Earth Day Bouquet 2013

It’s nearing the end of March, and you all know what that means!

Earth Day Bouquet is almost here!

Nature Net has posted this year’s Earth Day Bouquet in celebration of Earth Day 2013. Earth Day Bouquet is a listing of family events between April 13-27^th at Nature Net sites. 

This year Earth Day Bouquet is jam-packed full of environmental education opportunities, volunteering you can do with your family, several guided walks and hikes, the Isthmus Green Day expo, and the 2013 Nelson Institute Earth Day Conference featuring Jane Goodall!

Phenology Center at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center

Earth Day Bouquet events also include the Madison Children's Museum's "Grow Plants for the Wilderdeck" where families can help start plants for the new Wilderdeck exhibit and children can take home their own plant! Or you can also visit the Henry Vilas Zoo for their Earth Day Celebration, where the staff will be giving away trees to help protect polar bears from global warming! Still unsure? The Olbrich Botanical Gardens is hosting a "Celebrate Spring Series" designed for you and your preschooler to spend quality time together while focusing on nature and the seasonal changes of spring. Be sure to check out activities and exhibits at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center when celebrating Earth Day. Visit the phenology center, watch a special Excellent Earth planetary playlist, hike the trails, or explore the interactive green building. You pick!

Registration and fees for these events may vary, so be sure to visit the schedule for more information and event location. And don’t forget to check back for the latest updates!

Upcoming Maple Syrup Festivals

There are two exciting Nature Net Maple Syrup Festival events coming up!

Did you know that Maple Syrup is made from the sap of the sugar maple tree? In the spring when it starts to get warmer throughout the day, sap raises in trees through its roots. But if it gets too cold at night, the sap goes back into the roots. After the sap is collected, it is boiled to cook down the sap to create maple syrup! Learn more about the production and creation of Maple Syrup, by watching the video of a Wisconsin family run maple syrup business, "Sugarbushes."

Maple Syrup Fest at ALNC

The Aldo Leopold Nature Center will be hosting its annual Maple Syrup Fest on Sunday, March 24th from 1:00-3:00pm. Come tap and test real MapleTree Sap, learn how maple syrup is made today and the old fashioned way, and enjoy ice cream sundaes with real maple syrup!
The Aldo Leopold Nature Center is located at 330 Femrite Drive, Monona. Learn more!

Maple Syrup Fest at the MacKenzie Center

The MacKenzie Enviornmental Nature Center is also hosting their Maple Syrup Festival on Saturday, April 6th from 8:00-2:00pm. Not only will you be able to eat a pancake breakfast, but you'll also be able to take a horse-drawn wagon ride, and listen to an interpretative talk on how Native Americans and Pioneers made maple syrup as well as current maple syrup making methods. The MacKenzie Environmental Education Center is located at W7303 County Road CS & Q, Poynette, WI. Learn more!

You may also be interested in trying out Snow Ice Cream with maple syrup. But eat the snow at your own risk! For safety and health reasons be sure to use fresh, clean snow!