Many of our wildlife reports come from Ann Laubach. I’d bet ten dollars most of us have seen her walking in the ravine. She lives with her eyes wide open. Here’s a recent report:
Ann writes:
To answer your question about wildlife, we’ve seen a fox several times the last month, always the same one, I think, its tail looks odd, kind of poodle-like, very skinny in the middle, and then puffy at the end. It lay down in the sun under a bush in our backyard for a while. My neighbor two doors down had what she thought was a young buck (she said it had little antler buds) get its leg stuck on her fence. Another neighbor had to free it with wire cutters and it limped away. The same neighbor with the deer said she had seen the coyote for the first time, that was perhaps in January.
My family participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count over Presidents’ Day weekend. Twenty species total, _162_ English sparrows one day, 22 robins another day. According to the website, robins are the bird with the highest count in the GBBC (it’s supposed to be birds seen within about a mile of the address that you list, which in our case was our home.)
We also had a opossum nosing around the yard after dark recently. And a beautiful hollow tree along Overbrook Drive near Indianola is home to at least one fat raccoon.
That’s all I can think of right now.
Ann
ADENA BROOK COMMUNITY POTLUCK – RSVP
MAY 15, 2009 from 6 – 8 PM
Whetstone Park, outdoor shelter house adjacent to Park of Roses parking
susanbarrett@columbus.rr.com
Bring a dish to share (entree, side, salad, or dessert) and your drink. When you RSVP say which dish you’ll bring.
Walter Reins writes:
I have done much more research into the injection system [for gypsy moth abatement] I told you about, and have discovered more positive data supporting its efficacy. I will be able to offer NON-SPRAY treatments for gypsy moth, emerald ash borer, webworm, birch borer and birch leafminers, jap. beetles, etc, and also iron injections for chlorotic trees like pin oaks. These treatments will be made in a completely closed system; no spraying and no soil injection, which means no chemical in the environment, ever. Some of the chemicals even break down into beneficial nutrients like phosphorus and sulfur after they have taken care of the target pest. I am very excited to be able to offer this to my clients.
Walter Reins
614-778-4949
www.reinstreetlandscapes.com
Scioto Gardens is a thriving Central Ohio nursery emphasizing native species and specializing in new varieties not commonly available from local sources.
We have provided plants for several rain gardens and restoration projects for Friends of Alum Creek and Tributaries (FACT), Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed (FLOW), and Franklin SWCD, among others. We want to be strong partners in these types of projects throughout Central Ohio.
We are happy to provide plants for community projects at wholesale prices. We can also provide custom grown products for large projects. In addition, we operate a retail outlet where individuals can be directed to find a wide variety of native plants.
On our web site we have a plant list with descriptions of plants that we grow. Sizes, prices and availability vary through the year. We can email an availability list when needed.
Please keep us in mind for your projects big or small. If you have any questions for us or would like a tour of our facility, please call or write at your convenience.
Michael and Linda Johnson
Scioto Gardens
3351 State Rt 37, W
Delaware, OH 43015
Phone/fax: 740-363-8264
www.sciotogardens.com
____________________________________________________________
Come clean with a brand new shower. Click now!
Robert Seed, Keep Columbus Beautiful writes:
Effective February 1, 2009, Columbus residents can drop off yard waste free at the following locations:
- Com-Til: The city of Columbus’ compost facility at 7000 Jackson Pike on the South Side accepts tree limbs.
- Kurtz Bros. Inc.: Accepts leaves, grass clippings, small branches and Christmas trees from Franklin County homeowners at:
- 2850 Rohr Rd., Groveport
- 6055-C Westerville Rd.
- 6279 Houchard Rd., Dublin.
- Ohio Mulch:
- Takes yard waste from county residents at 4120 Roberts Rd.
- Accepts yard waste in recyclable paper bags at the following locations:
- 4665 Westerville Rd. (Northeast)
- 1600 Universal Rd, (South)
- 7320 Industrial Parkway, Plain City
- 7765 Refugee Rd., Pickerington
- 840 S. Columbus St., Lancaster
- 537 Reynoldsburg-New Albany Rd, Blacklick.
Here is a link on the Public Service Department/Refuse Collection Division’s web site on yard waste and from what I saw in the news, they are trying to arrange some limited pickup seasonally. Once that is worked out, this is where the information will likely also appear:
http://refuse.ci.columbus.oh.us/yardwaste.htm
It looks like the closest place to haul it from Clintonville would be the Westerville Road location.
If you or your neighbors have any further questions, please direct them to 311 or 645-3111.
Laura Young Mohr
Public Relations Specialist, Communications Office
Department of Public Utilities
ADENA BROOK COMMUNITY
Biodiversity, Clean water, Safe, Litter-free
2009 List of Tasks – DRAFT
Our mission is to protect the water supply and preserve the native plants and animals that represent the diversity of life in Adena Brook and the Overbrook Ravine Park by protecting the land and water they need to survive
1. Work monthly March through November.
Remove plants invasive to Adena Brook Ravine, plant trees, maintain Adena Brook Rain Garden, pick up litter during Second Saturday Clean – ups 9:00 AM – 11 AM. There is one exception to the second Saturday date; we’ll work on the third Saturday in April because it’s the Earth Day celebration.
March 14
Winter Litter Removal – March we focus on litter removal. Cooke Road, Indianola, High Street, and the Adena Brook woodland. Partner with Police Officer Riley/CPD to slow traffic on Cooke Rd.
April 18 – Earth Day Celebration (Note: This is the THIRD SATURDAY of the month)
Partner with Green Columbus (volunteer support).
Three tasks: Plant trees, rain garden maintenance, and garlic mustard removal.
May 9
Garlic mustard removal
Litter
June 13 – City of Columbus Riverpride
Annual Family Brook Clean-up Day + Metro Arts
Note time change: 10 – 11 AM. Pizza afterward. RSVP.
July 11
Honeysuckle removal
Litter
August 8
Honeysuckle removal
Litter
September 12
De-girdle trees of invasive vines
Litter
October 10
Honeysuckle removal.
Litter
November 14
Honeysuckle removal.
De-girdle trees
Litter
2. Install another Rain Garden on a residential property in the Adena Brook neighborhood.
3. Plant native trees.
Annual Native Tree Project – order trees from Franklin Soil and Water Conservation – Annual Sale. Plant on 4/18/09.
Plant trees on April 18th along Glenmont Avenue, in Overbrook Ravine Park. Donate a redbud tree to Glenmont Avenue neighbors as part of tree sale. Include an info sheet about planting as well as a list of native to Adena Brook tree species. Trees in Central Ohio took a severe hit due to Hurricane Ike.
4. Learn more about Adena Brook ravine issues and share information with neighbors.
Tree preservation
Impact of new City of Columbus lawn debris pick-up schedule, composting ideas, businesses that provide composting service.
Stormwater abatement: work with Mark Timbrook to gather flood issue information (from Canyon Drive) related to CIP 749 work as a first step toward possible rain garden installation by the city.
How is the City of Columbus Recreation and Parks different from Metro Parks?
West Nile Virus and ways residents can reduce WNV threat in our neighborhood.
5. Keep Storm Drains clear of litter, debris, leaves, and snow accumulation. Encourage neighbors to clear the drains on a monthly basis, perhaps on second Saturdays.
Steve Herminghausen – 2 drains at Glenmont/High Street
Jeff Beuter – drain at corner of Wynding/Glenmont
Mark and Carina Carter – drain at Wynding and Yaronia
Susan Michael Barrett – drain at Wynding and Glenmont, 2 drains just west of Wynding on Glenmont.
Cindy Westbrook – drain at Wynding and Yaronia
Heather Tranquillo – 2 drains at Glenmont and Glenmont Place
Susan Michael Barrett/Mark and Carina Carter –drains at Indianola and Overbrook Drive
John Blake, Kirsten Harris and Brian Evans – 2 drains at Sharon and Glenmont/High Street
6. Adopt a Nesting House Project (Greg Cunningham)
Install two nesting houses in the area behind the Adena Brook Rain Garden.
7. Register all Adena Brook Community Mentors so they can post on the website (Steve Herminghausen, Ellen Hoover)
8. Invite neighbors to register their properties is these programs:
City of Columbus GREENSPOT
National Wildlife Federation Backyard Conservation Program
9. Maintain communication with City staff to learn about, inform neighbors of CIPs in our neighborhood.
Projects 610749 Canyon/Glenmont Stormwater System Improvements; Columbia Gas meter and line relocations and replacements.
10. Invite continued student and teacher volunteerism from Adena Brook neighborhood schools.
Graham School – Todd Burger, teacher
Bishop Watterson High School – Will Reiss
Ongoing litter removal provides cleaner and safer (statistics prove) neighborhoods AND cleaner rivers. Keeping the highways free of litter results in a cleaner woodland and brook.
Educator Will Reiss and his students work to maintain the Adena Brook Rain Garden and adopted the area adjacent to this rain garden for ongoing invasive plant removal.
Graham School students removed litter on a regular basis from Indianola near their school and removed invasive garlic mustard on Overbrook off Indianola. Todd Burger’s class also installed a rain garden in the front yard of Graham School.
Ask Clintonville Academy to adopt an area for garlic mustard removal.
I did see this question [in the 2009 Goals list] and thought that I would answer how I could.
How is the City of Columbus Recreation and Parks different from Metro Parks?
Columbus Rec & Parks MetroParks
City owned County owned
General Fund Tax Dollars Bond Levy Tax Dollars
Budget determined by City Council Budget determined by voters
2009 Budget $27,268,846 (proposed) 2009 Budget $39,873,000
$6,567,778 from Revenue not taxes $495,000 from Revenue not taxes
403 Parkland Areas 17 Parkland areas
Employees 269 FT ? PT Employees 143 FT, 116 PT
28 Rec Ctrs, 2 Senior Ctrs, 2 Nature Centers 3 Lodges
6 althletic complexes, 1 Historical farm
1 Nature Center, 11 pools
Broad Recreational spectrum Mostly “passive” recreation
As you can quickly see, the City Rec & Parks has a LOT more in responsibilities, buildings and parkland but half the amount of tax funding – especially when you account for the revenue that the programs bring in to survive.
Unfortunately, most people think that when they vote for the MetroParks bond levy that they are voting for the City Parks to get funding – because there is such confusion about who is who. But that is not the case. The City Funding comes from the 2% income tax which is split between all the different departments (with Police and fire taking ~70% of the Gen Fund tax $ and Rec and Parks taking 4%).
Many people also thought that they voted for the Rec & Parks to get money last Fall with the bond issues. However that was for bricks and mortar CIP projects not for operating costs.
Hope this helps.
Elayna Grody