Who We Are
American elderberry / Sambucus canadensis
Our Challenge
Over the years, invasive weeds, shrubs, and trees infiltrated the property, overtaking and crowding out native trees and wildflowers. It will take years to restore Scarborough’s original biodiversity.
Our Mission
With guidance from Cincinnati Parks naturalists, we will replace invasive species with native flora to create an oasis of visual beauty and spiritual respite for our community.
Scarborough Woods is a 6.5-acre wooded property in East Walnut Hills owned by Cincinnati Parks. In 1967 Aletheia E. Pattison (1881-1978) — the daughter of John W. Pattison, Ohio’s 43rd governor — donated the property to the Cincinnati Board of Park Commissioners. She specified that the land be named Scarborough Woods and stipulated that the property “will be used only for a wildlife preserve, bird sanctuary, arboretum, or some other comparable purpose.”
Kids need spaces in the woods for their own sanity.
Greg Torres, Cincinnati Park Board Naturalist
