Thursday, April 14th

 

 
Beating the Commons Tragedy of Climate Change

 

6 PM

Neglecting the well-being of society in the pursuit of personal gain has left us facing the greatest challenge of our time: Climate change. Join Bill Snape of American University Washington College of Law and the Center for Biological Diversity for a discussion on the legal, technical, sociological and economic tools we already have can move us past this tragedy of the commons to meaningful action on climate change. Appetizers & reception at 6 pm, program at 6:45 pm.   Host: Clean Wisconsin

Location: Pyle Center

 

 

 

Friday, April 14th

 

 
Ecological Restoration Work Party

 

9 AM -12 PM

Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about praries and savannas.  Tools and training provided.  Groups welcome with advanced notice.  Meet at Grady Tract parking Lot southeast corner of Seminole Hwy. and W. Beltline Frontage Rd. More information: 265-5214 or marian.farrior@wisc.edu.  Host: UW Arboretum

Location: Grady Tract Parking Lot

 

 

 

 

Visitor Season Begins!

 

9 AM - 5 PM

ICF opens for the season beginning April 15th! Learn about cranes and our global conservation programs on a guided tour with a naturalist. Enjoy exploring our nature trails, take home a memento from our unique gift shop, and discover our interactive exhibits. Our Co-founder, George Archibald, will sign his book, My Life With Cranes, from 11:00 a.m. to noon at our Visitor Center.  Host: International Crane Foundation

Location: International Crane Foundation (E11376 Shady Lane Rd, Baraboo, WI 53913) [Off Campus]

 

 

 

 

Saturday, April 15th

 

 

Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy Restoration Workday

 

9 AM – 12 PM

Activities vary from month to month. They focus on restoring native plant communities, removing non-native species, promoting diversity, collecting seed, reducing erosion, and improving habit for insects, birds, and a variety of animals. Management practices reduce runoff into the marsh (a designated Working Wetland) and promote infiltration to sustain the springs - a major source of fresh water flowing into Lake Mendota.  If you have questions, please contact Janet Kane, Restoration and Management Committee Co-chair, 203-8456, kanefam74@gmail.com.  Host:  Take a Stake in Our Waters

Location: Meet at the County Parking lot, 4864 Pheasant Branch Road in Middleton.

 

 

 

 

 

Badfish Spring Highway Cleanup

 

9 AM – 10 AM

Help keep trash our of our local waterways! Join the Friends of Badfish Creek for their annual spring highway cleanup. Please wear long sleeves, long pants, a hat, sturdy shoes or boots, and gloves. We will provide safety vests and bags. We will be cleaning up along Highway 138 - Hogie (Hauge) Road to Aaker Road/County A.  RSVPs are appreciated but not required. RSVP to Lynne Diebel - lsdiebel@gmail.com

Location: Meet at Highway 138 and Hogie (Hauge) Road

 

 

 

 

 

Community Gardens Opening Day Event

 

9 AM – 12 PM

Location: Troy Community Gardens, 502 Troy Dr, Madison, WI

 

 

 

 

 

Earth Day Paddle

 

10 AM – 11:30 PM

Join Carl Landsness with Friends of Starkweather creek and Deborah Crabtree with Goodman Community Center to paddle up beautiful Starkweather Creek in the heart of Madison’s East Side!  Free, family friendly, no registration required.  Canoes and kayaks will be provided and led by an experienced paddler, but feel free to bring your own paddle craft or ‘boat pool’ with others.  Host:  Friends of Urban Nature

Location: Olbrich Park (Boat Ramp), 3402 Atwood Avenue,
Madison, WI 53714

 

 

 

 

 

For the Love of the Earth

 

1 PM – 2:30 PM

The coming week marks both Earth Day and John Muir’s birthday. Join the naturalist to search for signs of spring and renewal. Free, no registration required.  Host:  UW-Arboretum

Location: UW-Arboretum Visitor center

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday, April 16th

 

 

Annual Bird and Nature Festival 

 

1 PM – 4 PM  

.  Join the FUN (Friends of Urban Nature) at the Madison Bird and Nature Festival! This free, family-friendly afternoon event celebrates Madison Bird City, Arbor Day and Earth Day with an exploration in nature. Kids will love the hands-on activities at the shelter, a nearby tree planting, games and a short walk.  Host: Friends of Urban Nature

Location: Warner Park, 2930 North Sherman Avenue, Madison, WI

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, April 18th

 

 

 11th Annual Nelson Institute Earth Day Conference

 

7:30 AM

Hope and renewal in the age of the apocalypse. This conference features many famous authors and environmentalists.  Fee and reservation required.  Host: Nelson Institute

Location: Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center

 

 

 

 

 

Earth Week Symposium

 

6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

UW Madison Student Orgs will showcase their missions and how they are relevant to Earth Week!  Come Support the intersectionality of environmentalism on the Madison Campus!  

Location:  Varsity Hall 1, Union South

 

 

 

 Natural Dyeing Workshop

 

6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Love vegetables and want to learn how to make your clothes as colorful as their veggie-vibrance? Curious about natural dyes? Didn't get to make it to our other natural dyeing workshop earlier this month? Come on down to our Natural Dyeing Workshop!  Hosts:  FH King

Location:  Allen centennial Gardens or Moore 473 (weather dependent)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday, April 20th

 

 

Beyond Backyard Birding

 

6:30 PM - 9:30 PM

These evening trips are especially for backyard birders looking to grow their skills! Come to have your bird questions answered and get help identifying all of those small streaky brown birds, as we visit both prairie and woodland habitat. We may even hear some owls as dusk falls. Meet in Lot 129 at the base of Picnic Point. The walk will be on even trails at a leisurely pace so bring the whole family! We will have binoculars for loan.  This trip is limited to 20 people- registration is required!  Please contact carolyn.beyers@madisonaudubon.org     Host:  Madison Audubon Society

Location: Picnic Point

 

 

 

 

Earth Underwater Film Screening

 

7 PM

Join us to explore what the world would look like if anthropogenic climate change continues.    Host:  Student Sierra Coalition

Location: Education Building (room L196), UW Madison Campus

 

 

 

Cracking the Case: The Flint Water Crisis and Public Health Advocacy

 

7 PM

Lecture/Seminar/TalkMona Hanna-Attisha, MD, MPH, is assistant professor of pediatrics at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and director of the pediatric residency program at Hurley Children’s Hospital in Flint, Michigan. Dr. Hanna-Attisha received her bachelor’s and Master of Public Health degrees from the University of Michigan and her medical degree from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She completed her residency at Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit, where she was chief of pediatric residency. Dr. Hanna-Attisha was recently heralded internationally for her study that exposed elevated lead blood levels in Flint children. Dr. Hanna-Attisha now directs the Michigan State University and Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative, an innovative and model public health program to researcg, monitor and mitigate the impact of lead in Flint’s drinking water.

 Location:  Ebling Auditorium, Microbial Sciences Building (UW-Madison Campus)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday, April 21st

 

Hug a Tree for Earth Day

 

11 PM – 1 PM

Stop by and hug a tree and the University Bookstore will give us a dollar per hug.  Help us raise funds to save the Earth one tree hugger at a time!  Host: Student Sierra Coalition

Location: Library Mall, UW Campus

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Take Action!

 

12 PM – 1:30 PM

In addition to learning how to use the GLEDN app to report invasive species, we’ll learn about statewide Phragmites efforts from Jason Granberg (DNR) and purple loosestrife efforts in Washington County from Brad Steckart (Washington Co. Land & Water Conservation Div.).  If you're interested in learning more about invasive species (new species to look for, how they're being managed in WI, joining citizen science and volunteer projects, etc.), check out the Wisconsin First Detector Network's webinar series.

Location: Webinar at this time

 

 

 

 

 

 Field Trip to the Digester

 

1:15 PM

Want to come to Waunakee, WI to see their giant digester? It's like a big ol' robot belly for food and things! We would leave around 1:15pm and return home around 6:00pm. However, we need some drivers if this trip is able to happen. Please contact fhking.programming@gmail.com  if you're interested or would like to drive.  Host: FH King

Location: Email for info

 

 

 

 

Saturday, April 22nd

 

 

Ecological Restoration Work Party

 

9 AM - 12 PM

Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training provided. Groups welcome with advance notice. Meet at the Visitor Center. More information: 265-5214 or marian.farrior@wisc.edu.  Hosts: UW-Arboretum

Location: UW-Arboretum Visitor Center

 

 

 

 

 

Arboretum Core Area/Curtis Prairie Work Party

 

9 AM - 12 PM

Help improve native habitat and help native plants thrive by removing invasive plant species in the Lake Wingra watershed. The UW-Madison Arboretum maintains one the oldest prairie restorations in the world.  If volunteering as a group, please contact Marian Farrior (608) 265-5214 Hosts: UW-Arboretum

Location: UW-Arboretum Visitor Center

 

 

 

 

 

 Picnic Point Work Party

 

9 AM - 12 PM

Volunteering is a great way to find out what’s going on in the Preserve. And you help make a great place even better. Tools and training provided. Dress to work outdoors, and prepare to meet new people and have fun.  Note: Work parties are cancelled in case of severe weather (snowstorms, thunderstorms, temperatures lower than 10 degrees F or above 90 degrees F) or if the ground is too muddy or snowy for work.  Hosts: Friends of Lakeshore Nature Preserve

Location: Meet at Picnic Point Lot 129

 

 

 

 

 

Volunteer Restoration Day at Sugar River Wetlands

 

9 AM - 12 PM

Help USRWA restore the Sugar River Wetlands State Natural Area during our series "4th Saturday" volunteer work days. In April, volunteers will help burn brush piles accumulated last winter/spring, and continue removing invasives (buckthorn, honeysuckle) and treating them with herbicide. It's a great event for all ages and abilities, and it promises to be rewarding, fun, and a great way to experience the outdoors.   Volunteers are encouraged to dress for the weather and bring a pair of work gloves if possible. There will also be work gloves available for people to borrow. Some areas can be wet as well, so boots are not a bad idea. Any work tools needed for the day will be provided, but volunteers are welcome to bring their own equipment if they would prefer (handsaws, loppers, etc.).   Coffee, hot chocolate and refreshments will be provided to fuel the great work of the volunteers.

Location: Meet where Epic Lane and County View Road meet in Verona, over looking the Epic Systems campus to the east and the Military Ridge State Trail to the west. An approximate address is 2517 Country View Road, Verona, WI 53593.

 

 

 

 

Earth Day Clean Up

 

10 AM - 12 PM

Earth Day is right around the corner. Friends of Lake Wingra is working with Madison Parks to recruit volunteers for a Nakoma Park cleanup. This is the perfect opportunity to work with friends and neighbors to make our watershed a better place.  The event will include: trash pick up, playground raking, tennis court clean up, and cleaning up drainage area at Nakoma and on/in Cherokee Drive medians  Host: Friends of Lake Wingra and Madison Parks

Location:  Nakoma Park, 3801 Cherokee Dr, Madison, WI

 

 

 

 

 

Earth Day Challenge

 

10 AM - 12 PM

Celebrate Earth Day with your neighbors and friends by volunteering to clean up your local park! Join this community-wide volunteer effort to make a difference. Earth Day Challenge Projects are held all throughout the city with locations listed below. Volunteers may assist with trash pickup, raking, weeding, and removing sticks. We will supply gloves, garbage bags and rakes. Rakes at each park will be based on the number of volunteers participating.  Pick a park and register online!  Advanced registration required: https://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/calendar/eart-day-challenge-seeking-volunteers  Host: Madison Parks

Location: Madison parks

 

 

 

 

 

Earth Day Challenge- Garlic Mustard Pull

 

10 AM – 12 PM

 Make room for native wildflowers by helping pull garlic mustard in the woods. No experience needed.

Location: Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park, North Unit, 6098 N. Sherman Ave.,  Madison 53704.

 

 

 

 

 

Early Signs of Spring

 

1:00 PM – 3:00  PM

As trees begin to leaf out, Dutchman’s breeches, twin-leaf, and rue-anemones might be blooming in the woodland gardens, and pasque flower and prairie-smoke in the prairie gardens. Susan Carpenter, Arboretum Native Plant Gardener, will lead this tour. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.  Host: UW-Arboretum

Location: UW-Arboretum Visitor Center

 

 

 

 

 

Madison People’s Climate March

 

2 PM – 5 PM

"We will march for our families. We will march for our air, our water, and our land. We will march for clean energy jobs and climate justice. We will march for our communities and the people we love. And we will be louder and stronger than ever before. We will not allow climate deniers to threaten the planet. We will not allow attacks on immigrants, communities of color, women, LGBTQ and workers to become the new normal. It's more important than ever to stand up for what's right."

Location: Starts at Madison Capitol Square

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday, April 23rd

 

 

Woodland Wildflowers

 

1 PM – 2:30 PM

If this is a typical spring, we may find bloodroot, wild ginger, Virginia bluebells, and Dutchman’s breeches (among other delights) along the trails of our restored woodlands. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.  Host: UW-Madison Arboretum

Location: UW-Madison Arboretum Visitor Center

 

 

 

 

Birds in the Gardens

 

1:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Celebrate Earth Day (April 22) by taking a walk in our gardens and learning about the birds that make their homes here. Naturalist-led hike from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., indoor activities from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.  Hosts: UW-Madison Arboretum

Location: UW-Madison Arboretum Visitor Center

 

 

 

 

 

Bird and Nature Outing

 

1:30 PM – 3 PM

Spring birds bonanza!  Join Wisconsin Young Birders’ Ryan Treves to look for and learn about the colorful warblers and other migrating birds and waterfowl that come to the UW Lakeshore Nature Preserve on Lake Mendota.  This biodiverse ecosystem provides a much needed rest stop on their way north.  We will also look for beautiful spring wildflowers, bluebirds building nests, and other phenology taking place within the preserve. 

Location: Lakeshore Preserve, 2002 University Bay Drive, Madison, WI 53705

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, April 24th

 

 

Breaking the Cycle: The Power of Food to Interrupt the Revolving Prison Door

 

5 PM

Documentary that interviews returning citizens and the people working to provide the resources and knowledge necessary to break free from systemic cycles of incarceration.  Together they share insights into the deep inequalities that exist in our community, and what we can do to combat them.  The film asks the question: How could we improve healthy food access in South Madison and simultaneously facilitate effective reentry for formerly incarcerated people?

Location: 1106 Mechanical Engineering Building, 1513 University Ave, Madison, WI

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday, April 27th

 

UW-Madison Climate Change Symposium

 

3 PM- 6:30 PM

3:00-4:20pm, Research talks by UW-Madison Faculty and Researchers
4:30-5:30pm, Keynote Lecture by Prof. Josh Lawler, University of Washington

5:30-6:30, Reception and Reid Bryson Scholarship poster session for UW-Madison Students
Location: Wisconsin Institute for Discovery- DeLuca Forum

 

 

 

 

Watershed Network Gathering

 

5:30 PM- 7:30 PM

Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) present new and continuing challenges to managing our water resources. How do you know they’re there? What do you do when you find them? How do you go about removing them? This Watershed Network Gathering will provide an update on state and county efforts to combat AIS and feature several local watershed groups that will share their stories of working on AIS removal and prevention.  Afterwards, there will be plenty of time to mingle and connect to find out more details about the specific projects you are interested in.

Location: Goodman Community Center- 149 Waubesa Street, Madison

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday, April 28th

 

 

Spring Harvest Festival

 

3 PM - ?

We can't WAIT to celebrate our Spring Harvest Fest with all of you as we re-open the garden for the gardening season! Join us for music, fun, friends, and food on April 28th at our Eagle Heights garden! At 3:00pm we will begin our workday and at 5:00pm we'll have a live band, "Boo Bradley" and a delicious dinner for all.  Host: FH King

Location: Eagle Heights Garden

             

 

 

 

                                                   

 

Saturday, April 29th

 

Arboretum Work Party

 

9 AM – 12 PM

Help improve native habitat and help native plants thrive by removing invasive plant species in the Lake Wingra watershed. The UW-Madison Arboretum maintains one the oldest prairie restorations in the world.  Contact Marian Farrior, mlfarrior@wisc.edu for the location  Host: UW-Madison Arboretum

 

 

 

Become a Stream Steward: Volunteer to Monitor Stream Health!

 

9 AM – 2:30 PM

Do you live by a stream or river? Looking for a way to take action to protect streams in the Rock River Basin? Become a citizen stream monitor with the Rock River Coalition (RRC). No prior skills are necessary. Only a few hours each month are required. From April to October, our citizen stream monitors collect data vital to understanding the health of our streams across the Rock River Basin. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and various county Land and Water Conservation Departments will use the data to better understand watershed protection and restoration needs.  This workshop is a hands-on, in-stream look at life in streams. Learn to measure stream flow, temperature, water clarity and dissolved oxygen. Equipment provided – just bring a towel, waders or wear shoes with toe protection that can be worn in the water. Pre-Registration Required. Spaces fill quickly so register today!  Contact Nancy Sheehan: nancy@rockrivercoalition.org  Host: Take a Stake in Our Waters

Location: Waunakee Village Center, Waunakee

 

 

 

 

BANA Neighborhood Clean-up

 

9:45 AM – 12 PM

Neighborhood trash pick-up for the Bram's Addition Neighborhood Association in partnership with the Catholic Multicultural Center, including clean-up along the segment of Wingra Creek that runs through the neighborhood.

Location: Meet at the Catholic Multicultural Center (1862 Beld St. Madison)

 

 

 

 

Arboretum Longnecker Horticultural Garden Tour: Magnolias

 

1 PM

See, smell, and learn about the gardens’ extensive magnolia collection, and other spring flowering plants encountered along the way, with Michael Jesiolowski, Chicago Botanic Garden senior horticulturist.  Free, no registration required. Host: UW-Madison Arboretum

Location: UW-Madison Arboretum Visitor Center

 

 

 

 

 

Documentary Screening and Talk-Back with Director: The Hand that Feeds

 

2 PM – 4 PM

We're so excited to announce a cinematic afternoon, watching the award winning documentary "The Hand that Feeds" at the Marquee on April 29th, with a Skype talk-back session afterwards with Director Robin Blotnick! Join us for an enlightening time, watching this incredible movie. Host: FH King

Location: Marquee Theater at the Union South

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday, April 30th

 

 

(RE)Creating Our Resilient Regional Food System- Healing the Rural/Urban Divide

 

10 AM

Farming, food, and responsible fruitfulness lecture series. 

Location: Borgwardt Hall, Bethel Lutheran Church