Columbus Dispatch
January 4, 2026
January 4, 2026
NATURE
Jim McCormac
A great horned owl, one of Ohio's top-end predators, is featured on the cover of the latest Ribbit! magazine
I’m on a board of The Columbus Foundation called the Green Fund, and each year, we pick grant recipients from a worthy pool of requestors. Our focus is on the environment, including educational initiatives.
Last June, prior to our deliberations, Bettina Cooper came to the Green Fund to make a pitch about a new publication she had started, Ribbit!, a magazine geared toward younger generations.
I was thoroughly impressed by Cooper's presentation and the magazine, and the reasons for producing it. The rest of our board agreed, and we helped with funding.
Cooper kindly sent along a hard copy of the most recent Ribbit! (Issue 6, Winter 2025/26), which features an eye-catching color image of a great horned owl on the cover. That ties to an article inside titled “Amazing Owl Adaptions.”
Being an owl aficionado, I eagerly pored through the article, which was penned by naturalist Kate Brierley, who works at Blacklick Woods Metro Park.
Like all the magazine’s other material, Brierley's owl piece is well-written, engaging and informative. As younger people are the target of Ribbit!, the owl article is easy to understand, explains the basics of owl physiology and behavior clearly and simply, and uses wonderful photography and graphics to punctuate important points.
Other articles in the issue include pieces on the ice age, cold-hardy animals, how to better find wildlife, speaking up for nature, and more. A staple in each issue is “Columbus Nature News,” which informs readers about upcoming events such as Christmas Bird Counts, World Wetlands Day and the Winter Hike Series with Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks.
A personal favorite in the “Nature News” section was a short note recognizing Squirrel Appreciation Day, which falls on Jan. 21. Squirrels are incredibly important components of ecosystems, but do not get their fair share of love. Going to bat for the underdogs is an admirable trait, and the producers of Ribbit! certainly do that.
Magazine staff strive to get notable authors, and the current issue’s ice age article was written by Daniel Kelley of the Ohio State University and Jamey Stutz of ODNR’s Division of Geological Survey. The geologists do an admirable job of explaining the complexities of the ice age and its impact on Ohio, all in easily understood language.
The six issues to date contain an impressive array of subject matter, and all of them are excellent intellectual fodder for growing minds. And no ads!
Each issue is about 30 pages, features color throughout, and layout and design are superb. Ribbit! is free, with funding coming from a variety of sources. Donations are appreciated and provide a valuable part of the magazine’s funding.
After reading several issues, I feel Ribbit! hits its mark of educating younger people and should be of interest to kids from K-12, and adults, too.
Ribbit! is produced under the auspices of a group called Naturewise Columbus and its eight-member board of directors.
To learn more about the people who produce the magazine, visit their website at naturewisecolumbus.org.
The magazine is available, free of charge, at libraries, community centers, parks and various public events. Interested parties can also view magazines on the Ribbit! website, ribbitmagazine.com.
The next issue comes out March 1.
Environmental education should be part of the basic curriculum for students, and Ribbit! magazine provides a big dollop of that in a very interesting package. I highly recommend it, and please help spread the word.
Naturalist Jim McCormac writes a column for The Dispatch on the first and third Sundays of the month. He also writes about nature at jimmccormac.blogspot.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment