Nahuel Medina, Program Supervisor

Nahuel has been in his role with Ottawa County Parks for the past two years after working with Miami-Dade County Parks for 8 years.

What drew you to working for Parks?

I developed a deep appreciation for wildlife and education from an early age, inspired by Steve Irwin’s passion for animals and conservation. I enjoy not only learning about the natural world but also sharing that knowledge with those who may not regularly engage with nature.

What do you do in this role? What are your day-to-day tasks?

My primary responsibilities include planning and scheduling nature-based field trips for K-12 schools, as well as developing and implementing day camps for the county.

What is the best part of your job? Any memorable experiences?

The most rewarding part of my job is witnessing students have that "spark" moment when they realize their love for the outdoors and nature. I enjoy seeing kids exploring, playing, and engaging with our parks instead of spending the day on their screens.

What is your favorite Ottawa County Park and season to visit?

My new favorite park is Ottawa Sands. I'm excited to see how the ecological enhancements will attract wildlife of all kinds while also providing a safe and accessible space for people to enjoy nature’s beauty. Plus, it’s super close to Lake Michigan!

What is a hidden gem in Ottawa County Parks?

I enjoy wildlife photography, and Crockery Creek Natural Area is a hidden gem for it! It’s an excellent spot during spring bird migration, and I highly encourage more people to visit and explore its beauty.

Each park has its own unique charm throughout the seasons, and I love experiencing those changes. It has been nice to see all the differences since it’s something I did not grow up experiencing!

Curtis Dykstra, Program Supervisor

Curtis has been with Ottawa County Parks for 12 years, starting as a Parks Naturalist in 2013.

What drew you to working for parks? 

I grew up in a family that spent a lot of time outdoors hiking, camping, and traveling.  This early exposure gave me a desire to grow in my understanding of the diversity of ecosystems surrounding us and a passion to share the excitement of that understanding with others.

Can you explain what you do in that role? What are your day-to-day tasks?

My responsibilities include managing the public program content and schedule, supervising staff to effectively deliver the programming and building community around a culture that values parks.  Additionally, I manage on-site and outreach programming for local community groups and senior centers.  Last, I embrace my “bird guy” label by providing programming focused on birds!

What is the best part of your job? 

The moments that give me the most joy are seeing community develop, grow and function sustainably.  This happens when people who have found joy in parks and what we offer actively share that joy with others, igniting growth that just one person or one team of parks employees cannot do on their own.

What is your favorite Ottawa County Park?

I love Grand River Park for its diversity of ecosystems.  It seems that no matter the season, there is something interesting to engage with there.  I enjoy it most in spring as it’s one of the best birding locations in the county and has a great diversity of wildflowers too.  The fact that it’s connected to Grand Ravines Park via the Idema Explorers Trail has really increased accessibility in the park and has made it a special place for even more people.  That walk along the Grand River is hard to beat!

What is a hidden gem in Ottawa County Parks? 

Port Sheldon Natural Area provides visitors with a sense of wilderness that can be hard to find locally. Its natural diversity of flora and fauna make it a very engaging place to explore.  And it has the highest density in the county of Ovenbirds, my favorite bird species!

I am humbled to be a part of something so special in the community by being a part of Ottawa County Parks. I hope we can continue to provide parks, programs and engagement opportunities of the highest quality for the sake of the health and vitality of our community.

Featured Park: Grose Park

Overlooking Crockery Lake from a bluff amid towering trees, this 40 acre park provides a variety of recreational opportunities for the entire family including swimming, fishing, sand volleyball and picnicking. About one mile of hiking trails along a creek and through the woods offers abundant spring wildflowers from mid-April through May.

Learn more

by Bobbi Jones Sabine

Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) is an often overlooked member of the horsetail family, though it is ubiquitous in a very wide range of habitats. From fields and forests and fens, to ditches, shorelines, meadows, and old agricultural fields, it’s perfectly happy in sun or shade.  It’s found throughout both Michigan’s peninsulas and has been reported in just about every county in the state. It also grows throughout most of the United States and Canada.

In April or May, look for a fleshy pale pinkish-brown fertile stem, which will quickly shed its spores and die down. The green stems and filamentous leaves we are more familiar with appear later, and last all summer and fall. The very narrow leaves appear in whorls around the main stem. These perennial plants vary in height and robustness depending on the site conditions. The hollow stalks store water.

They can be considered living fossils, since they are left over from the Carboniferous geological period, 325 million years ago. Once this plant is established, it is very hard to eradicate. The rhizomes and roots are said to be able to go down as deep as 150 feet, and it also produces small tubers that can survive very long periods in the soil. It is very resistant to herbicides.

The young, asparagus-looking shoots are said to be edible raw or cooked, but some sources advise peeling them first to remove a tough outer layer. The tops can be brewed for tea. In northern lands, they are food for caribou, moose, sheep, and bears. Native Americans consumed the young shoots for their rich content of minerals. It’s said to be good for hair, nails, bones, bladder, and kidneys, and the tea is sometimes recommended for asthma.

Shakespeare referred to this flower in his play “Cymbeline,” where musicians offered “winking Marybuds” to awaken Imogen:

Hark, hark! The lark at heaven’s gate sings, And Phoebus ‘gins arise,
His steeds to water at those springs on chaliced flowers that lies;
And winking Marybuds begin to ope their golden eyes:
With every thing that pretty is, my lady, sweet, arise: Arise, arise.

Get Involved

How would you like to get involved?

• Volunteer on a Foundation committee.

• Join Parks Sustainers Club. 

• Join Parks for Life.

• Make an IRA or Stock contribution.

• Purchase a commemorative bench.

• Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

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