Cincinnati Wildflower Preservation Society

(Ohio Native Plant Society, Southwest Ohio Chapter)  

Updated Monday June 10, 2013 at 9 pm

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

--------------- June 2013 ----------------- 

What you missed- On Sunday June 9, 2013 the Society again had it's annual picnic at Keystone Flora, the event being held jointly with Northside Greenspace. Twenty seven of us enjoyed a leisurely lunch, then Eileen Frechette told the the history of farming in this valley going back to the 19th century and continuing to today.  She and Diana Boyd then gave a tour of the nursery, followed by a longer walk led by Steve Slack.  For info about Keystone Flora click here.   Temperature a warm 80.

Saturday, June 29, 10 am: Sand Ridge Prairie Conservation Area, Calvary Cemetery, Montgomery County, Ohio  (Dayton Area)

Dave Nolin, of Five Rivers MetroParks, and Dr. Don Geiger, of the Marianist Environmental Education Center (MEEC), will lead us on this walk. Dave and Dr. Denis Conover discovered this rare prairie about 1997. An esker, a glacial sand ridge formed by the retreating Wisconsin Glacier about 17,000 years ago, provides the habitat for the sand prairie. The species growing there are uncommon and many are state-listed: Plains Muhlenbergia grass (Muhlenbergia cuspidata), green-flowered milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora), Carolina whitlow grass (Draba reptans), rough pennyroyal (Hedeoma hispida), hairy ruellia (Ruellia caroliniensis) and sand dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus).

This promises to be a very interesting adventure.

Please let Christine Hadley know if you will be attending at 513-850-9585 or .

Directions: Access to the Sand Ridge Prairie site is through Calvary Cemetery.

Take I-75 north to exit 51, Edwin C. Moses Blvd.

Turn right and head east, then north.

Turn right onto the Stewart Streetbridge.

After crossing the bridge, turn right onto South Patterson Blvd.

Head south past Carillon History Parkup the hill and enter Calvary Cemetery (a right turn).

Turn left and go uphill on St. Paul Drive, then St. Mark Drive, that bears left onto St. Gregory Drive.

Stop at the maintenance area, where we will meet.

The address for Calvary Cemetery is 1625 Calvary Dr., Moraine, Ohio 45409.

---------------- July2013 -----------------

Saturday, July 13, 10 am: Guy Denny’s Prairie, Knox County, Ohio

Guy Denny’s 22 acres of prairie is about 20 miles east of the original prairies of the Sandusky Plains, located in Marion and Crawford counties. It is designed to look as the prairies in that area would have lookedprior to European settlement. The prairie is burned every year. It will be easywalking but could get hot, so bring water!

Our host, Guy Denny, is a gifted naturalist and storyteller who brings to life the history of the prairie with stories of the plants and the people who lived with the grasslands. He is also a writer and photographer with a wealth of knowledge about the natural history of Ohio. Guy retired in 1999 from his position as Chief of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Natural Areas and Preserves (DNAP) after a professional career spanning 33 years of public service. As Chief of DNAP, he was responsible for administering the state’s natural areas and scenic rivers programs.

Since retiring, he has served as the Executive Director of the Ohio Biological Survey; currently, Guy serves as Secretary-Treasurer for the Outdoor Writers of Ohio; as Vice-Chair for District 17 Natural Resources Advisory Council for the Clean Ohio Fund; and on the boards of the Midwest Biodiversity Institute, The Trust for Public Lands, and other groups.One of his newest posts is President of Ohio Natural Areas and Preserves Association (ONAPA). Please let Christine Hadley know if you will be attending at 513-850-9585 or .

Directions: Take I-71 north to State Route 95 exit 151, which is about 45 minutes north of Columbus. (Here, at the junction of I-71 and SR 95, where there is a Wendy’s and a McDonald’s, we strongly urge trip participants to make a preemptive restroom stop so that we do not overtax our host's hospitality.)

Follow SR 95 east about 2miles to Chesterville, Ohio, continuing out of Chesterville on SR 95 for another 2.5 miles to the Knox County line.

Guy’s driveway is on the north(left) side of the road about 20 feet inside Knox County.The number on the mail box is 6021 (Be advised that the numbering scheme in Knox County is quite different from the scheme used in Morrow County, so don’t be confused by this).

There is a very long driveway back to the house,which cannot be seen from the road. The address is 6021 Mt. Gilead Rd., Fredericktown, Ohio 43019.

**Friday-Sunday, July 26-28: 5th Annual Midwest Native Plant Conference, Bergamo Center, Dayton, OH

This event, hosted by the Midwest Native Plant Society, has many excellent speakers as well as a variety of field trips. There will be a native plant sale on Saturday that will be open to the public. The full weekend is $150, which includes all meals, speakers, and field trips. Day passes available for less. For more info, visit www.midwestnativeplants.org.

----------------August 2013 -----------------

Saturday, August 3, 10 am: Shawnee State Forest, Scioto County, Ohio

Shawnee State Park naturalist Jenny Richards will lead us in the morning. Marjie Becus will lead us on an afternoon hike. We will more than likely see cardinal flower, cranefly orchis, yellow fringed orchid and lots of interesting ferns and trees. Bring a picnic lunch.

Let Christine Hadleyknow if you will be attending at 513-850-9585 or .

Directions: From I-275, take exit 63 for State Route 32.

Take SR32 east for 41 miles. Turn right (south) on Ohio 247 at the McDonalds (south side of 32).

Proceed 9.7 miles to West Union and turn left on Ohio 125.

Drive 22 miles to Shawnee State Park and turn right at the sign to the Lodge and Park Office.

Park at the Lodge. Restrooms are available at the Lodge. Allow 2 hours from Cincinnati.

Saturday, August 24, 10 am: Hershner Reserve, Greene County, Ohio

One of the most recent wetland additions to Greene County’s preserve system. This unique site has been allowed to return to the original prairie, wetland state that it once was. A simple water grade control device was installed allowing flooding, subsequently encouraging the native habitat to return.

Don Geiger will lead us through this reserve where he and his volunteers have spent countless hours controlling invasives. Come listen to Don as he describes his battle against sweet flag and teasel.

LetChristine Hadley know if you will be attending at 513-850-9585 or .

Directions: Take I-75 north toward Dayton to I-675N, exit 43.

Follow I-675N for 13 miles to US 35 East, exit 13A.

Follow US-35 E toward Xenia for 3.8 miles and turn right on Shakertown Road.Travel about 0.5 mi. and look for the Cincinnati Wild Flower sign on the right (north) side of the road.

          ----------------September 2013 -----------------

Saturday, September 7, 10 am: East Fork State Park, Clermont County, Ohio

Hike leader Dan Boone will take us to an acid seep meadow in an oak-hickory woods where he will show us rare plants such as twining screwstem (Bartonia paniculata),red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia),and netted chainfern (Woodwardia areolata).

Let Christine Hadley know if you will be attending at 513-850-9585 or .

Directions: From I-275 take exit 63 for State Route 32.

Headeast on SR 32 (almost 11 miles) to Half-Acre Road.

Turn right onto Half-Acre Road and travel about 0.8 mile.

Turn left onto Batavia-Williamsburg Pike/​Old State Route 32 at the Gold Star Chili.

Travel 0.2 mile, then turn right into the park and follow this road for about 1.8 miles to a large parking lot on the left after passing the wetlands sign.

Park and meet at this lot.

Friday, September 13, 7:30 pm: Member Photo Sharing Program, Avon Woods Nature Center

Please bring your photos on thumb drive (or CD) to share with friends. We will have a digital projector and computer, and cookies and coffee, too. Come early, at 6:30 pm, and bring a picnic dinner, if you like.

Call Bob Bergstein (513 477-4438) for computer information.

Directions:Avon Woods Nature Center is a Cincinnati City Park at 4235 Paddock Road, Cincinnati 45229.

From the Norwood Lateral (SR 562), drive 0.9 mile south on Paddock to the Avon Woods Park driveway.

Turn sharp right onto the drive next to the park sign (on the west side of Paddock) and go to the lodge at the end of the long dark drive.

Our next newsletter will be mailed (and posted online) in Sept 2013 with details of our fall events.

Our next annual schedule will be mailed in Sept 2013 with a list of all events ftrom Sept 2013 to Sept 2014

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.