Marion, Ohio County Park District

10/16/2026

The Marion County Park District is accepting bids until 4 pm on Thursday, Nov 5 for the construction of a 1,200 square foot pole-barn style maintenance and storage shed at the Holland Rd trailhead of the Tallgrass Trail. Bidders should be able to provide documentation of three similar projects. Once notification to proceed is given to the selected bid, the contractor will have 160 days to complete the project.
This project is funded by a grant.

Receive Electronic Bid Documents by emailing
[email protected], (440) 799-0597

Bids should be submitted by email to: [email protected]
Contract Base Bid Estimate: $102,000. Alt #1: $1,500.

10/16/2026

Earlier this week, Naturalist James led his first Ohio Prairies session as part of the Marion Public Library’s Adult Lifelong Learning program at the Larry R. Yoder Prairie on The Ohio State University at Marion campus! 🌾

During the session, participants explored the prairie and learned about the local flora growing throughout this unique habitat.

Next week, Naturalist James will continue the series with a more in-depth presentation exploring some of Ohio’s prairies, their unique history, and what makes these ecosystems so special.

Stay tuned as we continue to learn more about Ohio’s fascinating natural history! 🌿

10/15/2026

🌿 Naturalist James Visits Harrison Elementary! 🐾

Naturalist James recently visited Harrison Elementary School to talk with third-grade students about animal classification! Students learned how scientists organize animals into different groups based on their shared characteristics.

📚 Attention, Marion County teachers! Did you know the Marion County Park District offers a wide variety of nature education programs for students of all grade levels? Our programs are FREE for Marion County schools, and we work directly with teachers to align our programs with classroom curriculum and educational standards.

From Ohio wildlife and ecosystems to plants, habitats, and so much more, we love helping students connect with the natural world through hands-on learning experiences!

Interested in bringing a nature education program to your classroom? Email us at [email protected] to learn more and schedule a program.

🌳 Let’s get students outside, exploring, and learning about the natural world!

10/13/2026

Naturalist James captured some photos today at the Claridon Prairie, and they’re a great reminder that even when our prairies are turning brown, there’s still a whole lot going on!

As autumn settles into Marion County, many of our native prairie flowers have finished blooming, and the grasses and seed heads are taking center stage. But don’t let those brown and golden colors fool you! 🍂

🌱 Here are a few fun prairie facts for this time of year:

🌾 Seeds are the stars of the season! Many native prairie plants have produced seeds that will feed birds and other wildlife throughout fall and winter. Some seeds will also remain in the soil until conditions are right for new plants to grow.

🐦 The prairie is a natural bird feeder! American goldfinches and other seed-eating birds can take advantage of the abundance of seeds. Those standing stalks and grasses also provide shelter for wildlife.

🦋 Insects are still part of the picture! While many pollinators have become less active as temperatures cool, prairie stems, leaf litter, and seed heads provide important habitat for insects and other small creatures.

❄️ Winter preparation is underway! Standing grasses and dried plant material help provide cover for wildlife during the colder months. Leaving native vegetation standing can help support the prairie ecosystem long after the flowers are gone.

The next time you drive past a prairie and see nothing but brown grasses, take another look. There’s a remarkable ecosystem at work, preparing for winter and setting the stage for another growing season next spring!

Let’s appreciate these special natural areas and the wildlife they support in every season. ❤️

10/11/2026

🌿 Exciting Things Are Happening at the Marion County Park District! 🐍🕷️💀

We have a busy week ahead with several exciting programs and opportunities to get involved with your local parks! Check out what’s coming up:

🐍🕷️ Wednesday, October 14 – Scales & Silk | 5:00 PM
Join us at Marion Tallgrass Trail for our Scales & Silk program, featuring snakes and spiders! Learn about the fascinating snakes and spiders that call Ohio home.

🌳 Thursday, October 15 – Park Board Meeting | 12:00 PM
Join us at the County Building, located at 222 West Center Street, for our monthly Park Board meeting. This is a great opportunity to share your ideas, questions, and concerns about our parks, including Greenspur, Terradise Nature Preserve, Myers Woods, and Marion Tallgrass Trail. We welcome community input!

💀 Thursday, October 15 – Skillful Skulls | 5:00 PM
Later that day, head out to Marion Tallgrass Trail to learn how to identify animal skulls! Discover how skulls can help us understand the animals that live in our area.

🦉🌙 Saturday, October 17 – Nighttime Nature Detectives | 7:00 PM
Join us at Marion Tallgrass Trail for our Nighttime Nature Detectives program! Similar to our Night Hike at the Park, this program puts a greater focus on nocturnal animals and nighttime activities. This will be our final nighttime program of the year, so don’t miss out!

⚠️ Please Note: Programs may be canceled due to weather conditions. Be sure to follow our social media accounts for the latest updates and any schedule changes.

We hope to see you out exploring and enjoying your Marion County parks! 🌿

10/10/2026

🎃🍬 We’re still looking for volunteers to help pass out candy! 🍬🎃

Everyone, we could still use a few helping hands! If you’d like to volunteer and be part of the fun, please reach out to us at [email protected].

Can’t volunteer but still want to help? We’re also accepting candy donations! Even donating just one bag of candy can make a big difference and help make this event extra special for everyone. ❤️

If you’d like to donate, send us a message, and we can arrange to meet you at Tallgrass Trail to pick it up.

Thank you all for supporting the Marion County Park District and helping us make this event a success! 🎃👻🍭

10/09/2026

🍂 Ohio Fall Foliage Update! 🍁

Although this fall color report was originally posted on October 5, today is October 9, and it still gives us a good idea of where we stand with fall foliage here in Ohio!

We’re currently in the low stage of fall color, meaning the leaves are just beginning to change. Depending on the tree species and location, some trees have already put on a beautiful display of fall colors, while most are still predominantly green with hints of yellow, orange, and red starting to appear.

🍁 So, what makes for a great fall foliage season?

Several factors play a role in how brilliant our fall colors become. Shorter days and cooler temperatures signal deciduous trees to slow down chlorophyll production. As the green chlorophyll fades, other pigments become visible, revealing the yellows and oranges we see in autumn. Reds and purples develop when certain trees produce pigments called anthocyanins.

🌤️ The weather also makes a difference! Sunny days, cool (but not freezing) nights, and adequate moisture throughout the growing season can help produce especially vibrant colors. On the other hand, drought, extreme temperatures, and strong winds can cause leaves to turn brown or fall before reaching their full color.

📅 When will we see peak fall color?

Over the next couple of weeks, we should see more trees changing across Ohio, with peak color arriving at different times depending on the location, tree species, and weather conditions. Remember, fall foliage doesn’t change all at once!

Keep an eye on the trees around you, get outside, and enjoy the changing seasons. Before we know it, our Ohio landscapes will be bursting with autumn colors! 🍂

FALL COLOR: Most of Ohio is now seeing Low Color on the latest report! I expect some spots to jump into medium color by next week with the run of cool nights and mild days this week. How are the conditions where you live? I would definitely enjoy seeing your pictures! - 9:15 AM 10/6/26 (Data via Explore Fall)

10/08/2026

A stunning Great Blue Heron silhouette along the Marion Tallgrass Trail, captured by Kyle Lucas.

10/07/2026

While exploring the Marion Tallgrass Trail last week, Naturalist James Anderson stumbled upon a couple of tiny baby snapping turtles! Check out this awesome video he put together. 🐢📸

A quick reminder for park visitors: as adorable as these little hatchlings look right now, they grow into large, defensive turtles and do not make good pets. Please leave them in their natural habitat so they can keep serving their important purpose in our park's ecosystem!

10/07/2026

Today, October 7th, we’re all set up for the Marion YMCA Active Older Adult Fair from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM! Stop by our booth to say hello and explore fantastic resources from local organizations dedicated to healthy, active aging. Hope to see you there!