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 December from PEWS, our collaborators, and community partners around Greater Cincinnati!
Native Plants for Four Seasons
Tuesday, December 9th, 6:00-7:30pm. The Civic Garden Center: 2715 Reading Rd, Cincinnati.
Achieving a beautiful garden in July is pretty simple. Flowers are blooming and everything looks green and lush. But keeping that same garden beautiful in December takes a little more thought. In this class, we’ll look at which native plants provide “winter interest” such as elegant bark, bright berries or unique seedheads. Then we’ll talk about how you can use these plants in the landscape to create a garden that looks great and supports wildlife all year long. Register here!
Elevating Regional Champions: a Greater Cincinnati 2030 District Celebration
Thursday, December 11th, 5:00 – 7:00 pm. 1819 Innovation Hub, 2900 Reading Rd, Cincinnati.
Join the Greater Cincinnati 2030 District for our end-of-year celebration, Elevating Regional Champions! Gather with peers from across the region’s building community for an evening of drinks, lite bites, networking, and inspiration as we spotlight local leaders driving progress toward a more sustainable built environment.
This year’s program will feature stories from several of our region’s Building Champion Case Studies—projects that exemplify innovation and commitment across the 2030 District’s sustainability pillars of energy, water, transportation, and health. Come celebrate the people and projects that are transforming the way Greater Cincinnati builds, renovates, and operates for a low-carbon, high-performance future. Learn more and register here!
Mushroom Cultivation Workshop
Saturday, December 13th, 10:00-11:30am. Gorman Heritage Farm, 10052 Reading Rd, Cincinnati.
Learn to grow your own Shiitake mushrooms using log-based cultivation. In this hands-on mushroom cultivation class, you will learn to grow your own Shiitake mushrooms using log inoculation techniques. Participants will work with pre-cut hardwood logs, receiving instruction on each step of the process. At the end of the workshop, you’ll take home your own fully inoculated log, ready to produce delicious mushrooms!
Wilderness Girls: Shelter Building
Wednesday, December 17th, 5:00-7:00pm. Miami Whitewater Forest, 9001 Mt Hope Rd, Harrison, OH 45030.
Like animals that tuck themselves into dens, people use shelter to stay warm in winter. Build your own rustic hideaway and debris shelter using natural materials. Registration ($10) includes one complementary adult chaperone (required). Open to ages 8-14.
Holiday Skies Planetarium Show
Friday, December 19th, 7:00-8:00pm. Trailside Nature Center, 3251 Brookline Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45220.
Come join the Wolff Planetarium inside the Trailside Nature Center as we experience the real holiday light show, the winter sky. Discover the mysteries of the Christmas Star, see a bright holiday “wreath” of twinkling lights, and hear the tale of the man being pulled across the sky… and his three baby goats! Recommended for adults and children ages 5 and older (accompanied by an adult). Seating is limited. Online registration is required.
Please call (513) 751-3679 or email michael.george@cincinnati-oh.gov for more information.
Little Sprouts
Monday, December 22nd. 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 Little Sprouts here!
Christmas Bird Count
Sunday, December 28th, 8:00am-12:00pm. Cincinnati Nature Center, Rowe Woods: 4949 Tealtown Rd., Milford, OH 45150
Shake off the holiday humbug as you head outdoors for the nation’s longest-running citizen science bird project. You’ll be part of a team that counts every bird seen, so the more eyes, the better! No experience necessary. This program is designed for adults. Learn more and register here!
Call for Participation: 2026 Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit – Adapt Today, Thrive Tomorrow
Proposals due: Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Summit date: Friday, June 12, 2026. Sharonville Convention Center, 11355 Chester Rd, Glendale, OH 45246.
The 2026 Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit invites leaders across government, business, nonprofit, and academic sectors to share their ideas and innovations that help our region adapt today so we can thrive tomorrow. They are seeking proposals for speakers and breakout sessions, artists and live performers, and academic or professional posters that explore how we can strengthen resilience, accelerate innovation, and build collective capacity for a more sustainable and equitable future. Learn more and submit a proposal here!
Registration now open: Online Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist Course
Register today!
Course runs Tuesday, January 13th – Thursday, February 26th. Online.
Become an Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist! Cincinnati Nature Center is proud to be a host site and partner with Ohio State University Extension for this 40-hour course that encompasses the fundamentals of Ohio’s ecology, preparing you to become part of a statewide network of dedicated volunteers working to protect Ohio’s natural treasures.
- Apply your passion to protecting, restoring, and understanding Ohio’s natural treasures
- Learn from experts in a variety of fields about the biology, ecology, and natural history of Ohio, and how to share the knowledge with others
- Meet like-minded new friends
- Take your commitment to nature a step further
This fully online course schedule offers a lot of flexibility and can be done from anywhere in the state. The evening lectures are live on Zoom, where you can talk with presenters and classmates in the comfort of your home. The required 12 hours of homework will get you outside, anywhere you choose in Ohio!
Welcome to Greenspace Guardians, a certification from the Civic Garden Center (CGC)! If you’d like to learn how to play a leadership role in conservation projects on public lands, this series will teach you how. Our goal is to train the next generation of stewards to restore and protect our region’s public greenspaces. Sign up for the interest list!
Greenspaces come in many shapes and sizes. From a neighborhood pocket park to your local forest preserve, all of our greenspaces are important. They provide crucial ecosystem services, give people a place to recreate and offer a place for us to connect with nature. However, managing these spaces is a challenge. Greenspace Guardians focuses on giving people the resources and know-how to jumpstart greenspace projects in their community and ensure those projects are maintained. The goal is to provide support to local governments, nonprofits and neighborhood groups in managing public greenspace for the benefit of the broader community. Learn more and apply here!