The Lake Metroparks Environmental Learning Center is a state-of-the-art science and educational facility that connects people with nature. It features educational exhibits, fully equipped high-tech classrooms, an astronomical observatory, a biology/ biotechnology lab and a WeatherBug® weather station.
Located on approximately 250 acres of beautiful and ecologically diverse open space rich in both cultural and natural history, Big Creek and Jordan Creek are protected on this property. Students, educators and residents of Northeast Ohio will benefit from the unique partnerships, programs and projects that are and will continue to be developed at this facility.
The Lake Metroparks Environmental Learning Center demonstrates, teaches, encourages and reinforces the national No Child Left Inside initiative.
Opened in fall 2008, the building and surrounding land are a laboratory for learning and discovery-based education, in both science and local Ohio history. It is an attraction and an inspirational site for traditional, creative and contemporary technical arts
This facility is open for pre-registered programs only.
Clubs that meet at The Environmental Learning Center
Directions: From I-90, take State Route 44 south to Auburn Road; turn left and proceed 0.3 mile; turn right onto Concord-Hambden Road. Continue one mile to stop sign at Ravenna Road. Continue straight on Concord-Hambden for 0.4 mile to Alexander Road and turn left; drive 0.3 mile to park entrance (on the left).
Lake Metroparks is now scheduling education programs previously offered by the Porter Program for Science & Mathematics. For more information or to schedule a program, contact Karen Reis at 440-256-2126.
Click here to view Lake Metroparks’ education brochure.
The Eco Café
Once a month on a Wednesday
7 to 8:30 pm
April - October
The Eco Café is a FREE adult program held once a month March through October. Our casual coffeehouse atmosphere is a pleasant way to spend the evening while listening to many interesting and relevant topics. It’s the local alternative to the Science Café in Cleveland. Wednesday nights from 7 to 8:30 pm we welcome you to visit the Environmental Learning Center. Come early and walk the facility and grounds.
Each month an expert in environmental science, a local naturalist or a citizen scientist will make a short presentation followed by an informal discussion. Some months an environmentally themed movie will be shown followed by discussion. Refreshments are served and registration is required.
Click on the name of the program to register.
April 17 -
Darwin & the Galapagos
As a follow up to his talk on Darwin the Naturalist, Rich Benz will talk about Darwin's venture to the Galapagos along with his own personal experiences there.
May 15 - Arctic Adventures
Mike Sustin, a science teacher from West Geauga High School will tell us about his trip to the Arctic in the summer of 2012. Mike was sponsored on the trip by National Geographic.
WeatherBug®
Through its affiliation with the WeatherBug® Schools Network, Lake Metroparks Environmental Learning Center now has its own online weather page called the Online Weather Center. This page is similar to the WeatherBug desktop with live conditions, forecasts and links to other information on one page.
Live Conditions are links to daily or monthly weather observations and a graphing link that can show the temperature over 1 day, or 2 days, or 7 days. The graph’s left and right axis have drop-down boxes that can be changed to show humidity, wind speed or other recorded weather data for the time period. Above the live camera picture you can also change tabs to maps or look at other WeatherBug® weather stations. And finally at the bottom is a 7-day or hourly forecast which has links to more forecast information. Weather alerts are also posted on this page.
The WeatherBug® Schools Network is the largest weather network in the world. More than 8,000 schools across the U. S. operate WeatherBug Tracking Stations to integrate live, local weather data and technology into classroom learning.
Lake Metroparks physically built a bridge, but symbolically it’s much more than it looks. This bridge will link students from the Environmental Learning Center to the greatest classroom they could have, a 250 acre ecosystem in their own backyard.
Students use the Environmental Learning Center science labs to learn about our local environment. As part of our capital improvement projects, this bridge over Jordan Creek will enable students to hike and study along miles of paths and different ecosystems.
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