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!
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!
September 13 @ 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Hop, crawl, fly, or jump your way into the most amazing insect exhibit in southeast Wisconsin!
All Ages and Abilities
8:00 am – 10:00 am
9:00 am – 11:00 am
9:30 am – 10:30 am
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
10:30 am – 11:30 am
10:00 am – 12:30 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!
We recently found these caterpillars along the trails at Wehr Nature Center. They are Walnut Caterpillar Moth (Datana integerrima). The moth in the lower hand photo we found at Falk Park. While we aren’t 100% certain of the exact species of moth, we do know it belongs to the genus Datana—the same genus as the Walnut Caterpillar Moth and many of the Datana moths look similar to one another. Walnut caterpillar moth larvae are native to North America and feed in groups on trees in the walnut family, including walnuts, pecans, and hickories. When disturbed, these caterpillars put on quite a show by arching both their head and tail ends into the air!Large outbreaks can sometimes defoliate branches or even entire trees, but they typically occur later in summer, after trees have already stored much of the energy they need for the following year. Established trees generally recover without intervention, and these caterpillars rarely become abundant enough to cause serious, lasting damage.Why? They’re evidently a tasty meal for birds and other predators!And the story doesn’t end with the caterpillar. The adult moths have remarkable camouflage and can look remarkably like a broken twig, making them surprisingly difficult to spot.Nature is full of creatures that have evolved incredible ways to avoid becoming someone else’s lunch. The image features a close-up view of several hairy caterpillars clustered on a green leaf, showcasing their brownish body with thin stripes and long, fine hairs protruding from them. These caterpillars are intricately intertwined, indicating a large population. The background is softly blurred, emphasizing the detailed textures of the caterpillars and the leaf. In the lower right corner, a circular inset shows a moth camouflaged against a tree bark, with its primarily brown body blending with the wood.
Our Brews and Botany Event is coming up soon. Do you have tickets? Our event is August 22nd from 4-6pm and you can learn more about it here: www.wehrnaturecenter.com/event/brews-and-botany/If you've ever seen a menu featuring a "shrub", "drinking vinegar," or "oxymel," you may have wondered—what's the difference?A "shrub" is a sweet-and-sour syrup made from fresh fruit, sugar, and vinegar. Also known as a "drinking vinegar", it can be mixed with still or sparkling water for a refreshing non-alcoholic beverage or combined with spirits such as gin or vodka to create a flavorful craft cocktail. Before refrigeration, shrubs were also a practical way to preserve seasonal fruit.An **oxymel** is a different kind of traditional herbal preparation. The word comes from the ancient Greek oxymeli, meaning "acid and honey." At its simplest, an oxymel is made by combining raw honey and vinegar—most commonly raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar—and infusing the mixture with herbs.While every oxymel is an herbal elixir, "not every herbal elixir is an oxymel". Fruity shrubs and spicy switchels, for example, are delicious vinegar-based herbal drinks, but they are not oxymels unless they are sweetened with honey instead of sugar.One of the best-known modern examples is "fire cider", a spicy infusion of apple cider vinegar, garlic, onions, horseradish, ginger, peppers, and other herbs. When made with honey, fire cider is considered an oxymel. Popularized by folk herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, it has become a beloved traditional remedy for supporting wellness and was even the subject of a landmark legal case that helped keep the name "fire cider" available for everyone to use.Why have oxymels been used for so long?Both honey and vinegar have been valued in traditional medicine for thousands of years. Raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid along with the naturally occurring enzymes, proteins, and beneficial microbes found in the "mother." Honey contributes soothing, antimicrobial properties while balancing the vinegar's acidity with natural sweetness.Together, honey and vinegar create an excellent medium for extracting the beneficial compounds from herbs—especially pungent herbs like garlic, ginger, thyme, or horseradish that can be difficult to consume on their own. Traditionally, oxymels have been used to soothe sore throats, support digestion, and promote general wellness, while also serving as a flavorful way to enjoy herbal preparations.Whether you're sipping a fruity shrub on a hot summer day or taking a spoonful of herbal oxymel during cold season, these age-old preparations remind us that food, drink, and herbal traditions have long been intertwined.See this link below to learn how to make your own oxymels at home. theherbalacademy.com/blog/how-to-make-an-oxymel/?srsltid=AfmBOorwxlXblqwM4QN-XFuP6cw57lNFaZ8QgeYQ…
theherbalacademy.com
A classic but often overlooked herbal preparation, oxymels have been used for ages for a variety of respiratory and immune system issues including coughs, mucus, and difficulty breathing. Made from vi…Enjoy member perks like free parking, discounts on select programs and events, and more!
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