Milwaukee Urban Ecology Blog

Are you planning a trip to the Washington Park area soon? When you do visit this area, you will experience lots of cool activities, and meet some pretty amazing people. This is a community that has had great influence on who I am today. Having grown up in this area and now working in this community, I have certainly noticed some changes. For instance, the Pick n' Save on 35th & North Ave. used to be Jewel Osco. Some things have left and others have joined the community, but it is still a place I am very much connected to.

October marks a bittersweet time in the annual cycle for the Research & Community Science crew. Summer is over, and along with it, go the warm temperatures, lush vegetation, and abundant wildlife. Many animals are starting to head south for the winter or are making their way toward hibernation areas. Additionally, we have come to the end of our 3-year Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) research and restoration grant from the EPA that helped create the Milwaukee Rotary Centennial Arboretum. On the bright side, it's now the time to process the variety of data we have collected over the past three field seasons and start looking for trends or changes!

We are proud to be a community partner for "More Than Honey," a new documentary that is showing at this year's Milwaukee Film Festival, which occurs September 26th – October 10th. But what's all the buzz about? "More Than Honey," created by the Swiss filmmaker Marcus Imhoof, looks into the intriguing world of bees and their relationship with mankind, nature and our future. The film, full of close-up footage of bees and their hives, takes us around the world to see how honeybees are treated.

On a warm Saturday morning, I met the Beyer family at the Urban Ecology Center’s Riverside park location. Immediately upon entering the doors, the four family members scattered energetically around the building. Kirsten watched and waited as daughter Sophie, age 7, darted to the game area and pulled out toys, blocks, and a “See and Say” that made animal noises. Dad Andreas and son Alden, age 3, were not within my periphery and I wondered if they decided not to come. Kirsten detected an inquisitive look in my eye.

One of my favorite parts of summer is the unique sounds of insects and in particular the song of the mole cricket. Many people confuse the mole cricket’s song with that of a frog, however, its staccato repeated chirps undeniably belong to an insect. The song’s frequency is very low for a bug and is known to be the lowest of all of the crickets.

I truly love science; everything about it. The precision, tidiness, predictability and accuracy of science are balanced with mystery, random chance, and outliers. Science is like magic. It is consistently mindblowing and awe inspiring. It is really quite a perfect balance. Science often appeals to the logical mind. Though it is also inspiration and fuel for the artistic, creative mind. Art that has been inspired by science is often the most interesting for me to consume as it appeals to both sides of the mind.

Our Menomonee Valley branch is one year old – time to celebrate! Join us on Saturday, September 7th as we take a look back at our past year and explore Three Bridges Park! It's been a busy and exciting first year that included school programs, summer camps and the opening of Milwaukee's newest park! We thought it be fun to take a look at our past year and share some of our favorite memories. Check back as we will be updating this page until Saturday's celebration!

As the days get shorter and the acorn squash fatter, the rivers of our city will soon be awash in streaks of yellows, oranges, and reds. But if there’s one thing that won’t be waning (at least for me), it’s the itch to be out and active along Milwaukee’s waterways. Do you find yourself in the, ahem, same boat? Then let’s give the Milwaukee River some much deserved autumnal love with the Urban Ecology Center’s Fall Paddling Series!

Throughout history Milwaukee’s rivers have tremendously affected the people of this area. People have relied on these now-urban waterways for food, travel, trade, industry and recreation. But just as Milwaukee’s Magnificent Waters have affected us, our actions and behavior affect the rivers we love and rely on. In 1987, the Milwaukee Estuary was designated an Area of Concern (AOC) by the federal government. The waters of the Estuary are considered impaired as the result of historical modifications like dredging and straightening, and heavy pollutant loads. It is one of forty-three AOC-designated Great Lake watersheds in the U.S. and Canada.

If I had a car this would be the personalized license plate for me. It is perfect! If more people would only emulate me, the world would be a much better place don't you think? Am I being arrogant? Sure. Pompous? You bet. Conceited? Not in the slightest. Supercilious? Maybe . . . need to look that one up. But am I right? Absolutely! Just to be clear, in case you are taking me seriously the last thing I really want is the world to truly emulate me. I'm as messed up a the best of us — just ask my family or my therapist. It would, however, be nice if a few more people chose to compost. Because when…