Outdoor News

COLUMBUS, OH - Ohio First Lady Frances Strickland and Sean D. Logan, director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), will help kick off "Explore the Outdoors," a statewide campaign to reconnect children with their natural world, on Saturday, May 10 at Alum Creek State Park in Delaware County. Area children and their parents are invited to attend the event, which runs from 1 to 3 p.m. Activities at the beach will include canoeing, kite flying, sand football, disc golf, a sand treasure hunt and a naturalist program. A naturalist-led wildflower hike on park trails is also scheduled.

This is a banner year for amphibians and reptiles in Colorado. It's been declared "The Year of the Frog," and the Western Painted Turtle was proclaimed official state reptile.

But in spite of this great publicity, Colorado's amphibians and reptiles face a perilous future fraught with environmental stumbling blocks.

Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking applications to fill one volunteer position on the Region 7 Citizen Advisory Council (CAC). The council was established to provide input and guidance to FWP from the public on a wide variety of issues.

SALEM, Ore. - The Commercial Fisheries Permit Board will hold a special meeting by telephone conference call May 12, 2008 at 9:00 a.m.

The board will review the proposed order to gather information and issue a final order in the contested case hearing of Bruce Rufner’s Troll Salmon Permit #61000.

COLUMBUS, OH - The Natural Areas Discovery series event at Lou Campbell State Nature Preserve on Sunday, May 18 will give visitors a rare glimpse of an endangered landscape at a preserve that is generally open to the public only by permit. The public open house from noon to 4 p.m. is in conjunction with other Oak Openings activities at local parks and natural areas across Lucas County. A microcosm of the biologically significant Oak Openings region, Lou Campbell State Nature Preserve harbors more than 30 state-listed plant species, including grass-pink orchid, soapwort gentian, dwarf dandelion, cow-wheat and Missouri ironweed. Two endangered species-- the lavender blossoms of wild lupine and the yellow flowered plains puccoon flowers-- will be in full bloom at the open house.

Friday, June 27
7:30-9 PM
Lake Shetek in Nicollet’s time
Join ecologist and landscape historian Nancy Sather for a short nature hike followed by an indoor program that highlights the natural resources of the Lake Shetek area as they were described by the Nicollet and Allen expeditions in 1838 and 1844. This hike and program are a prelude to the Nicollet Tour from Lake Shetek to Pipestone on June 28

Action: Closes Kress Lake to fishing by the public for two days. The lake will open at 6:00 p.m., Saturday, May 17.

Effective Dates:

· May 16 12: 01 a.m., entire lake closed to public fishing

Two public meetings about a draft forest classification and motor vehicle route designation plan for northern St. Louis County will be hosted in early July by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The draft plan includes suggested forest classification and route designations for state and county forest lands located within the Bear Island, Burntside, Kabetogama and Lake Jeanette state forests. Scattered DNR forest lands located outside of state forest boundaries are also addressed. (Sturgeon River and Cloquet Valley State Forests are not included.)

Spring is an exciting time to see wildlife in Minnesota. Birds are returning from their winter homes, but this winter has been too long for many species, according to the Department of Natural Resources. Many bird species are back to Minnesota to nest, but they’re dying of starvation. Insect-eating birds are not finding enough food and the late snowfalls have had a harsh effect on many species. Over the last week, DNR managers and officers have received reports throughout the state of dead swallows, bluebirds, kinglets, sparrows, robins and warblers. All of these species are insect eaters, according to Carrol Henderson, DNR Nongame Wildlife Program supervisor.

May 10 is International Migratory Bird Day and nature lovers are making plans to flock to local festivals over the weekend. Be sure to consider a visit to one of these events Ladd Marsh Birdathon, Northeast Zone; Fern Ridge Wings and Wine Festival, Willamette Zone; Klamath Falls Migratory Bird Day 2008, Southeast Zone; 2008 Rogue Valley Bird Day Celebration, Southwest Zone; Tillamook Forest Center Bird Festival, Northwest Zone.