Explorers Club

On October 17, 2009, the Explorers met for a beautiful—but chilly—hike amidst the autumn colors at the Englewood MetroPark.

The group started with a quick review of the leaf identification skills they worked on at their previous meeting, practicing on one of the stately sugar maples near the parking area. They then talked about the reasons behind the spectacular color changes seen at this time of year. The students recalled the role of the chemical chlorophyll in producing food and energy for the tree. This chemical is so prevalent in leaves during the spring and summer months that its green color masks all other colors that might be present in the leaves.

On Saturday, May 23, 2009, the Explorers met for a sunny morning hike through scenic Clifton Gorge near Yellow Springs, Ohio.

Clifton Gorge is a state nature preserve that encloses one of the most impressive geological sites in western Ohio. The gorge is the result of water flowing from melting glaciers to the north of the site at the end of the last Ice Age. This water began cutting a channel through the top layers of rock, and it is the nature of this type of rock that gave Clifton Gorge its current appearance.

TROY, OH — The explorers and their families met at Brukner Nature Center in Troy, Ohio early Saturday morning, 11 October 2008 for an early autumn hike.

The club visited a number of habitats at the nature center, including a couple of ponds, a meadow, deciduous and coniferous forests, a steep ravine, and a stream. The members observed and discussed the differences in each of these areas, especially the differing amounts of water and the corresponding variety of life as they traveled from one habitat to the next.