Your Smartphone Can Guide You through Nature

Visitors to the Cleveland Metroparks can learn about the natural world around them on the fly with new technology -- a QR Code.

The "Naturalist's Almanac QR Code" will instantly link to a page on the park district's website to get weekly information on bird activity, wildflowers in bloom, mammals on the move, even sounds to listen for on the next trip to Cleveland Metroparks.

To access QR Codes, a smartphone with a QR Code reader installed is needed. With the smartphone, scan the QR Code using the camera on the phone.

The information changes weekly to keep pace with the ever-changing natural world. Entries are organized by the weeks of the month.

Stickers with the QR code are available at nature and visitor centers. You can affix the code to binoculars, field guides or even on cars or bikes as a reminder to swipe and see all that Cleveland Metroparks has to offer. 

"We added audio versions for easy use on the trail and new pictures to help visitors identify the plants and animals highlighted in each entry," said Robert Hinkle, author of "Naturalist's Almanac" and chief naturalist of Cleveland Metroparks.

No smartphone?  You can also access the internet for the same information using this web address: http://blogs.clemetparks.com/naturalists-almanac/.