Ashland County Park District

04/02/2026

The Ashland County Park District Office will be closed Good Friday, April 3, 2026. Have a Happy Easter!🐰🐣🥚🐦

03/27/2026

🌸Spring Nature Art Classes!🌸
Who: Youth in grades 4th-8th
When: April 14 & 28 and May 12 & 19, 2026
Where: Freer Community Room
1301 Park Street, Ashland, OH
Registration required.
https://www.ashlandcountyparks.com/event/spring-2026-nature-art-class-4th-8th-grade-registration/

03/23/2026

Please note that our Ageless Adventures program, Nature Journaling, on March 25th from 9:30-10:30 a.m. is CANCELED. We apologize for any inconvenience.

03/19/2026

We are HIRING!

Do you have a love for parks, enjoy the outdoors, and have a passion to share your knowledge of nature? If so, Ashland County Park District wants to hear from you! We are searching for a full-time, enthusiastic professional to enhance our nature-based programming and volunteer programs.

1. Follow the link below and click on the Park Naturalist/Outreach Coordinator Application packet.
2. Complete all areas of the application and attach a copy of your current resume and cover letter.

Application Packets will be accepted through April 5th, 2026. Please send completed applications and any questions to:
[email protected]


https://www.ashlandcountyparks.com/get-involved/employment-opportunities/

03/19/2026

It’s never easy to say goodbye to someone who has helped build something from the ground up.

Mary Meixner, our Park Naturalist & Outreach Coordinator, will be starting a new opportunity next week with the Saint Louis Zoo—an AZA-accredited, nationally recognized leader in wildlife conservation, education, and animal care.

During her time with us, Mary brought energy, creativity, and a true passion for connecting people with nature. From launching new programs and developing field trip experiences to capturing injured wildlife for rehabilitation and coordinating volunteers—her impact will be felt for years to come.

We’re incredibly grateful for everything she’s done for the Park District and the Ashland Community. While we’ll miss her, we’re proud to see her take this next step and know she’ll continue to make a difference.

Wishing you all the best, Mary—big things ahead.

03/18/2026

🌙 Parks After Dark🌙

Can you guess tonight’s Creature Feature? This animal…

…may look like it, but is not a member of the rodent family.
…can run up to 18 mph to avoid predators.
…has about 100 million scent receptors in its nose!

Did you guess Eastern Cottontail?

The Eastern Cottontail is one of the most familiar and widespread rabbits in North America. It thrives in open areas rich with grasses and plants for food, paired with nearby cover—dense thickets or brush piles—where it can quickly escape predators. As a key prey species for a number of predators, it plays an important role in the ecosystem.

Breeding season is now underway for many animals. A female rabbit (doe) prepares a shallow nest lined with grass, leaves, and her own fur. Litters usually include 3–6 young, and a single doe may raise 3–7 litters each year. To avoid drawing attention to the nest, the mother typically returns only between dusk and dawn to feed her kits.

Although you may spot them during the day, Eastern Cottontails are most active at dusk, dawn, and after dark. Their large ears, keen sense of smell, and impressive speed help them stay one step ahead of danger. When needed, they’ll also take refuge in burrows dug by more skilled excavators like groundhogs. 🐇🌿

Stay tuned for next week’s Parks After Dark feature (with a twist this time) and keep discovering the wild neighbors in our parks!

03/17/2026

REMINDER! Spring Turkey Lottery, tomorrow, March 18, 2026. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., drawing at 6:00 p.m. at The Davy McClure Outdoor Education Center, 748 County Road 1754, Ashland, Ohio.

Cash only.

2026 Spring Turkey Hunt Lottery - Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at The Davy McClure Outdoor Education Center, 748 County Road 1754, Ashland, Ohio. Doors open at 5:30, drawing at 6:00.

Cash only.

03/11/2026

🌙 Parks After Dark🌙

We’re featuring two similar creatures this week! These animals…

…are both mustelids (members of the Mustelidae family).
…have long bodies, short legs, and carnivorous appetites.
…have glands that produce a strong liquid scent, or musk (for marking territory, deterring predators, attracting mates).

We’re talking about weasels and minks!

These small carnivores may look cute, but they pack a punch! Curious, quick, and fierce, they’re almost always on the move searching for their next meal. Their relatives in the Mustelidae family include otters, badgers, and fishers.

That long, flexible body isn’t just for looks! It helps them squeeze into burrows and other tight spaces while hunting. But it isn’t very efficient at storing heat, so weasels and minks have to eat a lot–as much as a third of their body weight every day. They may kill more prey than they need and store the extra for later (called “caching”).

How do you tell them apart? Minks–usually found near water–are a chocolate-brown color with a distinct white throat patch. Weasels are smaller than minks, are often found in a wider variety of habitats, and are brown on top of their bodies and light-colored underneath. A weasel will usually have a black tip on its tail.

Stay tuned for next week’s Parks After Dark feature and keep discovering the amazing animals that live in our parks!

03/10/2026

Great partners. Great programs.