Cincinnati Wild Flower Preservation Society
Ohio Native Plant Society, Southwest Ohio Chapter
Updated Thursday Feb 20, 2020 at 9pm
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.
What you missed- On Friday Feb 14, 2020, Dave Nolin, formerly of Dayton’s Five Rivers Parks, gave a fine lecture on the natural and human history of Dayton’s Huffman Prairie, including the Wright Brothers. (He started the program with a song!) He will be leading our hike to Huffman on Sat July 25. His excellent book is available here . 58 in attendance at Avon Woods on a cool 21 degree night.
Our Next Event
As of Thursday 9pm, our NKU event is filled, contact Bob Bergstein to check if any cancellations.
Saturday, February 22, 2020 at 10:00 am (please park in garage by 9:50am): Indoor Tour of Northern Kentucky University’s Science Center including Herbarium, Natural History Collections and Top Floor Conservatory, Campbell County, Kentucky with possible hike at St. Anne’s afterwards. (Sorry, the Planetarium in the Science Center is closed indefinitely)
Attendance is limited to 30 for this trip, so RSVP to Bob Bergstein at bergstein123@gmail.com or 513-477-4438. You will be notified that whether you are on (or not on) the tour.
Also, we have a limited number of parking passes, so please carpool if possible.
Botanist and Director of the Herbarium Dr. Maggie Whitson will be our guide for this tour.
Northern Kentucky University is Kentucky's youngest university, starting life as a college in 1968 and becoming a university in 1976. The Biological Sciences Department is one of the largest departments on campus.
The most exciting area for botany is the John W. Thieret Herbarium. The prominent Dr. Thieret established these collections in 1973 and there are now 30,000 specimens. The herbarium has digitized much of its southeastern US collections which are available at http://sernecportal.org/portal/ The herbarium shares space with a museum of zoological collections including insects, reptiles, birds and more.
On the roof of the Science Center, 4 floors above the herbarium, is a greenhouse of teaching collections used for courses from biology to ecology and botany. Living collections include succulents, epiphytes, and economically important species. The view is fine.
After our tour, we hope to have lunch locally, followed by an optional walk on the trails at nearby St Anne’s Wetlands (where there is a field station) or Woodlands, if weather permits.
Directions: Please park in the “Kenton Drive Garage” on Kenton Drive (which Google Maps knows). And take the 10 minute walk to the “Dorothy Westerman Herrmann Science Center” (which Google Maps knows) also on Kenton Drive. We are meeting in the Herbarium which is Room 101 on the ground floor. You may enter through the Kenton Drive building door, and look for our group. Driving time from the river is about 12 minutes. campus map pdf
From Cincinnati, get onto the I-471 bridge from Ohio into Kentucky.
From the river, take I-471 South, for about 5 miles.
Ignore all the exits, the last of which are exit 1a (right side exit), and then exit 1b (left side exit). Instead stay in center lanes to continue onto US 27 South (Alexandria Pike), and drive 1.0 mile to the second stop light (Nunn Road).
Turn Right on Nunn Road and drive 0.3 miles to the traffic circle.
Turn right onto University Drive and go 0.3 miles.
Turn left onto Kenton Drive and go 0.5 miles (passing the Science Center on your left) to the Kenton Drive Parking Garage on your right. We will have some parking passes available.
Take the 10 minute walk from the Garage back to the Science Center.
Saturday, February 22, 2020 at 10:00 am (please park in garage by 9:50am): Indoor Tour of Northern Kentucky University’s Science Center including Herbarium, Natural History Collections and Top Floor Conservatory, Campbell County, Kentucky with possible hike at St. Anne’s afterwards. (Sorry, the Planetarium in the Science Center is closed indefinitely)
Attendance is limited to 32 for this trip, so RSVP to Bob Bergstein at bergstein123@gmail.com or 513-477-4438. Also, we have a limited number of parking passes, so please carpool if possible.
Botanist and Director of the Herbarium Dr. Maggie Whitson will be our guide for this tour.
Northern Kentucky University is Kentucky's youngest university, starting life as a college in 1968 and becoming a university in 1976. The Biological Sciences Department is one of the largest departments on campus.
The most exciting area for botany is the John W. Thieret Herbarium. The prominent Dr. Thieret established these collections in 1973 and there are now 30,000 specimens. The herbarium has digitized much of its southeastern US collections which are available at http://sernecportal.org/portal/ The herbarium shares space with a museum of zoological collections including insects, reptiles, birds and more.
On the roof of the Science Center, 4 floors above the herbarium, is a greenhouse of teaching collections used for courses from biology to ecology and botany. Living collections include succulents, epiphytes, and economically important species. The view is fine.
After our tour, we hope to have lunch locally, followed by an optional walk on the trails at nearby St Anne’s Wetlands (where there is a field station) or Woodlands, if weather permits.
Directions: Please park in the “Kenton Drive Garage” on Kenton Drive (which Google Maps knows). And take the 10 minute walk to the “Dorothy Westerman Herrmann Science Center” (which Google Maps knows) also on Kenton Drive. We are meeting in the Herbarium which is Room 101 on the ground floor. You may enter through the Kenton Drive building door,and look for our Group. Driving time from the river is about 12 minutes.
From Cincinnati, get onto the I-471 bridge from Ohio into Kentucky. From the river, take I-471 South, for about 5 miles. Ignore all the exits, the last of which are exit 1a (right side exit), and then exit 1b (left side exit). Instead stay in center lanes to continue onto US 27 South (Alexandria Pike), and drive 1.0 mile to the second stop light (Nunn Road). Turn Right on Nunn Road and drive 0.3 miles to the traffic circle. Turn right onto University Drive and go 0.3 miles. Turn left onto Kenton Drive and go 0.5 miles (passing the Science Center on your left) to the Kenton Drive Parking Garage on your right. Take the 10 minute walk from the Garage back to the Science Center.
--March 2020--
Friday, March 13, 2020: Potluck, Annual Meeting & Lecture, The Gathering at Northern Hills, 460 Fleming Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45231
Come to any part or all of the annual meeting.
5:15 pm Appetizers and fellowship
5:45 pm Covered dish potluck dinner
7:00 pm Annual Meeting and Program
“Why Scientific Names Change and Why You Should Be Happy About It”
Allison Cusick
Scientific names for plants and animals are intended to provide stability and promote broad understanding among users around the world. This is a noble aim, but implementing this goal is not easy—especially today. With accelerating advances in scientific knowledge, mainly in genetics and molecular biology, more information is now available to everyone than at any previous time in history. The immense quantities of new information have resulted in frequent nomenclatural changes. It’s unlikely that the rapid pace of discoveries will slow down any time soon.
Directions to the Gathering at Northern Hills (formerly Northern Hills Fellowship): Twice a year in December and March, we have meetings (with a potluck dinner) at Northern Hills Fellowship located at 460 Fleming Road 45231 . Fleming Road runs East-West between Winton Road and Springfield Pike, and is just North of the Suburb of Wyoming, Ohio. Look closely since the Sign is small. Google knows the address 460 Fleming Road 45231.
Saturday, March 21, 2020 at 10 am: Madison Tract, Adams Co, OH
Join Rich McCarty on an early Spring hike to explore a tract that TNC acquired late in 2017 along the west side of Ohio Brush creek. Although it is on the west side of Ohio brush creek, it sits above Soldiers Run which is a tributary stream to Ohio Brush Creek and it is still considered a part of Buzzard Roost Rock Preserve. The parcel offers some steep slopes and a rocky ravine that contains good numbers of spring wildflowers. This will be an off-trail hike that may be difficult due to the steep slopes and no established trails. Parking will be limited at the site so we can plan to meet at the Eulett center and carpool from there.
Directions: It is about 90 minutes from Downtown Cincinnati. On the east side of Cincinnati, take I-275 (exit #63) for OH 32 East. (Be aware that this intersection has been drastically changed.) Travel 41 miles East on OH 32. Turn right onto OH 247 South and travel for 9.7 miles to West Union. Turn left (east) onto Main Street (which is also OH 125). Continue on OH 125 (Sunrise Avenue) and travel about 6 miles. After crossing Brush Creek, turn right (south) onto Waggoner Riffle Road and drive for 1.3 miles and turn left onto the driveway. The Eulett Center address is 4274 Waggoner Riffle Rd, an address Google maps knows.
Saturday, March 28, 2020 at 10 am: Highland Cemetery, Kenton County, Kentucky (New)
Join hike leader Bill Edwards for a walk through the Highland Cemetery, a tract of more than 250 acres, half of which is presently undeveloped and used for nature trails. The facility contains three lakes, hundreds of large trees, and rolling hills, waterfalls, and streams. 150 acres are currently managed to enhance wildlife habitat, with snags left in place and nest boxes added for various songbirds and raptors. There are more than four miles of hiking trails, routed to minimize disturbance.
The Highland Cemetery natural area is one of Greater Cincinnati’s best places for spring ephemerals. The preserve is a rugged, hilly patch of land crisscrossed by streams, so it is geologically as well as botanically interesting. A few pioneer features, such as a stone springhouse, can also be seen. And it is only 11 minutes from Downtown Cincy!
Please let Angela Carter know if you will be attending at 513-300-2787 or amcarter@fuse.net.
Directions: From Cincinnati, take I-75 south entering Kentucky to exit 188 (Fort Mitchell, Dixie Highway South). Off the exit, turn left onto Dixie Highway and drive about 0.4 mile, crossing over the highway, and turn left into the cemetery; its white gates are located directly across from Kroger and Expressway Plaza Shopping Center. Take all right-hand turns after you enter the cemetery to find the trailhead and park there. The address is 2167 Dixie Highway, Fort Mitchell, KY 41017.
Since parking may be limited in the Cemetery, some of us are meeting at 9:50am in the Kroger Parking lot to carpool the short distance to our hike.
---------------- April 2020 -----------------
Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 1 pm (till 4pm): Burnet Woods, Followed by a visit to UC Herbarium, Hamilton County, OH (New)
Join Dan Boone on a walk through Burnet Woods before heading over to the Margaret H. Fulford Herbarium, located at the University of Cincinnati. Eric Tepe and Jacob Keshtvarz will have an open house to allow us to view specimens, demonstrate pressing and mounting specimens and discuss volunteer opportunities.
Directions: Google maps knows the meeting address “Trailside Nature Center, 3251 Brookline Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45220” Brookline is a street off of Ludlow Avenue. Don’t use the Google address “Burnet Woods” which goes to a different area of the park. Only 10 minutes from Downtown Cincy.
From Downtown Cincinnati, drive North on I-75 for 3.0 miles.Take exit #3 (Hopple Street, which becomes Martin Luther King) and at the bottom of the exit turn right (east towards UC) and drive 0.5 miles. Turn left onto Dixmyth Ave (traffic light) and drive 0.3 miles. Turn left onto Clifton Ave (traffic light) and drive 0.2 miles. Turn right onto Ludlow Ave (traffic light) and drive 0.2 miles. Turn right onto Brookline (traffic light) into the park and drive 0.1 miles to Trailside Nature Center, where we will meet.
Saturday, April 11, 2020, 9:45 am (till 3pm): Red River Gorge Area, Wolfe and Powell County, KY
Dan and Judy Dourson will guide us on trails and areas within the Red River Gorge Geological Area to be determined by weather and the progression of the wildflower season. This will be a moderate hike that may possibly include ascending a hill.
Please pack a lunch, snacks and water and plan on arriving at the Junior Williamson Rest Area at 9:45am for carpooling since the Gorge can be crowded rather early on weekends. You may want to bring a hiking stick.
Contact Angela Carter at 513-300-2787 or amcarter@fuse.net if you have questions and plan on attending.
Directions: Driving time from downtown Cincy to Rest area is about 2 hours. Google maps know our meeting place as "Junior Williamson Rest Area, 24 L&E Railroad Pl, Slade, KY 40376.
From Cincinnati, drive South on I-75 for 82 miles to left-lane I-75 exit #111 onto I-64 (I-75& I-64 are concurrent for about 6 miles near Lexington, you stay on I-64 when they separate). From where I-64 splits from I-75, continue on I-64 for 16.4 miles and take exit #98 onto Mountain Pkwy. Drive 32.3 miles on Mountain Pkwy and take exit #33 toward KY-11 toward Slade/Beattyville. After 0.1 mile on KY-11S, you will reach the rest area on your right.
**April 17–19, 2020: The Arc’s 15th Annual Wildflower Pilgrimage, Southern Ohio
A weekend of guided hikes to botanical hotspots in the Arc of Appalachia Preserves (Highlands Nature Sanctuary) and surrounding area (southern Ohio) at the peak of wildflower season. This is a major event; the natural areas are of extremely high quality and the hike leaders are experienced naturalists and botanists. Call 937-365-1935, email info@arcofappalachia.org, or go to www.arcofappalachia.org/arc-events/ for more info.
**Saturday, April 25, 2020 from 9:00 am–8:00 pm: Western Wildlife Corridor Fourteenth Annual Flower-a-thon, Kirby Nature Center and Bender Mountain Nature Preserve
The Western Wildlife Corridor Flower-a-thon hikes give everyone a great chance to learn about the wildflowers of our region. Experts will lead hikes through several preserves in the corridor, showing participants the amazing variety of plants there. You will have a chance to see uncommon flowers such as drooping trillium, blue-eyed Mary, fern-leaf phacelia and, with a little luck, the green dragon and federally endangered running buffalo clover. You may do half -day if you wish. Contact Tim Sisson at 513-922-2104 for more information. Check out www.westernwildlifecorridor.org for details
Saturday, April 25, 2020, at 11 am (till 3pm): Round Pond Sanctuary, Pope County, IL
You are in for botanical treats and adventure with Paul Marcum and Andrew Lane Gibson. Hottonia inflata (featherfoil), will be our target plant. Several rare plants also are known from the site including Styrax americanus (American snowbell), Carex alata (broadwing oval sedge), Carex decomposita (cypress-knee sedge), Carex intumescens (greater bladder sedge), Hydrolea uniflora (one-flowered false fiddleleaf), Platanthera clavellata (club-spur orchid), Sceptridium biternatum (southern grapefern), Helianthus angustifolius (narrow-leaved sunflower), and Malus angustifolia (narrow-leaved crabapple). Ludwigia sphaerocarpa (round-fruit loosestrife) was just rediscovered at the site in 2019, after last being seen in 1860. This may be a moderate to challenging hike with flooded fields, high water, mud, and venomous snakes. Depending on time and interest, we will visit Heron Pond afterwards. This is an optional weekend trip with additional sites pending on Sunday that may allow us an opportunity to see Dodecatheon frenchii (French’s shooting star) and Vandenboschia boschiana (filmy fern).
Please pack a lunch, snacks, water and rubber boots.
Contact Angela Carter at 513-300-2787 or amcarter@fuse.net if you have questions and plan on attending. Meeting location and directions will be sent 7-10 days prior to the event.
Sunday, April 26, 2020, at 2 pm (till 4pm): Caesar Creek Gorge State Nature Preserve, Warren County, OH
Marjie Becus will guide us on the trails and areas within the Caesar Creek Gorge SNP in the area just below the dam, down the Access Road off of Clarksville Road (and pretty near the Visitor Center). This is one of the best natural woodlands near Cincinnati and has a fantastic display of spring ephemerals (without honeysuckle). This is a moderately strenuous hike, so expect hills. Rest rooms are available.
Directions: Google knows the location as “Caesar Creek Fishing Pier, Caesar Creek Gorge Access Road, Waynesville, OH 45068”. This is the area just below the dam, off of Clarksville Road and near the Visitor Center. DO NOT go to the similarly named state nature preserve on Corwin Road.) Driving time about 47 minutes from Downtown Cincy.
From Cincinnati, drive north on I-71 N for 36 miles to exit #36 (Wilmington Road). At bottom of the exit, turn right (east) onto Wilmington Road and drive 0.3 miles. Take the first left onto Olive Branch Road (continuing straight on Murray Road as Olive Branch turns left) and drive 2.2 miles. Turn right onto Oregonia Drive and go 1.5 miles. Turn left (little store) onto North Clarksville Road and go 1.5 miles (crossing the spillway). Turn left onto Caesar Gorge Access Road (first road after crossing spillway) and drive 0.8 miles down the hill to the parking lot, where we will meet.
---------------- May 2020 -----------------
Saturday, May 2, 2020, 9:45 am till 3pm: Red River Gorge Area, Wolfe and Powell County, KY
Rob Parateley will guide us on trails and areas within the Red River Gorge Geological Area to be determined by weather and the progression of the wildflower season. This will be a moderate hike that may possibly be 4-5 miles and take us through various habitats. More details be announced prior to the field trip.
Please pack a lunch, snacks and water and plan on arriving at the Junior Williamson Rest Area at 9:45am for carpooling since the Gorge can be crowded rather early on weekends. You may want to bring a hiking stick.
Contact Angela Carter at 513-300-2787 or amcarter@fuse.net if you have questions and plan on attending.
Directions: Same directions as our April 11 hike.
Saturday, May 9, 2020, 10 am: Kope Hollow (Kope Nature Preserve), Brown County, OH
Dan Boone will guide us through Kope Hollow, one of Cardinal Land Trust’s newest preserves, that he has been surveying with over 150 species. This will be a moderate hike through mesophytic woods with waterfalls. You will have an opportunity to brush up on tree, grass and sedge ID and we hope to see Miami Mist and wild hyacinth in bloom.
Contact Angela Carter at 513-300-2787 or amcarter@fuse.net if you have questions and plan on attending.
Directions: Google maps knows the address “Kope Hollow, Union Township, OH 45167” which is on US-52 East of Higgensport Ohio (and West of Ripley, Ohio) in Brown County, Ohio.
From Downtown Cincy get onto I-471 S into Kentucky . After 4.9 miles stay left to take exit 1A for I-275E toward Columbus/Ohio.US-52. Drive 3.9 miles on I-275 re-entering Ohio and take exit #71 for East US-52 toward New Richmond. Continue straight onto East US-52 and drive 30 miles passing through Higgensport, Ohio and just past Pisgah Hill Road, to address 5061-5051 on US-52 (Google doesn’t know this address, but does know “Kope Hollow, Union Township, OH 45167”. Kope Hollow Preserve will be on your left.
Next Newsletter will be available in May 2020
May 16, 2020: Saturday Give Back Day Garlic Mustard Pull, Caesar Creek Gorge SNP on Corwin Road. Warren Co, OH (Date is now specified)
May 30, 2020: Saturday Field Trip
Gross Memorial Woods SNP, Shelby Co, OH
** May 31, 2020: Sunday Field Trip
Wise’s property, Butler Co, OH
--June 2020--
** June 7, 2020: Sunday Field Trip
Picnic at Keystone Flora, Hamilton Co, OH
June 14, 2020: Sunday Field Trip
Lake Katherine SNP, Jackson Co, OH
--July 2020--
July 18, 2020: Saturday Field Trip
Shawnee State Forest, Scioto Co, OH
July 25, 2020: Saturday Field Trip
Huffman Prairie, Greene Co, OH
July 30, 2020: Thursday Field Trip
Versailles SP, Ripley Co, IN
--Aug 2020--
Aug 2, 2020: Sunday Field Trip
Strait Creek Prairie Bluffs, Adams Co, OH
August 16, 2020: Sunday Field Trip
Donnybrook Fen & Woodman Fen, Montgomery Co, OH
--Sept 2020--
September 11, 2020, 7:30 pm: Friday Program
Avon Woods Nature Center
6:30 pm Picnic Supper
7:30 pm Members' Photo Sharing Program
(**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.
