Cincinnati’s history is written in the soil, the trees, and the wildlife living among them. 

Decades of policy decisions about where to plant trees, build parks, and invest in infrastructure have quietly shaped the ecology of every green space in this city. The Cincinnati Urban Ecological Study is a pilot program with a bold goal: lay the foundation for Cincinnati to become a Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) site. We aim to understand how the spatial structure of socio-economic, ecological, and physical factors in Cincinnati relate to each other and impact the urban wildlife across neighborhoods.

This summer, in partnership with Queen City Pollinator Project, Adventure Crew, Cincinnati Parks, the Village of Indian Hill, Cardinal Conservatory, and the Mill Creek Alliance, we're documenting how urban wildlife communities differ across Cincinnati neighborhoods. We examine neighborhoods from high-stress to low-stress environments defined by temperature, pollution burden, and socio-economic context. The data we collect together will generate neighborhood-specific ecological baselines and, ultimately, advocacy tools that communities can use to push for greener, more equitable urban environments.

We need Cincinnati's help to make it happen. See below to explore our two pilot research projects, find and volunteer for a data collection day near you, and sign up to join us. We hope to see you soon!

Check out the calendar below for the dates and times we will be at each sample site. Collection times are either 9am - 11am or 12pm - 2pm. No prior experience is needed and all supplies will be provided at the site. Make up days due to weather are reserved for Friday - Sunday, check the calendar or our Facebook page for updates.