Many of you venturing outside through the Milwaukee parks this spring may see various aquatic life- fish and frogs –floating rather than swimming at the surface of the park ponds.  This is known as “winterkill”. 

Our Equity, Dignity, and Justice staff group prepared this message on behalf of the Urban Ecology Center:

We are heartbroken over the murder of George Floyd, the killing of Joel Acevedo, and the countless others who have been discriminated against, harassed, assaulted, and killed because of the color of their skin. We strive to create a world where people of color are able to live without fear of harassment and violence.

It all started in the summer of 2018, which was my first true exposure to the world of dragonflies and damselflies. This was followed by my first field season leading odonate surveys with the Urban Ecology Center during the summer of 2019.

I’m not sure I can pinpoint what it is that is so utterly addictive about seeking out these flying assassins.

“You wanna see my fish?”

Eighteen participants sat in a circle of camp chairs looking at Ken, then at the small girl with the bucket. She was about five years old and on a mission.

Ken had not noticed her as she walked toward the circle. He continued to focus on the session-topic of volunteerism at the Urban Ecology Center. The group had gathered as part of a multi-day introduction to the model — connecting people in cities to nature and each other — pioneered in Milwaukee. The UEC staff was bringing their expertise as an urban environmental education and community center to people from cities across the U.S. and other countries.

As a member of the Urban Ecology Center, one of the great perks you have that you can borrow a variety of adventure equipment for your family and friends. This Equipment Lending benefit allows you to have adventurous experiences in our urban parks or wherever you wish to go! While you can borrow snowshoes and cross-county skis at any branch, Washington Park has something unique -- ice skates! And one of the places you can try out our skates is on the Washington Park lagoon; that is, when the ice is thick enough. But how thick is enough?

What was it like to be a Research and Community Science intern at the Urban Ecology Center?

Where do I even start? I met a lot of passionate people and did several interesting animal surveys. If you stopped by any of the Urban Ecology Center (UEC) branches during the summer, you probably found three young adults with clipboards in hand and backpacks strapped tight walking through the parks. Depending on what time of the summer you came, we either looked slightly confused or highly confident (I am happy to say that the latter was at the end of the summer).

Cool September mornings on the prairie are ripe with beauty and activity: grasses towering, swaying overhead in the light autumn breeze, goldenrod with its tiny intricate blossoms, and asters popping in vibrant hues of purple, white, and blue. Insects busily soak up the last fruits of fall before winter’s frost. Meanwhile, boisterous high school sophomores rush up and down the paths winding through the prairie, combing the grasses and flowers with giant sweep nets in search of insects. This peaceful prairie teeming with diverse plant and insect life—nestled in the heart of urban Milwaukee—has become an outdoor classroom for teenagers embarking on an important school project.

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.

If you’ve been to one of our Urban Ecology Center branches, you have probably visited one of our Native Wisconsin Animal Rooms and seen the many cold-blooded critters that call the UEC our home. Our education animals are an important part of our mission to provide kids and families with life-changing encounters with the natural world. A lot goes on behind the scenes to make this happen: the animals need to be fed, their homes need to be cleaned, and we need to make sure they remain healthy. That last item is made much easier thanks to the generosity of Lakeside Animal Hospital.

I was first introduced to the Urban Ecology Center in the year 2002 through my job with Milwaukee Public Schools. At this time, the Urban Ecology Center was no more than a trailer, yet something about the place was special. I can remember seeing children extremely excited to learn about animals and go on nature hikes. I was just as excited to see them experience these things!