Cincinnati Wildflower Preservation Society

(Ohio Native Plant Society, Southwest Ohio Chapter)  

Updated Wed April 19, 2014 at 8pm

Our hikes and lectures are free and open to the public, (but we depend on our memberships to cover our expenses.) Come learn about Cincinnati Native Plants. The Cincinnati Wild Flower Preservation Society welcomes you to our great (and free) events. All are welcome.  

What you missed- On Friday April 11, the Society participated in the WWC's Annual Wildflower Festival at Mt St. Joe . (Photo 1- Our booth with Tim Sisson, Christine Hadley and Randy Johnson) 

What you missed- On Monday April 14, UC's Biology Department presented an award to Society President Emeritus Victor Soukup in appreciation of his 39 years of volunteer work in the UC herbarium.  Photo 1-the plaque, 2-Vic with presenter Steven Rogstad, 3-Vic with Dr Theresa Culley 

**Saturday, April 19, 2 pm: Bender Mountain, Western Hamilton County, Ohio

This will be a joint hike between the Society and Western Wildlife Corridor. The “Mountain” is glorious in the spring! Hillsides here are covered with many species of beautiful wildflowers. As an added treat, WWC will dedicate the new Bender Mountain trail system before the hike. For more on this event, contact Christine Hadley at 513-850-9585 or .

Directions:  This preserve is at about 6399 Bender Road, Cincinnati 45233.  About 20 minutes from Downtown Cincy.  Follow the Route 50 signs carefully through the construction zone. 

If coming from the North on I-75, take exit  1F (Freeman Ave) and drive 0.6 miles and slight right onto Route 50 West (River Road)

(OR If coming from the South on I-75 , take 1D to merge onto Route 50 West (River Road))

Stay on Route 50 West (River Road) for about 9.5 miles.  

When you come to the Red building “River Road Auto Care" you are almost at Bender Road. 

Turn right onto Bender Road and travel for about half a mile. Meet at the gravel parking lot on the right side.

For a park map 6MB click here

For a map from Route 50 (near I-75) to the preserve click here

**April 12 & April 19, 2 pm, Wildflower Hike
East Fork Riparian Preserve (2 miles West of Lynchburg, Ohio), Clinton County, Ohio
(Note: this is not at East Fork Lake State Park)

Join Clinton County Open Lands on one or both dates to see spring wildflowers. Most likely you will see quite a difference in flowers that are blooming between the two dates. Wear boots as it may be muddy in the riparian area. Contact Christine Hadley at if you have questions. 

Directions from Wilmington: Take SR 68 South from Wilmington about 20 miles (through Westboro). Turn left onto SR 251 towards St.Martin. Turn left onto Kernan Rd. which is the first road past A&M Apple Orchard. Stay on Kernan for about 4 miles and keep going straight as it changes names and becomes Webertown Rd. Parking lot is on the right.  

Directions from Cincinnati (Please print a map before you drive!)

From I-275 on East side of Cincy take route 32 east to Batavia

Take the OH-132/OH-222 exit  

Turn right at the bottom of the exit onto OH-132/222 and drive 0.1 miles

Turn right to stay on Route 132 and drive 3.7 miles into Owensville

Turn Right onto US-50 E and drive 14 miles (passing thru Fayetteville) to route 251.

Turn Left onto rt 251 and drive 3.6 miles

Turn right on Co Rd 312/Kernan Rd and drive 1.5 mi

Kernan continues as Webertown Rd and drive 1.8 mi  to the parking lot on your right.

If you get to mullen hill road on your left, you've gone too far.

Bob’s map says 1059-1899 Webertown Rd (brochure says address is 935 Webertown road)

Lynchburg, OH 45142 

Click here for google map from Cincinnati  

For a preserve map click here

**Thurs April 17 thru Sun Apr 20 (NEW DATES): Wildflower Pilgrimage at Highlands Nature Sanctuary, Southern Ohio

A major weekend event, the Wildflower Pilgrimage features naturalist and botanist guided hikes to botanical hotspots in the Highlands Nature Sanctuary and surrounding area (southern Ohio) at the peak of wildflower season. Call 937-365-1935 or go to www.arcofappalachia.org/events/wildflower.html for more information.

**Saturday, April 26, Half Day or All Day: Western Wildlife Corridor 9th Annual Flower-a-thon, Delhi, Ohio

Sponsored by Western Wildlife Corridor. Choice of two start times and small groups led by experienced wildflower enthusiasts are two new features. Contribution of $15 includes breakfast and dinneer with lecture . Brochure Contact Tim Sisson at 513-922-2104 or  for more information or
 go to  http://westernwildlifecorridor.org/ 
 

.------------------ May 2014 -----------------

**Saturday, May 3: Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, Greene County, Ohio

Tim Snyder, previous Clifton Gorge SNP Preserve Manager, will lead an excellent and very educational hike sharing the geology, wildflowers and history of this fantastic preserve. This is an ONAPA sponsored event. See www.onapa.org for more information.

 
Saturday, May 10, 10 am: Scioto Brush Creek State Nature Preserve, Scioto County, Ohio

Rick Gardner, Ohio Chief Botanist,will lead this hike at Scioto Brush Creek State Nature Preserve, a 30-acre preserve protecting a significant stretch of this highly diverse stream, home to 69 species of fish and federal and state-listed mussels. The preserve has a nice diversity of spring wildflowers, plus a number of rare and state-listed plants, including the Federal threatened Appalachian spiraea, Spiraea virginiana, and the state endangered Appalachian quillwort, Isoetes engelmannii.

Directions: From Cincinnati, take State Route 32 east to State Route 73. Turn right (east) on State Route 73 through Otway and then after a few miles turn left on Arion Road, which is directly across from the State Route 371 junction (Lombardsville). Travel for about 2 miles until you reach the railroad overpass; there will be a road on your right. Turn right and follow this road until it intersects Wrights Run Road (the next intersection) and turn left. Follow this road and at the next intersection turn left to cross over the creek and the preserve will be on your right, marked by a preserve sign. There is a small parking lot.

**May 12-13: Lakeside Daisy Workshop and Field Trip

Flora-Quest and ONAPA (Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association) are teaming for a workshop and field trip to the Lafarge Alvar Lakeside Daisy State Nature Preserve with Jennifer Windus, Cheryl Harner, Guy Denny, and Tim Snyder. See www.flora-quest.com or call 419-683-8952 for more information.

Saturday, May 17, 9 am–noon: Give Back Day, Garlic Mustard Pull at Caesar Creek Gorge Nature Preserve, Warren County, Ohio

Join us to pull the invasive garlic mustard plant, which is easy to recognize and yank up. No experience is necessary. We want to help DNAP's (Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves) limited resources and preserve this lovely area where so much work has already been done on the bush honeysuckle. Bring gloves and enthusiasm. We'll furnish bags. Hope for good weather. Of course, you can relax and take a nice walk after pulling garlic mustard!

Caesar Creek Gorge is a wonderful preserve of 461 acres with a variety of spring ephemerals. The gorge walls, rising 180 feet above the river, were formed by glacial meltwater, exposing Ordovician limestone and shale rich in fossils. The preserve contains diverse habitat including floodplain and hillsides heavily wooded with beech, maple, hickory, and oak.

Note that we will be working at the Caesar Creek GORGE STATE NATURE PRESERVE and NOT the nearby Caesar Creek STATE PARK. Contact Christine Hadley at 513-850-9585 or if you have any questions.

Directions: From I-71, take the Wilmington Road exit (exit 36). Head west onto Wilmington Road (left if you were heading north on I-71). Travel for 1.7 miles on Wilmington Road down the steep hill, into the river valley. At this point, stay on Corwin Road, which follows along the east side of the Little Miami River. (DO NOT turn left, which continues as Wilmington Road and crosses the river). Approaching the town of Oregonia, jog right, then a quick left to stay on Corwin Road,passing the post office and Hall’s Market. Drive another 3 miles north of Oregonia and the preserve (and parking lot) will be on your right, the east side of the road. Meet in the parking lot.

Details of the following events will be posted here in May

May 24, 2014: Saturday Field Trip- Garbry Big Woods Sanctuary and Kiser Lake Wetlands, Miami and Champaign counties,OH   

May 31, 2014: Saturday Field Trip Cedar Bog State Nature Preserve, Champaign Co., OH

June 7, 2014: Saturday Field Trip  Meander with John Howard in Adams County, Adams Co., OH**

June 8, 2014: Sunday Field Trip- Picnic at Keystone Flora, Hamilton Co., OH

July 12, 2014: Saturday Field Trip- Beavercreek Wetlands Mitigation, Greene Co., OH

July 26, 2014 : Saturday Field Trip- Lynx Prairie and Chaparral Prairie Adams Co., OH

August 9, 2014 : Saturday Field Trip - Dawes Arboretum, Licking Co., OH

August 16, 2014: Saturday Field Trip - Whipple State Nature Preserve, Adams Co., OH 

September 12, 2014: Friday Program  Avon Woods Nature Center

6:30 pm Picnic Supper
7:30 pm Members' Photo Sharing Program    

If you are not yet a member, you are welcome to attend events.  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