A team of high school students focus on environmental sciences while participating in a regional competition-style academic event held at the Fernald Preserve.
The staff at the Fernald Preserve is available to address schools, scouts, senior groups, and other organized groups on a variety of topics relating to the site’s history, mission, groundwater remedy, ecological restoration, environmental sciences, wildlife, ecology, and green building features. Nature and history programs can be customized to meet your group’s specific objectives.
To schedule a program or for more information, please email us at Fernald@lm.doe.gov or call us at 513-648-3330.
To view the Meeting Space and Program Request Policy, Fernald Preserve, Ohio, Site click here.
The Fernald Preserve, Ohio, Site offers a variety of public programs, privately scheduled programs/speakers, and meeting spaces, in addition to regular visitors center hours, trails, and wildlife viewing areas. Meeting spaces and site-related nature, environmental science, and history programs are available year round.
Month-at-a-Glance May 2025
Milkweed For Monarchs Trail – May 1 – 31
Do you want to do your own part to help the Monarch Butterfly? Come hike a trail to learn about the history of this amazing migratory marvel. Afterwards stop by the Visitors Center during open hours (Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 12-5 p.m.) and claim your ticket for a free milkweed plant!Spring Migration Bird Walks – Friday, May 2, Saturdays, May 3, and May 10, 8-11 a.m.
Join us for Spring Migration bird walks along many of Fernald’s trails, from warblers and tanagers to sparrows and orioles we have so many species to see during the peak migration. Walks will cover a variety of different trails and may cover off-trail portions of the preserve, so we recommend wearing sturdy footwear.Audubon Society of Ohio: Tiffany Kersten’s Big Year! – Sunday, May 4
Join us for a day of programming thanks to Audubon Society of Ohio.3-5 p.m. Join us for a birds and blooms walk along the sycamore trail and boardwalk.
5-6 p.m. Enjoy some snacks courtesy of Audubon Society of Ohio before the presentation.
6-7:30 p.m. Tiffany Kersten’s presentation on her big year she completed in 2021 where she beat previous records and spotted 726 species of birds.
8-9 p.m. Enjoy a nighttime walk lead by Fernald staff to try for some late displaying American Woodcock.
Cincinnati Astronomical Society: Celestial Summer Skies – Friday, May 9, 8:30-10:30 p.m.
Join Cincinnati Astronomical Society as they present a celestial survey of what can be seen in the summer skies. After a short presentation, stick around for some guided outdoor experiences with CAS volunteers and their telescopes.Former Production Area Hike – Friday, May 16, and Saturday, May 24, 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Join us for a 1.5 mile walk through the site’s former production area to walk past the location of most of the major plants and what function they served. We will also discuss how each building posed unique challenges during clean-up. We will meet on the east side of the Visitors Center and walk through some uneven terrain, so sturdy foot ware is suggested.Periodical Cicadas – Friday, May 30, 7-9 p.m.
Eat, reproduce, and die, the goals of the Periodical Cicada are simple, but why do they use this strategy and what does the future hold for these weird insects. Come learn all about these cool critters with a special guest presentation by published entomologist and award-winning naturalist Sarah Kent! After the presentation we will go out in search of these amazing bugs on a short hike.Monthly Bird Walk: Former Production Area – Saturday, May 31, 8-11 a.m.
Some breeding birds should be back and singing around the Former Production Area so let’s go and find them. Henslow’s Sparrows, Orchard Orioles and Blue Grosbeaks are typically found in this usually inaccessible area. This hike will cover 2-3 miles of unpaved and uneven trails, so we recommend wearing sturdy shoes.All programs begin in the visitors center. To preregister, please email fernald@lm.doe.gov or call (513) 648-3330 and leave your name, contact number and the date of your request. In the event of inclement weather, please call our weather line at: (513) 738-2101.
Fernald Preserve Visitors Center
7400 Willey Road, Hamilton, OH 45013The Community Meeting Room, Resource Room, and outdoor Program Shelter were designed to be used by the public when they are not in use by Fernald Preserve staff. These facilities are available free of charge for noncommercial use by organized groups.
Seating capacity for the Community Meeting Room is 120 for theater seating and 80 for conference seating.
Seating capacity at standard tables in the outdoor Program Shelter is 58.
The seating capacity in the Resource Room is 8 (at a conference table).
The application review process to reserve these facilities could take up to two weeks.
To make a room reservation or for more information, please email us at Fernald@lm.doe.gov or call us at 513-648-3330.
To view the Meeting Space and Program Request Policy, Fernald Preserve, Ohio, Site click here.