What do Charles Darwin, Benjamin Franklin and our summer interns have in common? They are CommunityScientists! A Community Scientist is someone who engages in the research process in a non-academic setting. People are often surprised to learn that anyone can participate in our research projects, regardless of their age, background or previous experience. All you need is a passion for the natural environment. Community Science volunteers at the Center work with bats, birds, bugs, frogs and toads, small mammals, snakes, turtles, insects, plants and more!

Our executive director Ken Leinbach often says “many hands make light work.” This was certainly the case over the course of this past April. With the help of 400 Kohl’s associates who participated in the Kohl’s National Go Green Event we were able to accomplish more work in one month than we could have even imagined.

What do the late Senator Gaylord Nelson, polar explorer Eric Larsen, South African conservationist Louis Liebenberg, poet Wendell Berry, Carl Leopold (late son of Aldo) and the Urban Ecology Center’s Beth Heller all have in common? They have all donated their time and talents as speakers at the Urban Ecology Center. However, there is another common bond, a rather tasty one, that emerges if we dig a little into the Urban Ecology Center’s past.

I recently had the pleasure of coordinating volunteer activities for a group of University of Kansas students who chose to do volunteer work on their spring break week. Here is a story written by one of those students.

Milwaukin’ on Sunshine

Whenever you pack yourself into a van with six other college students and get sent hundreds of miles away, you will undoubtedly have some stories to mull over on the way back. This was certainly the case on our Alternative Spring Break to the Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee.

Living across the street from Riverside Park in the early 80’s during his years as a student at UWM, Eric Crawford had no idea he would travel to another part of the world only to return to these roots some twenty years later. 

In 2005, the Crawfords were living in the Netherlands, but had returned to Milwaukee for a visit when Eric discovered the Urban Ecology Center.

He instantly understood how its presence here would have a deep impact in his former neighborhood.

“Hello Ed, is this a good time to discuss the terms of the lease for the Arboretum project?”...“Wait, are you sure?”...“You mean you are in Hamburg, Germany and it’s midnight over there?”...“I can’t believe you took my call! Thanks for agreeing to help.”

And on another day...

“Hi Andre, we have a situation we need to address at the Center—do you mind taking a minute to discuss this with me?”....“Thanks”...are you at an airport? I just heard an announcement in the background?”...“You are in Moscow on your way to Siberia! That’s crazy! You sound like you are in the same room with me, what time is it?”...“11pm!”...“Wow, thanks for taking my call!”