The UC Center for Public Engagement with Science (PEWS) is back with its monthly feature, Cincinnati Science Roundup. Check out events and news related to science happening in June from PEWS, our collaborators, and community partners around Greater Cincinnati!
Great Parks Wildlife Weeks
Wednesday, June 4th, Thursday June 5th, 11:00am – 3:00pm. Farbach-Werner Nature Preserve | Ellenwood Nature Barn 3455 Poole Rd, Colerain Township.
Drop in and learn all about local wildlife through animal encounters, hands-on activities and self-guided trail walks. Each week features a new theme, including amphibians, reptiles, birds of prey and more! Pre-registration is available online and walk-in registration will be available on site during the program.
Compost Tour at the CGC
Thursday, June 5th, 11:00am – 12:00pm. Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Rd., Cincinnati.
Join the Civic Garden Center to learn about the different methods of composting and how to incorporate them into your life! This event is held entirely outdoors and free to attend, with no registration required. Learn more about the event here!
Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit
Thursday, June 5th, 8:00-6:00pm. Sharonville Convention Center, 11355 Chester Rd, Glendale, OH 45246.
The Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit brings together 650 passionate and visionary leaders to share inspiring, forward-thinking, and solution-oriented ideas that propel us toward a healthier, more resilient, sustainable, and equitable future. Join Fortune 500 powerhouses, innovative entrepreneurs, government officials, sustainability directors, academic, non-profit, and community leaders committed to solving some of the region’s toughest environmental problems while creating a positive economic impact.
Great Parks Storytime on the Farm
Fridays, June 6th – July 25th, 10:30am. Winton Woods | Farm & Equestrian Center 10073 Daly Rd, Cincinnati.
Join the Great Parks every Tuesday at the Farm for storytime! Each week we will read a different themed book together which will be followed by sensory activities based on the book of the week.
Thomas More University Biology Fields Station Open House
Sunday, June 8th, 2:00pm – 5:00pm. 8330 Mary Ingles Hwy, California, KY 41007.
Visit the Thomas More University Biology Field Station for a free open house! The Field Station is a teaching and research facility dedicated to Ohio River science. Stop by for a tour of their laboratories, meet aquatic animals–including turtles, hellbender salamanders, fish, and mussels–and learn more about their programs. No RSVP is required, but email Molly Williams (williamsm@thomasmore.edu) for any questions.
Little Sprouts
Mondays, June 9th and June 23rd, 9:00am – 10:30am. The auditorium at the Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Rd., Cincinnati.
Join the Civic Garden Center to connect with the outdoors and further your knowledge of plants. These drop in sessions are meant for children aged 3 to 8 and their caregivers. These sessions are free to attend and no registration is required. Learn more about the sessions here!
Native Plants for Curb Appeal
Tuesday, June 10th, 6:00pm – 7:30pm. Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Rd., Cincinnati.
Join the Civic Garden Center to learn how to have the coolest yard on the block! Whether you are a homeowner interested in designing a front yard garden or you already have a native plant garden but are looking for design tips or a place to share ideas, this class will help you get there! Learn more about the class here!
Meet a Greenspace Hike with CORA
Friday, June 20th, 3:00pm – 4:00pm. 999 Covert Run Pike, Dayton, KY, 41073.
Join Green Umbrella’s Greenspace Alliance and CORA (Cincinnati Off-Road Alliance) as we explore the newly reopened Sargeant Park in Dayton, Kentucky!
This property, which was closed for a number of years, has recently been reopened to the public to enjoy. It is an example of a sustainable multi-purpose natural use trail system, with more than 2 miles of trails to explore! Additionally, it has several branches of Covert Run Pike flowing through it.
Please dress accordingly and wear proper shoes for hiking! Learn more about the hike here!
Urban Foraging Tour
Saturday, June 21st, 10:00am – 12:00 pm. Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Rd., Cincinnati.
Join the Civic Garden Center to learn to identify edible plants and their uses! Knowing about these plants allows us to know more about what we put into our bodies. It also helps us to know more about those who came before us and the places we call home.
Participants are welcome to bring a bag or basket to gather plants to take home. The event is beginner friendly, but even those with foraging experience may learn something new!
Classes and Volunteer Workdays at the CGC
HUB Garden Class: Pest ID & Management – Saturday, June 21st, 10:00am – 12:00pm. Concord Community Garden: 2400 Concord St Cincinnati.
Learn proven strategies for safeguarding your garden without the use of harmful chemicals. Explore natural methods, beneficial insects and other approaches to effectively protect your plants from pests and disease while promoting a sustainable and environmentally friendly garden ecosystem.
Open to the public and FREE with code HUB2025! However, please register so that we can notify you in case of weather-related schedule changes.
HUB Garden Class: Container Gardening – Thursday, June 26th, 6:00pm – 8:00pm. Carthage Community Garden: 125 W North Bend Rd Cincinnati.
Growing vegetables in containers is an easy way to have fresh vegetables all through the summer! If you only have a small space to work with such as a patio, balcony, alleyway, sidewalk or even a rooftop, you can still grow a bountiful garden by choosing the right variety of vegetable plants. In this class, we’ll cover which types of containers work best for vegetables, sun requirements (that impact what vegetables you can grow), growing media, watering, the best vegetables to grow in containers, the benefits of mulch and fertilization.
Open to the public and FREE with code HUB2025! However, please register so that we can notify you in case of weather-related schedule changes.
Hands On at Hauck – Fridays, 9:00am – 12:00pm. Civic Garden Center 2715 Reading Rd Cincinnati.
Join us for some hands-on gardening experience at the Hauck Botanic Garden. This 100-year-old public park serves as our outdoor classroom and the backdrop for everything we do. And it’s all thanks to volunteers like you!
Botany Bistro – Wednesdays, June 11th and June 25th, 12:00pm – 12:30pm. Online.
There’s always a table reserved for you at the Botany Bistro! Here you can munch on bite-sized botany as you savor the science of plants. In 2025, Season 2 of this free, virtual botanical banquet is focused on 24 different plant families, exploring their unique characteristics and ways they have adapted through time. New videos are uploaded on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at noon.
Visit the Civic Garden Center website for even more classes, tours, and volunteer opportunities!
2030 District Sustainability Breakfast: Eco on the Go with Cincinnati Metro!
Wednesday, June 25th, 9:30am – 5:00pm. Digital Futures 3080 Exploration Ave, 1st Floor Cincinnati.
Join Green Umbrella for their next Sustainability Breakfast of 2025 hosted by the Greater Cincinnati 2030 District! Start your morning with engaging networking opportunities, a light breakfast by Juniper Seed, premium brews (coffee by Deeper Roots and assorted teas), and thought-provoking presentations from industry leaders. Learn more about the event here!
Introduction to Comprehensive Planning for Greenspace
Wednesday, June 25th, 3:00pm – 4:30pm. Digital Futures 3080 Exploration Ave, Cincinnati.
Are you a local government interested in learning about tools you can use in the comprehensive planning process? Or a business curious about the planning and zoning process? Or a nonprofit focused on environmental conservation, land management, or environmental justice? Or a school wanting to advocate for accessible green schoolyards?
Join Green Umbrella for this 101 session to learn the basics of comprehensive planning and how you can use the Greenspace Alliance’s Regional Prioritization Plan (RPP) to communicate environmental conservation and environmental justice priorities with planning commissions.
Comprehensive Plans help communities design a vision for their future, identify and protect existing resources, ensure sustainable and resilient community growth, and involve community member participation.
Learn more about the session here!
Science on Tap – Interest Form
Science on Tap Cincinnati provides science education events to the Greater Cincinnati community and to the internet via YouTube & Twitch through our partnership with Radio Artifact. These science education events are generally held on the first Wednesday of the month at the Radio Artifact studio at Urban Artifact. Doors open at 6pm, program starts at 6:30pm.
Interested in presenting at Science on Tap or have a topic suggestion? Fill out the following interest form! There is also a need for additional volunteers to help with programming.
Science on Tap’s mission is to bridge the gap between science educators, researchers and the public by providing a forum for individuals to learn about the latest scientific research and its practical applications. They are committed to promoting evidence-based thinking and policies through our monthly science education program, allowing our audiences to gain a deeper understanding of how science can positively impact our society.