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    • Nature Trails >
      • 116th Street - Oak Leaf Trail - West Allis, WI
      • Bald Bluff Nature Trail - Palmyra, WI
      • Belle Reynolds Nature Trail - Oakfield, WI
      • Eagle Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Emma Carlin Trail - Palmyra, WI
      • Glacial Drumlin State Trail - Lake Mills, WI
      • Ice Age Visitor Center Nature Trail - Campbellsport, WI
      • Kettle Moraine Low Prairie Natural Area - Eagle, WI
      • W. Kinnickinnic River Parkway - Milwaukee, WI
      • Kohl Park Hiking Trail - Milwaukee, WI
      • Paradise Springs Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Rice Lake Nature Trail - Whitewater, WI
      • Scuppernong Springs Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Seminary Woods - St. Francis, WI
      • Stony Ridge Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Stute Springs Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Washington Avenue Nature Trail - Sheboygan, WI
      • White River State Trail - Elkhorn to Dover, WI
      • Wisconsin Veteran's Memorial Riverwalk - Delafield, WI
    • Local Parks >
      • Astico County Park - Columbus, WI
      • Asylum Point Park & Lighthouse - Oshkosh, WI
      • Beckman Mill County Park - Beloit, WI
      • Big Hill Park - Beloit, WI
      • Bluhm Farm Park - Muskego, WI
      • Bratt Woods - Grafton, WI
      • Brown Deer Park - Brown Deer, WI
      • Calhoun Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Dorothy Carnes Park - Fort Atkinson, WI
      • Carver-Roehl County Park - Clinton, WI
      • Case Eagle Park - Burlington, WI
      • Cave Point County Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI
      • Cherney Maribel Caves County Park - Maribel, WI
      • Cliffside Park - Caledonia, WI
      • Copernicus Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Creekwood Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Cudahy Woods - Cudahy, WI
      • Dousman Stagecoach Inn Museum - Brookfield, WI
      • Elm Grove Village Park - Elm Grove, WI
      • Endicott Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Estabrook Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Euclid Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Falk Park - Oak Creek, WI
      • Franklin Woods - Franklin, WI
      • Frontier Park - Butler, WI
      • Glacier Hills County Park - Hubertus, WI
      • Grant Park - South Milwaukee
      • Greenfield Park - West Allis
      • Grobschmidt Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Hales Corners Park, Ben Hunt Prairie and Cabin, Seneca Hale Summer Kitchen, Cobb Park - Hales Corners, WI
      • Harnischfeger Park - Ixonia, WI
      • Hartung Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Hidden Lake Park - Brookfield, WI
      • High Grove Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Hobbs Woods Nature Area - Fond Du Lac, WI
      • Homestead Hollow County Park - Germantown, WI
      • Honey Creek Park - West Allis, WI
      • Hoyt Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Humboldt Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Indian Mounds County Park - Lake Koshkonong Effigy Mounds and Trail - Fort Atkinson, WI
      • Jackson Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Jacobus Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Kiekhaefer Park - Fond du Lac, WI
      • Kinsey Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Korth Park - Lake Mills, WI
      • Krueger Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Alan Kulwicki Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Ledge County Park - Horicon, WI
      • Lime Kiln Park - Grafton, WI
      • Lime Kiln Park - Menomonee Falls, WI
      • Lincoln Park - Glendale, WI
      • Lion's Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Lyons Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Magnolia Bluff County Park - Evansville, WI
      • Malone Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Manchester Hill Park - Muskego, WI
      • Mangan Woods - Greendale, WI
      • Mary Knoll Park - Brookfield, WI
      • McCarty Park - West Allis, WI
      • Mitchell Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Monarch Trail / County Grounds Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Mound Zion Park - Brookfield, WI
      • John Muir Memorial County Park - Town of Buffalo, WI
      • Mush Ko Se Day Park - Fort Atkinson, WI
      • Muskego Boardwalk Nature Trail - Muskego, WI
      • Muskego Park - Muskego, WI
      • Nashotah Park - Nashotah, WI
      • Natureland County Park - Whitewater, WI
      • New Berlin Historical Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Nitschke Mounds County Park - Burnett, WI
      • Petrifying Springs Park - Kenosha, WI
      • Pleasant Valley Parks & Trails - Town of Cedarburg, WI
      • Pondview Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Prairie Springs Park - Pleasant Prairie, WI
      • ProHealth Care Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Richfield Historical Park - Richfield, WI
      • Ridge Run Park - West Bend, WI
      • Rivers Edge Park - Menomonee Falls, WI
      • Rotary Park - Menomonee Falls, WI
      • Sandy Knoll County Park - Town of Trenton, WI
      • Saveland Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Schoen Laufen Park - Germantown, WI
      • Schoetz Park - Village of Hales Corners, WI
      • Scout Lake Park - Greendale, WI
      • Sheboygan Indian Mound Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • Simmons Woods Park - Pewaukee, WI
      • South Shore Park - Bayview, WI
      • Three Bridges Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Turtle Creek Parkway / Tiffany Bridge - Clinton, WI
      • Valley View Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Viking County Park - Stoughton, WI
      • Virmond Park - Mequon, WI
      • Warnimont Park - Cudahy, WI
      • Wilson Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Washington Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Weston Antique Apple Orchard & Isabelle Weston Memorial Trail - New Berlin, WI
      • White River County Park - Walworth County
      • Whitnall Park - Franklin, WI
      • Wind Point Lighthouse - Racine, WI
    • Nature Preserves >
      • Adam Birding Conservancy - Whitewater, WI
      • Badertscher Preserve - Muskego, WI
      • Joyce M. Baer & George J. Socha Conservancy - Marshall, WI
      • Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary - Green Bay, WI
      • Beulah Bog - East Troy, WI
      • Blue Heron Wildlife Sanctuary - Saukville, WI
      • Calhoun Creek Prairie - New Berlin, WI
      • Cedarburg Bog - Saukville, WI
      • Chiwaukee Prairie - Kenosha, WI
      • Conservancy For Healing And Heritage - Franklin, WI
      • Robert O Cook Arboretum - Janesville, WI
      • Crooked Creek Nature Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • Deer Creek Sanctuary - New Berlin, WI
      • Delavan Memorial Arboretum - Delavan, WI
      • Donges Bay Gorge - Mequon, WI
      • Emerald Preserve - Oak Creek, WI
      • Engel Conservation Area - Muskego, WI
      • Faville Grove Sanctuary - Lake Mills, WI
      • Fellenz Woods - West Bend, WI
      • Flowing Well - Whitewater, WI
      • Forest Beach Migratory Preserve - Port Washington, WI
      • Forest Exploration Center - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Fox River Sanctuary - Waukesha, WI
      • John S. Garman Nature Preserve - Waterloo, WI
      • Garrison's Glen - Mequon, WI
      • Genesee Oak Opening and Fen - Mukwonago, North Prairie WI
      • Gordon Tabor Memorial Woods - Caledonia, WI
      • Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum - Fond du Lac, WI
      • Grasslyn Nature Preserve - Mequon, WI
      • Greenway Arboretum - Fond du Lac, WI
      • Grootemaat Nature Preserve - Greendale, WI
      • Hartland Marsh Preserve - Village of Hartland, WI
      • Hawthorn Glen - Milwaukee, WI
      • Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum - Kenosha, WI
      • Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area - Horicon, WI
      • Huiras Lake Natural Area - Fredonia, WI
      • Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy - Williams Bay, WI
      • Kurtz Woods State Natural Area - Grafton, WI
      • Lac Lawrann Conservancy - West Bend, WI
      • Lakeshore Nature Preserve - Madison, WI
      • Ledge View Nature Center - Chilton, WI
      • Lion's Den Nature Preserve - Grafton, WI
      • Lois Jensen Nature Preserve - Delafield, WI
      • Lulu Lake Nature Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • Maywood Environmental Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • Jean McGraw Memorial Nature Preserve - Kenosha, WI
      • Mequon Nature Preserve - Mequon, WI
      • Moely Prairie - Prairie Du Sac, WI
      • Nature Hill Nature Center - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Ned Hollister Wetlands Conservancy - Delavan, WI
      • Newell and Ann Meyer Nature Preservel - Eagle, WI
      • Nicholson Wildlife Refuge - Franksville, WI
      • Oakfield Ledge State Natural Area - Oakfield, WI
      • Petersen Island Woods Preserve - Elkhorn, WI
      • Pheasant Branch Creek Conservancy - Middleton, WI
      • Pickerel Lake Fen Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • Pope Farm Conservancy - Verona, WI
      • Price Park Conservancy - Elkhorn, WI
      • Retzer Nature Center - Waukesha, WI
      • River Bend Nature Center - Racine, WI
      • Riveredge Nature Center - Saukville, WI
      • Saller Woods - Rochester, WI
      • Sanctuary Woods - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Sauk Creek Nature Preserve - Port Washington, WI
      • Schlitz Audubon Nature Center - Milwaukee, WI
      • Seno Woodland Center - Burlington, WI
      • Spirit Lake Nature Preserve - Mequon, WI
      • Spruce Lake Bog - Campbellsport, WI
      • Stigler Nature Preserve - New Berlin, WI
      • Trinity Creek Wetland Habitat - Mequon, WI
      • Van der Brohe Arboretum - Two Rivers, WI
      • Vernon Marsh Wildlife Area - Mukwonago, WI
      • Vernon Wildlife Area - Waterford, WI
      • Wadewitz Nature Camp - Village of Rochester, WI
      • Wehmhoff Woodland Preserve - Burlington, WI
      • Wehr Nature Center - Franklin, WI
      • Whitnall School Forest - Greenfield, WI
      • Woodland Dunes Nature Center & Preserve - Two Rivers, WI
      • Zeloski Marsh - Cambridge, WI
    • State Parks >
      • Aztalan State Park - Aztalan, WI
      • Baxter's Hollow State Natural Area - Sauk City, WI
      • Big Foot Beach State Park - Lake Geneva, WI
      • Bong State Recreation Area - Kansasville, WI
      • C. D. Besadny Fish and Wildlife Area - Kewaunee, WI
      • Cadiz Springs State Park - New Glarus, WI
      • Devil's Lake State Park - Baraboo, WI
      • Harrington Beach State Park - Belgium, WI
      • Havenwoods State Forest - Milwaukee, WI
      • High Cliff State Park - Sherwood, WI
      • Kohler-Andrae State Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • La Budde State Natural Area - Ice Age Trail Segment - Plymouth, WI
      • Lake Kegonsa State Park - Stoughton, WI
      • Lakeshore State Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Lapham Peak State Park - Delafield, WI
      • Lizard Mound State Park - Farmington, WI
      • Mauthe Lake State Recreation Area - Campbellsport, WI
      • Mukwonago River Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest - Mukwonago, WI
      • Natural Bridge State Park - North Freedom, WI
      • Peninsula State Park - Fish Creek, WI
      • Pike Lake State Park - Hartford, WI
      • Point Beach State Forest - Two Rivers, WI
      • Potawatomi State Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI
    • Sculpture Gardens and Conservancies >
      • Bobrowitz Sculpture Garden - Colgate, WI
      • Boerner Botanical Gardens - Hales Corners, WI
      • Nick Engelbert's Grandview - Hollandale, WI
      • Franconia Sculpture Park - Shafer, MN
      • Labyrinth Garden Earth Sculpture - West Bend, WI
      • Margie's Garden - Hales Corners, WI
      • Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservancy - Milwaukee, WI
      • New Life Lavender & Cherry Farm - Baraboo, WI
      • Olbrich Botanical Gardens - Madison, WI
      • M. Schettl Sales - Sculpture and Oddities
      • James Tellen Woodland Sculpture Garden - Town of Wilson, WI
      • Rotary Botanical Gardens - Janesville, WI
      • Stevens Point Sculpture Park - Stevens Point, WI
      • West Of The Lake Gardens - Manitowoc, WI
    • Cemeteries >
      • Calvary Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
      • Forest Home Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
      • Highland Memorial Park Cemetery - New Berlin, WI
      • La Belle Cemetery - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Mount Olivet Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
      • New Berlin Center Cemetery - New Berlin, WI
      • Oak Hill Cemetery - Lake Geneva, WI
      • Riverside Cemetery - Oshkosh, WI
      • St. Adalbert Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
  • Gardening for Wildlife
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    • Welcome to the Firefly Show
    • Birdbaths in the Habitat
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Picture

past, present, future

8/14/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Thinking back, to nearly a lifetime ago. I was just a kid growing up in St. Paul. During the summers, on weekends mostly, our family would make the drive to Amery, Wisconsin, where my grandparents had a cabin on a lake. It seemed like it was a world away, though it was only about an hours drive. 

I loved being there. Among the big pine trees, the wildflowers, waking in the cool of the early mornings to the sound of American Robins singing. My uncle would rake the bottom of the lake along the shore and boat dock so we could wade in and swim. Once in the water there I rarely wanted to come out. The water was clear enough we could stand in it and watch perch swimming quickly past our feet. 
PictureThe sight of a fishing bobber on the water brings on nostalgia.
​I used to fish from the dock, watching the bobber go under water, thrilling to the bend in my fishing rod, reeling it in. Most often it was sunfish, sometimes perch. Sometimes we kept it for eating (though I'm not a fish eater), most often I wrestled up enough courage to hold the fish in my hand to release it from the hook and put it back in the lake. On the drive home I would close my eyes and see that bobber dancing on the surface of the water, then lunge under. I haven't fished in decades, but I can still recall the thrill of it. The peace it can bring, too. 

In the evenings the fireflies lit up, dancing among the trees and the wild grasses and flowers that lined the dirt road to the cabin. The air was clear, as was the sky. Stars appeared after dark in numbers I could never imagine seeing from our home in the city. Like magic.

PictureA lot of soap and water, ad na little elbow grease we needed to clean away windshield bugs, years ago...
Once back home, evidence of our trip to the woods, to the cabin and the surrounding wilderness, was evident. There crusting over the grill of the family car, and gunked in bits on the windshield were the remains of thousands of bugs.

Moths, mosquitoes, flies, beetles. All met their demise in collision with wind, speed, and heavy moving machinery. It took a little elbow grease and a lot of soap and water to clean them off, but it was a small price to pay for weekends away.


Fast forward a few decades, and here I am wondering When was the last time I had to clean a multitude of bugs from my windshield?  I can't even recall. And this, in fact, makes me sad. I spend a fair amount of time driving to parks and preserves out in the wilder spaces of Wisconsin, and I rarely come home having to clean my windshield of anything more than leaves and dust. Which begs the question, Where have the bugs gone? 
​
"Entomologists call it the windshield phenomenon
." So says Gretchen Vogel, in an article she wrote for Science.org back in 2017: Where Have All The Insects Gone? In it she explains how there have been ongoing studies by entomologists in Germany, since the 1980s.  Their tracking showed a decrease, within three decades, of nearly 80% in the number of insects in the 100 nature reserves studied. ​
​I have to say, the details of the article are sobering. As they explain, the decrease in insects of all kinds, means a depletion in food sources for other animals. Birds, for example. Which leads to declines in their species, and on and on.
​
What is causing this loss? The usual suspects, of course. Over development, loss of habitat, pollution, pesticides. The research continues in an effort to find out more. But now what? 
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Crucial insects are vanishing at alarming rates.

PictureConeflower - beneficial beauty
I'm not going to get in to the politics of climate change, clean energy arguments, and all that. Clearly climate change is hard at work, and we need to act. But how to enact a difference in our day to day lives can seem an overwhelming prospect.  I'm looking to conservationists and gardeners for inspiration. To the idea of preserving existing, and building new, prairies, and forests. Restoring wetlands, woodlands, and wildflower fields. And to the idea of adding native plants and trees to our existing gardens, no matter how small, in an effort to increase the food and shelter sources for our birds, bees, butterflies, and everything in-between.

In the state of Wisconsin alone we have an abundance of conservancy organizations that have taken up the task of preserving our existing wilderness, and restoring it as well. Gardening organizations and clubs offer information on how to add natural habitat to even the smallest of yards. They provide details on what plants, shrubs, and trees can benefit the wildlife and ecosystems they need to survive, maybe even thrive again.

Community gardens have sprung up in cities and towns, rural and urban. Planting fruits and vegetables for personal sustenance, and to benefit the community at large; insects, animals, and humans alike. 


Picture
I have a real soft spot for natural areas in Wisconsin that have been built or restored by their owners with a goal of providing wildlife habitat and natural recreation space, along with a plan for preserving the spaces for generations to come. Their passions leave a legacy that will survive long after they have gone. These visionaries come from all walks of life. They create legacies large and small, but all improve the world we live in.

If you're curious about some of these special legacy preserves, check out the new Special Feature Page: LEGACIES OF NATURE,  which highlights 18 of these amazing spaces.

​They will leave you hopeful, and may inspire you to join or support these types of projects as well.


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Even a small container garden can be beneficial to the wildlife around you. And lovely, too!
Finding hope for the future from a local perspective, there are lots of organizations that can provide guidance to make a difference at a more personal level. Something as simple as carving out a bit of space in your yard for native bird and pollinator friendly plants can help. Avoiding pesticides on your lawn can make a big difference. If you don't have a yard, but have space for a planter or two, plant natives and pollinator friendly plants in those. Every little bit can make a difference.

Volunteer for a clean-up or weeding day at one of your local parks or preserves. Join a community garden where you can learn along with others how to plant and grow produce, flowers, and other plants. Following is a list of organizations and websites that might be of help. 

Homegrown National Park
​

National Wildlife Federation 
​

Wild Ones 

Monarch Joint Venture 

Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin 
​

The Nature Conservancy, Wisconsin 
​
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Wisconsin Pollinators 

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Home Gr/own Milwaukee 

The Gardens Network 
​
Urban Ecology Center Community Gardens
​

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
​
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    A traveler, singer,  novice photographer, humane gardener, and nature lover.
    ​I've been keeping closer to home these days, and truly discovering the beauty that lies in The Park Next Door.

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  • Home
    • Contact
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  • Blog
  • Support The Park Next Door
  • Art for Your Walls & More
  • Special Features
    • What's New
    • Beauty On The Escarpment
    • Sacred Ground & Effigy Mounds Of Wisconsin
    • Hiking Safely During Hunting Season
    • Legacies Of Nature
    • Escape To The Woods
    • Sunflower Season
    • Dog Days In The Park
    • Migration Song - The Magic of Bird Migration
    • Winter in Wisconsin
  • Let's Explore
    • Nature Trails >
      • 116th Street - Oak Leaf Trail - West Allis, WI
      • Bald Bluff Nature Trail - Palmyra, WI
      • Belle Reynolds Nature Trail - Oakfield, WI
      • Eagle Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Emma Carlin Trail - Palmyra, WI
      • Glacial Drumlin State Trail - Lake Mills, WI
      • Ice Age Visitor Center Nature Trail - Campbellsport, WI
      • Kettle Moraine Low Prairie Natural Area - Eagle, WI
      • W. Kinnickinnic River Parkway - Milwaukee, WI
      • Kohl Park Hiking Trail - Milwaukee, WI
      • Paradise Springs Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Rice Lake Nature Trail - Whitewater, WI
      • Scuppernong Springs Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Seminary Woods - St. Francis, WI
      • Stony Ridge Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Stute Springs Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Washington Avenue Nature Trail - Sheboygan, WI
      • White River State Trail - Elkhorn to Dover, WI
      • Wisconsin Veteran's Memorial Riverwalk - Delafield, WI
    • Local Parks >
      • Astico County Park - Columbus, WI
      • Asylum Point Park & Lighthouse - Oshkosh, WI
      • Beckman Mill County Park - Beloit, WI
      • Big Hill Park - Beloit, WI
      • Bluhm Farm Park - Muskego, WI
      • Bratt Woods - Grafton, WI
      • Brown Deer Park - Brown Deer, WI
      • Calhoun Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Dorothy Carnes Park - Fort Atkinson, WI
      • Carver-Roehl County Park - Clinton, WI
      • Case Eagle Park - Burlington, WI
      • Cave Point County Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI
      • Cherney Maribel Caves County Park - Maribel, WI
      • Cliffside Park - Caledonia, WI
      • Copernicus Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Creekwood Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Cudahy Woods - Cudahy, WI
      • Dousman Stagecoach Inn Museum - Brookfield, WI
      • Elm Grove Village Park - Elm Grove, WI
      • Endicott Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Estabrook Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Euclid Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Falk Park - Oak Creek, WI
      • Franklin Woods - Franklin, WI
      • Frontier Park - Butler, WI
      • Glacier Hills County Park - Hubertus, WI
      • Grant Park - South Milwaukee
      • Greenfield Park - West Allis
      • Grobschmidt Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Hales Corners Park, Ben Hunt Prairie and Cabin, Seneca Hale Summer Kitchen, Cobb Park - Hales Corners, WI
      • Harnischfeger Park - Ixonia, WI
      • Hartung Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Hidden Lake Park - Brookfield, WI
      • High Grove Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Hobbs Woods Nature Area - Fond Du Lac, WI
      • Homestead Hollow County Park - Germantown, WI
      • Honey Creek Park - West Allis, WI
      • Hoyt Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Humboldt Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Indian Mounds County Park - Lake Koshkonong Effigy Mounds and Trail - Fort Atkinson, WI
      • Jackson Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Jacobus Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Kiekhaefer Park - Fond du Lac, WI
      • Kinsey Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Korth Park - Lake Mills, WI
      • Krueger Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Alan Kulwicki Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Ledge County Park - Horicon, WI
      • Lime Kiln Park - Grafton, WI
      • Lime Kiln Park - Menomonee Falls, WI
      • Lincoln Park - Glendale, WI
      • Lion's Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Lyons Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Magnolia Bluff County Park - Evansville, WI
      • Malone Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Manchester Hill Park - Muskego, WI
      • Mangan Woods - Greendale, WI
      • Mary Knoll Park - Brookfield, WI
      • McCarty Park - West Allis, WI
      • Mitchell Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Monarch Trail / County Grounds Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Mound Zion Park - Brookfield, WI
      • John Muir Memorial County Park - Town of Buffalo, WI
      • Mush Ko Se Day Park - Fort Atkinson, WI
      • Muskego Boardwalk Nature Trail - Muskego, WI
      • Muskego Park - Muskego, WI
      • Nashotah Park - Nashotah, WI
      • Natureland County Park - Whitewater, WI
      • New Berlin Historical Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Nitschke Mounds County Park - Burnett, WI
      • Petrifying Springs Park - Kenosha, WI
      • Pleasant Valley Parks & Trails - Town of Cedarburg, WI
      • Pondview Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Prairie Springs Park - Pleasant Prairie, WI
      • ProHealth Care Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Richfield Historical Park - Richfield, WI
      • Ridge Run Park - West Bend, WI
      • Rivers Edge Park - Menomonee Falls, WI
      • Rotary Park - Menomonee Falls, WI
      • Sandy Knoll County Park - Town of Trenton, WI
      • Saveland Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Schoen Laufen Park - Germantown, WI
      • Schoetz Park - Village of Hales Corners, WI
      • Scout Lake Park - Greendale, WI
      • Sheboygan Indian Mound Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • Simmons Woods Park - Pewaukee, WI
      • South Shore Park - Bayview, WI
      • Three Bridges Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Turtle Creek Parkway / Tiffany Bridge - Clinton, WI
      • Valley View Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Viking County Park - Stoughton, WI
      • Virmond Park - Mequon, WI
      • Warnimont Park - Cudahy, WI
      • Wilson Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Washington Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Weston Antique Apple Orchard & Isabelle Weston Memorial Trail - New Berlin, WI
      • White River County Park - Walworth County
      • Whitnall Park - Franklin, WI
      • Wind Point Lighthouse - Racine, WI
    • Nature Preserves >
      • Adam Birding Conservancy - Whitewater, WI
      • Badertscher Preserve - Muskego, WI
      • Joyce M. Baer & George J. Socha Conservancy - Marshall, WI
      • Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary - Green Bay, WI
      • Beulah Bog - East Troy, WI
      • Blue Heron Wildlife Sanctuary - Saukville, WI
      • Calhoun Creek Prairie - New Berlin, WI
      • Cedarburg Bog - Saukville, WI
      • Chiwaukee Prairie - Kenosha, WI
      • Conservancy For Healing And Heritage - Franklin, WI
      • Robert O Cook Arboretum - Janesville, WI
      • Crooked Creek Nature Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • Deer Creek Sanctuary - New Berlin, WI
      • Delavan Memorial Arboretum - Delavan, WI
      • Donges Bay Gorge - Mequon, WI
      • Emerald Preserve - Oak Creek, WI
      • Engel Conservation Area - Muskego, WI
      • Faville Grove Sanctuary - Lake Mills, WI
      • Fellenz Woods - West Bend, WI
      • Flowing Well - Whitewater, WI
      • Forest Beach Migratory Preserve - Port Washington, WI
      • Forest Exploration Center - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Fox River Sanctuary - Waukesha, WI
      • John S. Garman Nature Preserve - Waterloo, WI
      • Garrison's Glen - Mequon, WI
      • Genesee Oak Opening and Fen - Mukwonago, North Prairie WI
      • Gordon Tabor Memorial Woods - Caledonia, WI
      • Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum - Fond du Lac, WI
      • Grasslyn Nature Preserve - Mequon, WI
      • Greenway Arboretum - Fond du Lac, WI
      • Grootemaat Nature Preserve - Greendale, WI
      • Hartland Marsh Preserve - Village of Hartland, WI
      • Hawthorn Glen - Milwaukee, WI
      • Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum - Kenosha, WI
      • Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area - Horicon, WI
      • Huiras Lake Natural Area - Fredonia, WI
      • Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy - Williams Bay, WI
      • Kurtz Woods State Natural Area - Grafton, WI
      • Lac Lawrann Conservancy - West Bend, WI
      • Lakeshore Nature Preserve - Madison, WI
      • Ledge View Nature Center - Chilton, WI
      • Lion's Den Nature Preserve - Grafton, WI
      • Lois Jensen Nature Preserve - Delafield, WI
      • Lulu Lake Nature Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • Maywood Environmental Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • Jean McGraw Memorial Nature Preserve - Kenosha, WI
      • Mequon Nature Preserve - Mequon, WI
      • Moely Prairie - Prairie Du Sac, WI
      • Nature Hill Nature Center - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Ned Hollister Wetlands Conservancy - Delavan, WI
      • Newell and Ann Meyer Nature Preservel - Eagle, WI
      • Nicholson Wildlife Refuge - Franksville, WI
      • Oakfield Ledge State Natural Area - Oakfield, WI
      • Petersen Island Woods Preserve - Elkhorn, WI
      • Pheasant Branch Creek Conservancy - Middleton, WI
      • Pickerel Lake Fen Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • Pope Farm Conservancy - Verona, WI
      • Price Park Conservancy - Elkhorn, WI
      • Retzer Nature Center - Waukesha, WI
      • River Bend Nature Center - Racine, WI
      • Riveredge Nature Center - Saukville, WI
      • Saller Woods - Rochester, WI
      • Sanctuary Woods - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Sauk Creek Nature Preserve - Port Washington, WI
      • Schlitz Audubon Nature Center - Milwaukee, WI
      • Seno Woodland Center - Burlington, WI
      • Spirit Lake Nature Preserve - Mequon, WI
      • Spruce Lake Bog - Campbellsport, WI
      • Stigler Nature Preserve - New Berlin, WI
      • Trinity Creek Wetland Habitat - Mequon, WI
      • Van der Brohe Arboretum - Two Rivers, WI
      • Vernon Marsh Wildlife Area - Mukwonago, WI
      • Vernon Wildlife Area - Waterford, WI
      • Wadewitz Nature Camp - Village of Rochester, WI
      • Wehmhoff Woodland Preserve - Burlington, WI
      • Wehr Nature Center - Franklin, WI
      • Whitnall School Forest - Greenfield, WI
      • Woodland Dunes Nature Center & Preserve - Two Rivers, WI
      • Zeloski Marsh - Cambridge, WI
    • State Parks >
      • Aztalan State Park - Aztalan, WI
      • Baxter's Hollow State Natural Area - Sauk City, WI
      • Big Foot Beach State Park - Lake Geneva, WI
      • Bong State Recreation Area - Kansasville, WI
      • C. D. Besadny Fish and Wildlife Area - Kewaunee, WI
      • Cadiz Springs State Park - New Glarus, WI
      • Devil's Lake State Park - Baraboo, WI
      • Harrington Beach State Park - Belgium, WI
      • Havenwoods State Forest - Milwaukee, WI
      • High Cliff State Park - Sherwood, WI
      • Kohler-Andrae State Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • La Budde State Natural Area - Ice Age Trail Segment - Plymouth, WI
      • Lake Kegonsa State Park - Stoughton, WI
      • Lakeshore State Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Lapham Peak State Park - Delafield, WI
      • Lizard Mound State Park - Farmington, WI
      • Mauthe Lake State Recreation Area - Campbellsport, WI
      • Mukwonago River Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest - Mukwonago, WI
      • Natural Bridge State Park - North Freedom, WI
      • Peninsula State Park - Fish Creek, WI
      • Pike Lake State Park - Hartford, WI
      • Point Beach State Forest - Two Rivers, WI
      • Potawatomi State Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI
    • Sculpture Gardens and Conservancies >
      • Bobrowitz Sculpture Garden - Colgate, WI
      • Boerner Botanical Gardens - Hales Corners, WI
      • Nick Engelbert's Grandview - Hollandale, WI
      • Franconia Sculpture Park - Shafer, MN
      • Labyrinth Garden Earth Sculpture - West Bend, WI
      • Margie's Garden - Hales Corners, WI
      • Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservancy - Milwaukee, WI
      • New Life Lavender & Cherry Farm - Baraboo, WI
      • Olbrich Botanical Gardens - Madison, WI
      • M. Schettl Sales - Sculpture and Oddities
      • James Tellen Woodland Sculpture Garden - Town of Wilson, WI
      • Rotary Botanical Gardens - Janesville, WI
      • Stevens Point Sculpture Park - Stevens Point, WI
      • West Of The Lake Gardens - Manitowoc, WI
    • Cemeteries >
      • Calvary Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
      • Forest Home Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
      • Highland Memorial Park Cemetery - New Berlin, WI
      • La Belle Cemetery - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Mount Olivet Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
      • New Berlin Center Cemetery - New Berlin, WI
      • Oak Hill Cemetery - Lake Geneva, WI
      • Riverside Cemetery - Oshkosh, WI
      • St. Adalbert Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
  • Gardening for Wildlife
    • The Eco-Friendly Lawn
    • Welcome to the Firefly Show
    • Birdbaths in the Habitat
  • Detours, Links & More