• Saturday, May 25

    Ecological Restoration Work Party
    Core Area and Curtis Prairie

    9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

    Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training provided. Groups welcome with advance notice. Meet at the Visitor Center. More information: (608) 265-5214 or marian.farrior@wisc.edu.

  • Sunday, May 26

    Teal Pond and Curtis Prairie Wetlands
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    Visit wetland areas with a naturalist to learn about the impact of urbanization, stormwater, ecological restoration, and wetland benefits to humans and wildlife. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Sunday, May 26

    Wetlands
    Family Nature Program

    1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

    May is American Wetlands Month. Learn about wetland habitats and the animals that live in them. Walk, 1:30–2:30 p.m., indoor activities, 2:30–3:30 p.m. Designed for families with children ages 3–11. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Monday, May 27

    Visitor Center Closed

    All day

    The Visitor Center will be closed for Memorial Day.

  • Saturday, June 1

    Spring Bird Hike
    Walk

    7 a.m. – 9 a.m.

    You can see more than 170 bird species at the Arboretum during the year. Join us for a guided bird hike, with a focus on migrating spring birds. All experience levels welcome, binoculars recommended. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center. Hikes cancelled for heavy rain or lightning. To help us plan these new hikes, please tell us you're interested via this form: https://arboretum.wisc.edu/visit/events/spring-bird-hikes/.

  • Saturday, June 1

    Ecological Restoration Work Party
    Wingra Oak Savanna

    9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

    Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training provided. Groups welcome with advance notice. Meet at Arbor Dr. parking lot, off Monroe St. More information: (608) 265-5214 or marian.farrior@wisc.edu.

  • Saturday, June 1

    Dragonfly Monitoring Training
    Citizen Science Workshop

    1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

    The Arboretum relies on volunteers to help survey dragonfly diversity and habitat quality. Gain the knowledge and skills needed to participate in this citizen science project. Participants will learn to identify common dragonfly species, conduct surveys, and record and submit data. No experience needed. Instructors: Brad Herrick, Arboretum ecologist, and Robert Bohanan, outreach program manager, North Temperate Lakes LTER. Session full.

  • Sunday, June 2

    Curtis Prairie Partnerships
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    Discover the partnerships prairie plants and animals maintain to thrive on the land. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Sunday, June 2

    Garden Excursion
    Walk

    1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    Learn about Arboretum history, land, and science on a gently paced walk in the gardens. This new monthly stroll offers a multigenerational learning experience on the first Sunday of each month, April–October. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Saturday, June 8

    Ecological Restoration Work Party
    Core Area and Curtis Prairie

    9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

    Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training provided. Groups welcome with advance notice. Meet at the Visitor Center. More information: (608) 265-5214 or marian.farrior@wisc.edu.

  • Saturday, June 8

    Arboretum Fungi
    Class

    1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

    Discover the often-mysterious biology and ecology of fungi. In this workshop you will examine fungal morphology and microscopy, then team up for an outdoor “bioblitz” to search for fungi and contribute to a citizen science project. Dress for the weather. Instructor: Alden Dirks, founder and president, Madison Mycological Society. Fee: $20. Register by June 4. Meet at the Visitor Center.

    Register for this event ($20)

  • Sunday, June 9

    Monarch Larva Monitoring Project (MLMP) Training
    Citizen Science Workshop

    12 p.m. – 3 p.m.

    MLMP is a national monarch citizen science project. Learn about this charismatic species and how to get involved with research and conservation. Participants will learn about monarch biology, practice monitoring and data entry protocols, and become prepared to conduct monitoring at the Arboretum or in their community. Instructors: Karen Oberhauser, Arboretum director, and Jessica Ross, Arboretum citizen science coordinator. Session full, waitlist available.

  • Sunday, June 9

    Early Bloomers on the Grady Oak Savanna and Greene Prairie
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

    Explore the mosaic of grasses dotted with color from phlox, blue-eyed grass, yellow star grass, and up to 30 other species in the Grady Tract. No facilities, some sloping terrain. Meet at Grady Tract parking lot, southeast corner of Seminole Hwy. and W. Beltline Frontage Rd.

  • Sunday, June 9

    The Summer Buzz
    Family Walk

    1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    Discover the fun and fascinating world of insects on this walk in the Arboretum’s gardens. Designed for families with children ages 3–11. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Wednesday, June 12

    Woodland, Savanna, and Prairie Gardens
    Native Plant Garden Tour

    7 p.m.

    Celebrate late spring by visiting our woodland, savanna, and prairie gardens. This tour, led by Susan Carpenter, provides an overview of the Wisconsin Native Plant Garden. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Saturday, June 15

    Ecological Restoration Work Party
    Grady Tract

    9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

    Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training provided. Groups welcome with advance notice. Meet at Grady Tract parking lot, southeast corner of Seminole Hwy. and W. Beltline Frontage Rd. More information: (608) 265-5214 or marian.farrior@wisc.edu.

  • Sunday, June 16

    Curtis Prairie
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    Explore Curtis Prairie—the first restored prairie in the world. Learn about the resilience of native ecosystems and their associated plant and animal families. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Wednesday, June 19

    What's Blooming?
    Native Plant Garden Tour

    7 p.m.

    Join Susan Carpenter, Arboretum native plant gardener, to find, compare, and learn about flowers on native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Friday, June 21

    Summer Solstice
    Night Walk

    8:30 p.m. – 10 p.m.

    Enjoy a sunset walk on the longest day of the year and learn some fun facts about the solstice. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Saturday, June 22

    Ecological Restoration Work Party
    Core Area and Curtis Prairie

    9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

    Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training provided. Groups welcome with advance notice. Meet at the Visitor Center. More information: (608) 265-5214 or marian.farrior@wisc.edu.

  • Sunday, June 23

    Prairies and Savannas on the Grady Tract
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

    Showy butterfly-weed and subdued New Jersey tea both attract bees for nectar. Discover these and other flora-fauna associations, and learn about the differences between prairies and savannas. No facilities, some sloping terrain. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Grady Tract parking lot, southeast corner of Seminole Hwy. and W. Beltline Frontage Rd.

  • Sunday, June 23

    A Prairie in Bloom
    Family Nature Program

    1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

    Discover the diversity of flowering plants in the early summer prairie. Walk, 1:30–2:30 p.m., indoor activities, 2:30–3:30 p.m. Designed for families with children ages 3–11. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Sunday, June 30

    Curtis Prairie Discoveries
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    Learn to identify plants that support bees, butterflies, and other pollinators and see how many you can find, including second-generation monarchs. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Saturday, July 6

    Ecological Restoration Work Party
    Wingra Oak Savanna

    9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

    Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training provided. Groups welcome with advance notice. Meet at Arbor Dr. parking lot, off Monroe St. More information: (608) 265-5214 or marian.farrior@wisc.edu.

  • Saturday, July 6

    Planets after Sunset
    Night Walk

    8:30 p.m. – 11 p.m.

    We will partner with UW Space Place for this special night event. View planets through telescopes, then embark on a naturalist-led walk. Sky gazing with local astronomers will continue until 11 p.m., weather permitting. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Sunday, July 7

    A Prairie Birthday
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    On this walk, named for an Aldo Leopold essay, we will look for the blooming plants he wrote about, including blazing-stars, prairie grasses, and many sunflower species. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Sunday, July 7

    Garden Excursion
    Walk

    1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    Learn about Arboretum history, land, and science on a gently paced walk in the gardens. This new monthly stroll offers a multigenerational learning experience on the first Sunday of each month, April–October. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Saturday, July 13

    Ecological Restoration Work Party
    Core Area and Curtis Prairie

    9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

    Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training provided. Groups welcome with advance notice. Meet at the Visitor Center. For more information: (608) 265-5214 or marian.farrior@wisc.edu.

  • Sunday, July 14

    Prairies and Savannas on the Grady Tract
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

    On a warm sunny day, you may see many species of butterflies in the prairie and savannas. We will look for and identify them. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Grady Tract parking lot, southeast corner of Seminole Hwy. and W. Beltline Frontage Rd. No facilities, some sloping terrain.

  • Sunday, July 14

    Butterflies Flutter By
    Family Walk

    1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    We will explore the prairies and gardens looking for monarch butterfly eggs, caterpillars, and adults as we learn about butterflies and their life cycles. Designed for families with children ages 3–11. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Wednesday, July 17

    Plants for Pollinators
    Garden Tour

    7 p.m.

    Learn more about summer-blooming native and ornamental species in Arboretum gardens. Susan Carpenter, Arboretum native plant gardener, will highlight plants and gardening practices that support essential pollinators in urban/suburban landscapes. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Saturday, July 20

    Ecological Restoration Work Party
    Grady Tract

    9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

    Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training provided. Groups welcome with advance notice. Meet at Grady Tract parking lot, southeast corner of Seminole Hwy. and W. Beltline Frontage Rd. For more information: (608) 265-5214 or marian.farrior@wisc.edu.

  • Sunday, July 21

    Curtis Prairie
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    Summer prairies change weekly, bringing new sights, sounds, and smells. Join us for sensory splendor. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Saturday, July 27

    Ecological Restoration Work Party
    Core Area and Curtis Prairie

    9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

    Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training provided. Groups welcome with advance notice. Meet at the Visitor Center. For more information: (608) 265-5214 or marian.farrior@wisc.edu.

  • Sunday, July 28

    Greene Prairie and Grady Knolls
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

    In late July we may see Culver’s-root, mountain mint, rattlesnake master, blazing-stars, and swamp milkweed. Prairie dock, a Greene Prairie favorite, can be easy to spot, with its bright yellow flowers and broad rough leaves. Free, no registration required. No facilities, some sloping terrain. Meet at Grady Tract parking lot, southeast corner of Seminole Hwy. and W. Beltline Frontage Rd.

  • Sunday, July 28

    Citizen Science
    Family Nature Program

    1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

    Summer is an active season for citizen science. Bumblebees, butterflies, birds, and blooming buds are just a few of nature’s wonders you can observe and record. Come to learn, participate, and enjoy. Naturalist-led walk, 1:30–2:30 p.m., indoor activities, 2:30–3:30 p.m. Designed for families with children ages 3–11. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Saturday, August 3

    Ecological Restoration Work Party
    Wingra Oak Savanna

    9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

    Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training provided. Groups welcome with advance notice. Meet at Arbor Dr. parking lot, off Monroe St. More information: (608) 265-5214 or marian.farrior@wisc.edu.

  • Sunday, August 4

    Henry Greene’s Prairie
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

    The renowned botanist hand-planted more than 130 prairie species from 1942 through the early 1960s. Learn how Greene Prairie continues to thrive and change. Free, no registration required. No facilities, some sloping terrain. Meet at Grady Tract parking lot, southeast corner of Seminole Hwy. and W. Beltline Frontage Rd.

  • Sunday, August 4

    Garden Excursion
    Walk

    1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    Learn about Arboretum history, land, and science on a gently paced walk in the gardens. This monthly stroll offers a multigenerational learning experience on the first Sunday of each month, April–October. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Wednesday, August 7

    Native Grasses
    Native Plant Garden Tour

    7 p.m.

    Susan Carpenter, Arboretum native plant gardener, will focus on color, size, and features of native Wisconsin grasses, from tiny mustache grass to big bluestem. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Saturday, August 10

    Ecological Restoration Work Party
    Core Area and Curtis Prairie

    9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

    Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training provided. Groups welcome with advance notice. Meet at the Visitor Center. For more information: (608) 265-5214 or marian.farrior@wisc.edu.

  • Saturday, August 10

    Meteors and the Moon
    Night Walk

    8:30 p.m. – 11 p.m.

    Jim Lattis, UW Space Place astronomer, will give an indoor presentation about the Perseid and other meteor showers, followed by a naturalist-led walk. Telescopes will be set up for sky gazing with local astronomers until 11 p.m., weather permitting. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Sunday, August 11

    Sample of 1834 Dane County
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    Restored prairie, savanna, and wetlands provide an example of what Dane County looked like in the 1830s. Ecological restoration was not well known when experiments started here in 1935. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Sunday, August 11

    Living in a Wetland
    Family Walk

    1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    Learn about pond critters, the fascinating lives of predators and prey, and the relationships between the animals that call wetlands home. Designed for families with children ages 3–11. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Sunday, August 18

    Wingra Oak Savanna Restoration and Monroe Street Environs
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    This oak savanna has been a cooperative restoration with the Arboretum, Dudgeon Monroe Neighborhood, and volunteers since 1992. We will visit the restoration, the Wheeler Council Ring designed by Jens Jensen, and two bubbling springs Native Americans relied on for centuries. Free, no registration required. Meet at Arbor Dr. parking lot, off Monroe St.

  • Saturday, August 24

    Ecological Restoration Work Party
    Core Area and Curtis Prairie

    9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

    Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training provided. Groups welcome with advance notice. Meet at the Visitor Center. For more information: (608) 265-5214 or marian.farrior@wisc.edu.

  • Sunday, August 25

    Grasslands on the Grady Tract
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

    This is a good time to see the contrast in plants and animals between the sandy dry West Knoll and the wetter Greene Prairie. Free, no registration required. No facilities, some sloping terrain. Meet at Grady Tract parking lot, southeast corner of Seminole Hwy. and W. Beltline Frontage Road.

  • Sunday, August 25

    Pollinator Party
    Family Nature Program

    1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

    Join us to observe and learn about the fascinating lives of the pollinators in the Arboretum's gardens and prairies. Naturalist-led walk, 1:30–2:30 p.m., indoor activities, 2:30–3:30 p.m. Designed for families with children ages 3–11. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.