Aullwood's 2024 Native Plant Sale

Celebrate Ohio’s Native Plant Month with Aullwood’s Native Plant Sale! Our 2024 sale will be a two day in-person only event from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27. This year's sale will feature over 10,000 plants and over 50 new species, and a wide array of native shrubs, trees, grasses, sedges and flowers as well as spring ephemerals. Aullwood is offering free admission for everyone attending the sale!

Download the plant catalog, see all this year's offerings and find useful information about each plant now at https://aullwood.audubon.org/NPS. Inventory of some plants is limited, so come early if you have your heart set on something specific! An array of gardening and bird-related items from our Nature Store and Gift Shop will also be available. Do you need some help deciding which plants will attract the most birds and wildlife to your garden? Hop on Audubon’s Plants for Birds website at https://www.audubon.org/plantsforbirds to find plenty of great information!

Why plant native? Native plants provide food and shelter for wildlife, increase biodiversity and attract natural predators that help control pests. Proceeds from this Native Plant Sale also provide critical funding for Aullwood Audubon's environmental education and habitat preservation programs. Questions about the plant sale? Email AskUs@audubon.org for details. We appreciate your support of Aullwood and native plants!

Native Plant Sale 2023 (top & bottom) and Bloodroot at Aullwood 2021 (middle) Photos: Aullwood Audubon / Ken Fasimpaur

Join us for Aullwood Spring Fest in May!

Spring is here and that means we're getting ready for Aullwood Spring Fest 2024! The event will be held Saturday & Sunday, May 18 & 19, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Aullwood Audubon Farm, 9101 Frederick Pike, Dayton Ohio. Bring the whole family to enjoy this fun festival at Aullwood Farm at a new bargain admission price of just $20 per carload per day! Spring Fest will be full of interesting free activities for everyone. Mark your calendar right now and visit https://aullwood.audubon.org/SpringFest for more exciting details on Aullwood Spring Fest as we announce them!

Get ready to enjoy the Ohio School of Falconry's Raptor Roadshow and an expanded variety of children’s activities with lots of new things to try. Be part of a community-created mural project and paint with Aullwood's Chris Rowlands, Program Manager, Environmental Arts. Shop exciting craft vendors, browse the Greenview Garden Club's Plant Sale, take a free wagon ride and more. See and touch interesting animals from the Wild Hearts African Farm (Sunday only), step inside the PNC Grow Up Great Mobile Learning Adventure tent and experience fun activities for growing kids, and see Steve Areen and and his Unity Wagon, a modern sustainably designed covered wagon. Great food, drinks and treats will be available for purchase from a variety of food trucks and vendors. 

More attractions and activities are being added, so stay tuned and follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Threads for more Spring Fest updates as the big weekend approaches! 

Raptor Roadshow at Aullwood 2023 (top) & Festival at Aullwood 2022 (bottom) Photos: Aullwood Audubon / Ken Fasimpaur

The Aull Society

(Laurie Cothran, Senior Manager, Development & Finance)

Aullwood Audubon gratefully acknowledges members of The Aull Society. Each member is part of Aullwood’s vibrant, healthy future and their planned giving reflects what they cherish – the birds, animals, nature (and now trolls!) here at Aullwood that have brought joy to their lives.

You, too, can make a difference, help to secure Aullwood’s future and ensure that your values endure. Here are several suggestions that will enable you to provide a planned gift for Aullwood. Giving opportunities come in many sizes, shapes and forms. Donations should be designated to The Friends of Aullwood - a 501(c) 3 organization (#31-0968010). All planned gifts are 100% tax deductible.

Bequest: This unrestricted gift will be used at the discretion of the Friends of Aullwood Board of Trustees. As an unrestricted gift, it will be directed to the most pressing needs of Aullwood Audubon.

Life Insurance: Name the Friends of Aullwood as the policy beneficiary. In some instances, the premiums for the policy may be taken as a tax deduction.

IRA (Individual Retirement Account): These are pre-tax dollars and are taxable when withdrawals are made. By naming the Friends of Aullwood as a beneficiary, the remaining funds, if any, would pass to Aullwood as a charitable contribution. You may also make a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) to Aullwood. If you are 70½ years old or older, you can donate up to $105,000 total directly from a taxable IRA instead of taking the required minimum distributions.

CD: You can name the Friends of Aullwood as a beneficiary of these funds as a fully deductible charitable contribution.

Honorary or Memorial Bequest: You may give a gift in honor of or in memory of someone, a special life celebration or “just because”. Your request will be honored as you deem appropriate.

You and your financial advisor will determine what is right for your charitable gift giving. Should you choose to name the Friends of Aullwood in your planned giving, you will become a member of The Aull Society. As a member, you will receive recognition in Aullwood's annual report and newsletter, invitations to special events, as well as an invitation to and recognition at Aullwood's Annual Meeting event for planned gift donors.

To notify Aullwood of any planned gift or for more information (with no obligation), please contact Laurie Cothran at (937) 890-7360 x216 or laurie.cothran@audubon.org.

Trail at Aullwood May 2021 Photo: Aullwood Audubon / Ken Fasimpaur

Long-Term Butterfly Monitoring

Spring is here, and it's time for butterflies! Enjoy these winged treasures and join Aullwood’s Long-term Butterfly Monitoring Team led by Environmental Educator Sam Romeo on a weekly hike to identify, count and monitor butterfly and skipper populations! No experience is necessary. Butterfly enthusiasts of all skill levels are invited to participate; every additional set of eyes helps and you will learn more about local butterflies in the process. This community science activity is carried out by professionals and amateurs alike every year in locations across Ohio and the data compiled to track population changes and blooming times of host plants.

Aullwood’s butterfly monitoring happens on select Tuesdays at 2:30 p.m. beginning April 9, if temperatures and weather conditions permit. If you enjoy butterflies and want to learn more about them, contact Sam Romeo at sam.romeo@audubon.org to join Aullwood's Long-term Butterfly Monitoring Team and be added to the mailing list. Preregistration is required; registered participants will be notified if monitoring is cancelled or rescheduled due to weather concerns. Come help us count these natural wonders!

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on Blazing Star at Aullwood August 2023 Photo: Aullwood Audubon / Ken Fasimpaur

Aullwood Birdathon 2024

Good fun, good friends, good birding! Get ready to enioy Aullwood Birdathon 2024. Join Sam Romeo, Environmental Educator and expert birder, for a day of adventure all around the Miami Valley region. Our goal is to identify at least 125 different species of birds and raise $8,000 of support for Aullwood! Join Team Warbler and go birding with us. Unable to go birding? Donations of all amounts and per species pledges are welcome! Your support helps Aullwood Audubon’s environmental education programs. Pledge, learn more and join us today at https://aullwood.audubon.org/BirdathonPledge or print out and return a printable pledge form instead!

On Monday, May 6, from 6:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. rain or shine, Team Warbler will be spotting birds all over the Miami Valley region, from Spring Valley to Beavercreek Wetlands to the Great Miami Mitigation Bank and beyond! The team will also be checking out birds at Englewood MetroPark and right here at Aullwood! For a donation of $150, you can join this team and ride in the comfort of our 12 passenger van! Lunch, snacks, drinks and transportation will all be included.

You can also look for birds in your own backyard or come to Aullwood to spot birds! You don’t have to be a 'birder' to enjoy birding. This fun and educational activity is for individuals of all ages and levels of expertise! Everyone can participate in Aullwood’s Birdathon 2024! Join in and help us identify as many bird species as possible. Learn more about birds and how to identify them at www.ebird.org/home, www.allaboutbirds.org/news or www.audubon.org/birding.

Everyone can comment about the birds they are seeing on Aullwood’s Birdathon Facebook event post on May 6 and we will count your birds as a part of Birdathon. Post a photo in a comment and tell us what you're seeing or email Sam at sam.romeo@audubon.org with your list of birds and we will include them! Check in on what the 'pros' are seeing with Sam Romeo and join in the fun yourself. We encourage everyone to participate and support this important fundraiser. Print out and mail in a hardcopy Aullwood Birdathon 2024 pledge form or pledge online now at https://aullwood.audubon.org/BirdathonPledge instead!

Thank you for your generous support of Aullwood Birdathon 2024! Your gift will make a difference and help Aullwood inspire and reach children of all ages. For more information about Aullwood Birdathon 2024 or questions about joining the adventurous Team Warbler, please email Sam Romeo at sam.romeo@audubon.org or call 937-890-7360 x223 instead. Aullwood Birdathon 2024 is brought to you by Riverdale Optimist Club.

Indigo Bunting male (top) & Baltimore Oriole male (bottom) Photos: Ruhikant Meetei, all rights reserved, used by permission

Summer Camps at Aullwood Audubon

Summer Earth Adventures is coming and registration is now open to the public! Don't miss the full and half day summer camps at Aullwood Audubon this year, loaded with outdoor exploration and fun for children ages 4 to 12. Camps fill up fast, so visit our web site now to learn about all the different sessions and sign up today. Many scholarships are also available; email us at education@aullwood.org for details.

Each week will feature a different theme as campers explore the great outdoors on Aullwood's trails and farm. Campers will leave a fun-filled week with a t-shirt, a new book, arts and crafts, knowledge learned, and adventures experienced! Learn more, see the complete class listings and register at https://aullwood.audubon.org/SEA now. Find your flock and join us for a fun summer experience here at Aullwood!

Summer Earth Adventures 2024 Art: Chris Rowlands

Volunteer Corner

(Nenita Lapitan, Senior Manager, Center & Farm)

Spring is busting out and we are bursting with volunteer opportunities that support our educational, agricultural and conservation work. To sign up or learn more, please email Nenita Lapitan, Senior Manager, Center & Farm at nenita.lapitan@audubon.org or call (937) 890-7360 x214.

12th Annual The Big Pull

APRIL 16, 2024: 9:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.

Indulge your inner Hulk and help us pull, dig, and rip out invasive, non-native plants! This year, we are focusing on the land that borders the path to Aullwood Garden MetroPark. Most people are unaware that this land is owned by Aullwood Audubon, and we want to be good neighbors and help beautify the main entrance to Marie’s gardens and home. Join forces with us, Aullwood Garden MetroPark and the Garden Club of Dayton as we work to remove bush honeysuckle, multiflora rose, and other non-natives. Pack your lunch to enjoy on the porch of the Aull’s historic home. Some tools will be provided, though you are welcome to bring your own gloves, loppers, and kneelers. Volunteers should park in the lot by the Stillwater River and meet at the Aull home, then we will divide into different work groups. Please pre-register by emailing Nenita Lapitan at nenita.lapitan@audubon.org.

Long-term Butterfly Monitoring

APRIL 9, 16, 23, 30: 2:30 P.M. – 4:00 P.M.

Join Sam Romeo to identify and count butterfly species and add to important scientific data about butterfly and skipper populations in Ohio. Volunteers meet every Tuesday afternoon at the Nature Center, weather permitting, to walk a transect and record observed butterfly species. There’s plenty of bird and other wildlife observations, too. If you are interested in participating, please contact Sam Romeo at 937-890-7360 x223 or sam.romeo@audubon.org.

Project FeederWatch

APRIL 11, 12: 9:30 A.M. – 11:30 A.M.

There’s one more opportunity to help count birds for science! The final week of FeederWatch is in April and spring can bring exciting sightings as migrants may appear in the bird feeding area. Join a fun group of bird lovers as scientific data is collected for Cornell Lab of Ornithology. There’s great company, coffee and some baked goods to enjoy as well. If you are interested in joining FeederWatch, contact Sam Romeo at 937-890-7360 x223 or sam.romeo@audubon.org. For more information, visit https://aullwood.audubon.org/FeederWatch

Native Plant Sale

Opportunities are available the week of April 24 and on the sale days of April 26 and 27! Help is needed to prepare for the plant sale by setting up tables, arranging, tagging and watering plants, and putting up signage as well during the in-person sale days. All activities are at Aullwood Farm. Here’s where we need assistance:

Pre-Sale Assistance

FRIDAY, APRIL 19: Table and chair set up, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 pm

MONDAY, APRIL 22 – THURSDAY, APRIL 25: Cover tables, set up signage, tag plants, water plants, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Days of Sale

FRIDAY APRIL 26 & SATURDAY, APRIL 27: Assist with cash/credit sales, help customers with their purchases, keep the sales floor neat and tidy, or help customers as a Native Plant Sale Expert: 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Aullwood Spring Fest

SATURDAY MAY 18 & SUNDAY MAY 19

We are looking for volunteers to assist with taking admission by the carload, assisting Chris Rowlands with the creation of a community mural, staffing our expanded Children’s Arts & Crafts Activity area, being a barn monitor, staffing with wagon rides, and selling pop and water. Volunteers receive free admission to Spring Fest! All activities are at the Farm. There are 3 shifts to choose from: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.; 11:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.; 2:30 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Summer Earth Adventures Assistants

JUNE 10 – AUGUST 9 (No camp the week of July 1)

Love nature and kids and want to volunteer outside in the summer? If you are 14 or older, consider sharing your enthusiasm and passion as a Summer Earth Adventures Assistant! This is a wonderful opportunity for youth to complete school, honor society or organizational volunteer service requirements or for anyone looking for resume building skill sets and experience! Volunteers must commit for a minimum of two weeks during the summer session. Hours are 8:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., along with an all-day training session on Friday, June 7. For more information, please email Nenita Lapitan at nenita.lapitan@audubon.org

Summer Earth Adventures 2023 Photo: Aullwood Audubon / Jack Bradley. Long-term Butterfly Monitoring at Aullwood 2021 Photo: Aullwood Audubon / Ken Fasimpaur

• APRIL 1 - APRIL 30: The Troll That Hatched an Egg: An Exhibition by Thomas Dambo (Farm & Center)
• APRIL 4, 11, 18 & 25: Member Adult Discovery Walk, 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. (Center)
• APRIL 8: The Great American Eclipse at Aullwood, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Farm)
• APRIL 9, 16, 23 & 30: Long-term Butterfly Monitoring, 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Center)
• APRIL 10: Chipmunk Adventures for Preschool Children: Sleepy Bats, Open Your Eyes, 10:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. (Farm)
• APRIL 11 & 12: Project FeederWatch, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (Center)
• APRIL 16: The Big Pull, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon. (Aullwood Garden MetroPark)
• APRIL 26 & 27: Aullwood Native Plant Sale, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Farm)

A Special Thank You to our Donors and Partners

Blue Heron

The AES Foundation

The Dayton Foundation

Linda Denney

Sue and Ben Fry

Graymer Foundation

Estate of Patricia L. Hines

Honda USA Foundation

Kettering Family Philanthropies

Mariel Foundation

Mary Kittredge Fund of the Dayton Foundation

Montgomery County Arts & Cultural District

Ohio Department of Education

Virginia Kettering Foundation

Wyse Family Foundation

Egret

Charles S. Allyn Jr. Foundation Fund of The Dayton Foundation

Renee & Charlie Anderson

R.B. Jergens Contractors, Inc.

William Kramer Memorial Fund of The Dayton Foundation

Susan Kathleen Black Foundation

Theda & Tamblin Clark Smith Family Foundation

The Phil and Jean Wagner Family Fund

Eagle

America Online Giving

Terry Lynn

Arthur Barrett

Tim & Karen Beaty

Robert & Carol Bertrand

Credence Management Solutions

Dayton Freight Lines, Inc.

James A. Harrison

Hittner Family Fund of The Dayton Foundation

Houser Asphalt & Concrete, Inc.

Kroger

Riverdale Optimist Club

Dr. Judy Royer Fund

James & Janet Runkle

Linda Shapiro

Shook Construction

The Siebenthaler Company

Ms. June D. Smythe

Joanne Spurlino

Robert & Hope Taft

Katrinka Westendorf

Tim White

Swallow

Deb & Joe Armanini

College Women’s Club of Dayton

The Dupps Company Charitable Foundation

Ms. Margaret French

Becky Gebhard

Bob & Marie Lewis

Bob Lorenzetti

Nancy Nerny

John Siehl

Milton and Marian Simmons Community Fund of The Dayton Foundation

Monica Snow

Mikki White

Donna Wilson

Warbler

Tera Arthur

Cargill Provimi

College Women’s Club of Dayton

Dorothy Lane Market

Al & Denise Eder

Eubel Brady & Suttman Asset Management

Full Circle Brewing LLC

David & Joelle Gibson

Greenview Garden Club

Kona Ice of Troy

Charity A. Krueger

Reynolds & Reynolds

Charlie & Diane Shoemaker

Todd & Lora Stowe

Marj & Tom Wallman

Memorials and Tributes

In memory of Janice Lynn Vescio

* Karen L. Knupp

* John & Diane Angi

* Ann Boeck

In memory of Roger Strader

* Kevin & Roxanne McCloskey and Family

* Dianne and Michael Kugel

In memory of Karen Kent

* Kate T. Burkholder

* The Betts Family

* Linda L. Chaney

In memory of Donald Klass

* Idele Ports

In memory of Edward C. Finke

* Elizabeth Dominigue & Sharon Yeager

In memory of Lucie Garner

* Jeannette F. Patton

From the Artist's Studio: Wood Ducks

(Artwork by Chris Rowlands, Program Manager, Environmental Arts)

One of North America's most beautiful waterfowl, the Wood Duck's scientific name, Aix sponsa, loosely translates to "bridal duck" as the birds look like they are dressed to attend a wedding. These birds are tree cavity nesters; they have sharp nails on their webbed feet that allow them to perch and balance on tree limbs. Wood Duck ducklings leave their tree nest the morning after hatching. Responding to calls from the mother duck, they will leap from nests as high as 50 feet above the ground or water. Their downy feathers, pliable bones and leaf litter provide cushioning to help them survive the plunge.

An artificial nest box program by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the 1900s helped bring the Wood Duck back from the verge of extinction as a result of habitat loss and overhunting. 

Aullwood Audubon | AskUs@aullwood.org | 937-890-7360 | www.aullwood.org