What?! No article about prancing reindeer or beautiful red cardinals?! We know, we know, but hear us out. We wanted to recognize an animal this month that we don't necessarily see in the winter, yet is living right under our feet.

The Outdoor Leader program at the Urban Ecology Center allows youth to get outside, learn about green careers, make friends, and get paid!

The beautiful luna moth (Actias luna) is a large white-bodied moth, with lime green-colored wings and pinkish legs. This Wisconsin native is found in the state from spring to summer and flies only in the evenings.

Camper Noah Hammouri caught his first fish ever at Fishing Camp. Trivial... or not!

So, you’re deciding which season is best for your wedding and I’m here to advocate for Winter.

A crucial time of year for nonprofit organizations, including the Urban Ecology Center

When I began working at the Urban Ecology Center this summer, I knew spending time in nature made me happy. What I did not expect was how energized I felt after my morning commute through the Oak Leaf Trail, or the sustained focus I had after taking my lunch break outdoors. Was it just in my head, or was this time in nature improving my mental health?

10 years ago during Doors Open Milwaukee, my five kids and I happened upon this unusual place in the Silver City District’s Menomonee Valley and were a bit confused by what we found. While we thought the building was beautiful and the people kind, we didn’t quite understand how it all worked.

When Cai applied to the Urban Ecology Center’s (UEC’s) Outdoor Leader Program, she didn’t expect it to change her entire perspective. She reflected: “I didn’t feel like myself alone could make a difference. It just felt really big, too big to pursue on my own.”

Our highlighted native plant is Prairie Alumroot, Heuchera richardsonii. Prairie Alumroot is a low growing plant which forms a one foot tall mound-like rosette of evergreen leaves.