Harris M. Benedict
Botanical Preserve
Hamilton County, OhioThis 65-acre forested preserve holds rare plant species. The University of Cincinnati has carried out biological studies here since the 1920s. In 1977, the U. S. Department of the Interior designated the site a National Natural Landmark for research on deciduous forests. In 1999 a tornado severely damaged part of the preserve, and studies of regrowth are continuing. Protected by University of Cincinnati Department of Biological SciencesThe University purchased the property in the 1920s at the urging of pioneer ecologist E. Lucy Braun. The site’s name honors Harris Miller Benedict, chair of the University’s Botany Department at the time of his death in 1928. A former name was Hazelwood Botanical Preserve. Volunteers can participate in an annual project to remove invasive honeysuckle, held in November. For information, see the U.C. Biology Department’s Facebook page or contact the Cincinnati Wild Flower Preservation Society. | How to Find Harris M. Benedict Botanical PreserveAccess to the site is through the Johnson Nature Preserve, a City of Montgomery park, with a small parking area at 10840 Deerfield Road. |
