Wehr Nature Center is a place where everyone belongs. Open year-round, we offer accessible buildings, trails, and park features designed for visitors of all ages and abilities. Wander our more than five-miles of trails traversing five distinct habitats all within a five-minute walk. Enjoy universally designed exhibits, comfortable restrooms, and hands-on unique programs that bring people together through nature all year round.
Save the Date!
July 26 @ 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Join us for an inclusive Open House celebrating Wehr Nature Center’s commitment to equitable access to the outdoors for people of all ages and abilities. This free community event invites everyone to explore nature through accessible experiences, adaptive recreation, and meaningful connections with local accessibility partners.
August 22 @ 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Discover the plants behind your favorite beverages at this leisurely, fun, and educational evening at Wehr featuring local coffee, tea, craft beer, and other purveyors. Live music, food trucks, and more!
All Ages and Abilities
8:00 am – 10:00 am
10:30 am – 11:30 am
10:00 am – 12:30 pm
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
8:00 am – 10:00 am
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Featured Program
Join us for a monthly ecology walk at various Milwaukee County Natural Areas, where we’ll learn, observe, and ID native flowers! On our walk, you’ll also learn about the characteristics of the native plant community that we will explore.
Wehr Nature Center inspires all generations to explore and value the plants and animals of our natural world through experiential education, accessible trails, native landscapes and natural areas.
July – September Newsletter
Happy Summer! Wehr’s trails are overflowing with an abundance of green, flowers, interesting insects, and wildlife. In nature the delight is in the details – slow down and see for yourself during your next hike at Wehr.
In the summer issue of Wehr Words, we hope you’ll enjoy learning about Wehr’s efforts to support the next generation of environmental leaders, spotlight the amazing Wehr Astronomical Society, highlight the 16,000+ volunteer hours, and more!
One bird’s mess is another bird’s meal! Wehr’s Wild Turkeys will gladly clean up the stray seed thrown to the ground by busy birds at the feeders. It’s quite a sight to find cardinals, doves, and sparrows eating right alongside these giant turkeys.
See why Wehr Nature Center is “a place for all seasons, a place for everyone.” Explore more than five miles of nature trails through woodland, wetland, prairie and oak savanna on 220-acres of protected land in Whitnall Park at Wehr Nature Center.
This is without a doubt, the best place to birdwatch and see wildlife in the Milwaukee metro area. The nature center is fantastic. The staff is welcoming and the trails are extremely well-maintained. Always something exciting to see!
Moth Night for Adults is on July 18th from 7:30 to 9:30 pm at Wehr Nature Center, which is the start of National Moth Week! 🎉What is National Moth Week? Communities around the globe come together during National Moth Week to celebrate the beauty, diversity, and ecological importance of moths. Participants of all ages contribute valuable data that helps scientists better understand these fascinating insects. You can learn more about Wehr Nature Center's Moth Night here and even register to attend this program: www.wehrnaturecenter.com/event/moth-night-for-adults-3/One of our favorite moths is the Rosy Maple Moth. Rosy Maple Moths have creamy yellow bodies and wings with rosy-pink accents at the margins and bases, resembling cotton candy. We are lucky to have these moths in Wisconsin, however, according to the website Butterflies and Moths of North America " In general, population booms of D. rubicunda are rare, although the caterpillars are occasional pests, defoliating red maple (Acer rubrum), sugar maple (A. saccharum), and silver maple (A. saccharinum); and oak trees including turkey oak (Quercus laevis). Defoliation is generally aesthetic; trees usually survive and recover. Outbreaks are mostly unknown where there is a single brood annually (eastern and northern states, and southern Canada). Like many Saturniids, D. rubicunda is declining across much of its range, possibly due to parasitism by the imported tachinid fly, Compsilura concinnata." It is also interesting to note that the caterpillars of this moth are called a completely different name. They are called the Green-striped mapleworm🐛The staff at Wehr Nature Center look forward to seeing you at Moth Night, where you will learn more about these amazing and often misunderstood creatures.📸: Wehr Nature Center-taken by a staff member during Mothapalooza in Ohio. #wehrnaturecenter #milwaukeecountyparks
Today's creature feature is the dragonfly. Dragonflies were some of the first winged insects to evolve, some 300 million years ago. Modern dragonflies have wingspans of only two to five inches, but fossil dragonflies have been found with wingspans of up to two feet.Dragonflies have complicated neck muscles which allow them to tilt their head sideways 180 degrees, back 70 degrees and down 40 degrees. Dragonflies can hover in midair and then rapidly accelerate.One article suggests dragonflies are the most effective predators in the animal world – 95% success rate which is truly amazing. Photo is of a Halloween Pennant taken in our Oak Savanna.
Enjoy member perks like free parking, discounts on select programs and events, and more!
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