Costa Rica 2019: Charismatic Megafauna!

We are excited to offer an eco-travel expedition to explore the amazing biodiversity and unique cultural history of the Republic of Costa Rica! With the largest percentage of protected areas of any country and plans to become the first carbon-neutral country by 2021, the New Economics Foundation rated Costa Rica as the greenest country in the world. The wildlife in Costa Rica is also extraordinary - did you know that Costa Rica is home to as many as 225 mammals and 913 species of birds?

Speaking of wildlife, this is the Urban Ecology Center’s first time leading a trip to Costa Rica in the summer to take advantage of two magical wildlife spectacles:

First, we will be witness to the breeding grounds of Humpback Whales that spent the winter near Antarctica and are now returning to tropical waters to give birth to the calves that have been developing inside them all year.

Second, we will be present along the Caribbean Coast during the sea turtle nesting season as they return to their natal beaches to give birth. These are two natural events you will not want to miss!

And when we’re not looking for these two wonders, we’ll explore the amazing natural areas and biodiversity that bring visitors from around the world, while also looking into social and economic forces that contribute to some of the best examples of sustainability on a national level.

Reserve your spot today!

Can you spot the crocodile in this shot? Photo: Global Water Forum

When

August 1-12, 2019 (12 days, 11 nights)

Highlights

• Tortuguero National Park during turtle nesting season: a unique area where the primary avenues of exploring are the many naturally-formed canals through primary rainforest. This area was preserved primarily to protect sea turtles and jaguars.
• Tirimbina, an 850-acre, mid-elevation rainforest with a strong focus on environmental education.
• Visiting Arenal: volcano, hot springs, and a chocolate tour (what more could you want?!)
• Whale watching tour at Marino Ballena National Park
• Wilson Botanical Garden, to see one of the largest plant collections on the world
• Visiting the Paramo, the highest elevation tropical ecosystem

Itinerary

• Click here for a sample of our itinerary!

Arenal Volcano, where you'll relax in hot springs, enjoy a chocolate tour, and more!

Cost

The price for this 12-day trip is (all-inclusive except for airfare):

$3375 for single occupancy

$2,595 for double occupancy 

$1600 for children sharing a room with an adult

Click here to pay your deposit and reserve a spot

If you are interested in this trip, have questions, or would like more information, contact Tim Vargo at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (414) 964-8505

The Urban Ecology Center Eco-travel program offers a unique way to explore local and international destinations while exploring issues around sustainability. Your participation supports the Urban Ecology Center’s mission.

Top photo by Carlos Roberto Chavarría

Experience the serenity of the nighttime forest in the heart of the city, spend some time in the outdoors with us.

Candlelight Walk and Candlelight Walk for Kids are yearly traditions of honoring the longest night of the year. Take a guided stroll down the luminary-lit paths of the Milwaukee Centennial Rotary Arboretum and enjoy stops along the way for readings of seasonal poetry and prose. Back at the Center warm yourself by the fire as you enjoy music, snacks and hot cider.

Saturday, December 15 | Riverside Park
Walks begin at 7pm and continue every fifteen minutes (last walk leaves at 8:30pm)
Pick Your Price: Program Cost - $14 | Member Discount - $10 | Price Break - $7

Registration for specific walk times is required.

Register for your Candlelight Walk start time below

If you are unable to register for a selected walk time, that means that the walk is full. We apologize that our website is unable to update walk availability in real time.

The Candlelight Walk for Kids features offers earlier start times, kid-friendly readings and stories, shorter routes for littler legs, crafts, games and, of course, hot chocolate and snacks back at the Center! 

Saturday, December 15 | Riverside Park
Walks begin at 4:30pm and continue every fifteen minutes (last walk leaves at 5:45pm)
Pick Your Price: Program Cost - $14 | Member Discount - $10 | Price Break - $7

Registration for specific walk times is required. (Free for kids 3 and under)

Register for your Candlelight Walk for Kids start time below

The viscerally devastating moving picture of a polar bear struggling to board a chunk of ice, dissolving under its paws, still haunts me today. Judging by the public and critical response to the The Inconvenient Truth—a national and international box office success from 2006—I was not the only one that found the documentary poignant and disturbing. The impact of the film is best captured by the Oxford University-run survey which shows that as many as 89% of respondents said it made them more aware of the problem of global warming and as many as 74% of them claimed that they had changed some of their habits after seeing the film.

When I first started learning about plants, I had a lot of questions. How does a tree gets water from deep in the ground all the way up to leaves 160 feet in the air? How are plants able to survive cold winters like this one? How do seeds know when to germinate in the spring? Why are most plants green anyway? Why not blue or pink or black? Do plants communicate with one another? How do plants defend themselves from attack by insects? Whew! That's a lot of stuff to learn! The more I dug into this (no pun intended), the more I discovered how amazing, adaptable, and beautiful plants can be.

Many times, members have shared with me their fond memories of ice skating on the Washington Park Lagoon while growing up. Having accessible skating in their neighborhoods was a huge part of many people’s childhoods. It was an important part of my childhood, too! I walked to a local park to go ice skating. Providing that service to the Washington Park neighborhood is something that we take great pride in as an organization.

Summer camp season is in full swing here at the Center, and our branches are echoing with the sounds of happy children having adventures! If you’re feeling a little jealous of all the fun our campers are having, then we have the perfect event for you – our Grown-Up Summer Camp, brought to you by our friends at New Belgium Brewing and hosted at our Riverside Park branch.

One of my very first memories, from when I was three or four years old, was of me fishing with my dad. He had taken me camping up in the Chequamegon-Nicolet national forest. I remember only bits and pieces of riding in the truck, sleeping in a tent, and sitting around a campfire. But being out on a lake in the boat, that I remember quite vividly.

Warm weather has arrived, and that means it's canoe and kayak season! If you missed this blog post when it was originally published in 2015, we think you'll find it's just right for inspiring visions of sunny days out on the water. Read on, and be sure to take a look at our full list of summer paddling programs after the post!

Collaborating with Menomonee Valley Partners, our branch is the hub of natural restoration and community. Some highlights include partnering with 19 schools, over 50 afterschool programs and 18 Summer Camps.

Winterfest was again a success! Even without snow! During this annual free family festival hosted in Washington Park, the community enjoyed arts, crafts, guided nature walks, and even sled dogs from Door County Sled Dogs. We are deeply grateful for the generosity of our sponsor, Joy Global.