Column: Collecting, counting and identifying macroinvertebrates by summer intern Peyton Curley. Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper. (n.d.). https://www.middlesusquehannariverkeeper.org/blog/intern-peyton-curley-collecting-counting-and-identifying-macroinvertebrates

Where bugs and fishing meet

The Cleveland Metroparks are home to a lot of streams and rivers teeming with life. There is an interesting dynamic between macroinvertebrates and fish in these underwater ecosystems. Macroinvertebrates are insects in their larval or nymph stages that start the first part of their life cycle in water. Fish in these aquatic ecosystems tend to prey on the newly hatched insects in the water. This opens the door for fly fisherman to imitate newly hatched larvae in an attempt to trick a fish into biting his fly. 

How to tie realistic Stonefly Nymph - FrostyFly. Frosty Fly. (2021, September 26). https://frostyfly.com/how-to-tie-realistic-stonefly-nymph/ 

Fly fishing is a sport with a rich history. The first mention of fly fishing in history was all the way back in the Roman Empire around 200 AD. The basics of fly fishing have stayed the same throughout history: trick fish into biting your artificially made lure. The area of fly fishing that has seen the most advancement is the art of fly tying. In the last hundred years, the evolution of fly tying has made it easier for fly fishermen to find success out on the water. The easiest flies to tie as a beginner fly fisherman are nymphs. This is due to nymphs' simple larval shape and their small profile. Some of the common flies to tie in northeast Ohio are midge flies, stoneflies, and mayflies. These macroinvertebrates are found throughout our streams and rivers and are essential for a good day of fly fishing. 

Native fish and their habitats.

Native Fish Coalition. (n.d.). https://nativefishcoalition.org/gallery-2 

We will be conducting two stream events in the month of July. The first event, to be held July 13th, is a fish sampling in Euclid Creek, where WVP will join the Friends of Euclid Creek (FOEC) and the Ohio chapter of Native Fish Coalition (NFC) for a stream sampling event. Volunteers will be able to see what lives below the surface of Euclid Creek. The second event will be macroinvertebrate monitoring on the Chagrin River on July 23rd. Volunteers will use different methods to get samples of macroinvertebrates from the Chagrin River. After collecting samples, Cleveland Metroparks aquatic research coordinator, Claire Weldon, will walk volunteers through the results of the survey. Here you will be able to learn which macroinvertebrates thrive inside the Chagrin River. Anglers can then take the macroinvertebrate knowledge they've learned from the survey to then hopefully apply it to their next day on the river. Both of these events should pique the interest of anglers and non-anglers alike, and give more insight into the ecological side of fishing. 

Best Fishes,

Jack Conley

Natural Resources Intern

WVP Water Chemistry Monitoring Training

Jun 29, 2024, West Creek Reservation

[Photo credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

(L) Euclid Creek Fish Sampling

Sat, Jul 13, two sessions: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. & 1 - 4 p.m. @ Upper Highland Picnic Area, Euclid Creek Reservation

(R) Green Infrastructure Gardening Series*

Sun, Jul 14, 9 - 11 a.m. @ Watershed Stewardship Center, West Creek Reservation

(R) Work Session: Invasive Cattail Removal

Fri, Jul 19, 9- 11 a.m. @ Lake Isaac, Big Creek Reservation

(M) Work Session: Scenic Rivers Macro Monitoring

Tue, Jul 23 (Rain Date: Fri July 26), 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. @ Old River Farm Picnic Area, North Chagrin Reservation 

(R) Work Session: Invasive Shrub Removal

Fri, Aug 2, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. @ North Chagrin Nature Center

(R) Green Infrastructure Gardening Series*

Sun, Aug 4, 9 - 11 a.m. @ Wildwood, Euclid Creek Reservation

(R) Acacia Stewardship Activities

Fri, Aug 9, 5:30 - 8 p.m. @ Acacia Reservation Trailhead

(R) Work Session: Invasive Cattail Removal

Wed, Aug 14, 6 - 8 p.m. @ Lake Isaac, Big Creek Reservation

(R) Acacia Stewardship Activities

Tue, Aug 20, 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. @ Acacia Reservation Trailhead

WVP volunteers, please log into Volgistics to register for primary events.

*Open to the public.  Click Here or Email us for the registration link.

WVP Green Infrastructure Gardening Series

Jun 30, 2024, Brookside Reservation

[Photo credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

(S) National Park Service Invasive Plant Removal

Thu, Jul 11, 1 - 3:30 p.m. (Must register for location)

Get involved at Cuyahoga Valley National Park by removing invasive plants in order to help improve habitat for native plants and wildlife. 

More information and Registration Here

(S) Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District Cruise

Thu, Jul 11, 6:30 - 9 p.m. @ E. 9th St. 

Join Cuyahoga SWCD as they celebrate 75 years of locally-lead conservation by touring the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie on the Goodtime III! 

More Details and Registration Here

(S) Summit Metroparks Evening River Walk 

Fri, Jul 12, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. @ Oxbow Area 

Join a naturalist on this 1.2-mile hike overlooking the Cuyahoga River discussing why this is such an important waterway for wildlife and for us. 

More Information and Registration Here 

(S) Ohio Sea Grant Freshwater Science: Advancing Stormwater with Green Infrastructure

Tue, Jul 16, 12 - 12:30 p.m. @ Online 

Join Sarah Orlando, Dr. Scott Hardy, and Ryan Winston in the discussion of new research for storm water management at Great Lakes Marinas with Green Infrastructure. 

More Information and Registration Here

(S) Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District: Teachers on the Estuary

Tue, Jul 16, - Thu, July 18, @ Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve

Join Cuyahoga SWCD and teachers from across the county for this one of a kind training! Spend three days and two nights at Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve on the shores of Lake Erie.

Price: $35   

More Details and Registration Here  

(S) Doan Brook Gorge Native Tree Planting and Invasive Species Removal

Sat, Jul 20, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. @ Fairhill Partners

The Doan Brook Watershed Partnership is hosting a native tree planting and invasive plant removal work day. This is to help improve habitat for native plants and wildlife. 

More Details Here

(S) Doan Brook Upper Lake Hike

Sat, Jul 20, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. @ Upper Lake Dam Historical Marker

The Doan Brook Watershed Partnership is hosting an immersive experience to explore the biodiversity, geological features, and history of the area. 

More Details Here 

(S) National Park Service Invasive Plant Removal

Thu, Jul 25, 1 - 3:30 p.m. (Must register for location)

Get involved at Cuyahoga Valley National Park by removing invasive plants in order to help improve habitat for native plants and wildlife.

More Details and Registration

(S) National Park Service Invasive Plant Removal

Thu, Aug 8, 1 - 3:30 p.m. (Must register for location)

Get involved at Cuyahoga Valley National Park by removing invasive plants in order to help improve habitat for native plants and wildlife.

More Details and Registration Here

(S) Ohio Sea Grant Lake Erie Awareness Day

Thu, Aug 8, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. @ Put-In-Bay

Spend the day touring South Bass island while learning about Ohio's greatest water resource and visiting education stations to learn about island history, native plants and animals, the dangers of plastic pollution, and boating safety.

More Information and Registration Here

(S) Doan Brook Watershed Tree Planting and Invasive Species Removal

Sat, Aug 10, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. @ Fairhill Rd

Join Doan Brook Partnership for a native tree planting and invasive plant removal to improve habitat for native plants and wildlife.

More Details and Registration Here

More (S)upplemental events can be found on our website here.

*WVP volunteers can submit supplemental hours in Volgistics under (S) Watershed Partner Event Contact us if you need assistance reporting any hours.

WVP Green Infrastructure Gardening Series

Jun 30, 2024, Brookside Reservation

[Photo credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

The U.S. Is Losing Wetlands at an Accelerating Rate − Here’s How the Private Sector Can Help Protect These Valuable Resources | Read on

The Process of Daily Water Quality Monitoring at Cleveland Beaches | Read on and watch video here

Watch Firefighters in Westlake, Ohio Rescue Baby Ducks as Mom Paces Nearby | Read on and watch video here

Researchers Create a 3D Map of Alcatraz to Monitor Erosion and Track the Effects of Climate Change | Read on

Meet the World’s Largest Freshwater Crayfish | Read on

Tasmania's giant freshwater crayfish, Astacopsis gouldi, is the largest in the world. It can tip the scales at thirteen pounds in adulthood! And, as you can see in this picture, they are known to walk across the land. Check out the article immediately above if you're interested in learning more about these impressive crustaceans.

[Photo Credit: aase58/iNaturalist]

Environmental Specialist 2

Ohio EPA - Franklin County, OH | Apply Here

Engineer | Apply Here

Clermont County, OH

Natural Resources Manager | Apply Here

Clermont County, OH

Water Resources Engineer

Davey Resource Group - Gainesville, VA | Apply Here

Environmental Scientist I

Wildlands Engineering, Charlotte, NC | Apply Here

NOWCorps Natural Resources Technician (2 positions available)*

Parma OH (West Creek) and Willoughby, OH (North Chagrin) | Apply Here

*All openings for 2024-2025 NOWCorps positions can be found if you page down at this link

Wetland Delineator (Northeast)

Edge Engineering & Science | Apply Here

Private Lands Biologist

Virginia Tech - Kentucky | Apply Here

Staff Fluvial Geomorphologist - Delaware

Water Resources Engineer - Delaware

Aquatic Restoration Staff Scientist

(Geomorphologist, Ecologist, Biologist - Oregon | Apply Here (All)

Inter-Fluve

Interim Executive Director

Director of Operations and Projects

New River Conservancy - West Jefferson, NC | Apply Here (Both)

Aquatic Resources Field Technician

Trout Unlimited - Fully Remote MI | Apply Here

Natural Resource and Outreach Specialist

West Creek Conservancy - Parma, OH | Apply Here

Stream Restoration Tech - Seasonal

Trout Unlimited - Bartow, West VA | Apply Here