Education and outreach programs at the Arboretum never really slow down, but summer is especially abuzz with activity! From long-standing programs to newer partnerships, we were pleased to share the Arboretum with so many people this summer. Here are a few highlights.

Earth Focus Day Camp

September marks the end of another memorable and wonder-filled summer at the Arboretum’s Earth Focus Day Camp (EFDC). Since 1991, EFDC has cultivated opportunities for children ages 5 to 14 to connect with the land, build an understanding of ecosystems, and create lifelong memories at the Arboretum. This year, we welcomed over 180 campers. Each of our six sessions followed a unique theme, such as “Winged Wonders,” “Insect Investigations,” and “Habitat Detectives.” Campers participated in various nature-based activities, including adventure hikes, building forts, watching wildlife, crafting, making maps, developing research projects, and much, much more.

So, who’s behind all the fun at camp? Our community education coordinator, Maddie Smith, assembled an all-star team of seven volunteers (with help from Judy Kingsbury, volunteer program manager), four naturalists, and five students. A big thank you to the students who joined our team for the summer and infused the program with their talents and interests, plus a whole lot of energy! They are Eva Perez (music education major, UW–Madison), Harley Blanchard (dance major, UW–Madison), Caroline Burki (conservation biology major, UW–Madison), Vivian Steinke (biology major, UW–Madison), and Lily Hubanks (environmental studies major, St. Olaf College).

Exploring Conservation Careers

When camp wasn’t in session, our unit welcomed many other groups to the Arboretum. For the second summer in a row, we hosted two groups of high schoolers exploring careers. Sustain Dane’s Powerful Teen Leaders spent their summer learning about conservation careers and visited the Arboretum for a day in July. A group from Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County explored a variety of careers, such as plumbing and construction, before spending three days here in August learning about environmental careers. The Powerful Teen Leaders birded their way through part of the Arboretum as they learned about ecological restoration from Marian Farrior (restoration outreach coordinator) and me. The Boys & Girls Clubs group explored different ecosystems with Maddie, Marian, Annie Isenbarger (citizen science coordinator) and me. Each group concluded their visit giving back to the Arboretum during restoration work parties led by Marian and Restoration Team Leader volunteers Mark and Travis.

It was clear the students were visiting with open minds and ready to try new things! As one student said while we did an aquatic macroinvertebrate survey, “I don’t usually like nature. But this is really cool. I can’t believe all this stuff lives in the water!” We hope these students keep exploring nature and environmental careers!

Learning about Pollination with Art and Science Fellows

During the May and June family nature programs, naturalists Kristin Lamers and Laurie Hartjes were joined by a dynamic pair of graduate students from the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery’s Kohler Fellows program. Celeste Huff (entomology master’s student) and Pauli King (art master’s student) designed and facilitated a two-part workshop that combined science and art to help participants “think like bees and flowers.” Pauli, who previously collaborated with the Arboretum through the Art Department, said “The Arboretum has been such a supportive space to explore the intersection of art and the natural environment.”

In May, attendees learned about pollination and the co-evolution of flowers and bees, then they used clay to design a flower from a bee’s perspective. Celeste said, “The designs were truly beyond what we would have imagined!” Pauli and Celeste used the clay flowers as templates to construct flowers out of wax, to which they added sugar water as a nectar source. They installed the wax flowers in the Native Plant Gardens, and attendees of the June session observed them for insect visitors. Pauli said, “After we installed the flowers in the native plant garden, the first insects to find the flowers were ants! They were mesmerizing to watch.”

I asked the fellows about teaching and learning using art and science together. Celeste said, “The sciences and the arts are both are deeply engaged in asking questions about the world and perhaps finding a creative way to understand a piece of it.” Pauli added, “Because art and science engage different parts of the brain, utilizing both areas within educational workshops allows for more comprehensive understanding of concepts like pollination… the pieces we created were able to instill wonder and curiosity in those who viewed them, encouraging a reconnection with, and a deeper appreciation of, the natural world.”  Thanks to Celeste and Pauli for bringing their science and art together for our Arboretum visitors!

As we head into a less frenzied fall season, we want to express deep appreciation for all of our staff, naturalists, students, and volunteers who share the wonders of the Arboretum with so many people during the summer and throughout the year!

– Anne Pearce, education program manager