Curious By Nature

Do you slow down in the fall to admire the eddies and pools on calm water? Study the leaf dams created in a meandering river?  All of nature seems to wind-down in the fall.

No more hustle and bustle- gone is that urgency of spring.

Fall water: the river retreats and slows.

 Fall lends itself to reflection and quiet study on a riparian corridor.

Fall is the premiere mushroom viewing season.

Colors sharpen with the cooler weather.  The air is crisp.  It is the perfect time to reflect upon nature and changes.  Long term changes, short term changes and how changes in nature affect us.  We are but a part of nature's tapestry, one of the many threads of life, woven together.

Nelson's Ledges at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

If you too are curious by nature and interested in learning more, I hope you will join us at the inaugural Cuyahoga Valley Institute program November 8th and 9th.  This is an opportunity to attend workshops that examine how current issues impact society and community.

How did the canal ways impact mid-America?

 "Centered on the culture, history, spaces, and natural resources of the Cuyahoga Valley Institute aims to provide you unique opportunities to enjoy your national park, learn more about its rich past, and explore ideas  for the future."  *

Study the story of succession: marshes, woods and grasses.
Do we need prairies?

 "The theme of this fall's inaugural retreat, Curious by Nature, is drawn from a book with the same name, written by retreat facilitator Candace Savage. Savage is a Canadian author whose work has received recognition from the Canadian Science Writers Association, National Magazine Awards, and Saskatchewan Book Awards.

Join Savage and other expert presenters in examining how current issues impact society and community. You will also have plenty of time for relaxing, hiking, enjoying locally-sourced gourmet meals, and connecting with other passionate learners."  *

After reading Candace Savage's book, Prairie: A Natural History, I cannot tell you how excited I am to meet her in person!  It is a compelling story of the land.

You'll want to join us for the Ecology and Succession tract.  I hope to see you there!

Ecology and Succession:

Follow nature's roadmap from the early days of the park, before civilization moved across the fields and streams, to the current and always changing state of the land. Unpack the stories of the Beaver Marsh, the old Coliseum site, and Brecksville Dam, which are some of the many park sites that have been transformed.*

*portions quoted from the Cuyahoga Valley Institute website.