Want to volunteer at Allen County Parks?

We would love to have you!!!!

We need volunteers for all kinds of activities, be it
program help, maintenance help, removal of invasive
species, filling bird feeders, small construction projects, hosts/hostess, anything you’d like to do!!

All potential volunteers for the Allen County Parks
Department must complete a volunteer application
before volunteering. A link to this application can be
found at our website on the Volunteer in the Allen
County Parks page.

What's Happening at Metea County Park?

To view a complete and up-to-date list of activities occurring at Metea Park, please see the Wild Grapevine, available at the Allen County Parks website.
Showing posts with label NISTEM. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NISTEM. Show all posts

Night Hike - 2 NISTEM points

December 18, Friday, 7:00 PM, Payton County Park 13928 Dunton Rd.

Spend one of the longest nights of the year hiking as we explore the night sky (if it’s clear) and animals in winter (if it isn’t). Flashlights optional, and not used on the hike.

Cost: $2.00
Pre-register by: 12/13
Min: 5
Max: 30

To register or more information:
Email: bdispenza@allencountyparks.org
Call: 449-8619
Bob Dispenza

Night Hike - 2 NISTEM points

November 27, Friday, 7:00 PM, Metea County Park North, Big Trees parking lot off Hursh Rd.

Walk off all that holiday food while you explore our wildest park and perhaps meet some nocturnal residents. Flashlights optional, and not used on the hike.

Cost: $2.00
Pre-register by: 11/22
Min: 5
Max: 30

To register or more information:
Email: bdispenza@allencountyparks.org
Call: 449-8619
Bob Dispenza

Caving Adventure - 5 NISTEM points

Trip November 21, Saturday. Trip: All day
Mandatory Pre-class Friday, November 6, Pre-class: 7:30 PM

Go underground with Allen County Parks. Caving instructor and naturalist Bob Dispenza will be leading a trip to a new cave (for us) near Springville on Saturday, November 21. We’ll be exploring a wild cave in the area and going off the beaten path, looking for cave wildlife and unusual formations.

Mandatory pre-caving class is Friday, November 6, 7:30 PM at Metea County Park.

Fee covers maps and caving instruction. Learn about geology, cave life, needed equipment and cave formation. This activity is somewhat strenuous, but suitable for beginners in good physical condition.

Cost: $20.00/person
Pre-register by: 11/3
Min: 5
Max: 25

To register or more information:
Email: bdispenza@allencountyparks.org
Call: 449-8619
Bob Dispenza

Use and Care of the Compound Microscope - Session 1 - 2 NISTEM points

November 3, Tuesday, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM, Metea County Park Nature Center

First session of a two part program. This 2 hour program is an introduction to or a review of the compound microscope.
Ages 12 through adult.

Cost: $2.00
Pre-register by: 10/29
Min: 5
Max: 10

To register or more information:
Email: rdivelbiss@allencountyparks.org
Call: 449-3778
Ron Divelbiss

Night Hike - 2 NISTEM points

October 23, Friday, 7:00 PM, Metea County Park Nature Center

Out into the mysterious night woods we go! Enjoy the wild darkness as we learn about night animals we don’t know much about. Suitable for all ages. Flashlights optional, and not used on the hike.

Cost: $2.00
Pre-register by: 10/18
Min: 5
Max: 30

To register or more information:
Email: bdispenza@allencountyparks.org
Call: 449-8619
Bob Dispenza

Seeds are Everywhere - 2 NISTEM points

October 22, Thursday, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM, Metea County Park Nature Center

Let’s take a look at how seeds disperse themselves. They float through the air, get caught on our clothes, and they are inside an apple when you take a bite! We will go on a seed hike, take a look inside a seed, and have a seedy snack. Ages 6 through adult

Cost: $3.00
Pre-register by: 10/16
Min: 5
Max: 20

To register or more information:
Email:nbradtmiller@allencountyparks.org
Call: 449-3778
Nancy Bradtmiller

Home School Series - 2 NISTEM points per class

October 15, November 19, Thursdays, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM at Metea County Park Nature Center

Home school science enrichment program for all school age students in three age groups. Includes BOTH month’s sessions, all handouts and equipment. One parent/guardian per family is required to attend. Classes fill up quickly, so reserve you space. Classes begin at promptly 2:00 PM! Sessions will be held both indoors and outdoors. Dress for the weather.

Cost: $10.00/student
$4.00/adult
Pre-register & PREPAY by: 10/10/09
Min: 5/age group
Max: 20
SPACE WILL NOT BE RESERVED UNTIL YOU HAVE PAID

To register or more information:
Email: rdivelbiss@allencountyparks.org
Call: 449-3778
Ron Divelbiss

Session 1: October 15

Beginner (grade 1-3)
Pumpkins – Seed to Jack-o-Lantern.
Study the life cycle of the pumpkin and then carve a Jack -O- Lantern to take home.

Intermediate (grade 4-6)
Animal myths.
Are daddy-long-legs the most poisonous spider? Do squirrels get rabies? Learn the truth about our animal friends (and not some Internet rumor).

Advanced (grade 7-12)
Trees
We will continue the study of trees by building a collection for educational use in the park.

Session 2: November 19

Beginner (grade 1-3)
Squirrels
Red squirrels do not drive out gray squirrels; gray squirrels do not remember where they buried nuts, and squirrels do eat meat! Take a naturalist-led hike through Metea woods and learn more about these “nutty”, or not so nutty, rodents

Intermediate (grade 4-6)
Geology
We’ll get to the “rock bottom” of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic, and learn about glaciers and other geologic forces and facts. Yes, it’s true, Indiana ROCKS!

Advanced (grade 7-12)
Mosses and Microscopes
Explore the tiny world of some of our smallest plants. What looks like just a little green spot in the woods becomes a whole ecosystem under the microscope.

Creek and Pond Invertebrates - 2 NISTEM points

October 13, Tuesday 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Metea County Park Nature Center

Weather permitting, this is a creek activity, so wear old shoes or water shoes. If it is cold or wet this will be an indoor activity. We will be taking a close look at aquatic macro invertebrates – little creatures that live in water.
Ages 8 through adult.

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Cost: $ 2.00
Pre-register by: 10/8
Min: 5
Max: 15

To register or more information:
Email: rdivelbiss@allencountyparks.org
Call: 449-3778
Ron Divelbiss

Night of the Stinging Insects


  • WHEN: Friday, July 24, 7:30 PM
  • WHERE: Metea County Park Nature Center
  • WHAT: Bees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets – they’re everywhere and they’re after me! Or are they? Why do they sting? How? How many times? Where do they live? How do I keep them away? Learn the answers to these and other questions with Park and Education Manager Bob Dispenza. We’ll be spending some time outside, so have insect repellent handy.
  • COST: $2.00/person
  • PRE-REGISTER BY: July 22
  • MINIMUM: 5
  • MAXIMUM: 50
  • NISTEM reward points: 2

To register or for more information, contact Bob Dispenza at 449-8619 or email at bdispenza@allencountyparks.org

Monarch Larva Monitoring Project


  • WHEN: Tuesday, July 7, 10:00 AM
  • WHERE: Metea County Park Nature Center
  • WHAT: Join Metea naturalist, Karie Harding as she teaches about the monarch larva monitoring project and how you can become involved as a citizen scientist. Topics to be covered: Larva monitoring, tagging, rearing, etc.
  • COST: Registered volunteers free, $2.00/person all others
  • PRE-REGISTER BY: July 3
  • MINIMUM: 5
  • MAXIMUM: 20
  • NISTEM reward points: 2

To register or for more information, contact Karie Harding at 449-3778 or email at kharding@allencountyparks.org