Cincinnati Wild Flower Preservation Society 

Ohio Native Plant Society, Southwest Ohio Chapter
Updated Wednesday March 1, 2023 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.) Now available 

Now available for download - SCHEDULE COVER 2022 2023(PDF)  , schedule inside 2022 2023 (pdf)  and 
 Newsletter 2023 January 

"You don’t have to be a plant expert to enjoy these trips and lectures. The locations are amazing and the atmosphere is casual. I’ve enjoyed every event that I’ve attended for many years!"- BB

What you missed- On Friday February 10, 2023, Dr. Glenn Storrs, vertebrate paleontologist at the Cincinnati Museum Center presented a program “Big Bone Lick –Cradle of Paleontology”. He discussed the importance of the site both for the actual discoveries made there, and for it"s impact on the science of paleontology, including the then very new concept of extinction. This event had our largest in person attendance since we restarted live meetings in September 2022. At Avon Woods Nature Center, we had 46 in person, as well as 30 zoom attendees. The lecture was recorded and we hope to make it available soon.

      -----Our next event----

Friday March 10, 2023 - "The Rare and Unusual - Discoveries at the Edge" by Mark Zloba- Preceded by optional Potluck Dinner - Location is the Gathering at Northern Hills (and by Zoom). Please RSVP here   before 11pm Thurs March 9

5:15 pm – Appetizers

5:45 pm -  Potluck Dinner- Please rsvp here   , for dinner and/or lecture. It is very helpful for us to know how many are coming in person (and to send zoom link to others.) Please register by 11pm Thursday and the zoom-link will be sent Friday morning. You may log into the meeting at 6:50pm Friday.
(If you forget to rsvp, you are still welcome to attend the dinner and lecture in person.)

You may bring a dish of your choice; appetizer, main or side dish, or dessert.  Any food or zoom questions or for last minute attendance, contact Bob Bergstein by text/phone at 513-477-4438.

7:00 pm – Annual Meeting (Board Election) followed by Lecture - "The Rare and Unusual - Discoveries at the Edge" presented by Mark Zloba, Ecological Manager, Edge of Appalachia, Adams County, Ohio

From fireflies that synchronize, crickets that live entirely within ant mounds, rats that collect nickels, snakes that rattle, katydids new to science, to lichens once believed to be extinct, Mark will share some of the many new finds made at the Edge of Appalachia Preserve in nearby Adams County Ohio.

This Preserve is co-owned and managed by the Cincinnati Museum Center and the Nature Conservancy. Beginning with the small Lynx Prairie ( here ), this Preserve system has grown to over 20,000 acres, preserving the amazing and diverse natural areas in Southern Ohio.

Mark Zloba is the ecological manager of the Preserve and works for the Cincinnati Museum Center. He has been working at the Edge for 25 years, doing education, land management, collections and research.  During this time, the preserve has been conducting an All Taxa Biological Inventory, inviting experts in many fields to explore the preserve, collecting specimens and teaching identification techniques.  The research is ongoing.

Driving Directions- Google maps knows “The Gathering at Northern Hills” and the address 460 Fleming Road, 45231. This is just north of Wyoming, a Cincinnati suburb.

Zoom Directions- As stated above, please rsvp here   , for dinner and/or lecture. It is very helpful for us to know how many are coming in person (and to send zoom link to others.) Please register by 11pm Thursday and the zoom-link will be sent Friday morning. You may log into the meeting at 6:50pm Friday.
(If you forget to rsvp, you are still welcome to attend the dinner and lecture in person.) . Any food or zoom questions or for last minute zoom attendance, contact Bob Bergstein by text/phone at 513-477-4438.

**Friday, March 24, 2023 from 8 am – 4 pm: Ohio Botanical Symposium, Columbus, Ohio

Cost ~$50, includes continental breakfast and lunch buffet. It’s a great way to hear updates on Ohio plant news. The keynote address is “Not your Grandfather’s Flora: New Floristic Tools for Information, Appreciation, and Conservation” Alan Weakley Ph.D., U. of North Carolina Herbarium.

Registration information will be at https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-ODNR/nature-preserves/botanical-symposium.

Our Society is one of the sponsors of this event and we will host a table to support DNAP (Ohio Department of Natural Areas and Preserves).

Sunday, March 26, 2023 at 2:00 pm: Newberry Wildlife Sanctuary, Hamilton County, Ohio

Join hike leaders Nick Ludwig and Angela Carter for early spring ephemerals and looking for salamanders along the creek. This will be a moderate RSVP field trip, limited to 12, due to walking down and back from a limited parking area and several creek crossings.

Plan on meeting at Farbach-Werner Nature Preserve and carpooling to the site; the price of the annual Motor Vehicle Permit is $10 for a Hamilton County resident and $16 for a non-resident. Please RSVP to Angela Carter at amcarter@fuse.net or 513-300-2787 or for any additional questions.

Directions: Farbach-Werner Nature Preserve is located at 3455 Poole Road, Cincinnati, OH 45251. From Cincinnati, take I-275 to exit 33 and head south on US-27 S/Colerain Ave for 1.7 miles. Turn right onto Poole Road. The preserve is on the left.

---------------- April 2023 -----------------

Saturday, April 15, 2023 at 10:00 am: Edge of Appalachia, Adams County, Ohio

Rich McCarty will lead this spring wildflower hike. This will be at minimum a moderate hike since we expect to be off trail with some bushwhacking.
Due to the unpredictability of spring weather, we will determine the location and additional details as we get closer to the date when a specific site and meeting place will be announced, and posted here.

Saturday, April 22, 2023 at 10:00 am: Halls Creek Woods State Nature Preserve, Warren County, Ohio

Marjie Becus will be leading us on this 1.6 mile trail up the hill and through the woods.  Halls Creek Woods has some fine native wildflowers including a good display of large flowered trillium.  The woods is open and where we will be walking is relatively free of invasives.  Most of the trail is easy, with a short section on a rocky farm road that may be wet.

Directions:  Google maps knows the location "Halls Creek Woods State Nature Preserve"

From I-275 on the North side of Cincinnati, take the I-71 exit. Go north on I-71 and proceed 10.7 miles. Take the exit onto 48 south and proceed 3.24 miles to the intersection of St. Rt. 22/3 and turn left (east).  Turn left on OH 22/3 and go 2.64 miles to the stop light to the intersection with Stubbs Mill Rd.  Turn left (north) on Stubbs Mill Rd.  and proceed 0.63 mile crossing the bike trail and the Little Miami River.  Turn right onto Mason, Morrow, Millgrove Rd and go 1.15 miles to the Halls Creek parking lot on the left (hill side). Do not turn onto Halls Creek Rd. or turn into the Scenic Rivers parking lot to the right.

Sunday, April 23, 2023 from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm: Caldwell Nature Preserve, Hamilton County, Ohio

Come join us for a wildflower wander to see spring ephemerals, learn identification and help the preserve enter wildflowers and whatever fungi, animals and insects that we may encounter along the trails. Cincinnati Parks will be having a weekend bioblitz on the following weekend so this an opportunity to get an early start on finding wildflowers.

Directions: Google maps knows the location Caldwell Nature Center, 430 W. Northbend Road

Take exit 9 from I-75 to OH-4 N/Paddock Rd and in 0.2 miles turn left onto E North Bend Rd. Caldwell Nature Center is 1.2 miles on the right at 430 W North Bend Rd.

----------------- May 2023 -----------------

Saturday, May 6, 2023 at 10:00 am: Charles A. Eulett Wilderness Preserve, Adams County, Ohio

Marjie Becus, and Judy and Ray Komorowski will lead groups on this 2 1/2 mile trail.  We will be hiking a narrow trail past various spring wildflowers with fern covered rock cliffs overhead.  The hike is relatively easy with the possible exceptions of the occasional stream crossing where the rocks may be slippery.  You might want to bring a walking stick.  We hope to see lady slippers, large flower trillium, Indian paint brush and other beauties.

If you wish to bring a lunch, we can go to Adams Lake State Park after the hike and use their picnic tables.

Directions: From I-275 take exit 63 onto OH-32 E/State Rte 32 E toward Batavia for 33.9 miles Turn right onto OH-247 S/Main St and proceed for 9.7 miles then turn left onto W Main St

(passing by RadioShack on the left). After 0.6 miles continue straight onto OH-125 E/Sunrise Ave and follow OH-125 E for 7.2 miles. Turn left onto Lynx Dr. and follow for 0.4 miles until you reach Shivener Rd; turn left and the Wilderness parking lot will be in 0.6 miles.

Sunday May 7, 2023- Rinsky Woods Nature Preserve, Clermont Co, OH

Saturday May 13, 2023: Give Back Day - Garlic Mustard Pull, Caesar Creek Gorge SNP (on Corwin Road), Warren Co, OH

** Sunday June 4, 2023 - Picnic at Keystone Flora,
Hamilton Co, OH

Saturday June 10, 2023-Butterfly Ridge, Hocking Co, OH

Saturday July 22, 2023- Land Between the Lakes, Lyon
& Trigg Co, KY

Sunday July 23, 2023- May Prairie, Coffee Co, TN

Sunday July 30, 2023 - Huffman Prairie, Greene Co, OH

Saturday Aug 12, 2023Bloomfield Barrens, Spencer Co, IN

September 8, 2023 at 7:30 pm: Friday Program
Avon Woods Nature Center
In Person and Zoom Presentation
6:30 pm Optional Picnic Supper
7:30 pm Members' Photo Sharing Program

Fall 2023 events will be posted in Early September