Welcome to the
Urban Ecology Center!

Imagine entering a naturally cool building, full of life: a naturalist feeding a giant snapping turtle in a huge aquarium, a group of adults comparing notes on the birdwatching walk they’ve just taken, kids coming in from outside using their special door and “stream slides” into the building’s first floor. Climbing a long staircase to the top of the lookout tower outside the building, you enjoy a view of Milwaukee’s East Side and downtown. Looking across the building, you see a roof garden, a pond and a huge solar array.
Yes this really the middle of urban Milwaukee.

UEC News

Looking for one of our recent stories? Need composting directions? Find what you're looking for in our archive!

Our sunshine is online!

Click here to see our solar energy station in action!

Saying Goodbye to a Good Friend

The Urban Ecology Center is sad to announce the passing of a dear friend, donor and Board of Directors member Richard (Dick) Burke.

When the Center was still working out of a double wide trailer in Riverside Park, Dick was able to envision with us a community center that taught science and nature to disadvantaged urban youth. He energized our building campaign with a substantial lead gift through his Trinity Foundation Fund of The Greater Milwaukee Foundation. He requested no recognition nor naming rights, just that we stay true to our vision. Throughout the years we knew we could count on Dick for his generous support, level head and quiet persistence.

Dick's family have generously requested that people so inclined make a donation to the Urban Ecology Center in lieu of flowers. Click here if you would like to make a donation in honor of this amazing, caring man.

Urban Ecology Center Has Online Giving!

You can use your credit card or PayPal account to donate to the Center. Click here for details.

Looking Forward to Summer

The Urban Ecology Center has something for preschoolers to teens this summer. Get your kids outdoors!
Use the links below to explore our summer offerings.

Preschool - Middle School

Register Now For Summer Camp

Click here for a list of camps, dates
and a printable sign-up form.

Teens

Run the Teen Adventure Challenge

Defy gravity and expectations, I dare ya!
Click here for details.

Weekends are Times for Families...
and Nature!

Exploring nature as a family can enhance your child’s experience in nature. Intrinsically, most of us know this, but those of us who attend the Book Club were reminded last January as we read Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv. In this book, Louv discusses the unquestionable importance of a child’s relationship with nature. Children need to experience nature, not just view it on television. They need to explore, get dirty, feel the wind on their faces, and dig for worms. This year we have three new activities for families who want to explore the natural world.

Family Series Programs

One Family Series program will be offered every month from March to October. This is your chance to do fun and interactive activities as a family! Come to one program or to all eight! Registration is required.

April 27: Planting a Three Sisters Garden. Learn about the interesting history, culture and botany of the Three Sisters Garden and then plant some corn, beans and squash that same day.

May 18: A World of Climbing. Climb the spider web or the Center’s climbing wall with your family and learn about some things that climb in nature.

June 15: Finding Your Way. Kids and parents will work together to learn to use a compass and navigate to a hidden treasure in the park.

July 13: Nature Journaling. Explore Riverside Park through writing and drawing in your own recycled journal.

August 17: Outdoor Cooking. Learn how to cook over a fire in Riverside Park’s amphitheater.

September 27: Fall Festival. This event is fun for the entire family with arts and crafts, entertainment and fun outdoors.

October 19: Costume Creation Party. The final program in our family series is a party where we will create masks!

Letterboxing

This age-old pastime is coming to Riverside Park in March. Letterboxing is a “treasure hunt” style of outdoor quest that will challenge your family to solve a riddle and navigate though the park to a specified destination. Find out more about letterboxing at letterboxing.org

Backpack of Fun

Also in March, a backpack full of outdoor activity ideas and equipment will be a new addition to our lending equipment program. Borrow the backpack for a day or a weekend of exploring in nature.

Visiting Milwaukee?
Looking for a day outdoors?
Visit the Urban Ecology Center
in Riverside Park!

Did you know that our building is open seven days a week? Here are some ideas of what you can do for free at the Center:

The Center is on the southwest corner of Riverside Park opposite Riverside High School. The front entrance is on east Park Place, two blocks west of Oakland Avenue. The Center has access to the Oak Leaf Bicycle Trail, just south of Locust Street. More detailed directions.

Special Events

The Tools Three Artists Use to Express Their Vision Art Show

Community Room
Show runs through late June

Carolyn Snow uses vivid acrylic paints layered with materials found in nature, sometimes expressionistic, often primitive. Leanne de Muijnck’s “Icescapes” is an amazing series of black and white abstract nature photography. Nancy Aten has realigned her work with her ecological passions and crafts small monotypes, using materials from nature and watercolor field sketches.

Bike to Work Week
Bicycler Breakfast
at Urban Ecology Center

Weekday mornings
May 12 - 16
7 - 9 a.m.
For bicycle commuters
Free - donations appreciated

Thank you to bicycle commuters for reducing consumption of fossil fuels! We’ll treat you to breakfast at the Urban Ecology Center. Join fellow bike commuters for free breakfast on the Oak Leaf Recreational Trail.

Bicycler Breakfast Celebration

Saturday, May 17
9 - 10:30 a.m.
For bicycle commuters
Free - donations appreciated
Call to register, 964-8505

Bike-to-work-week culminates at the Center with a Saturday morning celebration. Socialize with other bicycle commuters and share your bicycling goals for the rest of the season! Breakfast is provided.

An Evening with
Marilyn Clemens

Tuesday, June 3
6 - 8 p.m.
For adults
$5 for Urban Ecology Center or Alliances Françaises members
(Nonmembers - $10)
Call to register, 964-8505

Meet Marilyn Clemens, an urban designer, landscape architect and writer. Marilyn is an international leader in urban design and landscape architecture. Her presentation will focus on new Parisian gardens built on abandoned industrial lands as part of large urban design projects (Citroen, Bercy, La Villette, Belleville, the Promenade Plantee and the Atlantic Garden). Brought to you by the Federation of Alliances Françaises USA, Alliance Française de Milwaukee and the Urban Ecology Center.

Teen Adventure Challenge

Saturday, June 7
8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
For teams of 4 teens with an adult
$60 per team
Registration required by May 23rd, click here for details and a registration packet.

Defy everyone’s expectations! Try this adventrue race for co-ed teams of 4 teens and an adult. Bike, hike, rock climb, canoe the Milwaukee River and take part in mystery events! T-shirt and lunch included. To start a team contact Chad at cthomack@urbanecologycenter.org. To volunteer, contact Susan at swinans@urbanecologycenter.org.
Or just come to cheer the teams on along the route!

Summer Solstice Celebration on the Hill

Thursday, June 21
6:30 p.m.
For everyone
Free - donations appreciated

Celebrate the solstice by drumming, sharing poetry and witnessing the sunset with local artist Harvey Taylor. Meet on the top of the “sledding hill”. Bring a drum (or use one of ours), a favorite song or poem to share and a blanket to sit on.

Droplets

Award Winning Board Member

Congratulations to Jeff Anthony, our Urban Ecology Center Board Secretary, for receiving the 2007 “Outstanding Employee/Citizenship Award” from American Wind Energy Association.

Astronomy Notes
Has a New Home!

We're happy to announce that our Astronomy Notes calendar has a new home here on the Center's website. Click here to check out its new format and extra content.

What's Happening
on Park Place?

Parking has always been an issue on Milwaukee’s East Side. Riverside Park is no exception. The Urban Ecology Center has negotiated an agreement with the MMSD to do build a “green” 55 car parking lot. This requires extending Park Place with a vehicular bridge. It might seem logical to use Belleview to access this land, but there is not enough room between an existing building and the edge of the bike path to build a legal street from Belleview to the proposed lot.

Click here for information
about this exciting project.

New Board Members

We are excited to announce the addition of two new members to the Center’s Board of Directors. We welcome Marc Andraca and Tom Zak as great additions to the dynamic group. They both bring skills, knowledge, and enthusiasm from A(ndraca) to Z(ak)!

Click here for a complete list
of our Board of Directors.