Judy Brooks-Levar, Wehr’s bundle of energy
It’s hard to imagine a time before Judy Brooks-Levar volunteered at Wehr. For 24 years, Judy has been a ray of sunshine to all she encounters at Wehr. Judy came to Wehr with a background in special education. She continues to share her enthusiasm for children of all ages by conveying her love and knowledge…
Read MoreWehr Nature Center Land Management Update
Since I began work at the Nature Center last May, the focus has been concentrated on three areas, savanna, our “beach” prairie, and the area by the bird blind. Have you noticed changes? Whether you are a regular visitor to Wehr Nature Center, or you come out only occasionally, you’ll probably notice some changes in…
Read MoreMemories from Wehr’s Longest Serving Volunteer
Mary Gease has been volunteering at Wehr for 44 years. Mary shared these memories and stories in interviews in 2014 and 2023. Getting Started with Seed Collecting My first volunteer job was seed collecting. Mariette Nowak (Nature Center director), Jane Appleyard, and Sally Jean Lohr taught me how to process seed. Most were sold as…
Read MoreLand Management Update
I am officially in my 4th month as Land Manager here at Wehr Nature Center and it feels like I’ve been here so much longer…and I mean this in the most sincere way. Working with the weekly volunteers of Phenology, Eco Warriors, Wheel n’ Chip, and Earth Care has made me feel like one of…
Read MoreWhat is Going On With Wehr’s Lake?
First, thank you for noticing and being concerned. We are concerned as well and are working towards finding possible solutions. It is helpful to know some background information about the lake to understand its challenges. What is Causing the Lake to Decline? Like many things in nature, the answer is not one simple explanation. There…
Read MoreLand Management
Hello everyone! My name is Jeff Veglahn, the new Land Manager here at Wehr Nature Center. I am very excited to join this great team and work on a beautiful piece of land! I’ve been here nearly two months now and feeling very much at home. One of the biggest challenges I have faced so…
Read MorePrairie Burn
After several months of making fire breaks and cutting and removing trees to reduce the amount of fuel in the prairie we finally had the right conditions for a burn April 24th. The prairie and an area up hill from the amphitheater were burned today. We hope you have some time to observe the new…
Read MorePrairie Season at Whitnall Park
An Article Written by Mariette Nowak, former director of Wehr Nature Center, for the Greendale Village Life, August 20, 1975. This article from Wehr’s archives describes the origin of Wehr’s prairie and highlights tallgrass prairie natural history. The prairie was called “Whitnall Park prairie” in 1975 since it was established ten years before Wehr Nature…
Read MoreFrom Yard to Natural Habitat
Here’s How We Did It! by Sarah and David Stokes When my husband, David, and I moved to Hales Corners in 2017, our yard consisted of a green grass lawn and several trees. We are both environmentalists and knew that a natural yard was in our future, but were not sure how to get started.…
Read MoreForest Bathing Opportunities Come to Wehr Nature Center
Many of us have had the experience of going into nature to “get away from it all.” Intuitively we have sought refuge in our green spaces for various reasons, such as rest, relaxation, stress relief, and personal reflection. We are guided instinctually to seek these spaces out; however, recent scientific evidence has shown that our…
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