FEATURE: Searching for Fall Color? Check Out these MetroParks This Season

Warm displays of beautiful color, the distinct earthy autumn smell and the crunch of fallen leaves under your feet - fall is perhaps one of the best seasons to explore trees in your MetroParks and neighborhood. 

Crucial to the environment, trees - especially those native to Ohio - play a critical role in creating habitats for wildlife, removing carbon from the air and producing oxygen to increase air quality. During the fall, the changes in length of daylight and temperature stop the leaves from creating food. Chlorophyll - which gives leaves their distinct green color - breaks down and disappears, which then causes leaves to change color.

Color is often dependent on the weather. For example, red hues are produced by warm, sunny fall days with cooler nights. Stay up-to-date on the changing colors across our state by visiting the Ohio Department of Natural Resource's Fall Foliage viewer.

Those interested in taking to the trails to experience truly beautiful colorful views should make a point to stop at the following MetroParks destinations:

-Eastwood MetroPark: Paddle and color peep at the Eastwood Lagoon or take a 4-mile paddle from Eastwood to RiverScape MetroParks.
-Possum Creek MetroPark: Hike the 3.5 mile orange trail that loops through Possum Creek's forests, prairies and ponds, allowing you to see fall views in a variety of habitats.
-Hills & Dales MetroPark: Just short of 1.5 miles, the Adirondack Trail is filled with warm fall colors that complement the Adirondack structures in the park.
-Carriage Hill MetroPark: Hike the 1.8 mile yellow trail that takes you around Cedar Lake, which boasts beautiful tree lines. 
-High View at Twin Creek MetroPark: After parking, venture a short distance to the picnic area to discover a spectacular view of the wooded Twin Valley.
-The Tree Tower at Cox Arboretum MetroPark: Take the paved trails past the ponds toward the 65-foot-tall tower. Climb the 81 steps to the top for sweeping views of the Miami Valley's fall color.
-Prairie platform at Germantown MetroPark: Take the .7 mile brown trail to the intersection of the purple trail, where you'll find a platform that allows you to look out across the prairie and view the beautiful woods that hug the trails. 
-Huffman MetroPark: Mountain bike the 2.6 mile section of the Creekside Trail that runs through the MetroParks Mountain Biking Area (MoMBA), which allows you to enjoy beautiful views while you get your heart pumping.

Navigate your leef peeping adventures using MetroParks mobile app, powered by OuterSpatial. Download the free app for Apple and Android devices by visiting metroparks.org/mobile.

Join us for some great volunteer opportunities this fall and maximize your leaf peeping experience by giving back at the same time! Join us at Eastwood MetroPark for The Wagner Subaru Outdoor Experience, at multiple parks for Make A Difference Day, and at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark for Fall Family Adventure, all happening this month in your MetroParks!

Conservation Tip: 5 Simple Ways to Create Habitat this Fall

From the NWF Blog

Follow these simple tips to get your home garden in shape this fall and ready for the winter season while promoting healthy habitats:
1. Plant Now - Fall is the Best Time to Plant
2. Provide Fall Food and Cover - include plants that offer food and cover for birds and wildlife.
3. Don't Go Crazy with Fall Clean Up - Leave the leaves! Fall leaves are important habitats for many wildlife. Limit deadheading and trimming - Birds will eat seed heads of coneflowers and other seedy flowers. Seeds and berries that fall to the ground will attract other birds. Grasses and perennials with hollow stalks can provide places for pollinators to winter.
4. Certify Your Fall Habitat - Use this habitat checklist to see how you can make your garden more wildlife friendly.
5. Have Fall Habitat Fun! Remember to spend time in your own bit of nature. Invite your family and friends to enjoy this space with you and plan some fun fall activities to entertain you. Learn more here. 

Five Rivers MetroParks Volunteer Positions & Upcoming Opportunities 

Fall is loading and so are our fall opportunities! Join us in celebrating the vibrant beauty of the fall season in your MetroParks at a variety of upcoming volunteer opportunities. 

We need YOU and all your friends to volunteer at this year's Wagner Subaru Outdoor Experience! Learn more and sign up below. Plus, Make Difference Day, Fall Family Adventure, and Fall Harvest Fest.

Plenty of outdoor opportunities are still available and your support is needed in our gardens and on the trails, as well as at our special events.

These opportunities and more are featured below with even more opportunities available for you on Get Connected. Browse all of our opportunities here.

View our high-need, high-priority opportunities here. 

See something that interests you, but have questions? Contact a Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or call #937-275-7275. Looking for opportunities where we need the most help right now?  

Ambassador

Ambassador Volunteers share their enthusiasm for Five Rivers MetroParks with diverse audiences in our parks and at outreach booths, programs, and events throughout the Miami Valley. Ambassadors are of the first friendly faces a visitor sees welcoming them to the park and can be counted on to share helpful information and answer a variety of questions.

Ambassadors Needed at The Wagner Subaru Outdoor Experience!

Join us as an ambassador of Five Rivers MetroParks at The Wagner Subaru Outdoor Experience THIS weekend! Let your enthusiasm inspire a diverse range of visitors and encourage them to discover fun new activities in the outdoors! You have the opportunity to create memorable experiences by warmly greeting our guests, answering their questions, and sharing information. Help us make every visitor feel valued and connected to the beauty of our parks! There are several opportunities where being the friendly, welcoming face to MetroParks is a key skill.
Click the individual opportunity links below or the blue VOLUNTEER button to learn more and sign up. 

Event Ambassador

Marketing Booth Info Support

Conservation 

Protecting open space and natural areas is a priority for Five Rivers MetroParks, which protects nearly 16,000 acres of land - 90 percent of it in its natural state. Conservation volunteers are a part of our regional conservation story by assisting in implementing a variety of natural area management plans.  

The Young Family discover a fun fall family activity with tree planting!

Help Plant Native Trees at Carriage Hill

Fall is planting season, and we need your help! Carriage Hill's next generation of forest is ready to take root, and volunteers will play a big role in making it happen. 
Join us for a special tree planting day where you'll help dig, plant, and prepare native trees like oaks, persimmons, hickories, and black gum. These trees will provide food and shelter for wildlife, strengthen the natural landscape, and grow into a lasting part of Carriage Hill MetroPark's forest.
It's hands-on work with a lifelong impact. Bring your gloves, come ready to get a little muddy, and leave knowing you've helped shape the future of the park.
Click the blue VOLUNTEER button to learn more and sign up to make a difference.

Invasive plant removal takes many hands to make an impact, and volunteers help make an impact in all of our MetroParks lands.

Take Action for Native Habitats at Medlar Conservation Area

Autumn is the perfect season to roll up your sleeves and make a difference for nature. At Medlar Conservation Area, invasive species are threatening to crowd out native plants - and we need your help to protect this diverse, high-quality habitat.
Volunteers will join our conservation crew in cutting and dragging out invasive brush, making space for native plants and wildlife to thrive. Depending on the task, you might help haul brush to designated areas or cut down smaller trees and shrubs with handsaws or loppers.
It's a hands-on opportunity to directly support habitat restoration while enjoying the crisp fall air and beautiful landscapes of Medlar. By lending a hand, you'll be helping to strengthen the health and resilience of this special area.
Click the blue VOLUNTEER button to learn more and sign up to make a difference.

Fall is the season for trees, and volunteers help us plant new seedlings to strengthen our habitats.

Help Restore the Forest at Stillwater Conservation Area

This fall, you can be part of something that will last for generations: restoring a forest along the Stillwater River.
Volunteers are needed to help plant native canopy trees such as oaks, hickories, tulip poplars, maples, and beech as well as understory shrubs like spicebush, viburnums, and bladdernut. Together, these plantings will expand the riparian buffer, improve water quality, and provide vital habitat for countless species of wildlife. 
The work is hands-on and rewarding: digging holes, planting young trees, and installing protective skirts to give them a strong start. Every tree you plant contributes to a healthier river corridor and a thriving home for wildlife.
Click the blue VOLUNTEER button to learn more and sign up to make a difference.

Gardening 

Gardening volunteers support our horticulture and education staff in caring for a variety of gardens throughout our parks. These gardens not only provide beautiful spaces for Miami Valley residents to get outside, explore, and connect to nature, but many also provide fresh local produce to those in need in our community.    

Gardening is an all-year activity, and volunteer Judy Knight added some layers and helped staff with fall tasks.

Gardening Across our MetroParks: Fall Edition

Programming 

Five Rivers MetroParks provides a wide variety of high-quality programs to help the public get outside and get connected to nature. Programming volunteers work alongside staff to provide support at programs year-round that help participants master new skills, learn about the natural world, and appreciate the value of open spaces.  

Program Support at The Wagner Subaru Outdoor Experience

The annual Wagner Subaru Outdoor Experience is rapidly approaching, and volunteer opportunities are still available! Our high need is program support, and we need YOU! Help visitors of all ages explore new outdoor activities and have fun at this year's event.
Click the blue VOLUNTEER button to learn more and sign up to make a difference. 

Adventure Central Fall Harvest Festival

Help Adventure Central welcome the fall season by supporting their annual Fall Harvest Festival for kids and families. A variety of fun, family-friendly activities are planned, and volunteers are needed to help ensure a fun fall event. Join our luminary team and help light up the night or the programming team and support one of the fun fall activities planned.
Click the blue VOLUNTEER button to learn more and sign up to have fun while making a difference.

Volunteers enhance our participants experience when they share their knowledge and passion on these special hikes.

Program Support: UDOLLI Hikes

Enjoy a leisurely hike and discovering unique MetroPark features and history? Program Support volunteers in this opportunity will assist the staff lead with a series of hikes with the University of Dayton's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute to highlight various MetroParks, introducing them to the history and unique features of each park, and sharing information for participants to enjoy a short hike in nature.

Click the blue VOLUNTEER button to learn more and sign up to make a difference.

Fall Family Adventure - Program Support

Calling all crafters, face painters, game enthusiasts, and Naturalists! We need your support at this year's Fall Family Adventure! This fun, family-friendly fall event is returning to beautiful Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark this month and we need YOUR HELP to make it successful and FUN!
Click the links below or the blue VOLUNTEER button to learn more and sign up to make a difference and have FUN!
Crafters
Face Painters
Family Games
Nature Knowledge

Special Events 

Event volunteers ensure that a positive, high-energy, outdoor enthusiasm tone starts at the welcome, and the event appears seamless and effortless for all who participate. 

Thanks to all our volunteers, the Wagner Subaru Outdoor Experience is a Waste Free event!

High Need Opportunities Available at The Wagner Subaru Outdoor Experience THIS WEEKEND!

Be part of our Sustainability Team this weekend at The Wagner Subaru Outdoor Experience! Support our sustainability vision and help us continue to reduce waste during this year's event. Five Rivers MetroParks is a conservation agency committed to being the region's leader in sustainability practices. 
Click the blue VOLUNTEER button to learn more and sign up to join us this weekend and make a difference.

Make A Difference Day

Join us Saturday, Oct. 26 from 9am-Noon for this year's Make A Difference Day at Five Rivers MetroParks! Community members of all ages will work at various sites throughout our parks to help us spruce them up and ready them for the winter season. Make A Difference Day is a great way to get outside and give back this October. Register your family, friends, or your work group and get everyone outside to make a difference.

Click the blue VOLUNTEER button to learn more and sign up to make a difference. 

Try Volunteering with Tatum

Hills & Dales Workday

Overall, I like this experience because we did a variety of things. I also this that its really cool that you get a difference experience every time you sign up for this opportunity. This was a great experience to end my summer with Five Rivers MetroParks!

You can support opportunities like this one just like I did - just sign up! Learn more about volunteering at a Hills & Dales Workday here. 

I have enjoyed sharing my summer with you and I hope you've enjoyed following along on all my volunteering adventures. If you haven't yet, let my journey encourage you to get outside and give back to these beautiful MetroParks. Learn more about becoming a MetroParks volunteer here , sign up to meet with a Volunteer Coordinator at a Volunteer Open House or just give them a call at #937-275-72745 - they'll help you get started!

 Tatum Buhiru was a student volunteer with Five Rivers MetroParks serving in partnership with Miami University's ULIP, Urban Leadership Institute Program. As part of their service, Tatum tried out a variety of volunteer opportunities with us this summer and shared those experiences here in our volunteer blog. Read more of Tatum's posts here.

Get Connected Tech Tip: Know BEFORE You Go!

Big volunteer events like The Wagner Subaru Outdoor Experience and Make A Difference Day are right around the corner! We want to make sure you feel prepared and confident heading into your shift. With just a few quick checks in your Get Connected account (and your inbox), you'll be set for success.

Here's what to do before you head out:

Check your inbox - Sometimes staff may reach out ahead of your shift with important updates, such as changes to meeting locations or cancellations. If there are any updates about park alerts or closures, you can also visit metroparks.org/alerts. In the event a volunteer opportunity is canceled, a staff member will notify you.

Know how to check in - For scheduled opportunities, you'll receive a Check-In email the morning of your shift. Follow the instructions to check in with your start time - this is how your volunteer hours get logged!

Review your opportunity page - Log in to Get Connected and open the shift you sign up for. You'll find all your opportunities in the Opportunity Responses section of your profile, located in the drop-down menu (upper right corner).

In the "Additional Notes" section of the opportunity, you'll find important info like:

 - Where to meet staff

 - How to contact them if needed

- What to expect (physical and environmental demands)

- What to wear and bring

Check the weather & pack smart - Most opportunities proceed rain or shine, so be ready for the conditions of the day. Bring along layers, rain gear, sunscreen, bug spray, and a full water bottle so you'll be comfortable no matter what the forecast looks like. 

Want a step-by-step walkthrough? Watch our What to Know Before You go video here. By taking a few minutes to double-check these details in Get Connected, you'll help your day run smoothly and make the most of your volunteer experience. Want some more great know-before-you-go info for The Wagner Subaru Outdoor Experience? Check out this link for great tips to enhance your experience.

We hope you'll join us on Make A Difference Day, Saturday, October 25th! Click here to sign up for a volunteer project! Read more helpful Get Connected Tech Tips on our volunteer blog here.

Staff Lead Highlight: Erin Rowekamp, Education Specialist - Connecting People to Nature and Developing Tomorrow's Conservation Leaders

At MetroParks, we are fortunate to have incredible staff who work with the public and our volunteers! Each month, we introduce you to some of these amazing individuals. This month, we are highlighting a staff member many may not know, Erin Rowekamp.

Erin's primary responsibility is for implementing most of our youth programming across our park district and primarily works with our Conservation Leaders family volunteers. She began her journey as an apprentice with Outdoor Education 6 1/2 years ago. Erin shared, "My time in that position solidified for me that environmental education and connecting people with nature were something that I was deeply passionate about and confirmed that this was the work that I wanted to dedicate my career to. I am now an Education Specialist with Outdoor Education."

Growing up, Erin always enjoyed spending time in nature. Erin fondly recalls, "When I was young. I would bring pillows and blankets out to my outdoor playset and read books by the light of a hanging flashlight while watching the fireflies. We joke within my family that my mom "brainwashed" me, because a lot of the children's music that I listened to when I was little had a strong nature and environmentally friendly focus." She credits outstanding teachers and professors for fostering her deep interest in science and helping her consider it as a career. Interestingly, many may not know that Erin received her master's degree in biology from the University of Dayton, focusing her research on invasive species, specifically Amur honeysuckle and its terrestrial aquatic linkages and impacts. She was introduced to the field of interpretation while serving as an educator at Campbell County Conservation District (CCCD) in Kentucky. She quickly recognized a win-win for her childhood goal of becoming an educator: Involving the wonders of hands-on experience-based interpretation without having to worry about grading homework.

During her time at MetroParks, Erin has taken a leading role in managing school field trips, training volunteers, implementing teacher training programs, leading and facilitating the Conservation Kids program for families, developing the Conservation Leaders teen program, and collaborating with Conservation Leaders family volunteers to enhance opportunities for MetroParks and our community while developing young advocates for conservation. Joshua York, Education Coordinator, noted, "She is a natural at engaging diverse groups of people, emotionally connecting with all of them in the same program."

When asked why she enjoys working for MetroParks, Erin replied, "because no two days are every the same, and I get to move around and explore all of the different parks and the different unique elements that each offers for programming. One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is the opportunity to connect with program participants and help them form meaningful connections with nature. It is incredibly fulfilling to witness the moment someone overcomes a fear or hesitation and then becomes genuinely excited and an advocate for something they once found intimidating." 

Erin works with her volunteers to build their skills and knowledge around conservation, nature, and leadership. Joshua York, Education Coordinator, shared, "skills we take for granted, such as how to introduce yourself to someone you don't know, as well as how to work with peers in emotional distress due to a spider, snake, or darkness," are key pieces in her continued work in helping our volunteers grow. Erin emphasized that the most important aspect of being a Staff Lead for volunteers is recognizing and leveraging each volunteer's strengths and interests, which includes actively seeking their feedback and ideas. "Our volunteers bring a high level of dedication and capability to everything they do. It is important to show appreciation for their passion and be willing to learn from them. Each volunteer possesses unique skills and talents, and I continually learn and grow while working with them."

Erin acknowledges that these youth volunteers provide specialized attention to hesitant or shy participants, which staff may not always be able to offer when catering to large groups. Reflecting on the many programs she conducted with her volunteers, she shares, "Overall the energy, excitement, and enthusiasm that the Conservation Leaders teen volunteers bring to a program - especially as they celebrate the individual successes of participants - can change the entire atmosphere and trajectory of the program." Erin's work with the conservation leaders volunteers led to her publishing an article in the National Association of Interpretation Legacy magazine for others to learn from, Fostering Lasting Wonder.

Just recently, Erin was nominated by her peers and won the highly prestigious Distinguished Frontline Interpreter Award by the National Association for Interpretation! This is an international award, as NAI serves as the leading organization connecting storytellers across the globe with its international conferences, peer-reviewed journal, and professional magazine. To see one example of Erin's creativity and ability to engage many individuals, especially youth who spend so much time indoors, check out this link to Summer Camp. Erin worked with our local PBS station to develop content that became a virtual summer camp, combining cartoons from their popular show NatureCat with her content exploring nature. Erin's work is also featured in the latest Parkways.  

Thank you, Erin, for being an amazing Staff Lead and educator for MetroParks!

Learn more about the teen Conservation Leaders program here.  

Volunteer Appreciation - Claim your FREE Water Bottle!

Volunteers are still needed for this weekend's big event, The Wagner Subaru Outdoor Experience! Join us for a beautiful fall weekend at Eastwood MetroPark. Volunteer opportunities are still available. Volunteers receive volunteer parking and hospitality at the event. Those serving 2 or more shifts can also receive a Get Out & Bike water bottle. Plus, you'll get to be a part of the event team that puts on the premiere outdoor adventure festival for the Midwest. View all of the available opportunities here and sign up to make a difference. 

Of course, you always have access to your VIP benefits!  Request your milestone service pins, volunteer shirts and hats here. Plus, use your volunteer discount for these great October programs. 

Volunteer Services

Volunteer Services is available if you have questions or need assistance in signing up.

Contact us at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275.

Your Volunteer Services Team

Allie 

Parks & Conservation # (937) 274 - 3176

Amanda

Ambassador & Special Events, Interim Administration # (937) 277- 4109

Yvonne

Outdoor Connections Programming # (937) 277- 4147

Sam

Animal Care and animal Programming # (937) 274 - 4502

Jenny

Human Resources Manager of Volunteer Services

# (937) 567-1413