We love our volunteers and are thankful for all the time and effort that each person gives to move the mission of the Grange Insurance Audubon Center forward! Whether volunteering consistently each week or once in a while as their schedules allow, every hour and in every way, our volunteers play a crucial role in our success. Among volunteer and training opportunities, we have started providing opportunities for our volunteers to enjoy field trips as well. These field trips provide continued learning as well as socializing. In late June a small group of volunteers traveled to the Butterfly Ridge Conservation Center and property located just a little over an hour south of Columbus, in the beautiful Hocking Hills area, for our second volunteer field trip. Stay tuned for our next volunteer opportunity for fall – to be announced soon!
Upon our arrival to the Butterfly Ridge Conservation Center and property, we were greeted by Christopher and Kris Kline. After Mrs. Kris gave an enthusiastic and passionate introduction about how Butterfly Ridge came to be, Mr. Chris provided the history of the property and each phase that had been carried out as well as the work that currently is taking place and recent sightings on the property. You may remember Chris as a former Grange Insurance Audubon Center Education Program Manager as well as author! We were given an up close and personal look at the amazing caterpillar/butterfly house which gave us a glimpse at various caterpillars and chrysalises many of us had never had the opportunity to see. We continued on with a hike throughout the trails on the property and had fun identifying not only butterfly species but plants as well. Chris was an excellent resource on our hike and answered questions from the group as well as continuing to provide a wealth of information.
Butterfly Ridge encompasses twenty-one acres, sixteen of which are open to the public. The property upon which Butterfly Ridge resides has been in the same family since the 1860s. The Kline’s own and operate the Butterfly Ridge Conservation Center and surrounding property with a group of dedicated volunteers and interns from local colleges. While the main purpose of Butterfly Ridge is to establish habitat for butterflies and teach others to do the same, they work to be friendly to other pollinators as well. Butterfly Ridge has available various lists to help you identify plants, butterflies, moths and even birds for species found throughout the property as well as resources to help you create your own butterfly and pollinator friendly spaces at home. It is a true treat to visit this conservation haven.  If you get a chance to visit, be sure to check in at the gift shop, enjoy the trails (wear your hiking shoes), take in the beauty and purpose of each special place throughout the property, and definitely enjoy some time in the treehouse which sits in a Black Oak estimated to be well over 100 years old.
Located at 17864 State Route 374, Rockbridge, OH 43149, Butterfly Ridge is open seasonally, Thursday-Monday from 10 am – 5pm with the latest admission at 4:15 pm. Admission is $5 per person and season passes are also available. I have personally had a season pass for both years now and enjoy going multiple times throughout the summer to see what new plants are in bloom and new butterflies are visiting.  Informative guided tours are available at 1 and 3 pm each day with self-guided tours available during operating hours. Follow Butterfly Ridge Butterfly Conservation Center ltd on Facebook to learn about upcoming events and recent sightings throughout the property, visit their website at www.butterfly-ridge.com or give them a call for more information at 740-204-5372.