Chapter Events

Explore how native gardening can address climate challenges in our next Wild Ones national webinar, “Cultivating Change” with author and activist Lorraine Johnson. Johnson has been researching and writing about environmental issues for three decades. Learn about the pivotal role of gardening as an act of stewardship in the face of climate and ecological challenges. Discover the profound connections between individual gardens and the broader world and learn how these green spaces can serve as catalysts for positive ecological and social change.  Join Wild Ones for a practical and insightful discussion on gardening's positive impact on the environment and our future. 

Virtual registrants will receive a link to watch the talk live as well as a link to the recording. The recording will only be available for a limited time. 

Join us to learn about Gardening for Wildlife! Our speakers will recommend what you can do in your home landscape to attract Moths, Fireflies, and Birds and how to create a backyard woodland-the habitat that is beneficial for much of our wildlife species in this area.  

Registration for this event is now closed, and registrants have been emailed about attending. Please contact [email protected] if you have any issues getting in.

This will be a paid event for both in-person and remote viewing. Virtual registrants will receive a link to watch Dr. Kimmerer's talk live as well as a link to the recording. The recording will only be available for a limited time. 

Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
Ecological restoration can be understood as an act of reciprocity, in return for the gifts of the earth. This talk explores the ecological and ethical imperatives of healing the damage we have inflicted on our land and waters. We trace the evolution of restoration philosophy and practice and consider how integration of indigenous knowledge can expand our understanding of restoration from the biophysical to the biocultural. Reciprocal restoration includes not only healing the land but our relationship to land. In healing the land, we are healing ourselves.

Wild Ones is excited to cohost this event with the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh's Earth Week 2024 and the Wild Ones Fox Valley Chapter. 

Join us for a brief chapter meeting, followed by an overview of some of our regional Spring ephemeral wildflowers led by Cincinnati Civic Garden's Sam Settlemyer. Rsvp: [email protected]. Bring a friend! 

As Spring approaches and nature brings new life to our landscapes, most of us will be ready for a hike or two. We are offering members a wildflower hike to Bender Mountain, which is highly regarded as one of the best places in SW Ohio to view spectacular native Spring ephemerals, especially Blue-eyed Mary. This property is owned and managed by Western Wildlife Corridor, and their invasive species removal efforts reward us with the return of our native flora and fauna on this beautiful hillside along the Ohio River.  We could see Cut-Leaved Toothwort, Sessile and Drooping Trillium, Wild Ginger, Woodland Poppy, acres of Blue-Eyed Mary, Greek Valerian, Dutchman’s Breeches, Wild Hyacinth, Miami Mist, Fernleaf Phacelia, and many more. In addition to wildflowers, native trees and shrubs will be leafing out among an abundance of wildlife. You will likely see a migrating warbler or two! Cost: Free. Leader: Joyce Richter of Western Wildlife Corridor. RSVP is required due to limited space. RSVP to: [email protected]

Celebrate Earth Day with fellow Wild Ones members and school volunteers from South Lebanon Elementary School.

A 2023 Wild Ones grant recipient native pollinator garden at South Lebanon Elementary School is in need of update help. Deer have been getting into the plants and families from the school have donated materials for a simple fence to be installed. The garden also needs weeding done, some edge tilling, along with seeding and addition of some seedlings.

Please bring garden gloves and a trowel if possible. Bring water and a snack if you would like. We plan to start at 10 am and spend approximately 2 hours working.

RSVP by emailing [email protected]

Family and friends are welcome, however, the event is being listed as Members only 

Photographs will be taken during the event and sent to Wild Ones for the grant purposes and shared on social media through the school, school district, and local and national Wild Ones.

We will tour Keystone Flora Nursery, owned by Steve Slack. "We grow and sell native plants indigenous to our part of the Midwest near Cincinnati Ohio. Our plants are nursery-grown from seeds and cuttings without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Native plants provide many colors, and interesting forms and are functional for our local ecosystem. True pollinator plants can be found here. No cultivars."

Plants will be available for purchase. After the tour, we will gather for a potluck picnic. Feel free to bring a dish to share, or your own lunch and bring a friend too!  Bring your own drink and a chair. RSVP to [email protected] soon as space is limited. See you there! 

Join us to explore what was once a one-acre lot with lawn and a house about 30 years ago- now a mix of sun, shade, dry, and wet gardens. Tom and Penny tend over 50 species of native trees, shrubs, and vines as well as some formal, informal, and wild landscapes. Their habitat goals are to provide for birds, butterflies, and especially hummingbirds and fireflies. Some of their favorite garden habitat components include bur oak, buttonbush, trumpet honeysuckle, prickly pear, prairie dock and prairie trillium.

RSVP @ [email protected], location address provided via confirmation email.

Limited space: 20

Homegrown Habitat: Suburb

Accessibility: Half is flat lawn that is easily accessible. The rest is on a gentle slope.

Parking: Up to 6 vehicles in the driveway and street parking available on Philnoll Drive.

Nearby amenities: Restrooms available at White Oak Garden Center and eateries abound on Colerain Ave.

Chapter-assisted Carpooling is available: If interested in carpooling, let us know with your RSVP. Please provide the following info- Offering ride / Need a ride, along with county/state. We'll do our best to connect members via email.

The 15th Midwest Native Plant Conference is looking for volunteers to help with various aspects of the weekend such as helping at the registration desk, direct attendees to programs and field trips. Requirement to volunteer is for 2-hour shifts with the opportunity to attend some of the sessions and Sunday Field trips.

 To help, email Kathy at [email protected]. CEU credits are available for Master Gardeners, OCVN's and APLD's. 

https://www.midwestnativeplants.orgThe 15th Midwest Native Plant Conference is looking for volunteers to help with the public Native Plant & Artisan Sale that is open to the public on on Saturday, August 3, from 9:30 to 6pm. Requirement to volunteer is for 2-hour shifts with the opportunity to attend some of the sessions and Sunday Field trips.

 To help, email Kathy at [email protected]. CEU credits are available for Master Gardeners, OCVN's and APLD's. 

The Civic Garden Center’s 2nd annual Fall Native Plant Festival is your one stop shop to buy, learn about, and celebrate native plants. The event brings together local native plants growers from throughout the region. With all of these growers in one place, you won’t find a better selection of native plants anywhere else in Greater Cincinnati. The event includes educational talks and workshops from local experts on native plant related topics. This event isn’t just about buying plants, it’s also about fostering Cincinnati’s growing community of native plant enthusiasts. Once you buy some plants, we hope you will stick around for some food, music, beer or family friendly activities that will be taking place throughout the park. 

Contact GCWO to volunteer.

Sunday, October 29, 9 am-noon: Give Back Day, 15th Annual Honeysuckle Blitz at Caesar Creek U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gorge Spillway Tail Water Area, Warren County, Ohio

Join the Cincinnati Wild Flower Preservation Society, Cincinnati Wild Ones, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and supporters as we sponsor this volunteer effort in its 15th year to help remove that invasive alien, bush honeysuckle, from the Caesar Creek Lake Spillway Tail Water area.

Come help your friends and kindred spirits continue the protection of this natural treasure. One of the area’s prime features is a gorge formed by glacial meltwaters cutting down through the bedrock. Steep walls formed, rising 180 feet above the river, with more than two miles of Caesar Creek flowing through the gorge. We will be working in the diverse habitat of this natural area, which features heavily wooded hillsides above the gorge of beech, maple, hickory, oak and a luxuriant herbaceous-flora-covered floodplain. The Cincinnati Wild Ones have been working in this area for the past 14 years with a very positive impact to wildflower diversity.

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

Your RSVP is greatly appreciated. Please contact Christine Hadley at email [email protected] or at 513-850-9585, for more information. Chainsaw & steel blade trimmer operators must be pre-registered.

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

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.

Google maps knows our parking area as “Caesar Creek Fishing Pier, Caesar Creek Gorge Access Road, Waynesville, OH 45068”

Do NOT go to the state nature preserve area on Corwin Road, which is where we often have spring events.