Winter Nature Walk at Spring Grove Cemetery

Theme: Winter Nature Walk

Location: Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum

Date: Sunday, January 28, 2024

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 plants can be found here. Spring Grove is also one of our areas better places to find birds.

The focus of this field trip will be a general winter nature walk with an obvious focus on plants and birds. 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. Denis also has a great interest in birds and will equally focus on them. Denis is also a board member of our local Audubon Society.

Denis’s plan is to take us on a long leisurely winter walk through the cemetery observing plants and looking for birds and other wildlife. Denis has told me has found a few plants already in bloom in January. Winter resident birds (maybe winter finches?), native and ornamental plantings, invasive species, shrubs and winter tree identification will all be pointed out, identified and discussed.  Other than a short drive here or there to move to a different part of the grounds, 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 there will also be some walking in wet grass or even snow. It can be very cold in January so we suggest wearing warm layered clothing and comfortable waterproof footwear. Binoculars are necessary to see birds. Restrooms are available at the cemetery office. Severe weather will cancel this trip. 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