Author Archives: kkovarik

Arboretum Tree Walks

Posted on May 13, 2012 | Leave a comment

As I mentioned in my last post, there are now maps for the two walks on the Arboretum: the Indianola (a shorter walk) and the Glen Echo (a longer walk). These maps can be found in the brochure boxes on the kiosk. Since the tree markers that we ordered haven’t come in yet, I wanted to let you know what to look for to identify each tree on the walks:

These are the temporary markers that are in front of the tree that is described in the tree walk. The number on the tag matches the number on the map. The real markers that we are waiting on will contain a lot more information about the tree itself: common name, scientific name, etc.

So until those come in, we will be using these little lovelies, all hand-created by me! They aren’t too hard to miss at about 10 inches. You can see below about how tall they are.

When you take either of these walks, please send me a comment. We want the walks to be enjoyable, and should there be anything that we can do to make them better, we’d appreciate any suggestions!

Until next time!

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It’s Official – We’re an Arboretum with a Kiosk!

Posted on May 12, 2012 | 1 comment

Our Arboretum kiosk ribbon cutting ceremony was an unqualified success! I will admit that I had my usual pre-party jitters, the ones that makes you think no-one is going to show up at all to your gathering. But that wasn’t the case today. There must have been over 40 people in the parking lot, all waiting to hear about our Arboretum.

Mike McLaughlin, Pete Kovarik, Dan Struve, Martha Buckalou, Cindy Gunn, Laura Fay, and Chris O’Leary all spoke, each representing a partner of LOUA. Then the actual ribbon cutting took place. I managed to take a video of the ribbon cutting on my iPhone, and this one wasn’t upside down. That’s Chad Hoff, nursery director (left) and Alan McKnight, director of Columbus Recreation and Parks, both from the City of Columbus, who have given us so much support, cutting the ribbon.

With the large turnout, there were many people who signed up for an annual membership with LOUA. They all proudly walked away with a new t-shirt bearing our logo. Then Pete took a group of us on the Indianola Walk, which took a little over an hour. It was much longer than usual because Pete stopped at each tree and gave a little talk about what kind of tree we were looking at, what benefit it had to wildlife, and other interesting facts. If you want to take either of the walks, the Indianola (shorter) or the Glen Echo (longer), there are maps in the kiosk along with membership forms. We have several levels for donating; every little bit helps out! And you can also donate at on this blog by clicking on the “How To Help” tab at the top of the page.

The best part of the day was as we finished the walk and were heading back into the parking lot, we saw someone walking away from our kiosk, map in hand. It was an amazing feeling. We have accomplished so much and had so many helping hands along the way.

Until next time.

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Ribbon Cutting This Saturday

Posted on May 9, 2012 | 1 comment

Just a reminder that we are having our ribbon cutting for the Arboretum kiosk on:

Saturday, May 12, 2012
11am
Parking lot across from Indianola Informal k-8
251 East Weber Road
(Between Calumet and Druid)

ThisWeek/The Booster has a lovely article about the ribbon cutting and the Arboretum. I must admit, my quote about cats and kittens sounded way better in my head. If you are wondering what I am talking about, just read it and see! But it’s a great article by Kevin Parks at ThisWeek Community News. He’s been covering the Arboretum from the beginning and has given us such good press. Thanks, Kevin!

And as an added bonus, we will have LOUA t-shirts at the ribbon cutting. And just what do you need to do to get one of these t-shirts? Anyone who becomes an Arboretum member at the $45 level gets a t-shirt with their paid annual membership. And these t-shirts are very nice so you will be the envy of all your friends! And a huge shout out and thank you to McKenzie Wilhelm who designed our new logo. She on the Arboretum and a student at Ohio State.

Finally, after you come to the ribbon cutting, become a member, and take the tree walk, you need to proudly wear your new t-shirt to the annual Chadwick Arboretum plant sale. Click here for more information. Among the many booths selling plants will be Arboretum members Dan Struve and Meghan Blake (who work at Ohio State’s Department of Horticulture and Crop Science). Pete and I have gone for the past five or six years and have always found some nice native plants to bring home.

Until Saturday! We hope to see you then!

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Summertime, and the Living is Easy

Posted on May 6, 2012 | Leave a comment

Well, it’s not exactly summertime, although it certainly feels like it! We have the windows open, and all the cats are fighting over who shall sit where. Windows in the bedroom are prime at night. With four cats and three windows, well, you do the math. There’s always one cat who is unhappy!

This warmer weather combined with all the rain makes me think of mosquitoes. I haven’t seen any of the Asian tigers just yet; those are the ones with the lovely black and white striped legs that don’t mind that it’s not dark outside. They will find you and bite you in the daylight. So unfair! As a kid, I would always spend time at my grandma’s in the summer. Her house was old, and the window screens had small holes in them. No matter how they were patched, the holes would come back. So at night, I would inevitably hear that ever so annoying whining in my ear as a mosquito flew around, looking for a place to land and have a feast. The worst part was when the buzzing stopped; that meant the creature had landed somewhere on me. I’d get up and try and find the insect. Never could see the dang thing, and I’d end up with bites every morning.

So with all the rain we’ve been having, I thought it would be good to go over a few tips on how to keep mosquitoes from breeding in your yard. All mosquitoes need water at some point in their life cycle. Some will search out water to lay eggs in while others will lay eggs in areas that will eventually get filled with water, then the eggs will hatch. To cut down on breeding areas:

  • Empty, drain, remove, cover or turn upside down things that can hold water.
  • Empty any small plastic wading pools weekly. Store it indoors when not in use.
  • Repair leaky pipes and outside faucets.
  • Don’t let runoff water from your air conditioner collect in shady areas.
  • Clean debris from rain gutters and unclog obstructed downspouts.
  • Scrub and change the water in bird baths weekly.
  • Empty and refill outdoor pets’ water pans daily.

Remember: mosquitoes only need a small amount of water in which to breed or to hatch their eggs. Remove the water, and you remove the potential biters.  Although there are natural predators out there that will eat mosquitoes (bats, birds, dragonflies and the like), they are not the best way to reduce the population. The best way is to not allow the mosquitoes to breed in the first place.

And a reminder that our kiosk ribbon cutting is on:
Saturday, May 12, 2012
11am
Parking lot across from Indianola Informal K-8
251 East Weber Road
(Between Calumet and Druid)
Tree walk to follow!

Until next time!

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You Are Invited…

Posted on May 2, 2012 | Leave a comment

to a Ribbon Cutting! My last post showed you a picture of signs directing people to our lovely arboretum. I imagine that many of you were wondering where exactly the signs were directing visitors to go. Well, LOUA now has a beautiful kiosk across the street from the Indianola Informal K-8 elementary school on Weber. It is the most amazing creation, and many thanks to Jason for coming up with the design and implementing it. Also thanks to Corinne, who chiseled as good as anything Michelangelo ever did. And thanks to Pete, who learned some useful roofing skills in putting on the shingles. Our deepest thanks go to The Columbus Foundation, United Way of Central Ohio, PNC, Bob Evans, and the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation, proud supporters of the 2012 Neighborhood Partnership Grants Program, which provided the funding for the kiosk.

The kiosk will contain information about LOUA, native plants, invasive plants, and other bits along with walking maps. (And membership information!!)

I’ve included a picture of the kiosk nearly finished, which I’ve done on purpose because I want all of you to come out to the parking lot across from the school on Saturday, May 12, 2012 at 11am. We are going to have a ribbon cutting for the kiosk, and then everyone is heading out on the short tree walk. You might recall that we have two walks (a long and short) with maps and information about the trees that one can see along the way. And, of course, you can see the finished kiosk in all of its glory. And meet many of the people who have been involved with LOUA for the past year and beyond. And see some wonderful trees.

When this little dream started, I knew we could make it a reality. But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would happen so quickly and on such a great scale. So many people stepped up to help along the way. Each stumbling block we came to, there was always someone who had an answer, someone who could help. We couldn’t have made it this far without everyone’s assistance. If you’d like to help out, please come on Saturday.

Saturday, May 12, 2012
11am
Parking lot across from Indianola Informal K-8
251 East Weber Road
(Between Calumet and Druid)

Until next time!

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A Taste of Things to Come

Posted on April 24, 2012 | 6 comments

We have a sign! For the Arboretum!

This small thing started as a dream. Now it’s reality. Thanks to all who have helped along the way. From a little acorn, a mighty oak grows.

Wow. We have a sign.

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Earth Day Events

Posted on April 22, 2012 | 2 comments

This weekend and the past, we had several events around Glen Echo for Earth Day. Last weekend was a clean-up, with much of the time spent removing invasive plants and junk that had been tossed into the ravine. It’s amazing to see how much garlic mustard has taken over. I’m even seeing it in yards now. The one thing about it is that it is easy to remove; the roots tend not to be too deep in the ground. But if you don’t get it all, the roots will come back with a new plant. I like removing it because I’m a very visual person, and when I look at what I’ve accomplished, I can really see the difference that it makes when all the plants are removed. I’ve included a before and after shot of an area that’s been cleaned of garlic mustard.

One of the benefits of removing the invasive plants is that it lets the native plants come into their own and really shine. Walking through Glen Echo, I felt like I had never seen so many wild flowers poking up: blood root, wild ginger, and trout lily. The wild ginger is great at holding erosion at bay because it spreads by rhizomes. The trout lily is very beautiful with its spotted leaves. It does a nice job of spreading and creating a carpet of color.

It’s great news that The Ohio State University has officially been named Tree Campus USA certified. Chadwick Arboretum’s will be celebrating the honor on Friday, April 27th – Arbor Day – at 10am on the Oval of the Ohio State campus. There will also be a Dedication of Arbor Day Tree, a Quercus michauxxi, or Swamp Chestnut Oak.

Speaking of trees, Ohio leads the nation in Tree City USA communities, its 31st year of doing so. That’s something to be very proud of. Trees are so important to the health of the planet and also to the health of those who live on this planet, rather they have two, four, six, or eight legs.

Until next time!

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Help Us Get Trees!

Posted on April 10, 2012 | Leave a comment

The Lower Olentangy Urban Arboretum (LOUA) is pleased to announce that they are a recipient of the Chase 200Columbus Neighborhood Grant whose supporters include Chase, 200Columbus, and the Greater Columbus Arts Council.  The grant request was for approximately 7.5k; however, the award amount is approximately 4.5k.  Therefore, LOUA is now accepting tax-deductible donations via its website to make up the difference.  Those individuals, organizations, or businesses that are interested in helping can click HERE before May 31st to get to the “How to Help” menu tab to make a gift.

The LOUA Chase 200Columbus Neighborhood Grant is a collaboration of three organizations; LOUA, Friends of the Ravines (FOR), and ALTernatives (ALTernative).  The current 3k shortfall in funding is being evenly split between the three organizations; similarly, all donations received between now and May 31st will also be evenly split unless the donor specifically earmarks his/her/its funds towards a particular project.

LOUA’s portion of the grant is to have native Franklin County saplings available at half price to the first 50 LOUA residents that sign up to purchase one.  With the reduction in funding, LOUA might have to reduce the number of trees that will be available for purchase.

FOR’s portion of the grant is to have a combined birthday party celebrating Columbus’ Bicentennial and Glen Echo Park’s centennial which is scheduled for July 14th.  FOR representative Martha Buckalew said

“The July 14th event is not only to honor of the city’s 200th and Glen Echo Park’s 100th, but it is also a tribute to the spirit of community and volunteerism that has contributed to the preservation of this special urban woodland.”

The third portion of the grant is a native bird mural for the underside of the Indianola Avenue bridge that spans Glen Echo Ravine.  Eliza Ho of ALTernatives (ALTernative) said “We’re spreading the word within and beyond the neighborhoods through our website http://ohiobirdmural.wordpress.com/ and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/162333857155060/  Also in May we’ll launch a kickstarter campaign to raise the remaining funding. People love both the aesthetic and educational functions of the bird mural, which is going to be a great amenity added to the Park.”

“The 3k funding deficiency has already been reduced by $500 because of the generosity of the Tuttle Park Community Recreational Center” said Mike McLaughlin, LOUA President.  He added that the Center requested its donation be earmarked for planting a large native commemorative tree in Glen Echo Park which is part of the FOR birthday celebration, but was in danger of being eliminated when the lower grant award was announced.

In other LOUA news, the steering committee officially formed its board by electing officers at its last meeting.  Mike McLaughlin of United Crestview Area Neighbors (UCAN) was elected President, Peter Kovarik of UCAN was elected Vice-president, Laura Fay of Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed (FLOW) was elected Secretary, and Jason Advani of UCAN was elected Treasurer.  Also, three board members-at-large were elected; Scott Conover (UCAN), Kristina Emick (UCAN), and McKenzie Wilhelm (OSU).  In addition, supporting partner organization board members were approved; Martha Buckalew (FOR), Laura Fay (FLOW), and Ryan Pilewski (Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District).

Until next time!

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Earth Day Events

Posted on April 5, 2012 | Leave a comment

 

We have two exciting events for Earth Day 2012 – hope to see you there!

Glen Echo Ravine Invasive Removal and Clean-up
April 14, 2012 – 9 am to 3 pm

Come out and join us as we continue our efforts to reclaim our community’s green space. We will be removing small invasive vegetation (creeping euonymus, day lilies and the like) and collecting trash and hard construction debris from the north slope of the glen echo ravine (a.k.a., the Walker Tract). We have made great progress towards restoration; come help us achieve it!

You can register online, email or phone (614-315-4099) Jason Advani. If you have questions, he can answer them as well.

Glen Echo Ravine Tree Planting
April 21, 2012 – 9 am to 1 pm

Let’s plant trees in the open spaces! With all of the invasive vegetation removed, we have an opportunity to reforest our green space with native trees. Every tree planted goes a long way towards bettering our community.

You can register online, email or phone (614-261-0092) Peter Kovarik. If you have questions, he can answer them as well.

Where is this place?

The Walker Tract is located on the north slope of the Glen Echo Ravine south of Olentangy St. between Indianola Ave and Calumet St. The easiest parking is along Olentangy St. or Indianola Ave. There is a stairway on the Northeast side of the Indianola Ave. bridge that leads down into the ravine. At the bottom of the stairs, head west (to your right), go under the bridge and follow the trail west through the grassland slope. We will be working in the forested area which is to the west. Just follow the trail.

What do I need to bring?

Please bring gloves and shovels if you have them. There may be some poison ivy, so please dress appropriately (tall socks, pants, long sleeve shirt and a hat). We’ll be working from 9am to 3pm, but feel free to show up as your schedule permits.

Until next time!

 

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More Trees for the Arboretum

Posted on April 3, 2012 | 3 comments

Last week some flatbed trucks carefully made their way through our street with some rather large trees on the back. I didn’t really take much note other than thinking that someone was getting some trees planted nearby. Well, it turns out that nearby was in the Arboretum.

I don’t know if you recall the process that was used to get the trees planted in the Arboretum. The curb lawns were measured, each treeless spot noted as well as the size of the tree that could be planted marked down. We had a few medium trees that weren’t filled in because there were none to be had. The city’s tree contractor planted those remaining 50 medium class trees in the wide curb lawns over the past several days.  The species planted were Ohio buckeye and sassafras.  I think we now have the highest concentration of Ohio Buckeyes per square foot in the entire city. Pete, of course, has buckeye envy because our little buckeye in the backyard didn’t flower this year while those planted by the city are in full bloom. In any case, our thanks to the City Columbus and the City Forrester for giving us such wonderful, native trees!

The Buckeye nuts will provide food for squirrels, while the flowers will provide food for hummingbirds. Pioneers carried a buckeye seed in their pockets to ward off rheumatism, something I might test out as I get older and my joints get creakier. The state champion tree (the largest specimen in Ohio) for the Ohio buckeye (Aesculus glabra) is located in Huron County and stands 77 feet tall. That’s a photo of the tree to the left. The buckeye trees are one of the first to put out leaves in the spring and one of the first to lose their leaves in the fall. I always try to find at least one buckeye each year to keep on my desk at work for the Ohio State football season. Sometimes it brings good luck – other times it doesn’t!

The sassafras tree (Sassafras albidum) was important to Native American tribes, such as the Cherokee, who used the leaves, roots and bark for medicinal, food and construction purposes. Birds and other wildlife feed on the sassafras fruit. Butterflies are attracted to its flowers and also use the leaves as a host for caterpillars. Among the species of butterflies that are attracted to the sassafras are the spicebush butterfly and the tiger swallow-tail. And Pete assures me that the fall color will be spectacular. Along with the black gum, our little Arboretum will be quite the place to walk around in the fall.

On a sadder note, most of the ash trees around our neighborhood have fallen victim to the emerald ash borer. We have one ash tree in our yard that is fine so far (knock on wood). We are going to try our best to keep it healthy. As these trees are removed, we will plant new ones it their place.

Until next time.

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