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] |
La Crosse is a city in and the county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. Positioned alongside the Mississippi River, La Crosse is the largest city on Wisconsin's western border. La Crosse's population was 52,680 as of the 2020 census. The city forms the core of the La Crosse–Onalaska metropolitan area, which includes all of La Crosse County and Houston County, Minnesota, with a population of 139,627.
Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve is a protected area that once served as the natural estuary for neighboring Ballona Creek. The 577-acre (2.34 km2) site is located in Los Angeles County, California, just south of Marina del Rey. Ballona—the second-largest open space within the city limits of Los Angeles, behind Griffith Park—is owned by the state of California and managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The preserve is bisected generally east-west by the Ballona Creek channel and bordered by the 90 Marina freeway to the east.
The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission was a regional zoning, planning and regulatory agency in northern New Jersey. Its founding mandates were to protect the delicate balance of nature, provide for orderly development, and manage solid waste activities in the New Jersey Meadowlands District. The Commission operated as an independent state agency between 1969 and 2015, loosely affiliated with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. In 2015 NJMC was merged with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA) through legislative action.
Camley Street Natural Park is an urban nature reserve in St Pancras in central London and within the London Borough of Camden. It is a local nature reserve.
The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes is a nonprofit organization in Shaker Heights, Ohio, that works to conserve a natural area, educate visitors about nature, and promote better environmental stewardship. It was founded in 1966 as the result of a volunteer effort to preserve the Shaker Parklands from becoming the route for a new freeway connecting Cleveland's east side to Downtown Cleveland.
The Fairfield Osborn Preserve is a 450-acre nature reserve situated on the northwest flank of Sonoma Mountain in Sonoma County, California. There are eight plant communities within the property, oak woodland being the dominant type. Other communities include chaparral, Douglas fir woodland, native Bunch grass, freshwater marsh, vernal pool, pond and riparian woodland. The flora is extremely diverse including many native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, grasses, lichens and mosses. A diverse fauna inhabits this area including black-tailed deer, coyote, bobcat and an occasional mountain lion; moreover, there are abundant avifauna, amphibians, reptiles and insects.
In 1999, the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve was designated in St. Johns and Flagler counties, Florida as a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) system. The GTM Research Reserve represents the east Florida sub-region of the Carolinian bioregion. It is one of 30 NERRs in 23 states and one territory. GTM is one of three NERRs in Florida and is administered on behalf of the state by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Florida Coastal Office as part of a network that includes forty-one aquatic preserves, three NERRs, a National Marine Sanctuary, the Coral Reef Conservation Program and the Florida Oceans and Coastal Council. Additional interests are held in the research and management of the GTM and connected preserved or conserved lands including:
The Turkey Creek Sanctuary is a small nature reserve in Palm Bay in Brevard County, Florida, and incorporates salty hammock and sand pine ridge habitats. It has 1.85 miles (3 km) of boardwalk paths and 1.5 miles (2.4 km) of jogging trails through native forest to Turkey Creek, an excellent site for seeing birds, turtles, manatees, alligators as well as other local wildlife. The creek is an important breeding ground for both salt and fresh water fish and is accessible via a canoe deck. The Sanctuary is part of the East Florida section of the Great Florida Birding Trail.
The Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Fairfield is a nature center and wildlife sanctuary in the Greenfield Hill area of Fairfield, Connecticut. Constructed in 1971, the center features classrooms for environmental education programs, live animals on display, natural history exhibits, a nature library, a solar greenhouse and a gift shop. Outside there is a compound with non-releasable rescued birds of prey, including owls, hawks, peregrine falcons, a turkey vulture and other raptors.
Cedar Hill is a city in Dallas and Ellis counties in the U.S. state of Texas. It is located approximately 16 miles (26 km) southwest of downtown Dallas and is situated along the eastern shore of Joe Pool Lake and Cedar Hill State Park. Per the 2020 United States census, the population was 49,148. Cedar Hill is a suburb of the city of Dallas and is part of the Best Southwest area, which includes the nearby cities of DeSoto, Duncanville, and Lancaster.
The Connecticut Audubon Society, founded in 1898 and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to "conserving Connecticut’s environment through science-based education and advocacy focused on the state’s bird populations and habitats." Connecticut Audubon Society is independent of the National Audubon Society (NAS), just as in the neighboring state of Massachusetts, where Massachusetts Audubon Society is independent of the NAS.
The Swaner EcoCenter is a nature preserve and Utah State University Distance Education site located in Snyderville Basin near Park City, Utah. Swaner encompasses a 1,200-acre (490 ha) wildlife refuge, a 10,000-square-foot (930 m2) state of the art environmental education facility, a 100-acre (40 ha) farm, and 10 miles (16 km) of trails. The EcoCenter works to preserve the land and the human connection to the natural landscape, to educate the local and broader communities about the value of nature, and to nurture both the ecosystem and the people connected with it. The EcoCenter was designed by architect Soren Simonsen to meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum certification, the highest standard set by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Thurrock Thameside Nature Park is an Essex Wildlife Trust nature reserve located on top of the former Mucking Marshes Landfill in Thurrock, England which will eventually cover 845 acres (342 ha). It is next to the River Thames and provides good bird and ship watching. The Cory Environmental Trust Visitor Centre is located at the preserve and provides a rooftop viewing platform.
Constitution Marsh is a 270-acre (110 ha) fresh water and brackish tidal marsh located between Constitution Island and the eastern shores of the Hudson River in Garrison, New York. Together with 80 acres (32 ha) of bordering woodlands, it forms the National Audubon Society's Constitution Marsh Audubon Center and Wildlife Sanctuary. Part of Hudson Highlands State Park, it is one of five major tidal marshes along the Hudson River. Constitution Marsh is an Audubon Important Bird Area, and has been listed as a New York State Bird Conservation Area since the early 2000s. It is also recognized by the New York State Department of State as both a Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat and a Scenic Area of Statewide Significance.
Churchville Nature Center is a facility of the Bucks County, Pennsylvania Department of Parks and Recreation and is located in Churchville, Pennsylvania. The center focuses on environmental education, public outreach and the preservation of native wildlife through its wide range of programs, projects and surveys. The nature center offers educational programing year round through its Environmental Education and Lenape Village departments. The center features a native butterfly house and covers 55 acres of wildlife preserve.
The Rush Creek Open Space Preserve is a nature reserve near Novato, California. It is named for Rush Creek. The 522-acre (2.11 km2) lot of public land has a host of hiking trails as well as a marsh in the center, and is bordered by various marshes and shallow lakes owned by the California Department of Fish and Game. Due to the proximity of marshes and shallow lakes, a multitude of birds and waterfowl live in the area, with close to 200 species. This makes the preserve a popular destination for birdspotters. The preserve is also popular for running, hiking, biking, dog walking, and horse riding, as all are allowed on most of the trails. A rare blue oak woodland is also located near the Bahia Marsh.
Golden Gate Bird Alliance is an American 501(c)(3) non-profit environmental organization engaged in bird conservation and environmental awareness. Headquartered in the David Brower Center in Berkeley, California, Golden Gate Bird Alliance was formed in 1917 and incorporated into the National Audubon Society in 1948. With 3,586 members and supporters, Golden Gate Bird Alliance spans Northern California, with a particular focus on San Francisco County, West Alameda County, and West Contra Costa County.