Preserve
Scarborough Woods

Cut-leaved toothwort, a spring ephemeral wildflower native to our region, emerging in Scarborough Woods.

Restore, Renew, Recover

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Wild geranium 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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Invasive lesser celandine / Ficaria verna

Remove

Over a period of years we will be removing invasive plants, including lesser celandine, the yellow flower pictured above in a Columbus, Ohio, park.

Gray dogwood / Cornus racemosa

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/
 

Spring workdays: April 13 and May 25

We extend a hearty thank you to the 18 individuals–including a dozen UC students–who removed invasive plants and planted saplings on April 13. We will continue this work from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 25. Meet at the Wold Ave. entrance, the blacktop driveway near the intersection of Wold and Dexter and across from a fire hydrant. We recommend wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants as poison ivy is present. Gloves and appropriate tools will be provided. If you have not already registered as a volunteer with Cincinnati Parks, please click here to do so.

East Walnut Hills neighbors and five amazing UC student volunteers removed invasive wintercreeper vines and honeysuckle during our late-fall workday on November 18.
Spring bird migration is in high gear, and many of these tiny, vocal travelers are stopping over in Scarborough Woods! Warblers tend to roost high in the trees, so you might not see them. Download the Merlin app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The app can record their songs and let you know who's singing! Photo of American redstart by Patrice Bouchard on Unsplash
Spring bird migration is in high gear, and many tiny, vocal travelers have stopped over in Scarborough Woods! Warblers tend to roost high in the trees, so you might not see them. But they definitely will be heard! Download the Merlin app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to record birds' songs and discover who's singing! Photo of an American redstart, a species heard in our woods last spring, by Patrice Bouchard on Unsplash.

"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/