Colors bountiful in tree canopies across North Central Ohio
Bold and beautiful colors have become painted atop hillsides and across the backdrop of farm fields throughout North Central Ohio.
The autumn sights have been attracting visitors from Cleveland, Columbus and Akron to the country roads near Bucyrus, to the lakes and rivers around Mansfield and Ashland and to the rolling hills of Wooster and Millersburg.
Most of the region has reached its prime viewing, making now the perfect time for daytrips with cameras and binoculars, according to Josh Dyer, director of the Crawford Park District.
"I think this would be the week to do it," Dyer said. "The color diversity is really jumping."
Near peak colors abundant statewide
Peak colors can be seen many places this week within the Buckeye State, according to David Parrott, a fall color forester for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
"It seems like fall color has come quickly this past week and the majority of the state is now seeing near peak conditions," Parrott said. "Sugar maples, red maples, dogwoods and sumacs are in full display right now."
He suggests people visit one of the state's 24 state forests, which cover 200,000 acres of public land that provides family fun through hiking, fishing and camping.
Brilliant colors hidden by chlorophyll
The colors are actually in the leaves all year long, but covered.
"Basically the chlorophyll is hiding all of the other pigments in the leaf," Dyer explained.
As the days become long and the temperatures drop, Ohio's trees realize their growing period has come to an end and it's time to prepare for winter — tissue known as an abscission layer begins forming at the doorway between the leaves and their branches.
"The tree basically starts putting up a wall," Dyer said. "We don't need any more nutrients from the sun because we're going into dormancy."
The last of the green chlorophyll exits the leaves, allowing them to show off their natural color for a few days before they fall.
"Different trees will start cutting their leaves off at different times," Dyer said. "It depends on the species."
Leaves will soon fall to the ground
This autumn has brought thousands of visitors to the region already this year, according to Marty Starkey, executive director of Wayne County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
"It’s a real busy time," she said. "Fall has always been one of our best times."
The season almost seems like it was skipped entirely, though, as residents put away their shorts and cutoff shirts just in time for scattered snowfalls the past several days.
"We went from 80 degrees to 50 degrees," Starkey said. "It went fast and furious."
That's why now is the recommended time to take in the views while they're available — strong winds could knock the leaves to the ground in just a few days.
Leaves just a portion of autumn attractions
The leaves are just a portion of what makes autumn so magical for visitors, according to Tiffany Gerber, executive director of the Holmes County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau.
Farmers harvesting their fields, children sorting through patches of pumpkins and families sampling fresh batches of apple cider are scenes in great abundance throughout North Central Ohio.
"This is just the very beginning of the holiday season," Gerber said.
Hotels and country inns throughout the region have been full all month, and will be the rest of the season.
"This time of the season is so busy that folks are making plans a years in advance," Gerber said.
And even though there's plenty going on aside from the leaves, her phone has been ringing off the hook with people wanting to know how colorful the views are each day.
"Whoever can figure out when the peak will be, we will pay them heavily," Gerber said. "That's what folks want to know."
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources provides updates of fall color information online at ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/see-the-sights/fall-color.
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Colors bountiful in tree canopies across North Central Ohio
