How to enjoy your very own 3,000 acres in the Portage Park District this spring

The Portage Park District has two main goals: conserve the rich natural history of Portage County and provide opportunities for it to be appreciated and enjoyed. 

The district has conserved over 3,000 acres in the county with three hike-and-bike trails and seven parks open to the public, which Education and Outreach Manager Jennifer White said strengthen communities even without visitors.

“Whether or not you’re visiting a park property, those natural areas provide ecological services that benefit all of our communities,” White said. “It also is shown to increase the property values and economic strength of communities by having access to parks and trails and natural areas.” 

Along with the parks, there are 10 preserves: properties not yet open to the public. Opening a preserve to the public takes a lot of money and planning, White said, and some will likely not ever be opened due to accessibility, funding and restoration plans. 

Spring brings the parks’ Preserve Peeks, giving the community a chance to hike the preserves with the staff and see which ones might get turned into parks the soonest. White said they are looking for public input about what preserves to prioritize opening next. 

Kame-Esker Bog Park is the eighth park being added to the list this year in mid- to late summer. This park preserves the lower two-thirds of the Kent Bog State Nature Preserve and will include mature forests, meadow areas and the district's first flush toilets. 

The property has been used for sand and gravel mining, both deposits from ice age glaciation remnants. 

As winter transitions to spring, wildflowers are popping up, amphibians are migrating and mammals are starting to pair up in an incredible season of change, White said.

Along with year-round traditional events such as Senior Hikes, Wild Hike Wednesdays and Hike With a Ranger, there are spring-focused events for the community.

March 

• March 18: Amphibian Amble - Walk in Towner’s Woods Park and talk about the sounds of the early-spring amphibians. 
• March 20: Step Into Spring: Equinox Hike - Walk the Hike and Bike Trail looking for signs of spring to celebrate the start of a new season. 
• March 21: Nature Art: Skunks and Skunk Cabbage - Learn about these stinky signs of spring and make some art at Dix Park. 
• March 24: Woodcock Walk: Join the Northeast Ohio chapter of the American Woodcock Society in learning about the woodcocks and their sounds in spring at the Morgan Park Operations Center. 

April 

• April 15: Constellations and Asterisms - Walk Meadow Trail and learn about the moon, the Big Dipper and other attractions in the sky. 
• April 18: Spring Ephemeral Walk - Join Wild Ones Greater Cleveland to hike Headwaters Trail and talk about spring flowers. 
• April 21: Ready for Warblers - Learn tricks and tips of identifying warblers at the Morgan Park Operations Center as they migrate. 
• April 28: Spring Ephemeral Hike - A longer hike along the Trillium Trail to see early-spring flowers and identify them with a natural areas steward. 

Another program starting in April is the Butterfly Monitoring Program. A group of volunteers goes out once a week on a designated route to count the butterflies at Trail Lake Park. 

The program goes until the end of October, collecting data on the populations, such as what and when are being seen and what plants they are visiting. This helps the Portage Park District make choices about restoration projects and providing host plants for the butterflies. 

The Butterfly Monitor Training will take place March 23 at the Morgan Park Operations Center. 

For more information and events, check out the Portage Parks District website.