Making Sense of the Olentangy
During your time at Ohio State you’ve probably seen the Olentangy in passing, but have you ever really engaged with the river? The purpose of this guide is to assist you to interact with the river in ways that you never have. The only rules are that once you hit a marked point on the map you have to do what the guide says. After your experience you must join us back on the blog to reflect and learn about some of the things you saw.
http://theolentangyriverrevival.blogspot.com/
Things you may need.
A Pen (important!)
This Guide along with Map (important!)
A Camera (if you have one)
Your Camera Phone (if you have one)
1. Should it stay or should it go? On your walk think about the dam and how it has affected the Olentangy ecosystem. Vote on the blog on the Home Page.
2. At point 2, the pier that looks over the dam, start looking for wildlife. Keep track of what you see along your journey. If you keep an eye out you’ll discover more biodiversity than you thought you would. Remember sometimes you have to actively look for wildlife, so look for tracks, and don’t be afraid to look under old boards and rocks. If you don’t know what something is take a picture or write a description so that you can look it up later. There is information on the blog to aid you in this, and you are encouraged to post photos.
3. Take a seat on the stone wall to your right next to the water treatment plant (The big fenced in building). Draw one thing that catches your eye in the box below.
4. After sitting for while start pumping your blood under the King Avenue Bridge and do 10 jumping jacks, notice the interesting depth and structure that the bridge forms.
5. As you are walking pay attention to all the trees and plants, pick a couple leaves that interest you. Look them up using the Olentangy Wetlands link on our page. Post your findings to the biodiversity page.
6. Congrats you're half way done. Celebrate by saying hello to the next person you see. Don’t forget to ask them how their day is going =0) We should never forget the importance of community.
7. Sometimes in life it is really important to look at things from a different perspective. Bend over and put you head between your legs, look at the world from a new perspective---- upside down. Once you regain your balance try to think about what the river looked like before all this concrete development engulfed it.
8. Stop under the 12th Ave. Bridge and feel the water. When you get back look under our Pollution Page and see what was in that water.
9. Close your eyes and listen for at least a minute. What can you hear? Cars, motorcycles, bikes, geese, ducks, song birds, children?
******Now it is time to venture off the path. Walk through the grass behind the Drake, you’ll have to walk along the boat house past the docks to get to the other side.
10. Smell the air. What do you smell? Write it down.
Take a seat in the field. Reflect on your experience. How would you define it in three words.
Cross the bridge over to the pavilion. Stop in the pavilion and take a picture on your camera phone and send it to a friend along with the 3 words that describe your experience. If that doesn’t suit you cut out the picture you drew for part 3 with the three words written on the back, then place it in a book at one of the OSU libraries. Maybe even advertise the blog on it? You may just engage someone else....
Don't forget to print your maps! =D
Don’t forget to follow up at http://theolentangyriverrevival.blogspot.com/
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