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Knox County Park District

Knox On The Outside

Vol. 2, Issue 5 May 08

The Knox County Park District staff invites you to walk our trails and enjoy the splendid colors of wildflowers and melodies of migratory songbirds.  Peak warbler migration will occur in the next few weeks.

Here are the latest updates on our special trail system:

Heart of Ohio Trail: Coaches restaurant in Centerburg, long supporters of the Heart of Ohio Trail Association, announced the hosting of a golf event fundraiser on June 8th at Wyandot Golf Course for the Heart of Ohio Trail.  More details will follow in subsequent newsletters.  A trail walk will occur at 2pm on May 4th with Knox County Commissioner, Tom McLarnan.  Bridge rehabilitation continues on the trail.

Kokosing Trail:  The Gap Trail will be featured on the annual Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure (GOBA) in June.  The tour starts in Wellington and ends in Orville, Ohio.  Boy Scout  Blake Daniels completed his eagle scout project at Hellbender Preserve in Howard, by improving the trail, installing a park bench and removing an old farm fence.

To remove your name from our mailing list, or if you have questions or comments, E-mail us at info@knoxcountyparks.org or call 740/392-7275

KCPD on the web: http://www.knoxcountyparks.org

Due to an increase in email/spam filters, we ask that you add these email addresses to your email address book to ensure that our newsletter reaches you appropriately:

info@knoxcountyparks.org

kimmarshall@co.knox.oh.us

KCPD Board Commissioners:  Dave Beck, Keith Plocki, Susan Ramser

KCPD Director:  Kim Marshall

Swamp White Oak

Knox County Bicentennial Heritage Tree

Wolf Run “Bark Park” Now Open !

KCPD is pleased to announce the opening of our nearly two acre “bark park,” located at the Yauger Road parking entrance to Wolf Run Park.   With the financial assistance of local service groups, KCPD has added benches, shrubbery and other amenities to the dog park.  Remember to pick up after your pet when using the dog park.  Only well socialized dogs (and their owners) can use the bark park.

Birds + Windows =

Nasty Results

With the arrival of songbird migrants, now is the time to think about how one might help our beloved songbirds avoid window collisions.  Window collisions are the number one killer of birds.  Visit eartheasy.com/ or  flap.org/new/film.htm (Fatal Light Awareness Program) for more information.

In celebration of Arbor Day and the Knox County Bicentennial Heritage Tree Program, the Knox County Park District, Knox County Commissioner Allen Stockberger and Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Mavis honored local property owners who care for the largest and oldest living residents in Knox County - TREES.  Visit our web page of heritage trees and ceremony photos.

Nearly fifty trees were evaluated, with four selected for special mention:

Swamp White Oak, 21 feet, 5 inches. 72 feet tall, 100 foot crown spread.  Owned by John and Deborah Jackson in Milford Township.

Silver Maple, 20 feet 7 inches, 96 feet tall, 64 foot crown spread. Owned by John and Walter Sperry of Clinton Township.

Burr Oak, 18 feet 8 inches, 64 feet tall and 137 foot crown spread.  Owned by Eddie and Rose Earnest of Morgan Township.

White Oak, 18 feet 5 inches, 80 feet tall, 112 foot crown spread.  Owned by Denny Campbell Jefferson Township.

The Knox County Park District Board of Commissioners wishes to formally thank all citizens who nominated a tree and the owners of those trees for allowing the District to measure and record for posterity the presence of the oldest living beings in the county. The Board also wishes to extend a special thanks to Harold Bower, forester, and Howard Gratz, naturalist, both of which retired after distinguished professional careers with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.   These two dedicated individuals spent countless hours over the past year documenting the trees so a permanent record could be preserved for future generations.

Join Park District staff on May 4th (9am-noon) for our free fishing day event at the Knox County Park District's Wolf Run Park (Yauger Road, one mile east of Upper Gilchrist). Fish the Wolf Run lake for bluegills and large-mouth bass. Fishing equipment and bait are provided to participants.

Join Park District staff, ODNR Divisions and conservations organizations for this free fishing day event on May 3rd (10 am start time) at Mount Vernon's Foundation Park. Fishing equipment and bait are provided to participants.

Mr.  Burt Hanson and his canine friend, Fox, recently authored a helpful guide for any dog lover.  Sixteen places suitable for dog walks are featured in the publication.  Proceeds from the sale of the booklet, available at Paragraphs Bookstore in Mount Vernon, go to the Friends of the Knox County Park District.

Rotarians and LDS Volunteers Assist KCPD with “Keep Ohio Beautiful” Clean-up Event at Wolf Run Park

KCPD staff wishes to thank the volunteers who collected litter and debris from US 36 and Upper Gilchrist and Yauger roads last weekend.  A truckload of trash was collected, resulting in the abatement of an embarrassing eyesore in the community.  View photos of the event.

County Envirothon Held at Wolf Run Park

Student teams from Centerburg, East Knox and Mount Vernon trained for the state Envirothon competition at Wolf Run Park earlier this week.  Students learned about environmental issues, soils, water quality, wildlife habitat and forestry and used problem-solving skills.  Good luck students, make Knox County proud!