Nature education supervisor Dan Hodges gave a presentation on the wonders of nature in autumn Monday to the Lima Rotary Club.
Craig Kelly | The Lima News
LIMA — Fall is not just for football, hoodies and pumpkin spice. For those who truly want to celebrate everything the season has to offer, the best place to be is outside.
That was the message from Johnny Appleseed Metro Park District nature education supervisor Dan Hodges to the Lima Rotary Club on Monday. During his presentation, Hodges enthusiastically promoted the attractions that the autumn season can provide to lovers of nature.
“I think there are so many aspects of nature around us — in our backyards, in our communities and certainly in our wild spaces, too,” he said. “There are so many aspects of nature that there’s really something for everyone.”
Along with enjoying fall grasses and flowers like goldenrod, forests are also a treasure trove of nuts like acorns, beech nuts and buckeyes.
“Hopefully they have a better season this year,” he added jokingly.
Hodges also spent time explaining the various sounds that come with fall, especially with bugs such as cicadas, crickets and katydids.
“All these animals are contributing to a nighttime concert,” he said. “All of these animals contribute to this whole symphony of sound that creates the ambiance, the atmosphere of your evening in the backyard.”
Fall is also a great time to see other animal species prepare for winter, whether it involves gathering food, such as squirrels and birds that stay in Ohio for the winter, or migratory birds stopping in our area as they make their way south from Canada to Central or South America for the winter.
Hodges also recommended areas such as Kendrick Woods, Teddy Bear Park or Haver Ridge Metro Park to enjoy the changing leaves as they hit peak fall colors around mid-October.
“I think autumn is the best,” he said. “It’s a great time to be outside.”
