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Gates to the Secret Garden

Volunteer Appreciation: Claim Your FREE Water Bottle!

Conservation Tip: 5 Simple Ways to Create Habitat this Fall

Follow these simple tips to get your home garden in shape this fall and ready for the winter season while promoting healthy habitats.

FEATURE: Searching for Fall Color? Check Out These MetroParks!

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.

Five Rivers MetroParks Volunteer Newsletter - October 2025

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.

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.

October Volunteer Opportunities: Fall is loading and so are our fall opportunities!

FEATURE: Doctor's Orders - Volunteer!

FEATURE: Doctor's Orders: Volunteer! Volunteering is good for your health, and now doctors are prescribing it. Decades of research has shown that adopting healthy habits like volunteering can boost your mood and your mental and physical health. Time in nature reduces stress, exercise eases depression and anxiety while boosting cardiovascular health, social connections help hold people accountable and giving back releases endorphins. Plus, having a sense of purpose can help you live longer. Doctors in over 200 countries have started prescribing a variety of social activities including volunteering due to their many benefits and effects on health. Doctors in the U.S. are also starting to prescribe healthy social activities as well. Read more in this article from NPR's Living Better Series and this one from the BBC.

Five Rivers MetroParks Volunteer Newsletter - September 2025

Safety Tip: Watch Out for Skin-Irritating Plants in Ohio!

Watch Out for Skin-Irritating Plants in Ohio! As you are out in the garden, on the trails, or enjoying the outdoors, it's important to stay safe not only from sunburn and ticks, but also from plants that can cause serious skin reactions. Here are a few common culprits in Ohio to be aware of.

September Volunteer Opportunities: We Need YOU at this year's Wagner Subaru Outdoor Experience! Plus, Our last Service Saturday of the Season, Make A Difference Day and Barn Aide Training Coming Up!

We need YOU and all your friends to volunteer at this year's Wagner Subaru Outdoor Experience! Learn more and sign up below. Plus, our last Service Saturday of the season, Make Difference Day opportunities are now available, and Barn Aide Training is coming up for new Riding Center volunteers.  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. Cool down from the heat with a frozen fruit popsicle from our Summer Care Campaign.