Cincinnati Wild Flower Preservation Society

Ohio Native Plant Society, Southwest Ohio Chapter
Updated Tuesday Oct 8, 2024 at 11pm

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.) ."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.

Special note- Please sign up as soon as possible for our major invasive projects near Caesar Creek on Sat Oct 12 and Sunday Oct 27. This is of great help in our planning, which includes lunch!

What you missed- On Saturday Sept 28, 2024 we visited Betsch Fen State Nature Preserve in Ross County, north of Chillicothe Ohio. Photos and brief description soon.

-------------- October 2024 ---------------

Friday, October 11, 2024 at 7:30 pm: Lecture Program, Avon Woods Nature Center (and Zoom)

" Exploring Ohio’s Sedges" presented by Andrew Lane Gibson

Join Division of Natural Areas & Preserves field botanist Andrew Lane Gibson as he delves into the world of Ohio’s sedges. What makes a sedge a sedge? How diverse and specialized a group are they? Are sedges really that intimidating and challenging to learn? Their difficult reputation may precede them but sedges truly are some of our most beautiful, diverse, and inspiring plants well worth your attention.

Gibson hopes to help shed the air of frustration and introduce these plants in a new light and inspire others to become fellow sedgeheads.

Directions to Avon: Avon Woods Nature Center is a Cincinnati City Park at 4235 Paddock Road, Cincinnati 45229. From the Norwood Lateral (SR #562), drive 9/10 mile South on Paddock to the Avon Woods Park driveway. Turn sharp right and go to the lodge at the end of the long dark drive.

Both Google maps and Apple maps direct you correctly using the street address “4235 Paddock Road Cincinnati”. (Apple Map users should make sure your route enters the park from Paddock Road.)

Zoom link- Contact Bob B at bergstein123@gmail.com if you would like the Zoom link for this meeting.
(If you are on the email reminder list, you automatically receive zoom links for our lectures, in the reminder sent several days before the meeting. If you are not yet on the reminder list, contact Bob B at bergstein123@gmail.com and you will be added.)

Coming Now- Saturday, October 12, 2024 from 9 am-noon: Give Back Day, Honeysuckle Blitz at Caesar Creek Nature Center, Warren County, Ohio

Join us for the 2^nd Annual Janet Lasley Legacy Memorial & Education Area Give Back Day. Janet was involved in our community in many ways, but what gave her the most satisfaction was the volunteer work she did at the Caesar Creek Nature Center. To honor Janet’s memory, a multi-year renovation of the grounds at the Caesar Creek Nature Center has been underway for over 18 months.

Join the Cincinnati Wild Flower Preservation Society and other supporting groups as we remove invasives to assist this project. No experience necessary, we will show you what to do. Lunch will be provided.

Bring your favorite tools: gloves, pruners, loppers, saws, trimmers, and protective gear for power equipment. We will provide tools and safety equipment to volunteers new to honeysuckle removal. Stump treatment will be furnished.

RSVP to Christine Hadley at 513-850-9585 or christinehadley@earthlink.net.

Directions: Meet at the Caesar Creek Nature Center at 4006 Pioneer Village Road, Waynesville, OH 45068. (Please note that this event is at the Caesar Creek Nature Center, NOT the Caesar Creek Lake Visitor Center.)

Take I-71 to Wilmington Road (exit 36). Head east on Wilmington Road. Take the first left onto Olive Branch Road (crossing over I-71). Take the first right onto Jeffrey Road. At the first stop sign, turn right onto Oregonia Road. Turn left onto Pioneer Village Road following the signs to the Caesar Creek Nature Center.

Google maps knows the name Caesar Creek Nature Center.

Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024 at 10 am: Pine Mountain State Park, Bell County, KY

Sunday, Oct 20, 2024 at 10 am: Blanton Forest State Nature Preserve,

Please join Dave Kuehner and Angela Carter in search of fall color, flora and fungi starting with roadside botanizing through Kentucky's 'first' state park in 1924. Gentiana decora, Appalachian gentian, is our main target for Saturday.

Plan on meeting at the Pine Mountain State Resort Park lodge at 10 am on Saturday. Sunday will take us to Blanton Forest State Nature Preserve that protects 3,124 acres of old-growth and second-growth forests and over 400 different species of plants. If the weather conditions are favorable, we hope to find Corallorhiza odontorhiza, autumn coralroot; Epifagus virginiana, Beech-drops; Monotropa hypopitys, Pinesap; green stain mushrooms and red efts on the 0.5 mile foot trail along Watts Creek.

Folks will have an option to do part or all of the moderate to strenuous loop trails to Knobby Rock, Sand Cave and the Maze. Plan on packing water, snacks and a potential lunch since this is approximately 2.5 hours from Cincinnati.

Please contact Angela Carter, wildflowerfieldtrips@gmail.com or 513-300-2787, if you have any questions.

Sunday, October 27, 2024 from 9 am-noon: Give Back Day, 16^th Annual Honeysuckle Blitz at Caesar Creek U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gorge Spillway/Tail Water Area, Warren County, Ohio (This is the area just below the Dam)
Registration: 8:00–9:00 am
Honeysuckle removal: 9:00 am–noon
Lunch: noon

Join the Cincinnati Wild Flower Preservation Society, Cincinnati Wild Ones, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other nature groups, as we sponsor this volunteer effort now in its 16^th year to help remove that invasive alien, bush honeysuckle, from the Caesar Creek Lake Spillway/ Tail Water area.

Caesar Creek flows for two miles through a deep valley (gorge), originally cut by glacial meltwater, from Caesar Creek Dam to the Little Miami River. We are working in the area just below the dam, which is the property of the US Army Corps of Engineers.

This is a diverse habitat which features heavily wooded hillsides above the gorge of beech, maple, hickory, oak and a luxuriant herbaceous-flora-covered floodplain. The Cincinnati Wild Flower Preservation Society and Cincinnati Wild Ones have been working in this area for the past 15 years with a tremendous impact to wildflower diversity.

Bring your favorite tools: gloves, pruners, loppers, saws, trimmers. We will provide hand tools and safety equipment (gloves) to volunteers new to honeysuckle removal. Stump treatment will be furnished. (No experience necessary, we will show you what to do)

Note- Chainsaw & steel blade trimmer operators must be pre-registered and provide their own protective gear for their equipment.

This is a terrific social, educational and work activity, with a great lunch provided.

RSVP- Your RSVP is greatly appreciated in our planning of this event. Please contact Christine Hadley at 513-850-9585, or email christinehadley@earthlink.net, to RSVP or for more information.

Directions: Meet at the Gorge parking lot off Clarksville Road. Take I-71 to Wilmington Road (exit 36). Head east on Wilmington Road. Take the first left onto Olive Branch Road (crossing over I-71). Take the first right onto Jeffrey Road. At the first stop sign, take Oregonia Road; jog right and then jog left onto Clarksville Road. Follow across the dam, turn left at the gorge sign, and drive to the parking lot. We’ll meet near the gorge shelter. Look for signs directing you to the event.

If you’re looking at Google Maps, this area is called Caesar Creek Fishing Pier, which provides the correct route down the access road to the parking lot and large shelter, where we are meeting and having lunch. (Apple maps does not correctly find this location.)

(Do not go to the state nature preserve area on Corwin Road where the Society pulls garlic mustard each Spring)

---------------- November 2024 -----------------

Friday, November 8, 2024 at 7:30 pm: Lecture Program, Avon Woods Nature Center (and Zoom)

"Aldo Leopold, the Land Ethic, and A Sand County Almanac: The makings of a movement" presented remotely by Buddy Huffaker.

Note: Mr Huffaker is making this live presentation from a distant location. We we meet at usual at Avon and watch the zoom presentation together. Cookies as usual. Or you may attend by Zoom from your own house.

Join us for a virtual presentation from the director of the Aldo Leopold Center. While Aldo Leopold’s impact on the conservation movement is broad and deep, he is mostly known as the author of the now classic A Sand County Almanac. Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2024, “A Sand County Almanac” has been translated into sixteen languages and serves as one of the foundational texts for anyone that cares about people and places. But becoming a classic doesn’t happen overnight, it requires great writing, and often a few twists of fate.

Buddy will provide a quick biographical sketch of Aldo Leopold (watch GreenFire, the Emmy winning documentary, for a full biographical profile of Leopold for free at https://www.aldoleopold.org/teach-learn/digital-resources/#Green-Fire) and then focus on the people and events that have kept “A Sand County Almanac” and the call for a Land Ethic as relevant as ever.

Both Google maps and Apple maps direct you correctly using the street address “4235 Paddock Road Cincinnati”. (Apple Map users should make sure your route enters the park from Paddock Road.)

Saturday, November 16, 2024 at 9 am: Give Back Day, Hazelwood Botanical Preserve

Join us to help eradicate invasive bush honeysuckle in the preserve. Volunteers need to bring their gloves, loppers, and other implements of destruction. Spray bottles with glyphosate will be furnished. 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. Interestingly, 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 April 9, 1999, F4 tornado, drastically altering the landscape. Although our members have successfully removed honeysuckle here for 16 years, the honeysuckle experienced a great resurgence after the tornado opened the forest canopy to sunlight.

For more information, contact Christine Hadley at 513-850-9585 or christinehadley@earthlink.net.

Directions: From I-71, take exit #15 (Pfeiffer Rd). Drive east for 0.7 mile. Turn left (north) on Deerfield Road for 0.8 mile to the "T". Turn left (west) STILL on Deerfield Rd. for 0.1 mile. Meet at the Johnson Nature Preserve parking lot on the right. The address is 10840 Deerfield Road, Montgomery, Ohio. Driving time from downtown Cincinnati is 20 minutes.

**Saturday, November 23, 2024 at 10am: Give Back Day, Avon Woods Nature Preserve

This preserve is only 15 minutes from downtown Cincinnati. Your assistance on this project directly benefits our Society, since we now have a written agreement allowing our use of Avon Wood Nature Center for five meetings per year in exchange for our volunteer hours working in Avon Woods (and other Cincinnati Parks). For information about this and the following event, contact Bob Bergstein at 513-477-4438 or Bergstein123@gmail.com

---------------- December 2024 -----------------

**Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 10am: Give Back Day, Avon Woods Nature Preserve

Sunday, December 8, 2024 at 3 pm: Annual Hardy Souls’ Hike, William Harbin Park, Butler County, Ohio (followed by the holiday potluck and program)

Join us for a winter hike at Harbin Park, a Fairfield City Park. Angela Carter will lead us on the 1.8-mile moderately easy Green Trail that takes you on 196 ft of elevation gain. We will meet at William Harbin Parking, 1365 Hunter Rd, Fairfield, OH 45014

After the hike you may proceed to the Gathering at Northern Hills, at 460 Fleming Road for wine and fellowship at 5:15; dinner at 5:45. Bring a dish of your choice: appetizer, main or side dish, or dessert.

Sunday, December 8, 2024 at 7 pm: Lecture, Gathering at Northern Hills (and Zoom)

"Forests, Wetlands and Flamescapes of the Dayton Region: 1800 and Today" presented by Dave Nolin

Dave’s talk (about his new book) will illustrate the outstanding records of early surveyors documenting what the region was like in 1800, discuss the importance of land management by American Indians, and the challenges of taking care of the scraps that remain today.

Next Newsletter will be available in January 2025

Jan. 10, 2025 7:30 pm: Friday Program
Avon Woods Nature Center (& Zoom)
“Our Amazing Raptors”
by Jordan West

Feb. 10, 2025 7:30 pm: Friday Program Avon Woods Nature Center (and Zoom)
“Chasing the Aurora Beyond the 45th Parallel” by Melissa Kaelin

Feb. 2, 9, and 16 (Sundays) at 11:15am “Nature in Art” – Free Guided One hour Tour at the Cincinnati Art Museum
RSVP- optional lunch afterwards

March 14, 2025: Friday Potluck & Lecture
The Gathering at Northern Hills (& Zoom)
5:15 pm Appetizers and fellowship
5:45 pm Covered dish potluck dinner
7:00 pm Annual Meeting and Program
"New and Emerging Invasive Plants on Our Radar"
by Dr. Theresa Culley

Apr. 5, 2025: Saturday Field Trip
Quiverheart Gorge Preserve, Adams Co, OH

Apr. 12, 2024: Saturday Field Trip
Sheila’s Cabin, Rockcastle Co, KY

Apr. 19, 2025: Saturday Field Trip
Abner Hollow, Adams Co, OH

May 3, 2025: Saturday Field Trip
Shawnee State Park, Scioto Co, OH

May 10, 2025: Give Back Day Garlic Mustard Pull, Caesar Creek Gorge SNP, (Corwin Road) Warren Co, OH

May 31, 2025: Saturday Field Trip
Shawnee State Park, Scioto Co, OH

** June 1, 2025: Sunday Potluck Picnic
Picnic at Keystone Flora, Hamilton Co, OH

June 21, 2025: Weekend Field Trip
Cranberry Glades, Pocahontas Co, WV
Spruce Knob, Pendleton Co, WV

July 5, 2025: Saturday Field Trip
Miami Meadows, Clermont Co, OH

July 19, 2025: Sunday Field Trip
Beanblossom Bottoms, Monroe Co, IN

Aug. 2, 2025: Saturday Field Trip
Miami Whitewater, Hamilton Co, OH

Aug. 16, 2025: Saturday Field Trip
Steussy’s Prairie, Henry Co, IN

Friday Sept 12, 2025
Avon Woods Nature Center (& Zoom)
6:30 Optional Picnic
7:30 Photo-Sharing Program

Next newsletter in September 2025