List of nature centers in Wisconsin

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Wisconsin Nature Centers (Hover mouse over pog to popup clickable link)

This is a list of nature centers and environmental education centers in the state of Wisconsin.

Contents

NameLocationCountyRegionSummary
Aldo Leopold Nature Center Monona Dane Southern Savanna21 acre main site, exhibits on renewable energy, climate science, sustainability, naturalist Aldo Leopold, phenology, weather
Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve Suamico Brown Lake MichiganOperated by the county, 920 acres of forest, meadows and wetlands, West Shores Interpretive Center [1]
Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary Green Bay BrownLake Michigan700 acre urban wildlife refuge
Beaver Creek Reserve Fall Creek Eau Claire Mississippi/Chippewa RiversOver 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 SavannaLocated on over 548 acres bordering Governor Dodge State Park, operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America [3]
Blue Mound State Park Blue Mounds DaneSouthern Savanna1,153 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 Northwoods4 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 Prairie200-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 Rivers3,063 acres, exhibits about the area's geology, natural and cultural history
Cook-Albert Fuller Nature Center at The Ridges Sanctuary Baileys Harbor Door Lake Michigan1600 acre preserve
Crossroads at Big Creek Sturgeon Bay DoorLake Michigan125-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 Savanna9,217 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 Prairie456 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 Northwoods1,225 acres, exhibits about the park's cultural and natural history
Gordon Bubolz Nature Preserve Appleton OutagamieCentral Sands Prairie775 acres, 8.5 miles of trails, environmental center [8]
Havenwoods State Forest Milwaukee Milwaukee Lake Michigan237 acres, includes Environmental Awareness Center, urban arboretum, trails, education garden
Hawthorn GlenMilwaukeeMilwaukeeLake Michigan23-acre nature center, features nature museum, live native animals, operated by the City [9]
Hawthorn Hollow Somers Kenosha Lake Michigan40 acre nature sanctuary and arboretum, owned and operated by the Hyslop Foundation [10]
Heckrodt Wetland Reserve Menasha Winnebago Central Sands Prairie76 acre urban nature reserve [11]
High Cliff State Park Sherwood CalumetCentral Sands Prairie1,187 acres, located on Lake Winnebago, seasonal General Store Museum and nature programs
Horicon National Wildlife Refuge Mayville Dodge Southern SavannaOver 21,000 acres, features the Horicon Marsh International Education Center
House In The Wood Delavan Walworth Southeast Glacial PlainsOutdoor 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 Northwoods400 acres of forests, meadow, bogs and glacial lakes [13]
International Crane Foundation Baraboo SaukSouthern SavannaLive 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 NorthwoodsWisconsin park is 1,330 acres (538 ha) and the Minnesota park is 298 acres
Jordan Park Nature Center Stevens Point PortageCentral Sands Prairie271 acres, operated by the County [14]
Kemp Natural Resources Station Woodruff Oneida Lake Superior Northwoods235 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 PrairieHenry 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 Rivers8,569 acres, trails, visitor center with exhibit gallery, environmental education classes [16]
Lac Lawrann Conservancy West Bend Washington Southern Savanna Region137-acre nature preserve, outdoor education programs, plans for learning center [17]
Ledge View Nature Center Chilton CalumetCentral Sands Prairie105 acres, operated by the County
MacKenzie Center Poynette Columbia Southern Savanna250 acres, includes logging and conservation museums, native Wisconsin wildlife, an observation tower and an arboretum [18]
Marsh Haven Nature Center Waupun DodgeSouthern Savanna46 acres, located at the north end of Horicon Marsh [19]
Maywood Sheboygan Sheboygan Lake Michigan135 acre city-owned park with an arboretum, ecology center [20]
Mead Wildlife Area Milladore Wood Central Sands PrairieEducation programs at the Stanton W. Mead Education and Visitor Center
Mequon Nature Preserve Mequon Ozaukee Lake Michigan438 acres with over five miles of trails, an observation tower, and the PieperPower Education Center [21]
Mosquito Hill Nature Center New London OutagamieCentral Sands PrairieOperated by the county on 430 acres [22]
Navarino Nature Center Shiocton OutagamieCentral Sands PrairieEnvironmental 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 Prairie43,696-acre refuge, habitat for waterfowl and sandhill cranes, visitor center exhibits, programs
Neustadter Nature Center at Collins Marsh Collins Manitowoc Lake Michigan4,200 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 Rivers400 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 NorthwoodsCrystal Lake Nature Center at Crystal Lake Campground, over 232,000 acres
North Lakeland Discovery Center Manitowish Vilas Lake Superior NorthwoodsIncludes 12 miles of trails [25]
Northwoods Wildlife Center Minocqua Oneida Lake Superior NorthwoodsWildlife rehabilitation center with resident animals, guided tours and education programs [26]
Point Beach State Forest Two Rivers Manitowoc Lake MichiganOpen weekday afternoons from Memorial Day through Labor Day
Pringle Nature Center Bristol KenoshaLake MichiganLocated within the 197 acre Bristol Woods County Park [27]
Raptor Education Group Antigo Langlade Lake Superior NorthwoodsTours available in the summer of the raptor rehabilitation area
Retzer Nature Center Waukesha Waukesha Southern Savanna335 acres, operated by the County [28]
Richard Bong State Recreation Area Kansasville Racine Lake MichiganMolinaro Visitor Center features displays, live animals and hands-on exhibits about the recreation area
River Bend Nature Center Racine RacineLake Michigan743 acres
Riveredge Nature Center Saukville Ozaukee Lake Michigan485 acres of prairies, forests, ponds and marshes along the Milwaukee River [29]
Sanderling Nature Center at Kohler-Andrae State Park Sheboygan SheboyganLake Michigan988 acres
Schlitz Audubon Nature CenterMilwaukeeMilwaukeeLake Michigan185 acres along the shore of Lake Michigan [30]
Schmeeckle Reserve Stevens Point PortageCentral Sands Prairie275 acres, located on the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point
Seno Woodland Education Center Burlington KenoshaLake MichiganOperated 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 OutagamieCentral Sands Prairie350 acres [32]
Treehaven Tomahawk Lincoln Lake Superior NorthwoodsResidential 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 NorthwoodsNatural resources specialty school, programs for families, schools, groups, teachers, adults [34]
University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum Madison DaneSouthern Savanna1,260 acres, visitor center exhibits, public and education programs
Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center Wisconsin Dells Juneau Central Sands Prairie310 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 MilwaukeeMilwaukeeLake MichiganCares for 70 acres of urban land, offers environmental education and citizen science programs
Washington Island Art & Nature Center Washington Island DoorLake MichiganArt gallery, exhibits on island natural and cultural history [36]
Wehr Nature Center Franklin MilwaukeeLake MichiganOperated by the county, located within 200 acre Whitnall Park [37]
Welty Environmental Center Beloit Rock Southern SavannaLocated in Beckman Mill County Park [38]
White Cedar Nature Center in Peninsula State Park Fish Creek DoorLake Michigan3,776 acres
Whitefish Dunes State Park Nature Center Sturgeon Bay DoorLake Michigan865 acres, exhibits about the ecology, geology and cultural history of the park
Wildwood Wildlife Park Minocqua Oneida Lake Superior NorthwoodsZoo and nature center with over 750 animals [39]
Willow River State Park Hudson St. Croix Mississippi/Chippewa Rivers2,891 acres, includes Willow River Nature Center
Woodland Dunes Nature Center and Preserve Two Rivers Manitowoc Lake MichiganNearly 1,400-acre preserve [40]

Defunct centers

References

  1. "Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve". Brown County Government - Wisconsin. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  2. "Official site". Beaver Creek Reserve. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  3. "Official site". Bethel Horizons. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  4. "Official site". Brillion Nature Center. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  5. "Central Wisconsin Environmental Station". University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  6. "Official site". Crossroads At Big Creek. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  7. "Fallen Timbers Environmental Education Center". CESA 6. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  8. "Official site". Bubolz Nature Preserve. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  9. "Hawthorn Glen". Milwaukee Recreation. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  10. "Official site". Hawthorn Hollow. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  11. "Official site". Heckrodt Wetland Reserve. Archived from the original on January 6, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  12. "Official site". House In The Wood. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  13. "Official site". Hunt Hill Audubon Sanctuary. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  14. "Jordan Park". Portage County, WI. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  15. "Official site". Kemp Natural Resources Station. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  16. "Official site". Kickapoo Valley Reserve. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  17. "Official site". Lac Lawrann Conservancy. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  18. "MacKenzie Center". Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  19. "Official site". Marsh Haven Nature Center. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  20. "Official site". Maywood. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  21. "Official site". Mequon Nature Preserve. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  22. "Mosquito Hill Nature Center". Outagamie County. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  23. "Official site". Navarino Nature Center. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  24. "Neustadter Nature Center at Collins Marsh". Collins Marsh. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  25. "Official site". North Lakeland Discovery Center. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  26. "Official site". Northwoods Wildlife Center. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  27. "Official site". Pringle Nature Center. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  28. "Retzer Nature Center". Waukesha County Parks. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  29. "Official site". Riveredge Nature Center. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  30. "Official site". Schlitz Audubon Nature Center. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  31. "Official site". Seno Woodland Education Center. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  32. "Official site". Thousand Islands Environmental Center. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  33. "Treehaven". University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  34. "Official site". Trees for Tomorrow. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  35. "Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center". University of Wisconsin-Extension. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  36. "Official site". Washington Island Art & Nature Center. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  37. "Wehr Nature Center". Milwaukee County. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  38. "Official site". Welty Environmental Center. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  39. "Official site". Wildwood Wildlife Park. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  40. "Official site". Woodland Dunes Nature Center and Preserve. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  41. "EcoPark backers bow out; city may step in Sept. 30". La Crosse Tribune. September 4, 2014. Retrieved October 2, 2017.