Urban Ecology Center's satellite
in Washington Park

If we could create the best possible scenario for urban environmental education, every city in the world would have multiple neighborhood ecology centers. Within these communities, hordes of environmentally responsible adults would serve as mentors to thousands of children, encouraging free play and nature exploration.

We took a small step toward this vision in the fall of 2007 when we opened our first satellite Center in Washington Park. This project is our first “field test” for a model we think can be replicated throughout the county and around the world.

Just as our neighborhood rallied to revitalize Riverside Park, preserving it from crime and neglect, the Washington Park community has invited us to join their team working to revitalize their home park.

What We Do in Washington Park

This satellite center is primarily an opportunity to bring students from the neighborhoods surrounding Washington Park into our Neighborhood Environmental Education Project. Currently, the center serves nine schools within two miles of Washington Park:

Albert Story School
Mount Olive Lutheran School
Neeskara Elementary
Saint Coletta Day School
Saint Sebastian School
Urban Day School - 24th Street Campus
Urban Waldorf
Washington High School of Law, Education, and Public Service
Westside Academy II

By focusing our education efforts on neighborhood schools, area kids can build on their field trip experiences by exploring the park with their families on weekends. This way our students deepen their connection to their park and the natural world.

This center has no public open hours at this time. Programming at Washington Park is limited to our school program, Summer Camps, volunteer stewardship opportunities and an occassional special event. With time and increased support we plan to grow into a community center for the neighborhood, but until then please contact Joey Zocher, Washington Park Program Director, at (414) 344-5460 or jzocher@urbanecologycenter.org to inquire about activities.

Why Washington Park?

In 2004, a team of students from UW-Milwaukee’s Geography Department (Peter Strand, Wen Lin and Jayoung Cho) assessed green spaces in Milwaukee, using criteria we identified as keys to our success in Riverside Park. In their final assessment of the best green spaces for urban environmental education, Washington Park topped this list.

Washington Park, another of Milwaukee’s Frederick Law Olmsted parks, is a nearly 135 acre home to a wide diversity of birds, wildlife, vegetation and a community of people looking to revitalize their neighborhood. After discussions with Sue Black, Director of Milwaukee County Parks of beginning a program at the park, we were invited to meetings with County Parks, Lisbon Avenue Neighborhood Development, Local Initiative Service Corporation, Neighbors United for Washington Park, Washington Park Partners and the Washington Park Beat. Since Washington Park is four miles from Riverside Park, we will have seamless coverage from Lake Michigan all the way to Wauwatosa!