April – Earth Month

Celebrate Earth Day and all things green and growing this month at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center! Spring is full of new life and a great time to celebrate our amazing planet and all of the plants, animals, systems, and cycles that make up the world we call home. Drop in during our public hours, 7 days a week all month long to enjoy our grounds, exhibits, displays, theaters, and self-guided activities. Together, you and your family can learn how our planet works, explore the beauty and importance of its natural cycles, and think about all the things we can do to protect it. Happy Earth Day!

Study seasonal changes and spring appearances in our phenology center and phenology garden bed, visit the seedlings in our greenhouse, and hike our trails and freshly sprouting ecosystems to see what you can find. Explore our world in our awesome theaters: get under the soil, travel the globe, dive into the ocean, and watch a special feature, The Human Era: A World of Changes, highlighting the dramatic changes to our land, oceans and atmosphere from human activity over the last 200 years – along with humanity’s great potential to meet those challenges. Engage with family activities and our interactive green building tour to see how we conserve energy and resources to live lightly on the Earth year-round – and what you can do at home!

• Science on a Sphere, The Human Era: A World of Changes: This film uses data visualizations and actual scientists to tell stories of dramatic changes to our land, oceans and atmosphere from human activity over the last 200 years, while also arguing that we are the best-educated, wealthiest, best-connected cohort of humans who have ever lived and are capable of rising to these anthropogenic challenges.
• Immersion Theater, Explore Our World: Use our interactive theater to travel the globe visiting Earth’s climates, explore the mysterious world under the soil, travel through the water cycle as a water droplet, dive under the ocean, and more!
• Interactive Green Building Tour and Scavenger Hunt: At ALNC, we’re committed to being green indoors and out. Explore our digital building tour and walk our facility and grounds to see how we conserve energy and resources to live lightly on the Earth year-round – and learn what you can do at home!
• Help ALNC’s conservation efforts by participating in this month’s Land Steward Work Day, Saturday, April 16.
• Take part in our 1^st Annual Spring Membership Drive – renew or join and help support our growth!
• Bike to ALNC! You can find bike route information for Monona and Madison – plus some Madison biking tips and an Aldo Leopold Day in Madison Bike Tour from bikeabout.com! Save $1 off admission with your Bicycle Benefits sticker! Support ALNC and Bicycle Benefits by purchasing your helmet stickers to save money on ALNC admission and other great benefits around Madison, Monona, and beyond!
• Celebrate Earth Day locally and nationally with Nature Net’s Earth Day Bouquet, National Environmental Education Week, and Earth Day Network!

Plus, check out a Family Trailside Backpack, visit our gardens, hike our trails, and explore the freshly sprouting ecosystems on our grounds!