Preserve
Scarborough Woods

Restore, Renew, Recover

Reimagine_wild geranium lr
Wild geranium, a native spring ephemeral, blooming in a healthy woods

Reimagine

Imagining what the woods looked like 50 years ago--and what it might look like 50 years from now--inspires our efforts. Pictured above: a healthy leaf-covered forest with spring wildflowers.

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Infestation of lesser celandine, an aggressive, non-native plant, in an Ohio park

Remove

Over a period of years we will be removing invasive plants, including euonymus (wintercreeper), English ivy, porcelain berry, air potato, yellow archangel, and lesser celandine, the highly aggressive plant pictured above.

A native elderberry (sambucus canadensis) shrub in Scarborough Woods

Replant

We will replace aggressive, invasive plants with trees, shrubs, and wildflowers that are native to the Eastern Deciduous Forest.

While Cincinnati Parks conservationists and trained volunteers work to restore Scarborough Woods, we invite visitors to walk our new loop trail while adhering to Cincinnati Park Board guidelines.

Per Park Board Rule #5 – Damage:
No person, except with the written permission of the Park Board, shall take, carry away, remove, dig, cut, disturb, molest, destroy, mar, or damage any soil or mineral substance or any form of vegetation whether living or dead, on park property. Nor shall any person, except with written permission of the Park Board, take, carry away, remove, disassemble, destroy, mar, deface, mark or damage or attach anything to any Park Board equipment, building or structure on park property.  >> https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/cincyparks/visit-a-park/park-board-rules/park-board-rules-pdf/
 

UPCOMING

Saturday Workdays:  April 12, May 17 & June 21, 2025
We will continue with invasive species removal and possible tree and shrub planting on these Saturdays, 9am-noon. Meet at the Wold Ave. entrance, the blacktop driveway near the intersection of Wold and Dexter and across from a fire hydrant. Gloves and appropriate tools will be provided. If you have not already registered as a volunteer with Cincinnati Parks and signed a waiver, please do so by visiting: https://app.betterimpact.com/PublicOrganization/3ef7a4d9-44cf-40b9-aa64-6068529691e0/1

We thank Cincinnati Parks for creating and installing our beautiful new sign, which appears near the entrance to our loop trail. You can enter Scarborough Woods on foot via the rough blacktop driveway on Wold Ave., near the Wold-Dexter intersection and across the street from a fire hydrant.
2023-2024_Small & Mighty
The Cincinnati Parks Division of Conservation and Land Management recently saluted Preserve Scarborough Woods volunteers with this certificate! We thank everyone whose hard work made the recognition possible!

"Volunteering with Cincinnati Parks is a very rewarding experience. My interest is in removing invasive species and supporting forest restoration with native plants."

Cincinnati Parks volunteer

Mark Johnson

ABOUT US

Preserve Scarborough Woods, Inc., is an Ohio nonprofit corporation.

A small group of Cincinnati Parks volunteers formed Preserve Scarborough Woods to facilitate the ecological restoration of a valuable urban greenspace that is owned by the Cincinnati Park Board. We are an all-volunteer organization with no paid staff.

Surprise emergence in 2023: Virginia Bluebells

QUESTIONS?

If you would like to learn more about Scarborough Woods, or if you would like to become a Cincinnati Park Board volunteer, please contact us at [email protected] or sign up at https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/cincyparks/get-involved/volunteer/