Three environmental activists started this effort by planting beehives on rooftops and parking lots; milkweed, parsley, and zinnias in abandoned lots, and talking to anyone who would listen about what each of us can do to protect and support pollinators. Together, they have developed not only an educationally rich website and social media presence, but now, as the worker bees continue to focus on caring for all local pollinators, they are also teaching others how they can join the effort. QCPP’s list of partners is growing, just like a healthy garden, as they work with and support other organizations that are already passionate Cincinnati leaders in environmental protection and sustainability. Now, along with its dedicated board members, some of whom have been with us since the first year and several of whom are former students who are now valuable colleagues.

QCPP is a vibrant colony of pollinator ecosystem supporters.

What We Do

EDUCATION

Our classes are designed for grades 3rd and up through adults and include classes for schools, garden groups, community organizations, local businesses, and more! Program lengths can range from 1-hour stand-alone presentations to semester and summer-long programs. Our science educators teach programs and give presentations on pollinator ecology, land management practices, entomology, honeybee biology, gardening for pollinators, and more! Our programs will encourage you to contribute data to biodiversity-focused community science projects and become more familiar with the strengths and threats to wildlife and ecosystems in your community. Learn how your contributions to the health of your local ecosystem impact the organisms around you and the future well-being of the planet. Click below to contact us and request pricing for a program at your school or community organization. 

CONSERVATION

We aren’t here to harvest honey; we are here to support native bees and honeybees and to work in their benefit. We are pollinator protectors. We are passionate about education and about using the honeybee as a tool to teach our community about the ecological services and the threats all our pollinators face. We advocate for minimizing pesticide and insecticide use and promote more ecologically friendly ways of living with these important ecological partners. We plant native pollinator species and distribute these seeds to community members for planting across the city and region. We know that augmenting the city's soil benefits us all. Feed the bees (and butterflies, etc.), and we feed ourselves. We organize and participate in community science projects, including tagging the migratory generation of monarch butterflies and monitoring pollinator populations. We raise native butterfly and moth species and advocate for native and specific host plants in gardens, even when you don't think it's a viable garden space. We plant milkweed and other host plants at local school gardens, community gardens, and local businesses. Click below to contact us to learn how you can help pollinators at your home or business! 

COLLABORATION

Cincinnati is one of the U.S. ’s Top 35 Greenest cities, and we are passionate about ensuring that biodiversity and habitat conservation contribute not only to the well-being of Cincinnatians but also to the organisms that live among us. We partner with other non-profits, local businesses, county parks, and community organizations to build pollinator habitats, educate with honeybee hives, conduct professional developments for S.T.E.A.M teachers, and more. 

ORGANIZATIONS WE COLLABORATE WITH:

Monarch Joint Venture, Cardinal Land Conservancy, Adventure Crew, The Civic Garden Center, Imago, Lick Run Greenway, Cincinnati Parks, Cincinnati Art Museum, Urban Stead Cheese, Cornell University, Ohio State University, Xavier University, Northern Kentucky University, Cincinnati-Nancy Sister City Association, and more. QCPP works within our communities to create pollinator-friendly places through community education and pollinator habitat building.

"I fell in love with the 6-legged invertebrates that call this same planet home, and yes, some have venomous stingers and alien-like transformations, but there is so much beauty in their work. The relationship between a pollinator and a plant is symbiosis at its finest, and we can learn so much from their dedication to one another.

Each of their lives depends on the community's tenacity, and while they are easy to pass by, our lives depend on theirs as well. We are at the mercy of hard-working insects and bountiful flowers, and it is our job as the keepers of the keys to make this planet better for them, not just to live, but to thrive."

— QCPP Founding Board Member, educator Sylvana Ross