Browse Interviews

Foster Brown is a historical interpreter at Cleveland Metroparks. He tells a number of interesting stories that he would share while working. After that he talks about his work at the Metroparks and he mentions the Brookside Park Zoo.

Carl Casavecchia talks about Bedford Reservation and Garfield Parks. Both parks have a long history. He talks about the history of the Bedford Reservation and how it's changed over the years. He does the same for Garfield Park. His interview focuses on the human history of the parks. He also includes some information on specific species and habitats in the park.

Michael Durkalec talks about his work as an aquatic biologist. He talks focuses on the rivers and streams of the Cleveland Metroparks. He briefly covers wetlands as well. He provides a lot of information on the aquatic life in the park and the role of fishing in the park.

Jennifer Greiser talks about water management for Metroparks. She describes a number of specific projects to manage runoff, such as rain gardens. She also talks about some different types of projects to manage park resources, such as dam removal and removing infected Ash.

Joe Hannibal traces his role at CNHM and his field experience in the region to cultural geology. He explains how research techniques can reveal facts about life and environment in prehistoric time and more recent. He also tells the story of the region's prevalent stone formations present in our Metropark locations.

Jennifer Hilmer is the invasive plant manager at the Cleveland Metroparks

Barb Holtz talks about South Chagrin Reservation. She gives in-depth history and information about Sulphur Springs and Squaw Rock. She also mentions on a variety of events and other points of interest at South Chagrin. Also, she gives some background history on the Metroparks themselves.

Sharon Hosko the Nature Center Manager in Brecksville talks about the Brecksville reservation. She gives the history of the park, some species that live in the park, and how the park is used by the public. Specifically, she gives a good description of some trees and amphibians species. She also discusses birding as recreation.

Sharon Hosko is a naturalist at the Metroparks. Hosko talks about the Sugarbush. She speaks about the animals, geology, and vegetation. She also talks about Mill Stream and Baldwin Wallace.

John Kilgore is the chief of engineering and design for the Cleveland Metroparks. He talks about trail projects in the park such as the Lake to Lake Trail. He also tells about the geological history of the area in detail. Other topics are Native American habitation in the area and specific structures that are still in the parks.

Joan Kubicki is an information specialist at the Metroparks. She talks about the Canalway and Erie Canal Heritage. She also speaks about the animals in the park extensively. She also speaks about invasive species and the arboretum.

In this interview, we asked the Cleveland Metropark's Zoo Director Christopher Kuhar about his experiences with the zoo. The interview began with a discussion of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and its accreditation process. Dr. Kuhar then discussed his work as a curator before he became the executive director, and he described the challenges that a curator may face. Throughout the interview, Dr. Kuhar emphasized the importance of inquiry education and how zoos like his are trying to…

Doug Kusak is a history interpreter at the Metroparks. Kusak discusses the Ohio Erie Canal Reservation, including his knowledge of the history of the Ohio and Erie Canal in relation to that of the area. Kusak concludes with a focus on the Washington Reservation.

Deborah Marcinski talks about North Chagrin and Euclid Creek Reservations. While talking about each part of the Metroparks, she also discusses the animals and research projects in which she has participated. At the same time, she tells the history of some of the landmarks of North Chagrin such as Squire's Castle and others.

Kelly McGinnis, a naturalist for Cleveland Metroparks who works at the Brecksville Nature Center, talks about Hinckley Reservation. She talks about the history of the reservation from its founding. A variety of topics are touched on. Wildflowers in the park, bird species, and uses for the park are all covered. She wraps up the interview by telling some interesting stories about important characters from the history of Hinckley Reservation, like Robert Whip.

Debra Shankland is a naturalist at the Cleveland Metroparks. She talks about the Watershed Stewardship Center and West Creek Reservation. She also talks about the geology in West Creek Reservation. She wraps up the interview by talking about the animals found in West Creek.

Harvey Webster relates several local wildlife stories within the context of the role of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History's relationship/partnership with the local Metroparks. CNHM acts as the curator and educator and assists with the parks role in the preservation and sustainment of wildlife and nature. Webster provides many and varied stories about Ohio's wildlife resources.

Wedny Weirich is the center manager for Rocky River Nature Center. The interview covered Huntington Reservation, Rocky River Reservation, Bradley Woods and Big Creek Reservation. She gives a good overview of the highlights of each area. Areas of focus about the parks are trails and organizations. She also discusses some of the flora and fauna of the park and tells some famous stories of the history of the metroparks.