JOIN US FOR NATURE STUDY RETREAT!

Find your calendar and mark May 22-27 for a vacation in southern Ohio.

Once you read this preview of plans which Diane Daniels and I have planned for Nature Study Retreat you will want to be there! Our 2022 Nature Study Retreat week promises to bring together significant prehistoric understandings including petroglyphs, an endless number of hikes on walking paths, lakes, cliffs, caves, naturalists new to us, birders, a geologist, an astronomer and specialists from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Canter’s Cave 4-H Camp in northeastern Jackson County sits on Little Salt Creek and is in truth a pair of shelters. Echo Cave is about 50 feet high with a coating of mosses and ferns. A short walk downstream lies Indian Cave which is quite a bit smaller. Along the banks of the creek are many salt licks that have attracted both humans and animals for centuries. We may not find bones or tusks but others have. During our early morning birding walks we will learn of mastodons, mammoths, buffalo, panthers, lynxes, fox and other mammal remnants which have been found in the mud and clay.

In 1949 Canter’s Cave was purchased by the 4-H program which serves 10 counties in southeastern Ohio. The camp and its main building; the Elizabeth L. Evans Outdoor Education Center has been supported heavily by the family of Bob Evans. Its holdings are around 350 acres. One of our specialists has said that Canter’s Cave has pleasant trails. He recommended we spend as much time outside here and in other areas nearby where we already have planned hiking, viewing historical petroglyphs and learning about early industry which made use of the rich resources.

Once you register for the retreat which has a deadline of April 20, 2022 you will be sent a medical form to fill out and bring. The deadline has been extended to May 10, 2022, so please sign up if you thought it was to late.  We will send our revised list for packing and last year’s minutes. Dormitory accommodations offer two wings with 5 bunks per room for a total of 30 lower bunks so we can avoid having to climb to the top. Each wing has its own showers.

We can bring snacks without restrictions. Bring a name tag you made and wear a shirt you designed. Mary Ann and Sue will fill our quiet moments with interesting crafting. Bring a new white T-shirt. We plan to have a meal Sunday evening and make our departure Friday morning.

Click HERE for a list of items you may wish to bring.

Here is a summary of daily highlights with a 7 am birding walk:

Monday, May 23 – visit the restored Buckeye Furnace site where iron was produced from 1830 -1900
with the president of the Friends of Buckeye Furnace, Jim Meacham;
PLANT AUCTION 7 pm- please bring annual or perennial plants, bulbs, seeds, garden ornaments, seeds, books, design containers, items with green thumb appeal.

Tuesday, May 24 – a hike to Lake Katherine with Josh Deemer and Coleman Minney; petroglyphs program with Bill Kennedy; begin weeding flower beds as a service project

Wednesday, May 25 – a hike to the Leo Petroglyphs with David Apsley and Jim Meachum; powerpoint “Ohio’s Changing Forest Program” with David Apsley

Thursday, May 26 – hike to another wildlife area, weeding, a campfire with singing, an astronomy program in the dark— with Brad Hoehne from the John Glen Observatory

Friday, May 27 – breakfast and departure and evaluations

We said this last year but if you have never come to NSR; what is it you are waiting for?

We are rolling out a mossy carpet with your initials engraved on it. Please consider this adventure in the outdoors. No bungee jumping, mountains to climb, nor travel by mule pack. Just sunshine, flowers, friendly folks, 14 meals, hot showers, air conditioning and a pace you can handle!

Registration *** OAGC Nature Study *** Registration

May 22-27, 2022
Canter’s Cave 4-H Camp

Please fill out the form below to register and complete your payment via PayPal.

Alternatively, you may choose to Download a Registration form to complete and pay via check by mail.

Deadline for full payments is April 20, 2022

*Make checks payable to: “OAGC, Inc.” & Designate “NSR” in the memo.

*All registrants will be sent an Emergency Medical Form, a packing list and last year’s minutes.

Mail this form and full payment to:
Sharon Deno, NSR registrar
9484 Hooper Road Athens, Ohio 45701
Tel# 740.593.8780
Email: sharondeno@hotmail.com

*Juniors 18 and younger are welcome to attend NSR. They are eligible for partial fee scholarships.
Contact coordinator Mary Lee Minor@ 419-561-0023 or chickadee@columbus.rr.com