Welcome

Our facility will be closed from Monday, Dec 23rd to Wednesday, Dec 25th for the winter break.
Our building will reopen to the public at 9am on Thursday, Dec 26th.

As always, our grounds and trails featuring self-guided tours are free and open daily from dawn until dusk.

Our facility is open on weekdays from 9am to 4pm and on weekends from 10am to 2pm.

As always, our grounds and trails featuring self-guided tours are free and open daily from dawn until dusk.

Make a Donation

Online Store
Login to DoubleKnot
ALNC Employee Staff Portal

Skip to content

Aldo Leopold Nature Center

MENUMENU

About Us
Our Programs
Your Event
Get Involved
Contact Us

Events for December 18, 2023

Events Search and Views Navigation

Events Search

Day Of

Search

Event Views Navigation

View As

No events scheduled for December 18, 2023. Please try another day.

« Previous Day
Next Day »

« Previous Day
Next Day »

Today is the first day of winter! Happy Solstice!!

Today is the first day of winter! Happy Solstice!!
Each year, we put on a play portraying the battle between the Holly King and the Oak King, depicting an Ancient Celtic myth about the changing seasons.
The Holly King and the Oak King represent two sides to the Green Man, a symbol of rebirth and the cycle of life and death. In some tellings of this tale, the kings battle twice a year, at Winter Solstice (Yule) and at Midsummer (Litha), to see who will rule over the next half of the year.
At Yule, the Holly King wins and rules over winter and the rebirth of spring; at Litha, the Oak King is victorious, ushering in summer and the harvest season. Folklore explaining the changes from light to dark and dark to light, representing the cycles of life, death, and rebirth, are common themes found in many ancient traditions.
Since it is the Winter Solstice, it is the Holly King’s turn to rule. This play depicts him winning the battle with his brother and tucking the Oak King in bed, ready to sleep for the next six months.
Video: Kira Breitlow, Aldo Leopold Nature Center
#PhenologyUpdate #Solstice #Winter #WIEnviroEd #NatureIsEverywhere #NatureIsForEveryone #EveryBodyOutside

Still looking for a useful holiday gift for your l

Still looking for a useful holiday gift for your littles?
Check out our new Wonder Bugs drawstring bags that celebrate this popular caregiver-child program.
If you love exploring the outdoors, especially with anyone under 10, you probably already know that it’s best to come prepared and a lightweight bag can help you do just that… It’s big enough to pack your water bottles, snacks, and seasonal gear.
Let's also not forget nature finds that your family “might” want you to tote back home… You know, for that craft project or the latest collection!
Stop at the front desk to purchase your Wonder Bugs bag for only $15 and give the joy of nature adventure this holiday season.
#WIEnviroEd #NatureIsEverywhere #NatureIsForEveryone #EveryBodyOutside #WonderBugsBag

To many people, mistletoe is synonymous with the j

To many people, mistletoe is synonymous with the joy of the holiday season. To trees, mistletoe can be a nightmare.
Mistletoes are a large, parasitic group of plants that grow on the above ground parts of trees and shrubs. They have specialized roots, able to penetrate the woody branches of their host plant, which they use to steal water and nutrients. One or two mistletoes won’t do too much damage to a tree, potentially causing the loss of the branch it's growing on. Many infections, however, can cause the death of a tree whether that be directly or indirectly. Mistletoes are an invitation to other parasites (such as insects) to attack the already weakened tree.
There are 1,300 different species of mistletoe and they are native to every continent, except Antarctica, and the different species will attach themselves to different host plants. For example, some species will only grow on deciduous trees, while others will only grow on conifers. There are even species that will only grow on cacti.
Mistletoe got its name from the Angelo-Saxon words for dung (mistle) and twig (tan). This is because of the ancient belief that mistletoe was propagated from bird poop. This is because mistletoe would often appear on a branch or twig that was covered in bird poop. There is some truth to this myth and, in the 16th century, it was discovered that mistletoe was spread by birds after they ate the plant’s berries. The seeds from the berries travel through the bird's digestive system and come out with its poop. If the seed landed on the correct plant, the seed would grow and attach itself to a new host, continuing the cycle over again.
Next time you hear of someone kissing under the mistletoe, you’ll know that they are in fact kissing under the ‘poop-twig’.
What signs of winter do you see? Visit us for a hike or take a walk around your neighborhood looking for cyclical events influenced by seasonal changes.
#PhenologyFriday #Mistletoes #WIEnviroEd #NatureIsEverywhere #NatureIsForEveryone #EveryBodyOutside

Aldo Leopold Nature Center

52 minutes ago

Today is the first day of winter! Happy Solstice!!Each year, we put on a play portraying the battle between the Holly King and the Oak King, depicting an Ancient Celtic myth about the changing seasons.The Holly King and the Oak King represent two sides to the Green Man, a symbol of rebirth and the cycle of life and death. In some tellings of this tale, the kings battle twice a year, at Winter Solstice (Yule) and at Midsummer (Litha), to see who will rule over the next half of the year. At Yule, the Holly King wins and rules over winter and the rebirth of spring; at Litha, the Oak King is victorious, ushering in summer and the harvest season. Folklore explaining the changes from light to dark and dark to light, representing the cycles of life, death, and rebirth, are common themes found in many ancient traditions. Since it is the Winter Solstice, it is the Holly King’s turn to rule. This play depicts him winning the battle with his brother and tucking the Oak King in bed, ready to sleep for the next six months. Video: Kira Breitlow, Aldo Leopold Nature Center#PhenologyUpdate #Solstice #Winter #WIEnviroEd #NatureIsEverywhere #NatureIsForEveryone #EveryBodyOutside ...

View on Facebook

· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Sign up to receive updates

Receive the latest information on our upcoming events, programs, workshops and how to get involved.

Email: * Required

Aldo Leopold Nature Center

Contact Us

330 Femrite Drive
Monona, WI 53716

Phone: (608) 221-0404
Fax: (608) 709-1611

alnc@aldoleopoldnaturecenter.org

Building Hours

Monday through Friday: 9am to 4pm
Saturday and Sunday: 10am to 2pm

Hiking Trails

Open daily from dawn until dusk!

Make a Donation

Search

Programs
Your Event
Get Involved
About Us

© 2024 Aldo Leopold Nature Center

Facebook
Instagram

Aldo Leopold Nature Center

About Us
Our Programs
Your Event
Get Involved
Contact Us