“It’s Kind of Fun to Do the Impossible”

The Story of Milwaukee’s Urban Ecology Center

Abstract

The Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, offers an innovative model for urban environmental education. From its humble beginnings as a neighborhood effort to save a park from crime, it has grown into a one-of-a-kind environmental community center serving tens of thousands of visitors a year. The secret to its success is its replicable Neighborhood Environmental Education Project, which provides neighborhood children and youth with experiences in the natural world. This is coupled with a community program that fosters cross-generational mentor relationships as a means to develop a strong environmental ethic. The Center’s experience holds useful lessons for communities elsewhere.