Monthly Spring Grove Cemetery Nature Walk – Field Trip

Theme: Monthly Spring Grove Cemetery Nature Walk
Date: Sunday, June 28, 2026
Location: Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum
Meet: At 10:00 A.M. at Spring Grove Cemetery. Park along the main road, just beyond the tunnel from the main entrance on Spring Grove Avenue (see directions below).
Leader: Denis Conover, (513) 390-0863, conovedg@hotmail.com

Spring Grove Cemetery is one of Cincinnati’s most beautiful natural settings and its designation as an arboretum is well deserved. A tremendous diversity and number of native and ornamental plants can be found here. The focus of our monthly field trips here will be general nature walks that will focus on botany and birds and all other aspects of nature we come across.

Over the years our trip leader, Denis Conover, has become our go to guy when botany is the theme of our field trips and we are fortunate to have him share his knowledge with us. He is a professor in the department of Biological Sciences at the University of Cincinnati and has been involved in various types of botanical research since 1981. He is also a current board member of our local Audubon Society and also has a great interest in birds and will equally focus on them.

Denis’s usual plan is to take us on a long, leisurely morning walk through the cemetery observing plants, birds and other wildlife. Each season offers its own diversity of migrant, summer and winter resident species of birds and plants in varying stages of their annual cycle. He will point out native plants, ornamental plantings, invasive species, shrubs and trees. Birds are usually abundant at Spring Grove and will also be pointed out.

Other than a short drive from here or there to move to a different part of the cemetery, participants should be prepared for a few hours of being on foot and moderate walking. Much of the walking will be relatively flat and on pavement, but there are a few low hills and some walking in damp or wet grass. We suggest wearing comfortable waterproof footwear. Binoculars are necessary to see birds well. Restrooms are available at the cemetery office. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Denis.

Directions: The Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum main entrance is located at 4521 Spring Grove Avenue just west of the Winton Road intersection. To find our meeting spot, drive in the Spring Grove Avenue main gates and go straight. You will go through a short tunnel (old RR archway). Just beyond the tunnel, pull over and park alongside the road and look for Denis.

Spring Grove Cemetery website:
https://www.springgrove.org/locations/spring-grove-cemetery-arboretum/#hrs

Spring Grove Cemetery Map:
(Click on or cut and paste into your browser)
https://assets.takeshape.io/af54a46e-9d1d-4a13-84ea-ea820654ba30/dev/66f7f564-13e7-4da3-9599-d5fc44c9d764/Spring%20Grove%20Cemetery%20and%20Arboretum%20Map.pdf
(Contributed by Jay Stenger)