• Sunday, January 19

    Winter Wonderland
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    Even when the ground is frozen and the air is cold, beauty and activity abound in the natural world. Springs remain ice-free and support year-round wildlife. Discover winter’s liveliness on this naturalist-led walk. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Monday, January 20

    Arboretum Visitor Center Closed
    Holiday Closure

    All day

  • Thursday, January 23

    Citizen Science at the Arboretum
    Winter Enrichment Lecture

    9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

    Jessica Ross, citizen science coordinator, UW–Madison Arboretum. Fee: $10. Register by January 20.

  • Saturday, January 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, January 26

    January Thaw
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    It is common in the Midwest to experience a few days of warming later in the month. Learn about the phenomenon and discover what may be stirring in January. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Sunday, January 26

    Cold Outside, Barely Warm Inside
    Family Nature Program

    1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

    Did you know there are animals that nearly freeze to death on purpose? They stay just warm enough inside their bodies to survive winter conditions. 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.

  • Thursday, January 30

    The Tallgrass Prairie—A Conversation
    Winter Enrichment Lecture

    9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

    Cindy Crosby, author, instructor, and interpretive trainer on natural history. Fee: $10. Register by January 27.

  • Saturday, February 1

    Wingra Oak Savanna
    Ecological Restoration Work Party

    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, February 2

    Looking for Groundhog and Other Animal Signs
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    February may bring an opportunity to see groundhogs (and perhaps their shadows) as they emerge temporarily from hibernation. We can also see tracks and signs left by other animals. Learn what to look for and consider how many more weeks winter will last. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Thursday, February 6

    Managing Stormwater for Environmental Health and Community Well-Being
    Winter Enrichment Lecture

    9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

    Panelists: Phil Gaebler, water resources engineer, City of Madison; John Reimer, assistant director, Dane County Land and Water Resources Department; Ken Potter, professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UW–Madison; Michael Hansen, land care manager, UW–Madison Arboretum; Christal Campbell, Stormwater Education Coordinator, Dane County Land and Water Resources Department. Fee: $10. Register by February 3.

  • Saturday, February 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, February 8

    Hunger Moon
    Night Walk

    6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.

    The name of this moon likely refers to the scarcity of food in some regions during mid-winter. We will enjoy the night sky and nature’s sounds under the waxing moon (full February 9). Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Sunday, February 9

    Winter Sampler
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    Experience the variety of ecosystems that support the plants and animals at the Arboretum in winter. Explore the restored woodlands, wetlands, and prairies near the Visitor Center with a naturalist. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Sunday, February 9

    Animal Tracks
    Family Walk

    1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    Animal tracks are easy to spot in the snow and mud. If neither are present, we will look for other signs of animal activity. Designed for families with children ages 3–11. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Thursday, February 13

    Arboretum Research Symposium

    9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

    Students, faculty, and other researchers will present findings from projects on Arboretum land and in the Lake Wingra watershed. Free, no registration required.

  • Saturday, February 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, February 16

    Enduring a Woodland Winter
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    Explore how the Indigenous people of this area may have survived a harsh winter using the natural resources around them. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Thursday, February 20

    Gardening for Hummingbirds
    Winter Enrichment Lecture

    9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

    Kathi and Michael Rock, hummingbird enthusiasts. Fee: $10. Register by February 17.

  • Saturday, February 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, February 23

    If Trees Could Talk
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    Aldo Leopold’s essay “The Good Oak” tells us that trees are a source of history and knowledge. Join a naturalist to walk in a forest looking for clues of the past through keen observation of trees and other elements of nature. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Sunday, February 23

    February Findings
    Family Nature Program

    1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

    Come prepared for discovery on a nature scavenger hunt in a “quiet” Wisconsin winter month. 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.

  • Thursday, February 27

    From Military Facility to Green Space—The Transformation of the Badger Army Ammunition Plant
    Winter Enrichment Lecture

    9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

    Charlie Luthin, executive director, Sauk Prairie Conservation Alliance. Fee: $10. Register by February 24.

  • Sunday, March 1

    In Leopold's Footsteps
    Walk

    1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    Learn where conservationist Aldo Leopold, the Arboretum’s first research director, conducted famous phenological research from 1935–45 and established the first restorations of Wisconsin’s natural ecosystems. This walk is a prelude to Aldo Leopold Weekend events (March 6–8). Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Wednesday, March 4

    Firelines: Midwestern Prairie Restoration
    Lecture

    7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

    Jill Metcoff and Mike Mossman will discuss the Midwestern prairie and the use of intentional fires to maintain the ecosystem and landscape. Blending photography, conservation biology, ecology, and personal history, their interdisciplinary work celebrates the union of visual art and scientific method. A book signing will follow the talk. Jill's large-format black-and-white photographs of prescribed fire will be on view. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

  • Thursday, March 5

    Invasive Jumping Worms: The Impact of a New Soil Invader
    Winter Enrichment Lecture

    9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

    Brad Herrick, ecologist, UW–Madison Arboretum. Fee: $10. Register by March 2.

  • Friday, March 6

    Following Oliver, Nature Poetry Workshop, session 1
    Class

    10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

    Explore the poetry of Mary Oliver and other nature writers. Learn new techniques and receive feedback in an inspiring and supportive environment. Weather permitting, there will be an outdoor class component. Class is meant for participants who want to write regularly. Reading material provided, but you are encouraged to bring your own. Instructor: Troy Hess. Fee: $15 per session. Register for any or all sessions (also March 13, 20, and 27). Register by March 2.

    Register for this event ($15)

  • Friday, March 6

    Green Fire Movie Night
    Special Event

    7 p.m. – 9 p.m.

    Kick off Leopold Weekend by watching the Aldo Leopold documentary Green Fire, followed by group discussion and reflection. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center. Presented for Aldo Leopold Weekend.

  • Saturday, March 7

    15th-Annual Madison Reads Leopold
    Special Event

    9:30 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

    Free public reading from A Sand County Almanac and other works by conservationist Aldo Leopold, the Arboretum’s first research director. Readers from the community will share Leopold’s eloquent statements about humans’ relationship to the natural environment. Come for your favorite essays or stay all day. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center. Presented for Aldo Leopold Weekend.

  • Sunday, March 8

    Living like Leopold
    Family Nature Program

    1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

    Explore Leopold’s values about caring for the land and its inhabitants. Learn how restoration ecology is shaped by his land ethic. 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.

  • Thursday, March 12

    Fungal Armaments and Warfare: How Battles between Microbes Leads to Drug Discovery
    Winter Enrichment Lecture

    9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

    Nancy Keller, professor, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, UW–Madison. Fee: $10. Register by March 9.

  • Friday, March 13

    Following Oliver, Nature Poetry Workshop, session 2
    Class

    10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

    Explore the poetry of Mary Oliver and other nature writers. Learn new techniques and receive feedback in an inspiring and supportive environment. Weather permitting, there will be an outdoor class component. Class is meant for participants who want to write regularly. Reading material provided, but you are encouraged to bring your own. Instructor: Troy Hess. Fee: $15 per session. Register for any or all sessions (also March 6, 20, and 27). Register by March 9.

    Register for this event ($15)

  • Friday, March 20

    Following Oliver, Nature Poetry Workshop, session 3
    Class

    10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

    Explore the poetry of Mary Oliver and other nature writers. Learn new techniques and receive feedback in an inspiring and supportive environment. Weather permitting, there will be an outdoor class component. Class is meant for participants who want to write regularly. Reading material provided, but you are encouraged to bring your own. Instructor: Troy Hess. Fee: $15 per session. Register for any or all sessions (also March 6, 13, and 27). Register by March 16.

    Register for this event ($15)

  • Saturday, March 21

    Phenology—Keeping Track of Nature
    Class

    1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

    March is the perfect time to tune into spring unfolding. Phenology—the study of periodic occurrences in nature—is both art and science, practiced for millennia across cultures and regions. Learn about different approaches, and even invent your own. Instructor: Kathy Miner, Arboretum naturalist. Fee: $20. Register by March 17. Meet at the Visitor Center.

    Register for this event ($20)

  • Friday, March 27

    Following Oliver, Nature Poetry Workshop, session 4
    Class

    10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

    Explore the poetry of Mary Oliver and other nature writers. Learn new techniques and receive feedback in an inspiring and supportive environment. Weather permitting, there will be an outdoor class component. Class is meant for participants who want to write regularly. Reading material provided, but you are encouraged to bring your own. Instructor: Troy Hess. Fee: $15 per session. Register for any or all sessions (March 6, 13, and 27). Register by March 13.

    Register for this event ($15)