MetroParks News
Take the new MetroParks Trails Challenge
Updated June 8th, 2020
Your Five Rivers MetroParks locations are home to 160 miles of paved and natural surface trails for hiking, cycling, mountain biking and horseback riding. The greater Dayton region is home to more than 340 miles of paved trails – the nation’s largest paved trail network – and 270 miles of river corridor. The new MetroParks Trails Challenge […]
Finding friends, not foes, in your backyard
Published June 8, 2020
Warmer weather typically means manicured yards, bountiful gardens and visits from all things that buzz, jump, crawl and fly. Before you write something off as a pest, whether it’s an unwelcome plant or insect, learn about how flora and fauna work together to create a balanced habitat – even in your backyard. Are all weeds […]
Fifteen Fun Things to Do Outdoors This Spring
Updated May 1st, 2020
Warmer weather has arrived, and it’s a great time to explore the outdoors with your family. Here are some fun, easy ideas for connecting with nature and enjoying the wonderful colors, smells and sounds of the season. 1. Grow something from a seed: Get a jump on your garden and start seeds indoors to be […]
Five Rivers MetroParks Appreciates Its Volunteers!
Published April 24, 2020
April is National Volunteer Month, and MetroParks has thousands of people to thank who help the organization protect the region’s natural heritage and provide outdoor experiences that inspire a personal connection with nature. “Our volunteers are a critical part of the MetroParks team,” said Jenny Hymans, MetroParks manager of volunteer services. “Families, retirees, teachers, community […]
MetroParks Rangers Earn Statewide Award For Their Response To Oregon District Mass Shooting
Published November 19, 2019
MetroParks rangers, health and wellness, and conservation prgrams recognized by Ohio Parks and Recreation Association. DAYTON, OH (Nov. 19, 2019) — Seven Five Rivers MetroParks rangers have been recognized as the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association’s (OPRA) Professionals of the Year for their response to the Oregon District mass shooting last August. Additionally, the park […]
Autumn Gardening Checklist
Updated October 24th, 2019
Indoor plants: Bring your ornamentals — like spider plants, ferns, ficus, rubber plants, tropical hibiscus and potted herbs — inside before the first killing frost. Water them heavily about two weeks before the frost to kill insects and disease, and re-pot the ones that have outgrown their containers. Remember, these plants will likely go into shock […]
Killing the Callery
Updated October 24th, 2019
Like Audrey II in the movie “Little Shop of Horrors,” the callery pear tree is like an alien pod bent on taking over the world — well, if not the world, at least large swaths of our forests, grasslands, and parks. But University of Dayton master’s student Meg Maloney is determined to stop the spread […]
The climate’s changing, but so can we
Updated October 3rd, 2019
Indicators of climate change are in our faces like never before. Hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, floods and droughts are becoming more common and more intense. The ocean is warming at a rate 24 percent faster than normal and that rate is expected to rise. The average sea level is six to eight inches higher than it was in […]
Update: Five Rivers MetroParks to continue discussions to preserve Knoop Prairie
Published September 6, 2019
Paul E. Knoop Jr. Prairie. Photo courtesy of Aullwood Audubon. UPDATED SEPTEMBER 6, 2019: In Five Rivers MetroParks’ continuing discussions with the city of Dayton, the city informed MetroParks the proposed development at Knoop Prairie will not move forward. MetroParks will continue to engage the city in discussions to protect the prairie. Read more about Five Rivers MetroParks’ […]
No Cape Required
Updated August 21st, 2019
Megan Rude has cool superpowers: She saves trees, counts deer and hears ultrasonic bat calls. The Five Rivers MetroParks intern is actually part of a MetroParks team that inoculates trees against the emerald ash borer, and she places cameras that monitor deer for the park system’s annual population survey.The high-frequency bat calls? They’re recorded with […]
