2023 Impact Report
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RESTORING HABITAT • PROTECTING THE FUTURE
Our 2023
Impact
2 | Our 2023 Impact
From the
Director
An Extraordinary Gift
Cincinnati Nature Center experienced another wonderful year of growth
and prosperity. Our membership, visitation, and program participation
continue to reach new heights as our community has embraced the unique
experiences in nature that the Nature Center has to ofer.
Among many stories of success, one particular event stands out as unique
and unprecedented. About mid-year, Cincinnati Nature Center received
notice that we would be receiving a “sizable” estate gift from Nature Center
Founding Family member, Hugh Hofman: a bequest of approximately $28
million! This is the largest single gift the Nature Center has ever received.
Mr. Hofman was the nephew of our founder, Stanley M. Rowe, Jr.—who of
course had the vision of a “wooded preserve where all would be taught to
appreciate and understand the natural world.” In 1967, his vision became
a reality with the opening of Cincinnati Nature Center. Now, thanks to his
nephew’s estate gift, this vision will be carried on for generations to come.
We are honored and grateful to receive this transformational, once-in-a-
generation gift that will allow Cincinnati Nature Center to become a 21st
century nature center destination, connecting community to nature and
health and wellness. With this investment we’ll be able to innovate,
elevate, and accelerate a Master Plan to take the nature center from
great to extraordinary.
We hope that you will join us in the coming years as we endeavor to improve
and expand the role Cincinnati Nature Center plays Inspiring Conservation
in our community and beyond. We’re so grateful for the commitment,
generosity, and support of our members, donors, volunteers, staf,
and trustees.
Thank you!
Jef Corney
Executive Director
(513) 965-4246
jcorney@cincynature.org
“Join us in the coming
years as we endeavor to
improve and expand
the role Cincinnati
Nature Center plays
Inspiring Conservation.”
COVER IMAGE CREDITS
Kelly Volz
Cora Stammen
Lauren Lutson
Megan Mahon
Awards
Best of the East
#1 Best Park
#1 Best Place for a Picnic
Best of Cincinnati®
#1 Best Park (County)
#1 Best Hiking Trail
#3 Best Outdoor Wedding Venue
Best of the East Awards
#1 Best Place for a Picnic
#1 Best Park
Family Choice Awards
#1 Best Summer Day Camp
Top Workplace (4 years in a row!)
Cincinnati Gives Challenge
#2 Donations Raised
Contents
RESTORING HABITAT
Indicators Prove a Job Well Done .....................4
Old-Growth Forest Saved & Preserved ...........6
Long Branch Nursery Expansion .......................8
GROWTH & IMPACT
Our 2023 Impact by the Numbers ..................10
PROTECTING THE FUTURE
A Success Story: Nature Preschool .................12
Inclusion is Key with Nature for All ................. 14
New Ambassadors Lead the Way ................... 16
SUPPORTING OUR MISSION
Leaving a Legacy.................................................... 18
Driving Conservation Together ........................ 19
Board of Directors ..............................Back Cover
Candid
Guidestar
Platinum Seal
of Transparency
4 | Our 2023 Impact
Indicators Prove
a Job Well Done
Flying squirrels are often used as
indicator species for healthy forests
due to their need for large mature
forests that are able to provide
adequate food and shelter.
NIGHT SQUIRRELS
The southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans) is the
most abundant squirrel in Ohio, but their reclusive,
nocturnal activities allow them to fly under most people’s
radar. While not true flyers, these small squirrels glide
through the understory of mature forests at night,
foraging for seeds, fruit, insects, and even songbird eggs
to fuel their speedy metabolisms. Because they are so
nocturnal, most people never see them.
Both northern (G. sabrinus) and southern flying squirrels
are often used as indicator species for healthy, deciduous
forests with high tree diversity. Because flying squirrels
need large trees in which to nest, and because they rely
on gliding from tree to tree to move around and find food,
they need large, mature forests to provide sufcient food
and shelter. Thus, their continued presence is a great
indicator that our forests are diverse and healthy, and this
suggests our land management practices are efective.
FORGING A CONNECTION TO INSPIRE CONSERVATION
An important part of our mission of Inspiring
Conservation is helping people develop an emotional
connection to wildlife and wild places. But it’s hard to fall
in love with something that you never actually see. This is
why we created a program that allows our visitors to see
flying squirrels in their natural environment.
Family Flying Squirrel Watch is an evening program
that takes participants on a short hike to an of-trail
observation area where flying squirrels descend
from the canopy to visit customized feeders. Flying
squirrel houses provide supplemental nesting spots
for these wild conservation ambassadors. A strategic,
interdepartmental collaboration between our Public
Programs and Conservation departments, Family Flying
Squirrel Watch is a testament to the Nature Center’s
commitment to providing personal experiences in nature
that inspire conservation.
ADDITIONAL WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS
Flying squirrels weren’t the only critters we were excited
to see on our property in 2023. Our staf also spotted
minks, turkeys, spotted salamanders, cricket frogs,
woodcocks, and much more! Most notable, we were
thrilled to witness the following:
• Great blue herons returned to the rookery at Long
Branch Farm & Trails for the 4th year in a row
• We also had a pair of visiting bald eagles at Long
Branch Farm & Trails
• A beaver began building a dam at Rowe Woods
• A bobcat was recorded on one of our trail cameras
• A barn owl was spotted at our Native Plant Nursery
at Long Branch Farm & Trails
We’re dedicated to protecting this biodiversity so
individuals can continue to enjoy the wonders of nature
both on our properties and through our immersive
programs, now and for generations to come.
Scan the QR code to view exclusive
footage from our trail cameras!
RESTORING HABITAT
Special thanks to all of our staff and volunteers that
helped build our flying squirrel viewing area!
IMAGE CREDITS: Kelly Volz, Jordan West, Steve Barnett, David Tibbetts
6 | Our 2023 Impact
Old-Growth Forest
Saved & Preserved
In 2023, 96 acres of Rowe Woods
were ofcially certified as old-growth
forest. Ohio now has more parcels of
land certified as old-growth forest
than any other state in the nation.
OLD-GROWTH FORESTS
In April 2023, Cincinnati Nature Center was inducted into
the Old-Growth Network, a national network of protected
old-growth forests. During the induction, 96 acres of
Rowe Woods was ofcially certified as old-growth forest.
This recognition is an important metric by which we can
evaluate our land stewardship practices.
CALENDAR AGE IS JUST A NUMBER
While the age of a forest could be measured by
the number of years it has been in existence, this
measurement doesn’t quite capture the entire story of
why an old-growth forest is “old”. Although old-growth
forests should contain trees that are at least 150 years old,
they also need:
• A diverse assortment of small and medium-sized trees
creating a layered forest canopy
• Many large logs and snags providing habitat
for wildlife
• An array of wildflowers, grasses, sedges, and shrubs in
the understory
In other words, “old-growth” is not simply a reflection of
age, it’s also a reflection of ecological character.
OHIO’S HISTORY OF DEFORESTATION
The existence of old-growth forests in Ohio is somewhat
of a miracle. Beginning in the late 1700s, a series of
questionable treaties between the state and indigenous
tribes led to rampant clearcut logging to make room
for agriculture and to fuel a booming timber industry. In
fact, by the end of the 19th century, Ohio had earned the
dubious distinction of being the fourth highest timber-
producing state in the nation. We were so successful, in
fact, that by 1940, Ohio was no more than 10% forested
(3-million acres).
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
After World War II and continuing throughout the 70s,
there was increasing public interest in forest conservation
and outdoor recreation. State agencies like the Ohio
Department of Natural Resources and the Division of
Natural Areas & Preserves were created to reclaim and
replant previously clearcut land. These eforts have
increased forest cover in Ohio today to 30%, or just over
8-million acres. Excitingly, Ohio now has more acres of
old-growth forest than any other state in the nation.
Our inclusion in the Old-Growth Network is an honor, and
from a practical perspective, it means that we’re doing a
good job, and it confirms that we should continue to place
high priority on protecting our forests.
RESTORING HABITAT
IMAGE CREDITS: Alison Domzalski, J&L Aerial, Kelly Volz, Maria Jenkins
8 | Our 2023 Impact
Long Branch
Nursery Expansion
When Cincinnati Nature Center says
“plant native,” we mean all natives
and we are willing to do the hard
work to make sure people can do
just that.
ADAPTATION POSES CHALLENGE
One of the challenges in propagating native plants
is that many of them, particularly spring ephemerals
(forest wildflowers), have evolved diferent strategies
to propel their seeds far from the mother plant. Curious
adaptations like exploding seed heads means the
seedlings won’t have to grow in the shadow of their
parents, giving them an early head start. These same
adaptations, though, also reduce the number of seeds
to seed eating animals. Unfortunately for well-meaning
nursery staf, though, these adaptations make it difcult
to collect seeds for propagation.
Even when the seeds are collected, creating a sustainable
way to harvest the seeds from spring ephemerals is
tricky because the plants need full sun when they begin
blooming, but they continue to grow in the shade as the
canopy above fills with leaves. Trying to simulate this in
the confines of a greenhouse can be maddening. This is
one of the primary reasons that spring ephemerals are
not more popular in the horticulture industry.
FREE-RANGE WILDFLOWERS
Instead of trying to simulate Mother Nature indoors, we
have trained a stand of Boxelder Maples (Acer negundo)
to do the work for us. In February 2023, we pollarded a
few dozen Boxelders growing along a wooded boundary
of our nursery. That is, we cut the tops of the trees to
encourage the side branches to grow—and they quickly
did. Then, with strategically placed braces and strings, we
were able to create a bonzai-like stand of short Boxelders
with right-angled branches. In efect, we created an
open-sided shelter with a roof made of leaves. The
understory of this new shade nursery is being filled with
various species of spring ephemerals. The pollarded trees
will lose and grow leaves at precisely the time the flowers
need to grow and bloom.
CONTROLLING THE EXPLOSIONS
The last challenge we needed to overcome was how
to collect seeds from plants that evolved to cast their
seeds in all directions. If you’ve ever participated in the
wedding tradition of showering the happy couple with
rice (now seeds), you have likely seen the solution—
organza bags, i.e., small mesh bags. By carefully placing
small mesh bags over the flowers’ seed heads before they
are fully ripened, we’re able to collect the seeds without
fear of setting of the seed heads. If we accidentally kick
a plant while collecting seeds, it doesn’t matter because
the seeds get caught in the bags.
This type of ingenuity is important when you’re
among the first organizations to focus exclusively on
propagating native species. Even fewer organizations
have tried to propagate spring emphemerals because
of the very specific challenges they present to
horticulturists. But, when Cincinnati Nature Center says,
“plant native,” we mean all natives. And we’re willing to
do the hard work to make sure people can do just that.
RESTORING HABITAT
IMAGE CREDITS: Megan Mahon, Kelly Volz
10 | Our 2023 Impact
10,370
native plants sold to
benefit pollinators
and other wildlife
educational
social media
posts made
1,750,198
raised from 2,554 donors!
321,298
visitors enjoyed Rowe Woods
and Long Branch Farm & Trails
512
volunteers
contributing
28,525 hours!
equivalent to 13.5 FTEs
134
acres of invasive
species removed
150+
hours Nature School
students spent outdoors
16,939
visitors to
this event
71,194
people served through
educational programs and events
17,600
native plants
propagated at
Long Branch
Nursery
18,307
household
memberships
136
Ohio Certified
Volunteer Naturalist
program graduates
3,626
online program
attendees
1,590
children attended
CincyNature Camps
people benefited
from low or no
cost experiences through our
Nature for All program
2,475
Our 2023 Impact
By the Numbers
161
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