The Metro Parks are a group of 19 metropolitan parks in and around Columbus, Ohio. They are officially organized as the "Columbus and Franklin County Metropolitan Park District". The Metro Parks system was organized in 1945 under Ohio Revised Code Section 1545 as a separate political division of the state of Ohio. The Metro Parks are overseen by a Board of Park Commissioners consisting of three citizens appointed to three-year terms without compensation by the Judge of the Probate Court of Franklin County, Ohio. The Board in turn appoints an Executive Director responsible for operations and management of the parks.
The Metro Parks system protects over 27,000 acres of land and water and extends over seven counties in Central Ohio and the Hocking Hills area. Facilities and programs include trails, shelters, lodges, nature centers, educational facilities and programs, natural resources management, stormwater management, picnicking, boating, and other recreational activities.
Located near Galloway, this is the largest park at over 7,000 acres. Unique features include restored prairie areas that house a group of American bison, a large nature center with exhibits about the exceptional biodiversity of Big Darby Creek, and a Fort Ancient mound. Much of the land for the park was donated by the Battelle Memorial Institute. Location: 39°53′17″N 83°12′57″W / 39.8880556°N 83.2158333°W