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We are currently updating our website, please be patient if some links are temporarily unavailable.

Our facility will be closed on Monday, September 1st in honor of Labor Day.

Our building will reopen to the public at 10am on Tuesday, September 2nd.

Everyday, our trails are free and open from dawn until dusk.

Our facility is open Monday through Friday, 9am to 4pm, and from 10am to 2pm on weekends.

Visit us. Everyday, our trails are free and open from dawn until dusk

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Lead all scouts to a deeper appreciation of the natural world with troop badge work.

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Discovery tables are back! Get outside and celeb

Discovery tables are back!
Get outside and celebrate National Play Outside Day by visiting ALNCs discovery tables located in the Maple and Juniper Fields.
Discovery tables offer open-ended activities designed to stimulate questions, ideas, creativity, and interests. Our Educators set out different prompt materials each week to encourage the exploration of new topics outside. These materials are available during weekdays and everyone visiting the Nature Center is welcomed to play with them.
Photo: Kira Breitlow, Aldo Leopold Nature Center
#PlayOutsideDay #DiscoveryTable #WIEnviroEd #NatureIsEverywhere #NatureIsForEveryone #EveryBodyOutside

As fall approaches, New England Aster is blooming

As fall approaches, New England Aster is blooming in the prairie!
‘Symphyotrichum novae-angliae’ blooms from late summer to early fall, with flowers that are purple or pink. The native perennial grows 3-7 feet tall in moist and sunny areas such as prairies, roadsides, and stream banks. The central stem and side branches are covered in soft, white, sticky hairs. The numerous long, lance-shaped leaves are toothless, stalkless, and alternately arranged along the stems.
The flowers are particularly appealing to pollinators like bees, moths, and butterflies, providing much-needed nectar late in the season. Their bloom period, which lasts about two months, or until the first frost, is especially valuable to migrating monarch butterflies, who use the plant to refuel. Additionally, the flower prevents soil erosion and provides shelter and food for wildlife, which can ultimately help support local ecosystems.
New England Asters also offer benefits to humans. Both the leaves and flowers are edible, suitable for fresh salads or dried and used as a spice or tea. Indigenous Nations have used this plant to treat various ailments. A tincture made from fresh flowers can relax the respiratory system and help with allergies, asthma, and congestion. The hot tea induces sweating and helps reduce fever. A combination of tincture and tea can ease cold and flu symptoms, while a topical poultice can soothe pain from skin rashes.
What signs of late summer do you see? Visit us for a hike or take a walk around your neighborhood looking for cyclical events influenced by seasonal changes.
Photo: Aldo Leopold Nature Center
#PhenologyFriday #NewEnglandAster #WIEnviroEd #NatureIsEverywhere #NatureIsForEveryone #EveryBodyOutside #NatureAsMedicine

The first leaves are starting to change color, and

The first leaves are starting to change color, and you can become a Fall Color Reporter!
In the fall, shorter days and colder weather mean leaves get less sunlight. This causes the chlorophyll in the leaves to break down, revealing the beautiful fall colors that were hidden away for most of the year. Depending on your location, trees change color at different times. Typically, leaves start changing color farther north, where it’s colder, and the change spreads south as the season progresses.
Every year, Travel Wisconsin tracks the status of our state's changing fall colors through reports sent in by volunteers. Travelers turn to this popular resource to plan trips and see the season's colors on full display.
Consider becoming a Fall Color Reporter here:
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=HNHi9OT6O0W2wClkZjd5qgZx7DDARWlItpZXD8r1dypUMEE1V0dFOFQ1NlFOTEQ2NFJKOVk1MVlGUC4u&j=83920&sfmc_sub=59186409&l=1234_HTML&u=1107710&mid=546008891&jb=1&route=shorturl
What signs of late summer do you see? Visit us for a hike or take a walk around your neighborhood looking for cyclical events influenced by seasonal changes.
Photo: Kira Breitlow, Aldo Leopold Nature Center
#PhenologyFriday #FallLeaves #WIEnviroEd #NatureIsEverywhere #NatureIsForEveryone #EveryBodyOutside @travelwisconsin

Aldo Leopold Nature Center is at Aldo Leopold Nature Center.

9 hours ago

Discovery tables are back! Get outside and celebrate National Play Outside Day by visiting ALNCs discovery tables located in the Maple and Juniper Fields. Discovery tables offer open-ended activities designed to stimulate questions, ideas, creativity, and interests. Our Educators set out different prompt materials each week to encourage the exploration of new topics outside. These materials are available during weekdays and everyone visiting the Nature Center is welcomed to play with them.Photo: Kira Breitlow, Aldo Leopold Nature Center#PlayOutsideDay #DiscoveryTable #WIEnviroEd #NatureIsEverywhere #NatureIsForEveryone #EveryBodyOutside ...

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Aldo Leopold Nature Center

Contact Us

330 Femrite Drive
Monona, WI 53716

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

alnc@aldoleopoldnaturecenter.org

EIN 39-1786897

Building Hours

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

Hiking Trails

Open daily from dawn until dusk!

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Aldo Leopold Nature Center

ABOUT
VISIT
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EVENTS
SUPPORT
CONNECT