Milwaukee Urban Ecology Blog

This summer, my family had an opportunity to go camping at Rock Island state park in Door County, WI. This was a level up for us because, to date, we had always done car camping. Rock Island does not allow cars or have any sort of store on the island to replenish supplies (read: snacks). You bring all supplies with you on a ferry. Then cart everything, including your young children, to the campsite, which is located about a half mile from the boat launch.

As Milwaukee’s urban ecosystem fills with the energy brought by more sunlight, blossoming plants and wildlife, the Urban Ecology Center overflows with people looking to enjoy the outdoors. How do we handle this great opportunity? With outstanding summer interns! This year 28 interns spent 12 weeks exploring their dreams and ambitions while they worked to connect people to nature and each other.

I started my position as a Visitor Services Specialist for the Menomonee Valley branch about four months ago. One of the best parts of my job is not only having the opportunity to use my first language, Spanish, but also to help my community connect, or in many cases reconnect, with nature and the environment. It also gave me the ability to start that re-connection that my family has with nature and with Milwaukee ecology specifically.

I have always been interested in the unique physiology and behavior of our local avian friends; however, my internship this summer with the UEC has further sparked my interest in their migratory patterns. As one of the Community Science and Research Interns, I had the unique opportunity to travel to Door County for the annual Bioblitz. This event consists of several passionate scientists from around the state meeting and conducting biological surveys for an area of interest- basically a bunch of nerds doing what they love. As a part of this, I had the chance to participate in bird banding.

You know that feeling you get when you walk into an Urban Ecology Center branch? The feeling that you are somewhere special? The first time I felt that feeling was 12 years ago when walked into the Urban Ecology Center in Washington Park. The branch had just opened, and I was there to help plan the first Winterfest.

A few years ago I had a friend who was afraid to do almost anything outdoorsy in Milwaukee. She told me that the outdoors "didn't have anything accessible." How I've loved proving her wrong! Truth is, there are a lot of ways to enjoy nature on wheels in Milwaukee. And, what better time to explore the natural beauty of our city than on the anniversary of one of the most important pieces of legislation regarding civil rights – the Americans with Disabilities Act? Here are five outdoorsy things you can do in Milwaukee on July 26th and beyond:

The Urban Ecology Center is an environmental community center with the mission to connect people in cities to nature and each other. Our members are a key component of this mission and an example that everyone can join together in this endeavor. With your help, we connect kids to local green spaces through school partnerships, to environmental science through internships, and to sustainable learning opportunities. This valued support also allows us to protect and enhance public green spaces to make them safe, accessible and vibrant for everyone. In addition to contributing support to our mission, Besides giving to us, members receive unique benefits that help them to be an active, engaged, healthy and eco-conscious member of our community.

Bring your friends and family and help us count and document the different animal species in the parks we manage this summer during our Mini-BioBlitzes. Before we get any further, what the heck is a BioBlitz? Well, a BioBlitz is typically a 24-hour event that focuses on finding and identifying as many species of plants, animals, fungi, and any others organisms as possible in one area. The goal is to create a snapshot in time of everything that is present. Experience the nocturnal biodiversity and ecological richness of the natural areas around our three branches during a 2-hour Mini-BioBlitz on July 22nd at Washington Park, August 19th at Riverside Park and August 21st at Menomonee Valley.

Snakes get a bad rap. For many of us, it is instinctual to feel a sense of imminent danger when these critters are near. As many of you may know, snakes are reptiles. Herpetology (the study of reptiles and amphibians) stems from the Greek word ‘herpton’ which literally refers to things that creep and crawl. The first time I held a snake was in high school. At the time, I was intimidated to touch a scaly Red-tailed Boa in front of me—as were many of my fellow classmates (crouching on chairs with hesitant and fearful glances). Despite all that, I slowly reached out my hand and was met with smooth overlapping scales and a small flickering forked tongue. From then…

Summer is finally here, tomorrow is the 4th of July and for many people that means its cookout time! Cooking outside with friends and neighbors is a great way to enjoy the warmer weather, but these gatherings can also generate a lot of waste and have a negative impact on the environment. Here are some tips to make your cookout ecofriendly.