DIRECTIONS: To Inniswood From I-270, take the SR 3/Westerville Road exit north to Schrock Road (Huntington Bank, 630 South State Street, is on the Southeast corner) and turn right. Go about one mile to South Hempstead Road and turn right. Entrance is about 1/2 mile on the right.

Directions: To Whetstone Park From I-71, exit on North Broadway, proceed West to High St., turn North on High Street, proceed approximately 1.5 miles north to the Whetstone Park entrance located at 3901 N. High St. Enter at this location, follow the park entry road to the lower parking lot. Turn left at the open picnic houses and park as close to the turn around as possible. The prairie is located over the footbridge to the left.

Meetings and field trips are free and open to the public.

Saturday September 13 10AM Suburban setting with extensive native plantings in a deep backyard garden Meet at Joan and Byron Bossenbroek's place at 10AM. (5895 Linworth Rd, Worthington) Directions: from 315 travel west on SR 161. Turn Left (south) on Linworth Rd. and drive about 1/2 mile. Their house is on west side of the road. There is room for about 5 cars in their driveway. Additional parking at Linworth Park (a few houses north of their home and on a dise street in the Indian Hills subdivision) and along Sedwick Road (across from their home). Contact information: David Marsolo 614-891-6146

    Mar 08, 2008 (Sat)    

10:00 AM at Inniswood House at Inniswood Metropark CANCELED

CANCELED DUE TO HEAVY SNOW PREDICTED

Join Jessica D'Ambrosio to learn more about what we can personally do to adapt to and mitigate global warming.

Native landscapes offer the following three global warming solutions, among others:

• With global warming comes an increased need for potable water,. Native plants require less water to survive with changing environments. Native plants, with their deep root systems, will return more water to the ground preventing rainwater runoff. Native plants are what make rain gardens work. Wetland native species offer natural filtration systems to improve water quality.

• Carbon sequestration, - taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. The root structures of many of our native prairie plants extend deep into the ground, unlike most non-natives. This root structure allows the native plants to remove more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Carbon is one of the major constituents of global warming and removing it from the weather cycle slows the warming process. The main carbon "sinks" are grasslands, forest, and organisms in the oceans and soil.

• Reductions in fossil fuel and chemical use - native landscapes, in general, require less maintenance in the form of mowing, fertilization and chemical disbursement. In fact, native landscapes can survive without any of these man-made solutions for control. But for those needing some order in their landscape, no mow lawns and native plants significantly reduce the emissions associated with lawn and garden care combustion equipment, and the use of water polluting fertilizers and life-destroying chemicals. When we stop using fossil fuels and chemicals in our yards, we also reduce the need to transport and produce these items, further reducing the impact on our environment.

Individuals and families alike can have a big impact on reducing the carbon footprint by something as simple as how they maintain their yards. Using environmentally sound landscaping practices to preserve and restore ecological biodiversity and clean water by reducing the use of herbicides, insecticides, fertilizers and water will go a long way toward making a difference in climate change.

Jessica D'Ambrosio holds a master's degree in environmental sciences and is a Program Coordinator at the Ohio State University College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.

    Apr 12, 2008 (Sat)    

Making More Plants

10:00 AM at Inniswood House at Inniswood MetroPark

Dave Marsolo, Wild Ones member and amateur plant propagator, will lead a workshop on native plant propagation. Plant prechilled seeds of several unusual plants-including woodland species, rock garden and annuals. Try your hand at propagating cuttings of selected native shrubs/native roses.

Take home a sample of your work from this "hands on" activity and watch it grow!


----- Original Message -----

    May 17, 2008 (Sat)    

Woodlands and Prairie Habitat -- A Comparative Field Trip in 2 Parts

Field Trip #1 - Spring Show!
10am at Battelle Darby MetroPark

Today, Ohio is timber country and farmland. Going native can mean returning to Ohio forest or rebuilding the tallgrass prairies. This two part field trip is designed to demonstrate the differences between the two ecosystems up close and personal. We have chosen Battelle – Darby MetroPark as our outdoor laboratory for this exploration.

The Battelle – Darby properties have been listed for preservation and restoration since 1945 due to their unique biota. The park is best known for the high biodiversity of its river system: Big and Little Darbys which are national scenic rivers. Less known is the Darby Plains which historically included our closest original tallgrass prairie. Three hundred acres of the park has been restored to climax prairie using the remnant seedbank. Recent additions mean that the park now stretches 14 miles along the Darby Creeks and contain 6,500 acres of tall-grass prairies, fields and Oak-Hickory forest.

The Park Naturalists will take us on two identical hikes through the forests and prairies. A spring hike will demonstrate the woodland peak bloom and the prairie breaking dormancy. A summer hike over the same course will demonstrate the woodlands response to shading and the prairie in peak bloom. By covering the same ground, we will be sensitized to the lifecycle differences exhibited every season around us. Bring your botanical and restoration questions!

Saturday May 17th. The spring show in the woods includes trout lilies, spring beauties, cut-leaved toothworts, dutchman’s breeches, violets and bluebells. If we get lucky, we may spot a yellow lady slipper.

Directions:

From I-270 take I-70 west one exit to the Hilliard/Rome Road (exit 91A), go towards New Rome and travel south to West Broad Street. Turn right onto Broad Street (US 40) and travel approximately 4 miles to Darby Creek Drive. Turn left on Darby Creek Drive and proceed 3 miles. The main park entrance to Cedar Ridge Picnic Area is on the right.

For carpooling or general questions, call Shelby Conrad (614) 262-0470 or shelbyconrad@yahoo.com.

    Jun 14, 2008 (Sat)    

Rose Festival Join Wild Ones at the Columbus Rose Festival at Whetstone Park of Roses on June 14th & 15th from 10am - 8pm. We will be there to answer all of your native plant and landscaping questions and will be selling a variety of native plants to add to your garden

    Jul 12, 2008 (Sat)    

Woodlands and Prairie Habitat -- A Comparative Field Trip in 2 Parts

Field Trip #2 - Summer Show!
10am at Battelle Darby MetroPark

Today, Ohio is timber country and farmland. Going native can mean returning to Ohio forest or rebuilding the tallgrass prairies. This two part field trip is designed to demonstrate the differences between the two ecosystems up close and personal. We have chosen Battelle – Darby MetroPark as our outdoor laboratory for this exploration.

The Battelle – Darby properties have been listed for preservation and restoration since 1945 due to their unique biota. The park is best known for the high biodiversity of its river system: Big and Little Darbys which are national scenic rivers. Less known is the Darby Plains which historically included our closest original tallgrass prairie. Three hundred acres of the park has been restored to climax prairie using the remnant seedbank. Recent additions mean that the park now stretches 14 miles along the Darby Creeks and contain 6,500 acres of tall-grass prairies, fields and Oak-Hickory forest.

The Park Naturalists will take us on two identical hikes through the forests and prairies. A spring hike will demonstrate the woodland peak bloom and the prairie breaking dormancy. A summer hike over the same course will demonstrate the woodlands response to shading and the prairie in peak bloom. By covering the same ground, we will be sensitized to the lifecycle differences exhibited every season around us. Bring your botanical and restoration questions!

Saturday July 12th. The summer show in the prairie includes purple coneflower, gray-headed coneflower, prairie dock, royal catchfly, crown beard, bergamot. If we get lucky, we may spot white baptisia, tall larkspur and blazing star.

Directions:

From I-270 take I-70 west one exit to the Hilliard/Rome Road (exit 91A), go towards New Rome and travel south to West Broad Street. Turn right onto Broad Street (US 40) and travel approximately 4 miles to Darby Creek Drive. Turn left on Darby Creek Drive and proceed 3 miles. The main park entrance to Cedar Ridge Picnic Area is on the right.

For carpooling or general questions, call Shelby Conrad (614) 262-0470 or shelbyconrad@yahoo.com.

    Aug 09, 2008 (Sat)    

Garden Tour

David and Patricia Marsolo
1068 Hepplewhite Street
Westerville, Ohio 43081

The tour is of a standard sized suburban lot. There is a mixture of natives and nonnatives with increasing natives. The yard includes a vegetable garden, propagation areas, glass sunroon, wildlife hedge and 2 small ponds.

Directions
I-270 to Cleveland Avenue
North on Cleveland to Main St.
Left On Main St. to Spring Hollow
Right on Spring Hollow to Hepplewhite Street
Right on Hepplewhite Street

Contact
David Marsolo 614-891-6146
dmarsolo@columbus.rr.com

    Sep 13, 2008 (Sat)    

Saturday September 13 10AM

A suburban setting with extensive native plantings in a deep backyard garden

Meet at Joan and Byron Bossenbroek's place at 10AM. (5895 Linworth Rd, Worthington) Directions: from 315 travel west on SR 161. Turn Left (south) on Linworth Rd. and drive about 1/2 mile. Their house is on west side of the road. There is room for about 5 cars in their driveway. Additional parking at Linworth Park (a few houses north of their home and on a dise street in the Indian Hills subdivision) and along Sedwick Road (across from their home). Contact information: David Marsolo 614-891-6146

    Nov 08, 2008 (Sat)    

Saturday November 8,2008
10AM Inniswood MetroPark

Dawn Combs will give a presentation on native herbs and edible plants. Topics covered will include cultivation, uses and lore of these plants. Dawn teaches workshops on herbs

    Dec 13, 2008 (Sat)    

Annual Potluck and Seed Exchange

Saturday December 13th 10AM
Inniswood Metro Park

Please join us for our annual pot luck and seed exchange. You do not have to have seeds to donate to be part of the exchange