Fairfield County Park District

06/07/2026

Alright y'all which table are you sitting at👀

06/05/2026

Happy World Environment Day! 🌍🌎🌏

On this day, we encourage all of our friends to do their part in protecting the environment. While it may seem like a minute thing, if we all did our part, we could make a big difference. Here are some easy ways you can protect the environment (even if it's your own lawn!)

🌿 Remove invasive species: To prevent spreading and outcompeting native plants, it is always best to remove invasive species you may have in your area.

🗑 Never litter: This one seems a bit obvious. Unnatural items like plastic and metal not put in trash cans will harm our wildlife if accidentally eaten.

🔌Unplugging electrical devices when not in use. Not only can this help reduce your electric bill, but also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Adding to that, turning unnecessary outside lights off at night also helps our nocturnal critters feed, mate and migrate (quite poetic, huh?)

We encourage you to hug a tree today, just make sure it's free of Poison Ivy (stay tuned for a Poison Ivy ID post soon)!

Photos show a male Luna Moth, Wood Frog eggs, Greenside Darter, young toad atop a mushroom, Pink Lady's Slipper orchid, and White Baneberry

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06/04/2026

Box Turtle Bonanza!

Okay, we know World Turtle Day was last week, but we couldn't pass up the opportunity to share this beautiful and massive male box turtle seen crawling around one of our sites😍

Size alone isn't always a great indicator of age in turtles; most individuals will reach max size after 5-10 years but they can live between 50-100+ years - if not poached from the wild or run over by a vehicle - so that leaves a lot of years where they're going about their business but aren't expanding in size. For that reason, we can't give an exact age for this handsome fella, though we can say he seemed perfectly healthy and had some of the most stunning coloration we've ever seen!

Now, we CAN confidently say he is indeed a he; often, males will have bright red eyes as opposed to females' gold or rust-colored eyes, but to be sure, we always turn our little friends over to check their plastron - the underside of their shell. In males, there will be an indent, and in females, the indent will be absent and the plastron will be flat. The indent in males allows them to mount females for mating without falling off!

Eastern box turtles populations are unfortunately in trouble; one population in Maryland was monitored for 29 years from 1995-2023 and found to have declined by 67%. One of their greatest threats, and also the greatest threat to most wildlife species worldwide, is habitat loss. Ohio and just about everywhere else become more and more developed by the day, leaving less and less space for sensitive species such as the box turtle.
You can help their plight by aiding them in crossing the road when you come upon them but be sure to move them in the direction they were going - they were going that way for a reason!

06/03/2026

Mambourg Meditation Hike! Saturday, June 6th, at 9am! 🧘‍♀️💚🧘‍♂️

Join Yoga in the Parks instructor Jeannie Spencer for a calming meditation hike at Mambourg Park. We'll explore the scenic Mambourg Park Loop, which follows the outer edges of the Oak Trail and Hickory Trail, forming a peaceful circuit around the park. This easy, unpaved trail offers a gentle walk through forest and meadow.

The hike will be approximately 1.5 to 2 miles at a slow, mindful pace, with guided pauses for practicing mindfulness, gentle movement, and reflection. It's a wonderful opportunity to connect with nature, cultivate presence, and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors.

We'll meet at the parking area on Cincinnati-Zanesville Road (US-22), just north of Lancaster, Ohio, at Mambourg Park—located at 5531 Cincinnati-Zanesville Rd NE. Come prepared to relax, breathe, and experience the serenity of nature in a supportive, tranquil setting.

📌Note about pets: Pets are welcome on Hickory Trail, but not Oak Trail. All pets must be kept on a leash.

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06/02/2026

Hey everyone! It's time for a Tick Talk! 🕷

Lyme cases are on the rise, and these pesky arachnids are in the news! It’s time to bust some old myths and get the facts straight.

How many of these have you heard?

-Winter does NOT kill ticks. Most survive the cold by entering a dormant state called diapause. It's like their kind of hibernation!

-Opossums aren't the "tick vacuums" we are told. Studies of stomach contents show that opossums and guinea fowl don't actually eat enough ticks to control the population.

-Lyme Disease is not a new disease! Lyme has been around for 50,000+ years!

-They don't "drop" from trees. Ticks don't fly or jump. They stay low in grass and brush, "questing" with their legs out to snag a passing host.

-Not every tick is a carrier. In Ohio, only the Blacklegged Tick (Deer Tick) spreads Lyme. They aren't born with it; they pick it up from infected mammals.

Reminder: Tick bites are serious. Lyme is just one of several tick-borne illnesses found here in Ohio. If you’re bitten, you can submit the tick to the Ohio State University for testing at buckeyeticktest.osu.edu. Most importantly, monitor for symptoms and call your doctor if you feel unwell!

Don't let this stop you from enjoying the outdoors! Preventative measures can be taken such as wearing bug spray, long clothes, and always doing a tick check after being outside, even in your yard.

📸 Ohio Division of Wildlife

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06/01/2026

2026 Yoga in the Parks is starting!🧘‍♀️

Join our instructor Jeannie for free yoga classes on Wednesdays, beginning June 3rd. Whether you are a beginner or experienced yogi, yoga can provide many benefits to your health!

Yoga is held at Smeck Park on Wednesdays at 5pm from June-August. Bring a mat and drinking water.

ALL are welcome! 💚

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05/31/2026

June 2026 programs here! Mark those calendars 😉

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05/30/2026

For anyone unfamiliar with Earth Camp, here are some photos showing just how much fun our campers have! Earth Camp is a great opportunity for kids grades 3-5 to meet new friends, explore nature, customize their own camp shirt, and learn how they can do their part to care for the environment.

In years past, Earth Camp has been held at Smeck Park. But this year, we are mixing it up and will be having it at Mambourg Park! We are so excited for the new location, and hope you are too!

Interested in registering? You can find registration and more info at Fairfield Soil and Water Conservation District's website here: fairfieldswcd.org

Deadline is end of the day June 3rd!

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05/29/2026

It's Milling Day! Sunday, 5/31 🌽

Step back in time and watch how corn was milled over two hundred years ago! While you tour the inside of the mill, learn from our historian and volunteers about how mill equipment was used and compare how it has changed today.

Stebelton Park at Rock Mill is open dawn to dusk year-round. However, you may only go inside during open hours:

Wednesdays and Saturdays 11am-2pm
Sundays 1-4pm

Milling demonstrations are done the last Sunday of each month May-October (weather permitting).

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05/29/2026

Get your kiddo registered! 🥾

DEADLINE approaching soon! There are still a few spots left to sign up your 3rd-5th grader for Earth Camp! Please do so by Wednesday, June 3rd. Give us a call for any questions you may have at 740-653-8154 and check out the flyer below for more details. We can't wait to see you there! Registration form can be found here:https://fairfieldswcd.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Earth-Camp-Registration-Forms-Updated-2026.pdf