Wednesday, August 3 at 11:00 a.m.
Combat climate change on your lunch break!
Spend lunch with us (virtually!) and learn how and why non-native invasive plant species like Winter Creeper, English Ivy, Honeysuckle, and others are rapidly spreading across Southwestern Ohio. UC Educator Professor of Biological Sciences Dr. Denis Conover will be presenting his research on “The Rise of Nonnative Invasive Plants in Natural Areas in Southwest Ohio.”
This presentation will cover non-native invasive plant ID, ecological impacts, and what you can do to help!
They may not be dangerous plants from outer space, but non-native invasive plants compete with and often crowd out native ones, leading to decreased biodiversity, poorer habitats for wildlife (including the pollinators that help our food supply), and lower water quality, among many other issues.
Brought to you by Ohio River Valley CISMA and Ohio River Foundation.
Meet the Presenter:
Dr. Denis Conover is currently an Educator Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Cincinnati. His research focuses on various aspects of ecological restoration including conducting plant surveys of natural areas such as wetlands, forests and prairies. Through this work he’s even discovered rare native plants and is studying control methods of non-native invasive species (i.e. Amur Honeysuckle, Winter Creeper, etc.) which present a major threat to the preservation of native plant species. Dr. Denis Conover received his Bachelors and Masters from University of Dayton, and his Ph.D. from University of Cincinnati. Conover has published many Peer Reviewed Publications during his career, the most recent covers how dramatically natural areas in SW Ohio have changed in the past 200 years due to non-native invasive plants that are believed to have spread from yards and garden beds.
