By 1808Delaware
Ohioans will have a chance to look beneath the familiar landscape this month as the Ohio Department of Natural Resources marks Earth Science Week with programs across the state, including a guided sinkhole hike in Dublin. The ODNR Division of Geological Survey will celebrate Earth Science Week from Sunday, October 11 through Saturday, October 17, joining the annual national observance designed to increase awareness of geology and the role earth sciences play in everyday life.
For residents of Delaware County and nearby communities, the closest event will take place Sunday morning in Dublin.
Exploring What Lies Beneath Dublin
ODNR geologists will lead a Sinkhole Hike beginning at 10:00 AM on Sunday, October 11, at Wellington Park in Dublin. The program will give participants an opportunity to explore one of central Ohio’s more unusual geological features while learning how water, bedrock and other natural processes can shape the ground beneath the region.
Sinkholes form where underground rock is dissolved or otherwise eroded, eventually creating depressions or openings at the surface. Central Ohio’s geology provides opportunities to see evidence of those processes without traveling far from the Columbus metropolitan area.
Dublin itself has incorporated geology into some of its park programming. The city offers tours at nearby Thaddeus Kosciuszko Park, a nearly 40-acre wooded property that also contains a sinkhole among its natural features.
Minerals That Make Modern Life Possible
This year’s Earth Science Week theme is “Critical Minerals for a Thriving Society.” The theme focuses on the role of geoscience in locating, extracting, refining, transporting and responsibly using minerals considered essential to modern society. Such materials are used in everything from electronics and transportation to energy systems and advanced manufacturing.
“We hope Ohioans will join ODNR in this annual campaign that inspires a passion for earth science and a love for our natural world,” ODNR Director Mary Mertz said.
State Geologist D. Mark Jones said Earth Science Week also offers a chance to better understand the relationship between geology and daily life.
“Earth Science Week is an excellent opportunity to engage in the connection between geoscience and our daily lives,” Jones said.
Events Stretch Across Ohio
The Dublin hike is one of four special programs planned by ODNR geologists. A fossil tour will be offered at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus at 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM on Tuesday, October 13. On Thursday, October 15, Cedar Bog State Nature Preserve near Urbana will host a geology talk and ADA-accessible hike beginning at 4:00 PM. A fourth event falls just after the official Earth Science Week observance. Guided fossil collecting will take place at 1:00 PM on Sunday, October 18, at Caesar Creek State Park near Waynesville.
Complete program information is available through the ODNR Division of Geological Survey.
Resources for Ohio Classrooms
ODNR is also making a limited number of Earth Science Week teacher toolkits available to Ohio educators, including homeschool teachers. The kits contain experiment instructions, posters, activity sheets, a calendar and other classroom materials. They are free while supplies last, although a $5 shipping charge applies. Teachers can order the kits, along with geological maps and other educational publications, through the ODNR Geologic Records Center at 614-265-6576 or geo.survey@dnr.ohio.gov.
For central Ohio residents, however, Earth Science Week does not necessarily require a classroom or a long drive. On October 11, the lesson will be waiting beneath the landscape in Dublin.
Source: ODNR
