A berry buffet

Meghan Doran, Community Engagement Manager

Imagine having to search for your next meal under a blanket of snow, with temperatures dropping into the single digits. There isn’t an insect in sight, not even a tiny spider to tide you over until your next meal. For our feathered friends, this can be a harsh reality during the winter months.

Thankfully, there are other options for birds (and mammals!) throughout our natural areas. Earlier this year, the operations crew at F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm planted a beautiful, nutritious Berries for Birds area in the Rock and Herb Garden. Winterberry, huckleberry and red-osier dogwood are just a few examples of the highly nutritious fruits that contribute to this berry buffet, providing necessary nutrients for wildlife. For your next adventure, visit Summit Metro Parks to discover the beauty of these native shrubs, and consider incorporating them at home as part of our Wild Back Yards program. You might be surprised by the pop of color you find!

For more stories like this, check out Green Islands magazine, a bi-monthly publication from Summit Metro Parks. Summit County residents can sign up to receive the publication at home free of charge.