purkey will once again create fabulous dishes from Clinton County Farmers' Market produce and other locally grown foods. $25/person; $15 students, Americorps/Vista. Call 383-4141 for a reservation. We sold out last year, so reserve early. Sponsored by Clinton County Open Lands, Inc. Advertising by Buy Local Clinton County. Live Music by Clinton County Live! See you there!

FREE CANOEING EVENT AT COWAN LAKE STATE PARK

2010-06-03T11:30:00.000-07:00

Lytle Creek League of Conservators/No Child Left Indoors volunteers and Cowan Lake are partnering in pursuit of the goal of reconnecting kids to nature. This is a great opportunity to introduce children to the lifelong activity of canoeing.

Wednesday, June 23, Cowan Lake State Park Naturalist and certified canoeing instructor, Teresa Gallinis, will lead a guided canoe tour of Cowan Lake to explore the creek inlets and beautiful Lotus Cove area of the park. Canoes and lifejackets will be provided. This activity is geared toward children ages 5-14 and will focus on safety and proper paddling techniques.

Introduce your children to the fun activity of canoeing at one of the Ohio’s most beautiful state parks. Please note that parents or adult companions must stay with the children during the event. (And why would you not want to be part of the fun?)

We will meet at Cowan Lake's Campground, parking lot "B". Check in at the campground office and let them know you are there for the No Child Left Indoors event. The program starts at 10:00 am. and families are encouraged to bring a lunch and afterwards enjoy one of Clinton County's natural treasures. This program is free, but space is limited.

For more information, call Lori Williams 725-3811 or RSVP via this Online Form.

FREE FISHING EVENT AT COWAN LAKE STATE PARK

2010-06-03T11:28:00.000-07:00

Lytle Creek League of Conservators/No Child Left Indoors volunteers and Cowan Lake and Ohio Division of Wildlife are partnering in pursuit of the goal of reconnecting kids to nature. This is a great opportunity to introduce children to the lifelong activity of fishing.

Saturday, June 19, Bob Thobaben, local biologist, will lead a fishing event for children 14 and under. Introduce your children to the fun activity of fishing at one of the Ohio’s most beautiful state parks. All bait and fishing gear will be provided to the first 20 children registered. No experience is necessary and the event is FREE. Anyone participating in fishing who is 16 or older, must have a 2010 fishing license. Please note that parents or adult companions must stay with the children during the event. (And why would you not want to be part of the fun?)

We will meet at South Shore Marina located at 6742 SR 730. The event begins at 8:00 and families are encouraged to bring a lunch and afterwards enjoy one of Clinton County's natural treasures. For more information, call Lori Williams 725-3811 or RSVP via this Online Form.

Clinton County Master Gardeners

2010-04-26T11:41:00.000-07:00

Our Mission

The Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Program provides knowledge to and develops the leadership abilities of volunteers who, in turn, enable others to improve the quality of their lives by enhancing their home and community environments through horticultural education and activities.

The OSU Extension Master Gardener Program is a statewide network of volunteer education and leadership development; as well as a consumer horticulture education delivery system that maximizes human, material, and natural resources, and values teamwork and excellence in educational programming. Volunteers complete 50 hours of classroom training and testing, and 50 hours of volunteer service to become a Master Gardener. Volunteers must recertify annually by providing 25 hours of public service and 6 hours of advanced training.

Interested individuals should contact the Clinton County Extension Office at 1-937-382-0901 for dates of upcoming training opportunities. To visit the website, Click HERE

Clinton County Master Gardeners

Our first Clinton County Master Gardening training began in 1995. We are a small group of (20 or so) friendly individuals with diverse talents and skills, with a common goal of sharing our skills for the betterment of our community, learning more about our interest in the plant world, and sharing these things within a group of like minded individuals. We are available for presentations, programs and information sharing that your group, company, or organization might like to know more about. Some of our past projects within the community are the Denver Park Entrance rejuvination, Earth Day Activities, Clinton County Farmers Market, Hot Line rsponse,and various educational presentations presented through out the community. Future projects we expect to be involved in include, a collaboration with Lytle Creek League of Conservators to do some Wildflower Enrichment Plantings at the Davis Drive Trailhead, expanded programing with No Child Left Indoors children's workshops, expanded presence in the OSU Extension Office due to staff cut backs, continued Hot Line response and Farmers Market asssistance, Healing Garden maintainance at the CMH Cancer Center, and special programming by request.

Past Projects

Earth Day 2010 Schedule of Events

2010-04-14T06:39:00.000-07:00

Saturday, April 24th

Wilmington Municipal Building

9:30am-1pm	Plant Sale by Clinton County Master Gardeners
10-11:30am	Butterfly Gala presented by No Child Left Indoors--Click HERE to RSVP--or call Lori--(937) 725-3811
10-11:30am	Creative Cocoons (ages 8 and up) presented by No Child Left Indoors--Click HERE to RSVP--or call Dori--(937) 987-2577
1-2pm	Tour of Anliot-Davidson Park with Bob Thobaben--Meet at the Municipal Building Parking lot at 12:45pm
1-2pm	Wind Power Demonstration (Meet at National Weather Center)--Click HERE to RSVP--or Call Dori--(937) 987-2577
5:30pm	Earth Day Dinner @ The Loft sponsored by Clinton County Open Lands, Inc. with Guest Speaker Jim Ramsey--Click HERE to RSVP--Email lauracurliss@verizon.net or Call Laura--513-600-7171

CCOL Winter 2009 Newsletter

2010-01-08T13:57:00.001-08:00

Newsletter - Winter 2009-10 - Facebook

Give "Green" to Keep Clinton County Green - End of Year Giving Tips

2009-12-18T04:38:00.000-08:00

CLINTON COUNTY OPEN LANDS, INC. invites you to consider helping your favorite

Clinton County Green Alliance organization with a charitable gift. Preserving our local green heritage -- farmland, natural areas, waterways -- is essential to a healthy, prosperous and enjoyable quality life for all us now and for future generations. Healthy communities enjoy healthy environments. Clinton County Green Alliance member organizations are working toward this goal.

Donations to Clinton County Open Lands, Inc. will be used for the perpetual stewardship of our preserved properties (farms and natural areas). Donations may be mailed to CCOL, P.O. Box 95, Wilmington, OH 45177 or to the Clinton County Foundation, c/o National Bank &Trust, 48 N. South Street, Wilmington, OH 45177 (put "CCOL Stewardship Fund" in memo line). Call CCOL Board Member Laura Curliss with questions at 513-600-7171. CCOL will send to you a gift acknowledgement letter for your tax records. Thank you for considering a "green" gift to preserve our green heritage now and for future generations.

IRS Tips for Donations to Charities

Guidelines for Monetary Donations

To deduct any charitable donation of money, regardless of amount, a taxpayer must have a bank record or a written communication from the charity showing the name of the charity and the date and amount of the contribution. Bank records include canceled checks, bank or credit union statements, and credit card statements. Bank or credit union statements should show the name of the charity, the date, and the amount paid. Credit card statements should show the name of the charity, the date, and the transaction posting date.

Donations of money include those made in cash or by check, electronic funds transfer, credit card and payroll deduction. For payroll deductions, the taxpayer should retain a pay stub, a Form W-2 wage statement or other document furnished by the employer showing the total amount withheld for charity, along with the pledge card showing the name of the charity.

These requirements for the deduction of monetary donations do not change the long-standing requirement that a taxpayer obtain an acknowledgment from a charity for each deductible donation (either money or property) of $250 or more. However, one statement containing all of the required information may meet both requirements.

Reminders

To help taxpayers plan their holiday-season and year-end giving, the IRS offers the following additional reminders:

Contributions are deductible in the year made. Thus, donations charged to a credit card before the end of 2009 count for 2009. This is true even if the credit card bill isn’t paid until 2010. Also, checks count for 2009 as long as they are mailed in 2009 and clear, shortly thereafter.
Check that the organization is qualified. Only donations to qualified organizations are tax-deductible. IRS Publication 78, available online and at many public libraries, lists most organizations that are qualified to receive deductible contributions. The searchable online version can be found at IRS.gov under Search for Charities. In addition, churches, synagogues, temples, mosques and government agencies are eligible to receive deductible donations, even if they are not listed in Publication 78.
For individuals, only taxpayers who itemize their deductions on Form 1040 Schedule A can claim deductions for charitable contributions. This deduction is not available to individuals who choose the standard deduction, including anyone who files a short form (Form 1040A or 1040EZ). A taxpayer will have a tax savings only if the total itemized deductions (mortgage interest, charitable contributions, state and local taxes, etc.) exceed the standard deduction. Use the 2009 Form 1040 Schedule A to determine whether itemizing is better than claiming the standard deduction.
For all donations of property, including clothing and household items, get from the charity, if possible, a receipt that includes the name of the charity, date of the contribution, and a reasonably-detailed description of the donated property. If a donation is left at a charity’s unattended drop site, keep a written record of the donation that includes this information, as well as the fair market value of the property at the time of the donation and the method used to determine that value. Additional rules apply for a contribution of $250 or more.
The deduction for a motor vehicle, boat or airplane donated to charity is usually limited to the gross proceeds from its sale. This rule applies if the claimed value is more than $500. Form 1098-C, or a similar statement, must be provided to the donor by the organization and attached to the donor’s tax return.
If the amount of a taxpayer’s deduction for all noncash contributions is over $500, a properly-completedForm 8283 must be submitted with the tax return.

Informational meeting for contractors interested in getting weatherzation certification

2009-11-16T15:48:00.003-08:00

This Wed. ECC is hosting an informational meeting for contractors interested in getting BPI certification to do weatherization retrofits.

The meeting will be in the Municipal Building Community room at 6:30pm.

No Child Left Indoors Owl Hike

2009-11-16T15:48:00.002-08:00

Join Jim O'Boyle, Park Ranger with the US Army Corps of Engineers, and No Child Left Indoors volunteers for a hike exploring owl habitat and experiencing the season as owls establish their nesting territories. The hike will take place Saturday, December 5. Children and their adult escorts will meet at BooksNMore at 7 p.m. for an introduction to the Owl Moon. From there we will caravan to our hiking destination, Clinton County Park, Anliot-Davidson Woods.

Dress for the weather, bring a flashlight, and wear rugged shoes or boots. To register, please call Lori Williams @ 725-3811.

The photo above is from one of our previous hikes where we successfully called in a barred owl within 20 feet of our hiking group and the group immediately sighted their flashlights on the welcomed guest.

NCLI Retrospective

2009-10-17T08:01:00.000-07:00

Lori Williams is working up a promotional brochure for our No Child Left Inside program and asked Bob Powell to cull through his photos for some pictures of representative activities. The following is a gallery of those photos, many of which have appeared in previous editions of the newsletter of the Lytle Creek League of Conservators and in the Wilmington News-Journal. They are posted here for the enjoyment of nostalgic participants and as an introduction to the program for parents. Keep checking the schedule on this page for future events.

Photos included in Sep '09 LCLC newsletter

2009-09-25T16:21:00.000-07:00

Lytle Creek League September Newsletter

2009-09-23T09:09:00.000-07:00

The September edition of the newsletter of the Lytle Creek League League of Conservators is available, now for the first time from this website.

The lead story of this edition is our preparations for the annual Lytle Creek Day. The schedule appears also on this page. See the newsletter for a cordial welcome from Roy Joe Stuckey, president and founder of the League.

Other stories in this newsletter:

NCLI spider hunt Saturday, 26 Sep, County Prairie
Planning for the future
Wildflower restoration project
A blind for the Prairie?
Bagpipers, bird feeders, and the changing seasons along the trail

To see the entire newsletter, click here or on the title of this post

Lytle Creek Day 2009: Roy Joe's Invitation

It will soon be Lytle Creek Day, number two! Mark your calendar for October 3, 2009, for this special day, officially proclaimed, in 2008, by the Wilmington City Council and Mayor David Raizk as the first Saturday in October, each year thenceforth.

Actually, the upcoming luncheon event will be the fourth annual celebration of the creek in Wilmington’s backyard. The first such was in 2006 with the dedication of the Lytle Creek Trailhead Pavilion. This year, as in the past, each of the local environmental organizations will again be assisting the Lytle Creek League of Conservators to stage the observance. The League expects to engage several interested stakeholders in initiating long range planning for the Greenway. It applauds similar efforts announced recently by our neighboring community of Lynchburg, Ohio.

In difficult economic times, nearby natural resources of soul soothing beauty become priceless. The community creek in our backyard and its riparian corridor is, throughout its length, owned by City, College, County, corporate and private owners, each as cooperating entities. Thus, our community can be grateful that its Lytle Creek Greenway is now mostly open to public access at no charge for all to enjoy.

The mission of the Lytle Creek League of Conservators is:

"To help our community to identify, improve, extend, preserve, appreciate, use, learn from, and to enjoy the natural areas designated as the Lytle Creek Greenway."

In pursuit of this mission, the League supports Clinton County Open Lands Inc. as it facilitates conservation easements; Clinton County StreamKeepers as it tests the creek for signs of recovering life; the Clinton County Coalition of Trails as it seeks additional access for hiking; the Clinton County Park Board as it manages its new prairie, forest and other parks downstream; Wilmington College as it fences out its livestock, manages and expands its arboretum, and supports its nature trails; the Wilmington Park Board as it connects its parks, nature reserve and bike trails; corporations which supply money, services, and encouragement; land owners who may be considering conservation easements for additional public access; and most important of all, the many volunteers of all ages and levels of knowledge who work tirelessly to further the vision of a great legacy for oncoming generations who will live in this beautiful place.

All of these elements, I hope will, in some way, be recognized in several three to five minute presentations by appropriate speakers contributing to the carefully orchestrated program starting at 11:00AM, Oct 3, Lytle Creek Day, number two. A great environmentalist will be honored; and a good lunch will be served. You are warmly invited to please reserve at 937 728 9886 and then, to come, to enjoy yourself, and to learn how you may be able to make your life richer for the experience.--- rjs Sept 18, 2009.

Roy Joe Stuckey, President

Lytle Creek Day Schedule of Events, Saturday, 3 Oct

7:30 am Beginners bird walk. Meet at YMCA parking lot. Bring binoculars. About 1 1/2 miles of level walking. Most enjoyable for human beings 10 and over.

10:00 am Nature Hike to Pavilion Begins at YMCA- Bob Powell. Will arrive at the Trailhead Pavilion in time for program

10:15am Restoring Native Wildflowers. Inspection of LCLC project to eradicate invasive species and bring back native wildflowers- Lori Williams. Meet at Trailhead Pavilion

11:00AM Call to seating and convocation- Roy Joe Stuckey, Lori Williams

“Private Partners –Conservation Easements and their role in creating a Greenway”---
Laura Curliss, Clinton County Open Lands Inc.

“Creek tests at Sugar Grove Cemetery”-Don Spurling and Mike Grant- StreamKeepers

“Wild life viewing and wetlands”- Bob Powell

“Plans for the County Forest and Prairie”- Bob Thobaben, County Park Board

“Agenda for the Clinton County Trails Coalition”- Don Troike for Bruce Saunders, President

“Shared vision and a shared website, The Green Alliance”- Chris Schock, Planner

“WC Vista Service Learning on the Greenway”- Allyssa Benson, Coordinator, Vista

12:00 “We Honor Dr. S. Fred Anliot”—Don Troike, WC Professor of Biology, and Dan DiBiasio, President, Wilmington College

12:15 Complimentary Lunch from Lytle Creek League of Conservators-
Maria Butcher, Event Chairman, assisted by Ruth E. Stuckey

Please reserve for lunch by calling 937 728 9886, by October 1.
Donation placed in jar on registration table will be optional

ADMISSION TO THE LYTLE CREEK GREENWAY IS FREE (as always)

NCLI to stage spider hunt Saturday, 26 Sep

Imagine eating crickets, grasshoppers, and flies and not just hopping into your bed each night, but having to build it new every day. That’s what happens in the world of arachnids.

Make plans now to attend the No Child Left Indoors Spider Hunt at the Lytle Creek Prairie from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Sept. 26.

Learn about what and how spiders eat and all about the webs they weave.

Adult leaders will assist children as they look for and observe orb weavers, funnel weavers, jumping spiders, wolf spiders and more along the trails. The educational program will include information on spider habitats and activity. We will be observing spiders and identifying them in their natural habitat. Children should wear long pants and sturdy shoes.

Spider program leader Harriett Clark shared, "We plan to observe spiders in their natural habitats without disturbing them since it is a tremendous expenditure of energy for a spider to spin a web, which it does every night. We may even get to see them eat a cricket or two."

The program is free, but pre-registration is required. We will be able to accommodate up to 20 elementary age children (and their adult escorts, who must stay for the program). The Lytle Creek Prairie is along the 4-C Bicentennial Trail. Parking is available at the David Williams Park on Fife Avenue and the Southeast Neighborhood Park near Paris Avenue. Participants are encouraged to bike or walk from the trailheads and enjoy the trail as part of this program. From either trailhead it is approximately a 15 minute walk. Both trailheads are excellent locations for picnicking after the event.
To pre-register or for questions, call Lori Williams at 382-3682.
No Child Left Indoors is a local group of volunteers committed to the belief that children need nature and nature needs caring humans.

Watch the news letter for information on the following NCLI events tentatively scheduled for the fall and winter:

Owl Hike - 5 Dec at 7:30 pm, meeting place to be determined
Salamander Sleuthing - 27 Feb at 7:00 pm. Meet at the Caesar Creek Visitor Center. Jim O'Boyle
Toads and Frogs Spring Fling - Details to be announced.

Planning for the Future

At the September board meeting we resolved to do some thinking about the way forward, where we want to be in five or ten years time and what steps we need to be taking now in order to get there. Subsequently, Roy Joe Stuckey, Lori Williams and Bob Powell go together to do some initial brainstorming. The framework that emerged was the following:

Expansion. We need to work with other local organizations in expanding protections and access along the Greenway. The principal vehicle for this will probably be securing easements on adjacent properties, although we should also be alert for opportunities to acquire land outright. Roy Joe volunteered to take the lead in this area.
Conservation, Preservation, and Restoration. We need a concerted program of stewardship for the areas we presently have access to. Since the beginning of the League, we have recognized the problem of invasive species along the Greenway, particularly the problem of bush honeysuckle, arguably the most abundant plant on the Greenway down to the bike path. We have had several work days devoted to clearing bush honeysuckle in the past. These have paid off, particularly in the area around the beech tree, which has freed up an area that, judging from the carvings on the tree, has been a gathering place for Wilmingtonians for more than fifty years. We wish to extend this effort and complement it with a program of restoration, bringing back native wildflowers that have been shaded out by the invasives. Lori Williams will take on this formidable task.
Education, entertainment, and enjoyment. Our most public successes have been in the area of educating the public about the natural world, thereby generating an increased capacity for the general enjoyment of our natural heritage. There is no better example of this than the success of our No Child Left Indoors program. This program has benefited from capable and energetic leadership, a dedicated core of knowledgeable volunteers, and ample funding through a generous donation from an anonymous friend. We need to expand our educational activities as there is clearly a great demand for this type of activity. At present we have only a minimum of interpretative materials available to users of the trail; specifically, the tree identification signs the Jim Ramsey helped with. We envision incrementally building 3-5 wildlife viewing blinds along the trail with interpretative materials inside the blinds. Eventually, we would like to see one of those blinds expanded in stages to house a nature center. When fully developed, we anticipate that the center would have space for three kinds of activities: wildlife observation, classroom-type space for events such as NCLI, and a laboratory for citizen science programs. The latter might comprise bird banding activities, wildlife population studies, stream quality surveys, etc. Bob Powell has consented to look further into this area.

These ideas are only preliminary, blue sky thinking. Practical problems (like money) are left to be worked out later. The grand thing about this kind of activity is that any number can play. If you have something to add to this conversation, please do so. Every contribution enriches the process. There are three ways to make your input:

Enter a comment at the bottom of this post
Send us an email at lclc@greenalliancecc.com
Drop an email to the newsletter editor at rdp171@gmail.com

The next two articles tell about some initiatives that have already arisen from this exercise

Wildflower restoration project

One of the leading causes of declines in native species is the introduction of foreign species that become invasive. Most introduced species will die out, but some are fantastically successful. Transplanted to an area that lacks its customary competitors, diseases, etc, the species takes off, elbowing aside native species. Examples abound: House Sparrows and European Starlings have done a number on native hole-nesting species such as Eastern Bluebirds. Zebra mussels are spreading throughout inland waters, ;hitching rides on pleasure boats and outboard motors. Numbers on the Great Lakes are now so great that some municipal water intakes are becoming clogged. We have them here in Caesar Creek Lake. The custom of importing plants is as old as the nation: early colonists routinely brought their favorite plants with them and these are now widespread and uniformly regarded as "our" wildflowers.

In fact, until recently there was a Section of Foreign Seed and Plant Introduction in the US Department of Agriculture. Asian bush honeysuckle (also known as Amur honeysuckle, shown in flower above) was first imported into the US in the 1890's and was being promoted as late as the 1970s by the US Soil Conservation Service for erosion control and wildlife food and cover. Unfortunately, once they got loose, they found eastern deciduous woodlands so conducive to their survival that they quickly took over the middle story of many forests. With their dense structure, as seen above, bush honeysuckles quickly eradicate the herbaceous understory by shading out the native plants. Serious infestations can inhibit tree regeneration, effectively stopping forest succession.

If you want to see bush honeysuckle, look no further than the area around the Trailhead Pavilion. At this time of year, it is best found by looking for the bright red berries, as shown in the photo at left above. Otherwise, it is a biggish (6-15 feet) bush (unlike the native honeysuckles, which are mainly vines) with paired (opposite) leaves as in the photo at left. In the spring, it is covered white honeysuckle-like flowers which are not as fragrant as the native honeysuckles.

From the pavilion, it is hard to throw a rock without hitting a bush honeysuckle. Lori Williams wants to change that. She and volunteers from VISTA and the college have begun to aggressively clear bush honeysuckle from around the pavilion, where the infestation is densest. They clear down to he bare soil and paint the stumps with straight roundup. Results in other honeysuckle control programs indicate that this treatment is successful in killing the plant and the rootstock. Killing the rootstock is important, or the plant will quickly return.

As shown in the picture below, Lori and friends have made a substantial start on eradicating this nuisance. The next step is to seed the cleared area with native wildflower seeds in time for them to germinate in the spring. Then the clearing crew will move on to the next area. It is estimated that it will require several years of effort to complete the program.

As usual, we are dependent on volunteer contributions of labor and funds. If you would like to get involved, call Lori at 382-3682.

A blind for the prairie?

In our strategic planning exercise, we identified the need for wildlife viewing blinds as an element in opening up the Greenway to the general public for encountering and learning about wildlife. There five requirements we can agree on readily:

It must be someplace accessible or it won't get used
It must be safe and secure
If must be cheap (not relatively cheap, absolutely cheap)
It must require little or no maintenance
It must be highly resistant to vanadalism

Out of this initial thinking, a strange kind of convergence has arisen. Bob Thobaben and Lori Williams talked it over and Bob told her he had been thinking about the possibility of a blind at the southwest corner of the County Prairie. Bob Powell googled wildlife viewing blinds and found a wonderful document surveying about 100 candidates (Click here for the pdf. This is a large file, probably not suitable for those on a dial-up connection). Among them is a blind made out of a converted grain bin.

(Images: Colorado Department of Wildlife and Virginia Division of Game and Inland Fisheries)

A grain bin blind situated at the southwest corner of the County Prairie fulfills most, if not all, of our criteria. Once in place, it will be almost indestructible and nearly maintenance free. It will accommodate an entire third grade class and give views in all directions.

We have more than one lead on the possibility of a donated grain bin and in a meeting of the County Park Board on Monday, 14 Sep 09, a resolution was passed unanimously granting permission for such a structure to be established at the County Prairie.

This is heartening progress in a short period of time, however nothing about this idea is a done deal. In fact, there is at least one vocal critic who believes the grain bin blind would be an "eyesore" and is in any event "wholly unnecessary." As we move forward with this idea, we need input from our members. What do you think? Do you have another idea? Can you help? Contact Bob Powell with your ideas in any of the following ways:

Enter a comment at the bottom of this post
Send us an email at lclc@greenalliancecc.com
Drop an email to the newsletter editor at rdp171@gmail.com

Along the trail . . .

Usage of the Pavilion

The Trailhead Pavilion is, just as we hoped, becoming a popular venue in the community. It is frequently used at lunchtime as a refuge from the office, though sadly not to the extent that it was when the Airpark was really humming. Other groups in town are holding meetings, picnics, potlucks, etc and of course the pavilion is expressly designed for those sorts of gatherings and we welcome them all.

Perhaps the most unusual use of the Pavilion so far is as a venue for bagpipe practice. A couple of afternoons a week, Dave Chesney can be found huffing and puffing into his instrument. Dave is a retired Navy chief petty officer who has served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dave now works at New Sabina Industries. Apparently, his piping is not very popular at home, so Dave drops in at the Pavilion where he bothers no one. Dave plays with a bagpipe group in Dayton and does a creditable job on old bagpipe favorites like "Scotland the Brave" and, of course, the inevitable "Amazing Grace."

Dave also refills the birdfeeders when he sees them getting low, which makes him doubly welcome.

What uses have you made of the Pavilion? Let us know. Even better, send us a picture.

New Birdfeeders

We have installed a bird feeding station just behind the Pavilion. The feeders, shown at left, consist of a suet feeder, a thistle seed feeder, and two kinds of sunflower seed feeders. The suet feeder (lower right) draws insectivorous birds. This summer it was hammered by Common Grackles. The thistle seed feeder (left front) holds a very large supply of this favorite food of goldfinches, also called Niger or Nyger seed. The picture at bottom shows eleven goldfinches on the feeder at one time.

Sharp-eyed readers will have noticed pieces of duct tape on the feeder. This is to cover up the standard feeding ports in order to exclude big birds that would otherwise dominate the feeder. The goldfinches and other small birds can perch directly on the mesh and their bills are small enough to extract the tiny thistle seeds

Right now, you might be asking yourself why aren't these goldfinches gold? The answer is that goldfinches have one of the most complex molt strategies of any songbird. At this season, the adults are molting into their drab basic plumage for the winter. (The females are never very gold at any season.) The young that fledged about a month ago are also molting into a formative plumage that is at least as drab as the females. Some of the young males won't achieve their full glory until spring after next.

The other two feeders dispense sunflower seed, the best all-around food for songbirds. The cage around the feeder at right rear screens out the big birds and insures that chickadees, titmice, house finches, and sparrows have a fighting chance at a good meal. The metal feeder at left rear is accessible to birds of all sizes, including cardinals.

The metal cylinder seen at the bottom of the picture deters raccoons and squirrels. Both of those species are basically smarter than people and feeding birds is a constant battle of wits with them. For instance, our supply of seed for replenishing the feeders is kept in three small garbage cans at the foot of the bridge-like dais inside the pavilion. I purposely selected cans with very tight lids. I am a former high school lineman, and I have to struggle to get the lids off. The raccoon had no problem. I now have secured the lids with bungee cords and the raccoons have not so far figured them out. I am sure they have an R&D team working on it. In the meantime, if you refill the feeders, be sure the lids are on tight when you finish and that the bungee cords are in place.

In a couple of months, when the winter finches and sparrows arrive, the population at the feeders will change dramatically. Be sure to stop in regularly to check them out. The feeders can be readily observed from the tables in the Pavilion. You can even observe the birds from in the open, as long as (a) you are not standing, and (b) you are not moving. The pictures above were taken from the setup shown at left in order to get a good angle on the action. The birds all scattered while I was setting up, but they all came back in about five minutes.

The changing seasons

As I write this, the bird population in Clinton County is about as high as it gets. The birds have all just brought off new clutches of young which have yet to face the decimating rigors of winter. We are at about the peak of the migration of birds that breed to the north of us, but many of our summer residents are still with us. Unfortunately, fall birds are sort of an acquired taste: most of them are silent so we don't have the raucous dawn choruses of the spring, most are molting or already in their basic plumages, and all of them skulk around trying not to be seen. I don't want to discourage you from birding in the fall, but you might want to spend some time looking at flowers.

The late summer and the fall are the last hurrah of the wildflowers. Most of the flowers hardy enough to brave the chance of an early frost are the composites. The two that are the standard bearers of the season are asters and goldenrods. The latter are nuisances for hay fever sufferers, but a whole field full of them can be undeniably exciting. Here are some others that you might find interesting.

Asters and goldenrods make an eye-catching combination

Asters up close and personal

A monarch butterfly takes off from an ironweed flower on its way to Mexico

Ragged robin appears in pastures in September and hangs on as long as it can.

Milkweed pods burst and their feathery seeds take flight

Teasel seedheads, beloved of dried flower arrangers

Wild bergamot, used in many herbal teas

Old dude with a variety of sunflower appropriately called "Tall Sunflower."

Lytle Creek Day Events Schedule Released

2009-09-23T07:47:00.000-07:00

Lytle Creek Day Schedule of Events, Saturday, 3 Oct

All events meet at the Lytle Creek Greenway Pavilion, unless otherwise specified.

The Pavilion is located on Davids Drive. Click here for an interactive map.

7:30 am Beginners bird walk. Meet at YMCA parking lot. Bring binoculars. About 1 1/2 miles of level walking. Most enjoyable for human beings 10 and over.

10:00 am Nature Hike to Pavilion Begins at YMCA- Bob Powell. Will arrive at the Trailhead Pavilion in time for program

10:15am Restoring Native Wildflowers. Inspection of LCLC project to eradicate invasive species and bring back native wildflowers- Lori Williams. Meet at Trailhead Pavilion

11:00AM Call to seating and convocation- Roy Joe Stuckey, Lori Williams

“Private Partners –Conservation Easements and their role in creating a Greenway”---
Laura Curliss, Clinton County Open Lands Inc.

“Creek tests at Sugar Grove Cemetery”-Don Spurling and Mike Grant- StreamKeepers

“Wild life viewing and wetlands”- Bob Powell

“Plans for the County Forest and Prairie”- Bob Thobaben, County Park Board

“Agenda for the Clinton County Trails Coalition”- Don Troike for Bruce Saunders, President

“Shared vision and a shared website, The Green Alliance”- Chris Schock, Planner

“WC Vista Service Learning on the Greenway”- Allyssa Benson, Coordinator, Vista

12:00 “We Honor Dr. S. Fred Anliot”—Don Troike, WC Professor of Biology, and Dan DiBiasio, President, Wilmington College

12:15 Complimentary Lunch from Lytle Creek League of Conservators-
Maria Butcher, Event Chairman, assisted by Ruth E. Stuckey

Please reserve for lunch by calling 937 728 9886, by October 1.
Donation placed in jar on registration table will be optional

ADMISSION TO THE LYTLE CREEK GREENWAY IS FREE (as always)

RSVP Today for the Local Foods Dinner

2009-08-17T07:03:00.000-07:00

Last Chance for Reservations for the Local Foods Dinner. Recognition for Local Producers, Farmers' Market Vendors and Volunteers.

****CALL NOW -- 383-4141 -- to make a reservation. $25 per person. ******
Proceeds to benefit the Stewardship Fund of Clinton County Open Lands, Inc.

Wilmington Garden Club

2009-08-12T07:15:00.000-07:00

The Wilmington Garden Club meets the 1st Monday of each month at 1:30PM, normally at Cape May Campus Center.

If you would like more information or if you are interested in becoming a guest at one of our meetings, please email Christine Krisa at ckrisa@cinci.rr.com

Current Club Officers are:
President: Sharon Hiles
Vice President: Cari Middleton
Second Vice President: Stella Hagemeyer

Recording Secretary: Carol Davidson
Assistant Secretary: Kathy Kral
Corresponding Secretary: Carol Ann Regan

Treasurer: Helen Starkey
Assistant Treasurer: Sharon Hiles

Clinton County Contact Chair: Anne Lynch
Assistant Contact Chair: Lois Shumaker

Clinton Streamkeepers Hosting Picnic

2009-08-11T10:18:00.000-07:00

Mark your calendars for Sunday, August 30th as the Clinton Streamkeepers will be hosting a picnic open to the public at J.W. Denver Williams Park. Bring out the family for this fun event and great opportunity to learn about Streamkeepers and all the wonderful work that they do in Clinton County.

What: "Picnic in the Park"

Where: Denver Park - ShelterHouse "D"

When: Aug. 30 - 5pm - 7pm

Meet the Board members - Interact with other members.
Free food & beverages
Games for all
Bring a dessert to share
Bring seating

*****RSVP by Aug.24*****

Contact Don Spurling

des2@voyager.net or (937) 382-5497

Clinton Streamkeepers

2009-08-06T13:39:00.000-07:00

"To preserve, protect and improve water quality in Clinton County, Ohio"

Clinton StreamKeepers is an affiliate organization of the Clinton County Environmental Preservation Association (CCEPA). CCEPA is a grassroots organization that began in February 1997 with a meeting at the Beam Farm near Sabina, Ohio. The meeting stemmed out of concern for the potential loss of valuable farmland and ground water due to several aggregate mining companies wanting to locate to the area. The proposed sites would threaten a major underground aquifer and some of the best farmland in the United States.

We contacted local newspapers, television and radio stations, local and states elected officials and held news conferences-we wanted everyone to know of our concerns. In searching for support, we contacted the nationally recognized RiverKeeper association and discovered how to become an affiliate. The RiverKeeper Association strongly suggested a “new” organization would be best and that we, of course, needed a water based concern for our cause. Anderson Fork, a small stream in the Wilson Township area, was the stream in jeopardy if the aggregates were to mine the areas proposed-and so it became our focus. We were the eventually accepted and were the first and ONLY RiverKeeper affiliate that is not connected with a major navigable body of water.

We have established two water-monitoring sites on streams in Clinton County and continue to hold year round stream walks. Our water quality monitoring is led by current Board members and local experts: Fred Anliot of Wilmington College, Jim O’Boyle from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, and Mike Grant, Teacher at Blanchester.

Be Part Of A Solution

We can’t make more, it’s a limited resource. We have been recycling this resource since the planet relies on this for survival. Of course, it’s WATER. Something this valuable and this essential to life ought to be cherished and preserved for future generations.

The Clinton StreamKeepers and CCEPA are working to insure that our water resources are doing just that by:

Stream walks
Coordinating efforts with other environmental groups
Attending seminars, conferences, workshops, etc. on water quality and conservation
Letting people know what we’re doing-being available, right here in Clinton County to investigate issues and educate (regular meetings, programs in elementary schools, working with faculty and students at Wilmington College and working with state and local government agencies)
Planting trees
Encouraging farmland preservation
Encouraging preservation of historic structures
Continuing to expand educational programs

Won’t you join us? Become a member, learn, meet some great, caring people and grow with us for a healthy, quality future for Clinton County and beyond!

Help Chef Jen Roast a Hog for the Local Foods Dinner!

2009-07-29T08:40:00.000-07:00

Volunteers needed for the CCOL Local Foods Dinner to help roast a hog. Starting at midnight and continuing into Saturday morning, August 22, two volunteers are needed for each two hour shift to roast a 100 lb hog for the Local Foods Dinner at 6 p.m. on Aug. 22. Chef Jen Purkey of the General Denver Hotel will be in charge of the operation but she needs some help.

Beverages of your choice will be served from the (cash) bar until 2:30 a.m. and then coffee will be available on the patio.

Acoustic instruments may be played. Please respect hotel guests and neighbors who may be sleeping.

The first two volunteers to sign up per shift will eat free at the Local Foods Dinner. Volunteers must stay the entire shift and follow Chef Jen's instructions. The main responsibility is to watch the gas roaster to make sure it continues to function. One free meal per person for working. So find a friend and sign-up for a shift.
Anyone is welcome to hang out with shift volunteers.

SHIFTS on Saturday, Aug. 22

12 mid to 2 a.m. Hog put on spit, farm experience helpful
2 -4 a.m. Beverage service ends at 2:30 a.m.
4-6 a.m. Insomniacs only need apply :)
6-8 a.m. Breakfast and beverage service begin

For a .pdf version of the flyer Click HERE

Sign up by e-mailing Laura Curliss at lauracurliss@verizon.net or calling 513-600-7171 and leaving a message. Please provide a phone number where you can be reached. Thank you.

Prairie Tour July 30th, sponsored by CCOL, Inc.

2009-07-21T07:17:00.000-07:00

Next Thursday at 6 PM there will be a Prairie Tour at Bob and Terri Thobaben's farm that is being sponsored by Clinton County Open Lands, LLC.

**FOR THE FLYER, CLICK HERE**

The Thobaben's will be giving tours and explaining the ecologies of their two prairies. For those that have not seen a prairie this is a wonderful time to visit and appreciate an Ohio prairie in full bloom. The Thobabens live on a 67 acre farm that is preserved by a conservation easement with Clinton County Open Lands, Inc.

Where: The Thobaben Farm, 1835 S.R. 380, across from Thousand Trails campground. Click HERE for a map.

When: Thursday, July 30 @ 6PM

Sponsored by Clinton County Open Lands, Inc. -- A non-profit 501(c)(F3) land trust serving Clinton County and the surrounding area preserving farmland, natural areas and waterways.

Photos of Lytle Creek Prairie

2009-07-08T14:30:00.001-07:00

Photos of East Fork Riparian Nature Preserve

2009-07-08T14:24:00.001-07:00

Photos of Collett Woods Nature Preserve

2009-07-08T14:15:00.000-07:00

Photos of Terrel-Hanagan Riparian Preserve

2009-07-08T13:07:00.001-07:00

Clinton County Open Lands, Inc. Summer 2009 Newsletter Now Available

2009-07-01T11:18:00.000-07:00

Clinton County Open Lands, Inc. has released its Summer 2009 Newsletter. The newsletter has detailed and up-to-date information on the group, along with information for the upcoming year.

To read the full newsletter, CLICK HERE, or visit the CCOL page and follow the link from there.

Clinton County Parks

2009-06-30T14:49:00.000-07:00

Clinton County Open Lands, Inc.

2009-06-11T11:02:00.000-07:00

"To permanently preserve our agricultural and natural heritage by preserving agricultural land, natural areas and waterways in and near Clinton County, Ohio."

BECOME A MEMBER OF CCOL

Click HERE to download the Membership Form

****Click HERE for the Summer 2009 Report****

Click HERE for the Winter 2008-2009 Report

Leadership/board members: Laura Curliss, Charlene Ballard, Jon Branstrator, Dick Glaser, Chris Hodgson, Beth Mitchell, Jim O’Boyle, Terri Thobaben

Current projects/initiatives:
CCOL currently holds agricultural and conservation easements on 284 acres, and own a 2.4 acre urban nature preserve, Hunter Glen. For 2009, CCOL is working with five landowners to preserve an additional 1976 acres.

Hunter Glen Nature Preserve

Property of Clinton County Open Lands, Inc.
Open to members and others by permission
Dawn to dusk only
To get permission to use the property or to find out how you can help support this urban nature preserve, contact:
Land steward: Paul Hunter – 382-0364
Remember to leave only footprints

Past projects:
Each landowner who has donated an agricultural or conservation easement to CCOL, Inc. has done something very special for their families and future generations. Our landowners and our members are providing Clinton County with a “green” future – private lands permanently preserved for agriculture, natural areas and waterways.

How to get involved:
In addition to becoming a member of CCOL, we are looking for people with science backgrounds, particularly in biology, botany, soil and water conservation, farm sciences, to assist us with evaluating possible conservation projects. We can also use people with skills with photography, GPS and orienteering, reading surveys and maps, and GIS mapping skills. We also have a need for people with newsletter writing and desktop publishing, graphics for communications pieces. Finally, we can use people with bookkeeping, events planning and implementation, fundraising and development backgrounds or skills.

For more information:
Contact Laura Curliss, J.D.
513-600-7171
or lauracurliss@verizon.net

Clinton County Trails Coalition

2009-06-10T13:56:00.000-07:00

The City’s recreational trails system has been growing over the past several years. The City’s trail system now consists of the following trails:

Luther Warren Peace Path (dedicated 1999), a 1.2 mile, level paved surface trail with trail heads on Mulberry Street and Nelson Avenue. In addition to the trail heads, the public may access the trail via a connector bridge leading to the campus of Clinton Memorial Regional Hospital. Drinking water is not available on the Luther Warren Peace Path. Most of the Peace Path is shaded for comfort in the summer and the snow is removed in the winter making the trail a year round favorite with walkers and runners.

4-C Bicentennial Trail (dedicated 2005), is a 1.3 mile paved surface trail and will be open to the public July 31, 2005, at 2 p.m. The trail was designed and built to celebrate Ohio’s bicentennial of statehood. The “4 Cs” without whom the trail would not be possible are the City of Wilmington, the Clinton County Board of Commissioners, Wilmington College, and the Clinton Rails-to-Trails Coalition. Trail heads are located on Fife Avenue (across the street from David Williams Park parking lot) and in the Southeast Neighborhood park (access from Paris Avenue and Marilena Dr). Both trail heads have paved parking and drinking water available. The 4-C Bicentennial Trail has more variation in grade than the Luther Warren Peace Path. The trail also features a four foot wide grassy berm for horseback riding. Snow will not be removed from this trail to allow cross-country skiing, snowshoeing or other non-motorized winter sports.

Lowe’s Drive Path (opened 2004) – a .6 mile asphalt connector path, this trail connects Rombach Avenue (near J. Denver Williams Park) with Prairie Avenue. The City plans a future paved surface trail winding through J. Denver Williams Park to connect the Lowe’s Drive Path with the 4-C Bicentennial Trail. No services are available on the Lowe’s Drive Path, but water, parking and restrooms are available in J. Denver Williams Park, which is .1 mile from the intersection of Lowe’s Drive and Rombach Avenue. Enter J. Denver Williams Park from Rombach Avenue (on the north) or Fife Avenue (on the south).

Urban Bike Route The Southeast Neighborhood Park trail head of the 4-C Bicentennial Trail is now connected to the Mulberry Street trailhead of the Luther Warren Peace Path with a signed bike route on City streets. This will give cyclists the ability to ride about 7.0 miles round trip from either the Fife Avenue trailhead of the 4-C Trail or the Nelson Avenue trailhead of the Luther Warren Peace Path.

Horse riders using the trails may continue on City streets. The City requires that animal owners clean up after their animals.

Unauthorized motor vehicles are not permitted on the City’s trails.

Click on the map for a .pdf version

Wilmington City Parks

2009-01-01T14:02:00.000-08:00

Wilmington City Parks and Recreation Department
(937)383-2818

The parks and recreation department offers a variety of activities for the whole family. From picnicking to trails, from soccer to baseball, we can offer it all.
Most of the capital improvements we are able to do each year are funded by donations from people, businesses and service organizations. If it weren't for this generosity, we would only be able to do a portion of the improvements each year.

We own and operate seven parks throughout the City. Each park has it's own unique contribution of enjoyment to each patron who visits the park. Galvin, South East, and The Point are all neighborhood parks, whereas our three main parks, J.W. Denver Williams Park, David R. Williams Park, and Lytle Creek Nature Preserve are where all the programs we offer take place. Lytle Creek Nature Preserve will offer hiking and other nature-related activities.

J.W. Denver Williams Memorial Park

David R. Williams Park

Galvin Park

Southeast Park

Point Park

Park Rules and Regulations

State Parks

2009-01-01T11:58:00.000-08:00

Cowan Lake State Park
Caesar Creek State Park

Lytle Creek League of Conservators

2009-01-01T11:14:00.000-08:00

Overview

The Lytle Creek League of Conservators is a group of citizens, mostly from Clinton County, who have banded together to conserve in perpetuity the headwaters of Lytle Creek for education and recreational purposes. Lytle Creek arises from the drainage from the Wilmington Air Park, formerly Clinton County Air Force Base. It flows westward past Wilmington College, through the town of Wilmington, along the historic Sugartree Cemetery and thence westward to its junction with Todd’s Fork near Clarksville. Todd’s Fork is a major tributary of the Little Miami River, a designated State and National Scenic River. Conservation of the the Little Miami River begins with conservation of Lytle Creek.

Organization

The Lytle Creek League of Conservators is non-profit organization under paragraph 501(c)3 of the tax code. Contributions to the League are tax-deductible. The policies of the League are regulated by a Board of Directors. Activities are carried out by committees established from time to time by the Board. There is no formal membership of the League. All interested parties are welcome to take part in any of our meetings, including meetings of the Board.

Contributions

The League does not conduct fund-raising activities. We do not charge fees for taking part in any of our activities. We have come this far through the generosity of members of the community who have contributed funds and services for our projects. If you would like to help with our work, you can do so by sending a check to

The Clinton Foundation
PO Box 831
Wilmington, OH 45177

Please mark the check "Lytle Creek League of Conservators" on the memo line, or "No Child Left Indoors" if you want your contribution to go specifically to that program

We publish a newsletter approximately monthly during the spring, summer and fall. The newsletter is published on this page, but you can get a hard copy for the asking by contacting the editor at the address given below. The editor always welcomes news and announcements to include in the newsletter.

Contact Us

The principal points of contact are the President, Vice President and the Secretary:

President

Roy Joe Stuckey
937-728-9887
rstuckey1@earthlink.net

Vice President, Chair of the No Child Left Indoors project

Lori Williams
937-382-3682
mwilliams9@cinci.rr.com

Secretary, Newsletter Editor

Bob Powell
937-382-3557
rdp1710@gmail.com

Links

Roy Joe's Vision

No Child Left Indoors

NCLI tips for parents

Useful maps

Previous newsletters:

July 09: Summer activities crank up

Oct 08: Lytle Creek Day

Sep 08: Kids frolic in butterfly gala

Aug 08: Lizards and turtles and snakes! Oh, my!

Jul 08: Ohio's biggest reptile show at Pavilion

Sep 07: Lytle Creek Day

Jul 07: All along the trail

Clinton County Parks District

2009-01-01T09:32:00.000-08:00

Bob Johnson – President – Since 1996

(937) 486-4881 (H)

Bob Thobaben - Vice President - Since 1999

For Group Programs (at least 6 individuals) Call:

(937) 382-4739 (H)

Dr. Maxine Hamilton – Commissioner - Since 1998

(937) 382-3181 (H)

Collett Woods Nature Preserve
Founded in July 2000
8901 West St. Rt. 73, 1.5 miles west of Caesar Creek Flea Market.

CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS

Chester Twp. with 60 acres of mature beech-maple forest.
1.2 miles of hiking trails, paved parking lot with a turnaround, and bridge at entrance.
Wonderful wildflower communities.
Several examples of large hunks of Canadian granite erratic rocks deposited in the Preserve. Look for them along the 1.25 mile hiking loop that circles the forest perimeter.
Open daily. Dawn to dusk.

Anliot-Davidson Nature Preserve
Founded in October 2002
885 Pyle Rd. 1 mile east of the Clarksville Rd. and Pyle Rd. intersection

Adams Twp. with 58 acres of rolling topography dominated by a mixed forest of deciduous hardwoods and evergreens.
Paved parking lot with 5 benches, information display and 2 waste containers.
0.8 miles of hiking trails.
Three hiking trails are available; white, yellow, and blue. White and yellow trials are strenuous with steep inclines.
Rich biodiversity of ferns (12 species), trees (51 species) and many wildflowers and birds.
A demonstration prairie is surrounding the parking lot offering 18 species of wildflowers among warm season grasses.

Terrel-Hanagan Nature Preserve
Dr. Nathan Hale Memorial Woods
2979 Clarksville Rd. at the intersection of Cowan Creek Rd. and Clarksville Rd. in Vernon Twp.

CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS

60 acres of very unique land referred to in scientific literature as “The Devils Backbone”.A gravel parking lot with 3 benches, 2 waste containers, and an information kiosk.
1.25 miles of hiking trails along the scenic Cowan Creek. Great fishing in April through June.
Identified by the Ohio Biological Survey in July, 1955 and again in July, 1978 as the most unique area biologically in Clinton County!
The Devil’s Backbone has more biodiversity in plants and animals than any other square mile in Clinton County.
The Ohio Audubon Society has recognized the Cowan Lake Region as an Important Bird Area with over 85 species breeding in the area. Only 70 IBA’s exist in Ohio.

East Fork Riparian Nature Preserve
935 Webertown Rd. in Clark Twp.

CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS

70 Acres 1 mile east of the Oak Grove Rd. and Webertown Rd. intersection.
There is a paved parking lot for 8 cars but no amenities.
2.5 miles of hiking trials around a short grass prairie and a tall grass prairie.
2 wetlands were constructed and prairie grass seed were donated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Good fishing is available in the East Fork of the Little Miami River.
6 distinct habitats can be found in the park; upland woods, wet woods, riparian woods, short grass prairie, tall grass prairie, and blocks of cedar trees.
Healthy amphibian, wild turkey and white-tailed deer populations.

Lytle Creek Prairie

CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS

By the 4C Bike Trail in Wilmington.
Over 11 acres of preserved prairie land.

Order Confirmed

2005-01-01T14:08:00.000-08:00

Thank you for you order.

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