Cincinnati Parks

COUNSELOR IN TRAINING PROGRAM (C.I.T.)

2026 IMPORTANT DATES AND DEADLINES 

1.Returning CIT Sign-up: goes live on January 23, 2026

2. New CIT Applications Open: Saturday, February 14, 2026- Close April 19^th

3. Online Interviews Available (NEW CITS ONLY): Tuesdays, February 17^th- April 14^th

4. Mandatory CIT Training Dates for 2026

• • C.I.T. Orientation (New CITs)- Saturday May 16^th, 10am-12pm OR Wednesday, May 20^th 4:30-6:00 pm 
  • C.I.T. Training FOR ALL CITs- Saturday, May 20^th 9:00am-3:00pm (Mandatory for all 2025 CITs)

Why Become a C.I.T.?

• Earn volunteer hours and enhance your resume
• Develop leadership skills while spending time outside
• Positively impact campers by assisting with games, crafts, and hikes

Requirements:

• Age: Must be 13+ before camp starts
• Able to commit to at least one week of camp (M-F from 6/9 to 8/1)

More Information:

The Cincinnati Parks C.I.T. program does rolling interviews and acceptances throughout spring. Camp locations and dates vary; the earlier interviews are more likely to get their desired camp. Placement is not guaranteed.

NEW CIT Application Steps:

1. Create a Better Impact account: [https://bttr.im/0lxi1 ] Please be sure to include correct date of birth, emergency contact information, and t-shirt size.

2. Complete CIT Application Supplemental Questions: [http://bttr.im/tarjr ] This is how we know you are interested in the program.

3. Submit a Community Reference: [https://explorenature.regfox.com/cit-personal-reference ] Send this link to a teacher, coach, neighbor, to fill out on your behalf.

4. Sign-up for an online interview: [https://bttr.im/k5gj6  Select one of our available online "Teams Meetings" for an interview. Online interviews are done in groups of three. 

Need more information? Watch the CIT testimonial video: [https://youtu.be/lC0tFg_POtk ]

CONTACT: 

Joe Brenzel, joseph.brenzel@cincinnati-oh.gov or call/text 1(513)-787-0398

General Questions: parks.ne@cincinnati-oh.gov or call 513-321-6070

Cincinnati Parks depends on the support of volunteers in our efforts to combat the impact of invasive plant species throughout our parks system. Cincinnati Parks makes up 10% of the city's land mass, including thousands of acres of forest and woodland areas. Stewarding this land effectively is a massive undertaking, one in which our volunteers play a valuable role. 

Volunteers are organized by staff and community leaders. This structured program offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers to engage in our habitat restoration efforts and the preservation of our natural areas. Volunteers work alongside staff and other volunteers on service projects beginning at an introductory level and can work towards becoming a Trained Service Person, Volunteer Group Leader, or Volunteer Site Leader. These roles allow our volunteers to become an integral part of implementing the long-term land management plans at many of our Cincinnati Parks nature preserves. 

The roles and requirements of this program are outlined below:

Introductory Volunteer:

• One - time or occasional service event volunteer

CPB Trained Service Person:

• Minimum of 10 hours logged at a supervised Cincinnati Parks conservation site (all sites are listed in this section of the portal)
• Complete the online Pesticide Application Training  
• Successfully pass a TSP Qualifier event 
• Submit the Cincinnati Parks TSP Indemnification Policy
• Volunteers must be 18 or older

Volunteer Group Leader:

• Must be a CPB Trained Service Person
• Identified by the Volunteer Site Leader 
• Schedule & plan workdays
• Recruit and communicate with volunteers
• Coordinate workdays with fellow Volunteer Group Leaders and TSPs
• Supervise workdays, including volunteer introductions, safety rules and guidelines, plant identification, and demonstration of proper removal techniques needed for the event
• Educate volunteers on proper identification and removal techniques
• Serve as an ambassador for your site, your CPAC, and the CCS program
• Adhere to all Cincinnati Parks Department guidelines and policies
• Report volunteer hours, workday outcomes, and other site details as needed
• Follow all applicable safety guidelines and agree to notify Parks staff immediately in the case of an incident
• Be willing and able to answer questions from the public on restoration activities taking place within their park and the importance of these activities 
• Notify Cincinnati Parks staff in the event that they are no longer interested in participating as a Volunteer Group Leader

Volunteer Site Leader:

• Must be a CPB Trained Service Person
• Must be a Volunteer Group Leader
• Appointed by the Conservation and Land Management (CLM) team
• Continues to attend trainings held by CLM in order to stay abreast of what is happening at our conservation sites 
• Serves as the primary point of contact between the Parks CLM team and a Cincinnati Parks Advisory Council (CPAC) 

To get started on the pesticide application program - follow this link to the virtual training:

http://bttr.im/j7wmh

The Pesticide Application Program is made possible by the generous contribution of our friends at the Cincinnati Parks Foundation.  

Cincinnati Park Board's (CPB) mission is to conserve, manage, sustain, and enhance the parks' natural and cultural resources and public greenspace for the enjoyment, enlightenment, and enrichment of the Cincinnati community. CPB controlled land makes up 10% of the City of Cincinnati, 80% of which is forested and under constant pressure do to invasive plant species, and an overabundant white tail deer population. 

CPB has conducted aerial infrared surveys of our public forest and found that the deer population far exceeds the recommended threshold of 20-50 deer per acre. As a result biodiversity and long-term sustainability our public forests and the native wildlife that depend on them are severely threatened by the over browsing of native trees and plants. Reducing the deer population is a key component of managing natural resources for future generations.

 The purpose of Cincinnati Parks Controlled Bow Hunting Program is to reduce the number of deer within designated public lands in order to restore the health, ecological balance and to long-term sustainability of our native forests. Each year more than a hundred licensed, qualified bow hunters volunteer their time and expertise to support the management of the deer population.

CPAC Mission:

To build and maintain public support for Cincinnati Parks by providing feedback to the Cincinnati Park Board and exchanging and sharing information and providing mutual support between park advisory councils.

CPAC RESOURCES:

Cincinnati Parks Foundation:

Cincinnati Parks have a long and distinguished tradition in Cincinnati. The city is fortunate to have a thriving system consisting of 5,000-plus acres of city parklands including five regional parks, 70 neighborhood parks, 34 natural areas, five neighborhood nature centers, 30 sites managed by the Cincinnati Recreation Commission, five parkways, 16 scenic overlooks, 2 arboretums, and 65 miles of hiking and bridle trails. Within this robust "city within a park", thousands of square footage of floral displays are created and maintained by a team of horticulturists that in no small way place the finishing beauty on the special destinations of Cincinnati Parks. 

We are organizing opportunities for volunteers to support the important work of Parks horticulture staff in select parks locations. Volunteers will assist Parks horticulturists with general horticultural needs (clearing, weeding, deadheading, light pruning, watering, and planting). This a great opportunity for anyone who is interested in public horticulture and enjoys working outdoors, and is comfortable engaging with the public to answer questions about our gardens. 

Some opportunities are team based and others have more autonomy, but in all cases the work is guided by our staff. The goal is to build an experienced group of volunteers to support efforts that keep our parks beautiful and healthy. All of these opportunities require an on-going commitment, minimum of one season, but hopefully more! 

When you register, you will have a brief interview with a volunteer coordinator or someone from the horticulture team. We want to ensure a good fit for all volunteers and the team. 

Located in the heart of Eden Park, Krohn Conservatory is Cincinnati’s nationally recognized indoor botanical garden that attracts over 200,000 visitors annually and is home to more than 3,500 plant species from around the world, including desert plants, Bonsai trees, tropical specimens, carnivorous plants, exotic fruit trees, and rare orchids.

Open year-round with ever-changing special exhibits and programs, the conservatory is the perfect place to volunteer during any season. Krohn Conservatory offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities year-round!

General Opportunities at Krohn:

• Horticulture Helper
• Holiday Greeters
• Model Railroad 
• Greeter 
• Floater
• Special Events
• Crafts and Education
• Krohn Crafters
• Butterfly Show Door Guards

Want to learn more about these opportunities? All are welcome! 

Questions? Contact:  Volunteer Coordinator, Krohn Conservatory

One of the biggest issues our staff faces is dealing with litter and dumping in all of our parks. Fortunately, we have dozens of volunteers that work on litter pick up in their neighborhood parks all year long. Cincinnati Parks also schedules clean up events and partners with community organizations that take initiative to host litter blitzes in our parks.

We welcome the support of individuals and groups of all sizes to address the issues of litter. 

Sign up for an scheduled event or to strike out on your own - we'll get your completely geared up and connected with district staff! 

** CANCELLED DUE TO FRIGID TEMPS FORECASTED **

Monday, Jan 19 projects cancelled. Weekend projects TBD. 

A Day On, Not A Day Off

Monday, January 17 - January 19 | Various Times & Locations

On MLK National Day of Service, Americans volunteer to honor Dr. King's life and legacy and improve their communities.

"All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence." Martin Luther King, Jr.

2026 Cincinnati Parks MLK Day Project Sites:

Saturday, January 17 | 1pm - 4pm | French Park

• Friends of French Park continue forest restoration efforts
• Register HERE

Sunday, January 18 | 10am - 1pm | Mt. Airy Tree Shepherds

• Mt. Airy continue forest restoration efforts
• Register HERE

Monday, January 19 | 9am - 12 | Hauck Botanical Garden

• Parks Staff and community volunteers will remove invasive plants and brush to clear sight lines
• Register HERE

Monday, January 19 | 9am - 12 | Burnet Woods

• Parks Staff and community volunteers will mulch floral display beds and playground/picnic areas
• Register HERE

Monday, January 19 | 1pm - California Woods

• Join Parks Naturalist to continue forest restoration efforts
• Register HERE

Volunteers should be prepared for the weather (layered clothing) and wear long pants and long sleeves to protect against thorns and possible poison ivy encounters.  Required: Close-toed & sturdy shoes, work gloves (if you own them) and a refillable water bottle. There will be a limited number of work gloves available to borrow.