List of nature centers in Wisconsin
This is a list of nature centers and environmental education centers in the state of Wisconsin.
Name | Location | County | Region | Summary |
---|---|---|---|---|
Aldo Leopold Nature Center | Monona | Dane | Southern Savanna | 21 acre main site, exhibits on renewable energy, climate science, sustainability, naturalist Aldo Leopold, phenology, weather |
Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve | Suamico | Brown | Lake Michigan | Operated by the county, 920 acres of forest, meadows and wetlands, West Shores Interpretive Center[1] |
Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary | Green Bay | Brown | Lake Michigan | 700 acre urban wildlife refuge |
Beaver Creek Reserve | Fall Creek | Eau Claire | Mississippi/Chippewa Rivers | Over 400 acres, includes the Wise Nature Center, citizen science center, butterfly house, observatory, youth camp, obstacle course, field research station, and charter science school[2] |
Bethel Horizons Nature Center | Dodgeville | Iowa | Southern Savanna | Located on over 548 acres bordering Governor Dodge State Park, operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America[3] |
Blue Mound State Park | Blue Mounds | Dane | Southern Savanna | 1,153 acres (467 ha) |
Brillion Nature Center | Brillion | Calumet | Central Sands Prairie | Located on 40 acres within the 4,800 acre Brillion Wildlife Area[4] |
Cable Natural History Museum | Cable | Bayfield | Lake Superior Northwoods | website, museum operates 2 nearby properties |
Camp Five Museum | Laona | Forest | Lake Superior Northwoods | 4 acres, includes a logging and forestry museum, historic logging equipment and riverboats, a petting zoo and a nature center with animal, plant and geology displays |
Central Wisconsin Environmental Station | Amherst Junction | Portage | Central Sands Prairie | 200-acre teaching and learning center about the environment, operated by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources[5] |
Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area | New Auburn | Chippewa | Mississippi/Chippewa Rivers | 3,063 acres, exhibits about the area's geology, natural and cultural history |
Cook-Albert Fuller Nature Center at The Ridges Sanctuary | Baileys Harbor | Door | Lake Michigan | 1600 acre preserve |
Crossroads at Big Creek | Sturgeon Bay | Door | Lake Michigan | 125-acre preserve, features indoor and outdoor laboratories, a greenhouse, a specialized botanical and environmental library, an observatory and astronomy center, a historical center developed and maintained by the Door County Historical Society, offers experience-based programs in science, history and the environment for learners of all ages[6] |
Devil's Lake State Park Nature Center | Baraboo | Sauk | Southern Savanna | 9,217 acres, known for its 500-foot-high (150 m) quartzite bluffs along the 360-acre (150 ha) Devil's Lake, exhibits on park's geology and natural history |
Fallen Timbers Environmental Center | Black Creek | Outagamie | Central Sands Prairie | 456 acres, owned by six area school districts and operated by CESA 6, hands-on learning for students[7] |
Gitche Gumee Nature Center in Pattison State Park | Superior | Douglas | Lake Superior Northwoods | 1,225 acres, exhibits about the park's cultural and natural history |
Gordon Bubolz Nature Preserve | Appleton | Outagamie | Central Sands Prairie | 775 acres, 8.5 miles of trails, environmental center[8] |
Havenwoods State Forest | Milwaukee | Milwaukee | Lake Michigan | 237 acres, includes Environmental Awareness Center, urban arboretum, trails, education garden |
Hawthorn Glen | Milwaukee | Milwaukee | Lake Michigan | 23-acre nature center, features nature museum, live native animals, operated by the City[9] |
Hawthorn Hollow | Somers | Kenosha | Lake Michigan | 40 acre nature sanctuary and arboretum, owned and operated by the Hyslop Foundation[10] |
Heckrodt Wetland Reserve | Menasha | Winnebago | Central Sands Prairie | 76 acre urban nature reserve[11] |
High Cliff State Park | Sherwood | Calumet | Central Sands Prairie | 1,187 acres, located on Lake Winnebago, seasonal General Store Museum and nature programs |
Horicon National Wildlife Refuge | Mayville | Dodge | Southern Savanna | Over 21,000 acres, features the Horicon Marsh International Education Center |
House In The Wood | Delavan | Walworth | Southeast Glacial Plains | Outdoor education and retreat center, features live animals, 23 acres of lakeshore, forest, prairie and marsh habitats[12] |
Hunt Hill Audubon Sanctuary | Sarona | Washburn | Lake Superior Northwoods | 400 acres of forests, meadow, bogs and glacial lakes[13] |
International Crane Foundation | Baraboo | Sauk | Southern Savanna | Live crane exhibits, an interactive education center, guided and self-guided tours, a research library, visitor center, over four miles of hiking trails set among 100 acres of restored tall grass prairie, oak savanna, and wetlands |
Interstate Park Ice Age Interpretive Center | Saint Croix Falls | Polk | Lake Superior Northwoods | Wisconsin park is 1,330 acres (538 ha) and the Minnesota park is 298 acres |
Jordan Park Nature Center | Stevens Point | Portage | Central Sands Prairie | 271 acres, operated by the County[14] |
Kemp Natural Resources Station | Woodruff | Oneida | Lake Superior Northwoods | 235 acres, research and teaching facility operated by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences of the University of Wisconsin at Madison[15] |
Kettle Moraine State Forest | Campbellsport | Fond du Lac | Central Sands Prairie | Henry S. Reuss Ice Age Visitor Center located in the Northern Unit, exhibits to learn about the frozen history of Wisconsin and the effects of the glacier |
Kickapoo Valley Reserve | La Farge | Vernon | Mississippi/Chippewa Rivers | 8,569 acres, trails, visitor center with exhibit gallery, environmental education classes[16] |
Lac Lawrann Conservancy | West Bend | Washington | Southern Savanna Region | 137-acre nature preserve, outdoor education programs, plans for learning center[17] |
Ledge View Nature Center | Chilton | Calumet | Central Sands Prairie | 105 acres, operated by the County |
MacKenzie Center | Poynette | Columbia | Southern Savanna | 250 acres, includes logging and conservation museums, native Wisconsin wildlife, an observation tower and an arboretum[18] |
Marsh Haven Nature Center | Waupun | Dodge | Southern Savanna | 46 acres, located at the north end of Horicon Marsh[19] |
Maywood | Sheboygan | Sheboygan | Lake Michigan | 135 acre city-owned park with an arboretum, ecology center[20] |
Mead Wildlife Area | Milladore | Wood | Central Sands Prairie | Education programs at the Stanton W. Mead Education and Visitor Center |
Mequon Nature Preserve | Mequon | Ozaukee | Lake Michigan | 438 acres with over five miles of trails, an observation tower, and the PieperPower Education Center[21] |
Mosquito Hill Nature Center | New London | Outagamie | Central Sands Prairie | Operated by the county on 430 acres[22] |
Navarino Nature Center | Shiocton | Outagamie | Central Sands Prairie | Environmental education facility located within the 1,000 acre Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Navarino Wildlife Area[23] |
Necedah National Wildlife Refuge | Necedah | Juneau | Central Sands Prairie | 43,696-acre refuge, habitat for waterfowl and sandhill cranes, visitor center exhibits, programs |
Neustadter Nature Center at Collins Marsh | Collins | Manitowoc | Lake Michigan | 4,200 acre state wildlife area, facilities include a nature center open by appointment, a screened-in shelter and 110 foot tower[24] |
Norskedalen Nature and Heritage Center | Coon Valley | Vernon | Mississippi/Chippewa Rivers | 400 acres, includes preserved original late 19th century log and stone buildings, artifacts brought with the settlers from Norway, Native American artifacts, a hands-on nature room, an arboretum, and the Skumsrud Heritage Farm |
Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest | Sayner | Vilas | Lake Superior Northwoods | Crystal Lake Nature Center at Crystal Lake Campground, over 232,000 acres |
North Lakeland Discovery Center | Manitowish | Vilas | Lake Superior Northwoods | Includes 12 miles of trails[25] |
Northwoods Wildlife Center | Minocqua | Oneida | Lake Superior Northwoods | Wildlife rehabilitation center with resident animals, guided tours and education programs[26] |
Point Beach State Forest | Two Rivers | Manitowoc | Lake Michigan | Open weekday afternoons from Memorial Day through Labor Day |
Pringle Nature Center | Bristol | Kenosha | Lake Michigan | Located within the 197 acre Bristol Woods County Park[27] |
Raptor Education Group | Antigo | Langlade | Lake Superior Northwoods | Tours available in the summer of the raptor rehabilitation area |
Retzer Nature Center | Waukesha | Waukesha | Southern Savanna | 335 acres, operated by the County[28] |
Richard Bong State Recreation Area | Kansasville | Racine | Lake Michigan | Molinaro Visitor Center features displays, live animals and hands-on exhibits about the recreation area |
River Bend Nature Center | Racine | Racine | Lake Michigan | 743 acres |
Riveredge Nature Center | Saukville | Ozaukee | Lake Michigan | 485 acres of prairies, forests, ponds and marshes along the Milwaukee River[29] |
Sanderling Nature Center at Kohler-Andrae State Park | Sheboygan | Sheboygan | Lake Michigan | 988 acres |
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center | Milwaukee | Milwaukee | Lake Michigan | 185 acres along the shore of Lake Michigan[30] |
Schmeeckle Reserve | Stevens Point | Portage | Central Sands Prairie | 275 acres, located on the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point |
Seno Woodland Education Center | Burlington | Kenosha | Lake Michigan | Operated by the Kenosha/Racine Land Trust, education for schools, educators, landowners about forestry and the national habitats of forest, prairie and wetland[31] |
Thousand Islands Environmental Center | Kaukauna | Outagamie | Central Sands Prairie | 350 acres[32] |
Treehaven | Tomahawk | Lincoln | Lake Superior Northwoods | Residential natural resources education and conference facility owned and operated by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, College of Natural Resources[33] |
Trees for Tomorrow | Eagle River | Vilas | Lake Superior Northwoods | Natural resources specialty school, programs for families, schools, groups, teachers, adults[34] |
University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum | Madison | Dane | Southern Savanna | 1,260 acres, visitor center exhibits, public and education programs |
Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center | Wisconsin Dells | Juneau | Central Sands Prairie | 310 acres, public and residential environmental education center, operated by the University of Wisconsin-Extension, 14 buildings including a nature center and a raptor enclosure housing educational birds of prey[35] |
Urban Ecology Center | Milwaukee | Milwaukee | Lake Michigan | Cares for 70 acres of urban land, offers environmental education and citizen science programs |
Washington Island Art & Nature Center | Washington Island | Door | Lake Michigan | Art gallery, exhibits on island natural and cultural history[36] |
Wehr Nature Center | Franklin | Milwaukee | Lake Michigan | Operated by the county, located within 200 acre Whitnall Park[37] |
Welty Environmental Center | Beloit | Rock | Southern Savanna | Located in Beckman Mill County Park[38] |
White Cedar Nature Center in Peninsula State Park | Fish Creek | Door | Lake Michigan | 3,776 acres |
Whitefish Dunes State Park Nature Center | Sturgeon Bay | Door | Lake Michigan | 865 acres, exhibits about the ecology, geology and cultural history of the park |
Wildwood Wildlife Park | Minocqua | Oneida | Lake Superior Northwoods | Zoo and nature center with over 750 animals[39] |
Willow River State Park | Hudson | St. Croix | Mississippi/Chippewa Rivers | 2,891 acres, includes Willow River Nature Center |
Woodland Dunes Nature Center and Preserve | Two Rivers | Manitowoc | Lake Michigan | Nearly 1,400-acre preserve[40] |
Defunct centers
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve". Brown County Government - Wisconsin. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Beaver Creek Reserve. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Bethel Horizons. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Brillion Nature Center. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Central Wisconsin Environmental Station". University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Crossroads At Big Creek. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Fallen Timbers Environmental Education Center". CESA 6. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Bubolz Nature Preserve. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Hawthorn Glen". Milwaukee Recreation. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Hawthorn Hollow. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Heckrodt Wetland Reserve. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". House In The Wood. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Hunt Hill Audubon Sanctuary. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Jordan Park". Portage County, WI. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Kemp Natural Resources Station. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Kickapoo Valley Reserve. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Lac Lawrann Conservancy. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "MacKenzie Center". Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Marsh Haven Nature Center. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Maywood. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Mequon Nature Preserve. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Mosquito Hill Nature Center". Outagamie County. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Navarino Nature Center. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Neustadter Nature Center at Collins Marsh". Collins Marsh. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". North Lakeland Discovery Center. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Northwoods Wildlife Center. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Pringle Nature Center. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Retzer Nature Center". Waukesha County Parks. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Riveredge Nature Center. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Schlitz Audubon Nature Center. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Seno Woodland Education Center. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Thousand Islands Environmental Center. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Treehaven". University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Trees for Tomorrow. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center". University of Wisconsin-Extension. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Washington Island Art & Nature Center. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Wehr Nature Center". Milwaukee County. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Welty Environmental Center. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Wildwood Wildlife Park. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Official site". Woodland Dunes Nature Center and Preserve. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "EcoPark backers bow out; city may step in Sept. 30". La Crosse Tribune. September 4, 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2017.