Cincinnati Wild Flower Preservation Society
Ohio Native Plant Society, Southwest Ohio Chapter
Updated Wednesday Nov 13, 2019 at 10pm
Our hikes and lectures are free and open to the public, and all are welcome. (but we depend on our memberships to cover our expenses.) .
For descriptions and photos of the our other missed events, scroll down on our Newsletter tab
Please note the corrected day and date for our December Event is Sunday December 8, 2019. This had been incorrectly listed previously.
What you missed – On Friday November 8, 2019 at Avon Woods, Dr. Kenneth Barnett Tankersley told us the fascinating story of “Dr. Charles Louis Metz and the American Indian Archaeology of the Little Miami River Valley”. Dr. Metz was self-taught in archaeology, living his whole life (1846-1926) in Southwest Ohio, pursuing this scientific research. Good crowd of 62, enjoyed this talk on a cool 32 temp evening.
What you missed- On Sunday November 10, 2019, Dan Boone led the hike on Pinch-Em Tight Trail in the Red River Gorge of Kentucky. More details and photos later.
Our Next Event
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Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 9 am: Give Back Day, Honeysuckle Removal, Hazelwood Botanical Preserve, Hamilton County, Ohio
Join us to help eradicate invasive bush honeysuckle in the preserve. Volunteers need to bring gloves, loppers, and other implements of destruction. Spray bottles with glyphosate will be furnished. Loaner loppers are available if needed. Dress appropriately for the weather.
The Harris M. Benedict Nature Preserve, aka Hazelwood Botanical Preserve, owned by the University of Cincinnati Department of Biological Sciences, was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1977 by the Department of the Interior for the study of plants and animals in eastern deciduous forests. This preserve, unique for its location and diverse habitat, has a wonderful mature forest. Harris Benedict was chair of the UC Botany Department at the time of his death in 1928, when a streetcar struck his auto. Benedict was E. Lucy Braun’s doctoral advisor. Braun studied Hazelwood.
Many of the mature trees were destroyed by the lethal F4 tornado of April 9, 1999, drastically altering the landscape. Although our members have successfully removed honeysuckle here for 23 years, the honeysuckle experienced a great resurgence after the tornado opened the forest canopy.
For more information, contact Christine Hadley at 513-850-9585 or email christinehadley@earthlink.net.
Directions: Google maps knows the parking lot location as Johnson Nature Preserve, 10840 Deerfield Rd, Montgomery, OH 45242
From I-71, take exit 15 (Pfeiffer Road).
Drive east for 0.7 miles.
Turn left (north) on Deerfield Road for 0.8 miles to the "T".
Turn left (west) STILL on Deerfield Road for 0.1 miles.
Meet at the Johnson Nature Preserve parking lot on the right.
Driving time from downtown Cincinnati is 20 minutes.
---------------- December 2019 -----------------
Please note that the correct day and date for Hardy Souls Hike, Potluck and Lecture (at the Gathering at Northern Hills) is Sunday December 8, 2019. A previous date listed here was incorrect.
Sunday, December 8, 2019, 3:00 pm: Annual Hardy Souls Hike, Buttercup Valley Preserve (followed by the holiday potluck and program)
Please join us as Greg Torres leads our annual hike. This year's site has been selected in memoriam of Skip Meinhart who tirelessly dedicated his time to fight invasives in this preserve. Buttercup Valley is a beautiful piece of forest which has been untouched since the pioneer days and some of the trees in the valley are over 200 years old. We'll meet at the end of Stanford Drive in Northside, at the entrance to the trail.
Contact Angela Carter at 513-300-2787 or amcarter@fuse.net if you have questions.
Directions: The are multiple options to reach the preserve depending on your location. Turn east onto Stanford Drive from Hamilton Ave and the on-street parking is limited; the address is 1558 Stanford Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45223.
After the hike you may proceed to Gathering at Northern Hills at 460 Fleming Road for Wine and fellowship at 5:15; dinner at 5:45.
Sunday, December 8, 2019 7:00 pm: Lecture Program, Gathering at Northern Hills
“Wildflowers and Ferns of Red River Basin” – Daniel and Judy Dourson
Dan Dourson spent more than 20 years with the US Forest Service as the wildlife biologist for the Stanton Ranger District of the Daniel Boone National Forest. During that time, he managed and documented both plant and animal species. He and his wife, Judy, have recently completed their first book in a biodiversity series, “Wildflowers and Ferns of the Red River Gorge and the Greater Red River Basin” which highlights many of the over 1500 flowering plants that occur within the Red River Watershed. The book will be available for purchase at the talk. After the talk, there will be an opportunity for a book signing as well.
Our next newsletter will be mailed in Early January, 2020
(**Dayton Controversy - Paul Knoop Prairie- The Dayton Airport is seeking to sell for development 140 acres of restored Prairie. It had been farmland and was purchased by the airport in 1993, then leased to Aullwood Audubon Center and restored as a prairie. It is named after Paul Knoop, former director of Aullwood. (Paul spoke to the Society and led a hike for us in 2017). The Society has not taken a position on this, but if you wish to sign a petition, click
here , or see much more info at Aullwood’s website
https://aullwood.audubon.org/preserve-knoop-prairie)
All of our events are free and open to the public. Of course if you enjoy our events, as we think you will, it is nice to join to help support the Society. Our hikes and lectures are excellent, in a wonderful casual atmosphere. You will have the opportunity to talk with our speakers after the meetings. Our hike leaders are knowledgeable and will be glad to point out the plants that we are seeing.
