Green Infrastructure Gardening Series, July 23, 2023 North Chagrin Reservation

[Photo credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

"Browse" Our Upcoming Events

Greetings Watershed Stewards,

July was packed with a lot of restoration and monitoring events and we accomplished so much thanks to all of you. As we enter August, we have a full schedule including the following special events:

Next week we are going to be offering a two-part conservation effort. The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo uses plant clippings as feed for the animals, otherwise known as browse. On Wednesday, August 16 from 9 a.m - noon, we will be helping maintain one of our constructed wetlands at the West Creek Reservation by thinning out and harvesting Willow trees. Once we have gathered enough clippings, our Natural Resources team will drive the browse to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo where our Willow clippings will be fed to the rhinos in an effort to limit waste and provide a delicious meal.

The following week on Tuesday, August 22 from 4:30 - 7 p.m. we will be at the Polo Fields in the South Chagrin Reservation to cut, move, and stack invasive Brush that will be used to reinforce the stream banks. We visited this site during our Monday MeetUp in June and hope this event will give us a chance to see the next steps of the restoration process.

The next night, Wednesday, August 23 from 6 - 8 p.m., we will be joining Cleveland Metroparks Director of Natural Resources and founder of WVP, Jennifer Grieser, for a video by the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency about their Climate Action Plan. After the video, we will have a "Climate Conversation" to hear your comments and ideas about the video to provide input for the new plan.

After a successful Cattail Cutting last week, we are heading back to Lake Isaac in Big Creek Reservation on Thursday August 24 from 5:30 - 8 p.m. to continue removing these invasive plants from the wetland.

Lastly, on Monday, August 28 from 6 - 8 p.m., we will be having our Monday MeetUp with Akron Hydro Watch and Portage Park District. We will join them at Kent State University for a Choose Your Own Adventure evening. The evening will begin with a group talk about general watershed health and the importance of monitoring as well as a crowd hydrology demonstration. Following this, you can choose to try macroinvertebrate testing, water flow testing, the "floating fruit" test, or use an electromagnetic meter.

For more information on these events and all other upcoming events, click here.

We thank you for making this program work and look forward to seeing you at an event in the near future!

All the Best,

Aidan Meidenbauer

Watershed Volunteer Program Assistant

Happenings

Watershed Spotlight

Philip and Noelle havIng fun while performing a bank erosion hazard index (BEHI) assessment.

[Photo credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

Stream Assessment Summer Feature

As the field season winds down we asked our 2023 hydrology seasonal technicians Philip Eskamani and Noelle Kidd to reflect on their summer at Cleveland Metroparks. We are grateful for their efforts on behalf of our streams and are happy to share their season summaries with you:

"My position as Hydrology Technician has been a wonderful experience working with wonderful people who are clearly passionate about the work they do. The position has also helped me gain a much deeper understanding on the different functions of stream function assessments and restoration efforts that go into creating cleaner and healthier watersheds. I hope the scientific data we collected as Hydrology Technicians will aid in providing insight into our local streams and further promote sustainable action." - Philip Eskamani

"Throughout the entire summer, I was able to learn everything from how to use and conduct surveys, bank erosion hazard assessments, culvert assessments, invasive and native plants, property acquisitions, stream restoration plans and stream construction. This seasonal position offered me so many opportunities to work with other natural resource departments, practice what I learned in the classroom, understand the technologies used to collect data, and experience the wildlife the Metroparks is so passionate about protecting." - Noelle Kidd

Read their whole season summary here.

Suggested Podcast

[Photo credit: Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District]

Plum Creek: A Tale of Fish Translocation

A Podcast by Clean Water Works

"Cleveland native Justin Telep loves to fish. It makes sense then that he loves his job as a Field Biologist at the Sewer District. Justin and his team study the health of aquatic organisms in area streams to determine water quality. He talks about a NEORSD project to re-introduce native fish into a once-polluted Plum Creek. We also discuss fishing opportunities on Lake Erie ("the walleye capital of the world") and Justin shares an easy recipe for crispy fish tacos."

Listen Here!

WVP Hosted Opportunities

LinkUp July 17, 2023

[Photo credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

(M) Cleveland Metroparks Bioblitz*

Wed, Aug 9, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. @ Acacia Reservation

(O) Backyard Bash

Sat, Aug 12, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Two 3-hour shifts) @ Watershed Stewardship

(R) Green Infrastructure Gardening Series*

Sun, Aug 13, 9 - 11 a.m. @ Watershed Stewardship Center, West Creek Reservation

(R) Willow Harvesting*

Wed, Aug 16, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. @ Greathouse Wetland, West Creek Reservation

(R) Green Infrastructure Gardening Series*

Sun, Aug 20, 9 - 11 a.m. @ Wildwood, Euclid Creek Reservation

(R) Brush Layering Harvest*

Tue, Aug 22, 4:30 - 7 p.m. @ Polo Fields, South Chagrin Reservation

(L) Climate Conversation with Jennifer Grieser*

Wed, Aug 23, 6 - 8 p.m. @ Watershed Stewardship Center, West Creek Reservation

(R) Invasive Plant Removal*

Thur, Aug 24, 5:30 - 8 p.m. @ Lake Isaac, Big Creek Reservation

(R) Green Infrastructure Gardening Series*

Sun, Aug 27, 9 - 11 a.m. @ North Chagrin Reservation

(L) Monday MeetUp*

Mon, Aug 28, 6 - 8 p.m. @ Kent State University

(M) Work Session & Talk: Rocky River Chemistry Monitoring*

Wed, Aug 30, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. @ Charles A. Harding Memorial Covered Bridge, Olmsted Falls

WVP volunteers, please log into Volgistics to register for primary events.

*Open to the public. Click Here or Email us for the registration link.

View Event Details

Opportunities With Our Partners

(S) River Health Workshop - Akron Hydro Watch

Wed, Aug 9, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. @ Portage Park District

Join the Akron Water Supply Bureau to learn about watershed health and perform macroinvertebrate and water chemistry testing. More Details and Registration Here

(S) Bird Nerds: Water Birds - Summit Metro Parks

Sat, Aug 12, 2023, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. @ F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm, Akron

Join the Summit Metro Parks to learn about a variety of water birds in the area. More Details and Registration

(S) History Hike: Deep Lock Quarry - Summit Metro Parks

Sun, Aug 13, 2023 9 - 11 a.m. @ Deep Lock Quarry, Peninsula

Join the Summit Metro Parks to learn about the history of canals, railroads, and quarries in our area. More Details Here

(S) NOACA Climate Conversations ToolKit

Wed, Aug 23, 2023, 6 p.m. @ Euclid Public Library

Join Friends of Euclid Creek and other local organizations to learn about regional data and impacts of climate action. Register Here

(S) Stream Monitoring Using Aquatic Insects

Sat, Aug 26, 2023, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. @ Deer Haven Park in Delaware, Ohio

Use macroinvertebrate monitoring to test the quality of a stream with the Midwest Biodiversity Institute. Cost $40 More Details and Registration Here

Cleveland Metroparks | Digital Emerald Necklace*

Read and Watch here

More partner events can be found on our website here.

*WVP volunteers can submit supplemental hours in Volgistics under (S) Watershed Partner Event by August 31st. Contact us if you need assistance reporting any hours.

Recording Hours with WVP

Extras

In the News

Pictured here is some past artwork from Carl Jara, this year's winner of the Ohio Master Sand Sculpting Competition. The event took place at Mentor Headlands Beach on July 15th. Click on the article directly

below to see his winning creation for 2023 as well as the beautiful sculptures from the other competitors.

[Photo Credit: Carl Jara]

Here's a Picturesque Overview of the Sandcastle Competition at Mentor Headlands Beach Last Month | Read on and view photos here

On Cleveland's Birthday, 'Blazing Paddles' Took Over the Cuyahoga River | Read on and watch drone footage here

Northeast Ohio's War with the Canada Goose: Dogs are offering a humane way to remove the waterfowl from an area, but where do they go? | Read on

Yellowstone Park's Morning Glory Pool Is a Hotspot for Vandalism – and It's Changed the Water | Read on

The U.K. Sees Its First Scientifically Confirmed Case of Pet Death from a Harmful Algal Bloom | Read on

Jobs

Wetland Biologist

Enviroscience – Stow, OH | Apply Here

Ecological Restoration Construction Technician

Enviroscience – Stow, OH | Apply Here

Director of Watershed Programs

Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District – Cleveland, OH | Apply Here

Various Positions

Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District – Cleveland, OH | Apply Here

Environmental Scientist

KCI Technologies – SC, TN, DC Locations | Apply Here

NOWCorps Watershed Steward & Educator

Tinkers Creek Watershed Partners – Twinsburg, OH | Apply Here

Various Positions

Wetland Studies & Solutions – Richmond, VA | Apply Here

Natural Resources Manager/Naturalist

Knox County Park District – Mount Vernon, OH | Apply Here

Aquatic Resources Field Technician

Trout Unlimited – Upper Peninsula of MI (Fully Remote) | Apply Here

Seasonal Watershed Survey Technician

Trout Unlimited - Bartow, WV or Eastern Panhandle of WV or Augusta, Highland, and Rockingham Counties VA | Apply Here

Water Resources Engineer

Stantec – Cincinnati, OH | Apply Here

Ecological or Water Resources Engineer

Biohabitats - Charleston, SC | Apply Here

Seasonal Watershed Survey Technician

Trout Unlimited – Bartow, WV | Apply Here

Fisheries Field Technician

Midwest Biodiversity Institute - Hilliard, OH | Apply Here

WVP Resources

Recording

Become a Certified Watershed Steward