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.

Hello UEC Community,

With summer quickly approaching, we are preparing for a safe and fun season. In addition to the virtual programming we have been offering through the Urban Ecology Center In My Backyard, we will slowly begin meeting other needs of our community through safe and careful on-site programming.

Thank you for your patience as we work to navigate the changing landscape of COVID-19 and social distancing policies. After lots of careful consideration and planning, we have decided that we will be offering limited summer camps starting mid-June.

Read on for a little background on why we’ve decided to offer in-person camps and what we’re planning. Haga clic aquí para encontrar esta información en español.

On dreary days it's good to know that some flowers are already peeking up from out of the ground. Below are a few of Milwaukee's early bloomers.

As Environmental Educator Regina Miller was taking a quiet morning walk in a local park recently, she looked around and most of the forest world looked brown and gray. The colors of winter are still all around even though it is spring. Soon, however, Regina began to see peeks of bright green here and there on the forest floor and it made me smile.

Check out a find along the Menomonee River spotted by UEC Environmental Educator Brynne Drohan. At least 3 inches long, Brynne found a cocoon of a Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia), the largest moth in North America!

It's spring cleaning time! Time to put harsh chemicals into the air and water as we clean the house! Wait, that sounds a bit counterintuitive. Putting harsh chemicals in the air to clean the house? Maybe we should try something new.

We asked our staff to give us some of their favorite recipes for homemade household supplies. These options are better for the environment. The ingredients are cheaper and can be bought in large quantities, making these homemade concoctions better for your budget as well.

Looking for some fun, kid-friendly nature-related activities this spring? We're here to help! The activities below can be adapted for kids of all ages and will work well while self distancing.

Many thanks to Environmental Educator Brynne Drohan for this list.

(Contenido en español también)

As we all practice remaining “safer at home,” we are grateful for the many beautiful Milwaukee County Parks and other green spaces. Going outside for walks, hikes, bike rides, bird watching, and other activities can be done while using appropriate social distancing measures. We encourage you to take advantage of the natural beauty surrounding us and the wonder of this transitional season. Here are some excellent recommendations from our staff on local, accessible natural areas where you can enjoy nature right now:

April 28 Update:

Our branches remain closed to the public, and onsite programming is suspended, in compliance with the Governor’s Safer at Home Order. We look forward to reopening our branches and resuming onsite programs when permitted under Wisconsin’s Badger Bounce Back Plan. In the meantime, please continue to enjoy the outdoors (with safe social distancing), and please enjoy the virtual offerings we’re providing through Urban Ecology Center in My Backyard.