Environment

Trees not only add beauty and texture to your landscape, they provide shade for your home, reduce soil erosion and improve air quality. But the emerald ash borer and Asian longhorn beetle, along with other pests and diseases plus several seasons of near-draught conditions, have taken their toll on thousands of trees in our region.

Though the recent rain has helped the Ohio River avert a possible harmful algal bloom, a handful of Greater Cincinnati agencies continue to monitor the river for the presence of the toxic scum-like organism that can potentially kill fish and other wildlife.

The 30th season of the Discovery Channel's Shark Week kicks off Sunday, July 22. The special programming event has consistently attracted a large audience. But Shark Week has been both praised and panned by scientists, who say while the series has raised the public's awareness of sharks, it also emphasizes shark attacks and often relies on pseudoscience to generate ratings.

The non-profit organization All We Are has a mission to solarize more than 50 schools in Uganda by the year 2025. The organization has worked in the country for the last eight years and is supported in its efforts by Rotary Clubs here in the U.S. and in Uganda.

As you were outside waiting for the big Fourth of July fireworks to start, you may have been lucky enough to enjoy nature's light show, put on by fireflies, or lightning bugs as they are known in our region, looking for mates.

The hot, humid days and heavy rains we’ve had this month have been great for area gardens, but the weather has also been good for the pests that can eat or damage your plants. Uncontrolled, aphids, beetles, spider mites and other insects can wipe out all of the work you put into your garden.

Camp Joy in Clarksville, Ohio has had a strong mission of inclusion since desegregating in the 1940s. The camp also provides a number of programs for families who couldn't otherwise afford a summer camp. Now the mission is growing with a new commitment to the environment.

A group of campers and artists want to make neighbors with the wildlife in one of Cincinnati's oldest parks. Two proposals would change part of the 90-acres inside Clifton's Burnet Woods.

Planning a funeral is never easy. It usually involves selecting a funeral home, casket and burial site. Many of us put off the planning until it is absolutely necessary. Now, some families are looking for an alternative that may feel more personal and cause less strain on the environment.

Have you ever wanted to have more than a few flower beds and a lawn in your yard? Would you like to grow more of your own food to have ready access to fresh fruits, herbs and vegetables but didn't think you had the space, or just didn't know where to begin?

More and more backyard gardeners are discovering the benefits of composting, from reducing waste going to landfills to providing rich organic matter for healthier and more productive plants.

Local author Michelle Balz has recently published a comprehensive guide for gardeners, "Composting for a New Generation: Latest Techniques for the Bin and Beyond."

Earth Day is this Sunday, April 22. Started in 1970, Earth Day is now a global event, with groups and individuals celebrating and raising awareness of our environment by promoting conservation and sustainability efforts.

Earth Day Network, the organization that leads Earth Day worldwide, has announced this year's focus will be to end plastic pollution.

Greater Cincinnati's Earth Day celebration happens on Saturday, April 21 at Summit Park in Blue Ash.

In 1996, the environmental group American Rivers included the Mill Creek on its list of America's Most Endangered Rivers. But thanks in large part to the efforts of two local organizations, last November the Mill Creek was removed from the most endangered list.

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden will present its Sustainable Urban Landscape Symposium on March 22. This year’s symposium is almost entirely focused on landscaping and gardening for pollinating insects.

Buying young plants from a greenhouse is a nice shortcut for home gardeners, but with the right selection, proper preparation and a little patience you can successfully start your garden from seeds. And there is a far greater variety of fruit, vegetable and flower seeds available locally and online than the plants you can typically find at your garden center.

The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO), was established in 1948 to control and abate pollution in the Ohio River Basin. ORSANCO sets pollution control standards for industrial and municipal waste water discharges to the Ohio River, and tracks certain dischargers that can seriously impact water quality.

The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden’s 2018 Barrows Conservation Lecture Series begins March 7. Since 1993, the zoo has invited naturalists and scientists to speak on wildlife issues and global conservation efforts. As a preview of this year's series, Cincinnati Zoo Director Thane Maynard recently talked with each of this year's speakers. For information and tickets to the 2018 Barrows Conservation Lecture Series, click here. 

Dr. David Morgan is co-director of the Goualougo Triangle Ape Project, a research program to monitor and document great ape health and behavior and examine ape population dynamics within the changing conservation landscape of the Congo Basin. He is also a Research Fellow with the Lester E.

One of the best ways to get through the cold, gray days of winter is to think about spring. That comes easier for gardeners, who spend January and February planning and preparing their gardens, buying seeds, cleaning and sharpening tools and taking horticulture classes.

Ken Muithya Mutinda works with the Mutinda Wildlife Education Center in Kenya, which is funded in large part by the Rotary Club of Troy, Ohio. The center provides educational programs for youth and visitors about wildlife and nature conservation. Ken Muithya discussed his work with the Cincinnati Zoo’s Thane Maynard.

Though we have been experiencing amazingly nice weather lately, temperatures are expected to drop down to the 20s and 30s by late next week and winter may finally settle in. But that doesn't mean you have to stop gardening. There are several ways to extend the outdoor growing season, winter crops that do well in our region and a wide variety of plants you can grow indoors.

The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden will present its sixth annual Native Plant Symposium this Saturday.