Brainiac Bowl

You've sharpened your wits to the point of perfection; now it's time to let the world know just how much you know about science, history, and popular culture. The best part about it is that the knowledge doesn't end there. Your participation in the Brainiac Bowl will help to fund the ongoing environmental education programs for students of all ages at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center.

The evening includes a delicious dinner and decadent dessert, two drink tickets, the opportunity to win in a drawing for fantastic prizes, a Crazy Costume contest, and the chance to outsmart some of Madison's finest minds during the Brainiac Bowl Championship.

Participants may enter individually, or as a group. Competing teams are made up of eight players. If you don’t have a team, we’ll match you up with like-minded folks.

Entry Fee:
Individual/ $125
Table of Eight /$1,000

Date:
April 19, 2013

Venue:
 Brink Lounge 
701 East Washington Ave.  

*Corporate Partnerships with excellent recognition benefits available!

To register or for more information, contact Kelley Van Egeren at 608-221-0404 x3.

Summer Camps

Summer camp is a time honored tradition as well as a wonderful opportunity to make friends, have fun, and learn a little something along the way.

We at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center are excited to present our all-new 2013 Summer Camps. With 150 different sessions that include full-week, individual, and extended-day options, your child can revel in that much more adventure and discovery!

Age Groups:
Wonder Bugs (2-3 years)
Sprouts (4 years)
Tadpoles (5-6 years)
Explorers (7-9 years)
Adventurers I (10-12 years)
Adventurers II (13-16 years)

Camp Pricing:
Ages 2-3
Full summer package (12 sessions: T, W, R, or F): $100 Members; $110 Non-members
Individual sessions (T, W, R, or F): $10 each

Ages 4-9
Full week (M-F): $210 for Members and $262 for Non-members
Extended day (8-8:30am and 4-5:30pm): $64/day for Members; $80/day for Non-members

Individual sessions (M, T, W, R):
Half-day (9:00am-12:00pm, or 1:00pm-4:00pm): $72/day for Members; $96/day for Non-members
Lunch bunch (noon-1:00pm): $8/day
Extended day (8-8:30am and 4-5:30pm): $48/day for Members and $64/day for Non-members

Individual sessions (F):
Half-day (9:00am-12:00pm, or 1:00pm-4:00pm): $24 each
Lunch bunch (noon-1:00pm): $8/day
Extended day (8-8:30am and 4-5:30pm): 16/day

Ages 10-16
Full week only: For pricing see Ages 10-12, or Ages 13-16

Extended day (8-8:30am and 4-5:30pm): 16/day

Registration:
Member registration begins March 1.
Non-member registration begins March 15.

Download a Registration Form.

Save on camp enrollment and much more by becoming a Member today!

Spring Vacation Day Programs

The days are getting longer, the snow is melting, and all manner of migratory birds have re-appeared in Southern Wisconsin to help us welcome the arrival of spring once again. That's right; we said it. Spring!

The co-incidence of a long awaited spring break and the re-emergence of local wildlife becomes the perfect opportunity to get out-doors and discover the natural treasures that make the environment so special and worth protecting.

The Aldo Leopold Nature Center has designed a week (March 25 - 29) of fun and educational Vacation Day Programs for children ages 5 to 12, which are sure to excite and delight! Participants can sign up for an individual session, or save with our weekly packages. Topics of exploration include wetlands, weather and climate, signs of spring, pioneers, stewardship, and outdoor games. Children can also enjoy story-book readings and out-door fun by joining the Lunch Bunch.

All Vacation Day Programs are appropriate for children ages 5 to 12 and are held at Aldo Leopold Nature Center's Monona Campus.

Full-day programs are from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and the fee is $45 per child for members and $50 per child for non-members.

Half-day programs are from 9:00 am to noon, or from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm and the fee is $20 per child for members and $22 per child for non-members.

Lunch Bunch is offered on March 29 for an additional $6 per child for members and $7 per child for non-members.

Registration deadlines:

March 21 for March 25 sessions
March 22 for March 26 sessions
March 25 for March 27 sessions
March 26 for March 28 sessions
March 27 for March 29 sessions

Registration Form

Save on camp enrollment and much more by becoming a Member today!

Maple Syrup Fest

The end of winter brings the opportunity to practice the art of maple syrup brewing yet again. And who of us who has read Laura Ingalls Wilder can resist the urge to get out there and tap those trees?

Not I! No, certainly not I!

The  Maple Syrup Fest is the perfect opportunity to learn about the art and science of maple tree tapping by Native Americans, pioneers, and modern-day syrup and sugar producers. But learning about maple syrup is just the beginning! The fun doesn't end until you've tapped and tasted real maple tree sap; tested your "nature smarts" with maple syrup trivia; built your knowledge of trees with the "Build-A-Tree" game; toured the rustic Children's Shack; participated in cooking demos with early pioneer settlers; and enjoyed a good, old-fashioned ice-cream sundae topped with pure maple syrup!

Indulge in the delectable festivities at Aldo Leopold Nature Center as we partake of one of nature's sweetest and purest gifts! 

Sunday, March 24, 2013
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Aldo Leopold Nature Center (Monona Campus)
Members: $7/person and $25/family; Non-members: $8/person and $29/family 
*Preregistration is preferred, but walk-ins are welcome!

Registration Form

Leopold Discovery Day

If you live in the Madison area, there's a good chance you've heard the name Aldo Leopold at some time or other. But perhaps, like myself, you're still curious about his life and legacy. Or, maybe you haven't heard of him, but the thought of outdoor fun and games mixed with some environmental exploration gets your heart a'pumpin'. Whether you're dying to know more, or languishing under the effects of winter-time cabin fever, Leopold Discovery Day is just the thing for you and your family!

Join us at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery for an exciting line-up of hands-on activities, games, and scavenger hunts that highlight some of Aldo's favorite pastimes like tree identification, fishing, and phenology (the study of the effect of seasonal climate on animal and plant life cycles).

Come on out this Saturday and discover Leopold!

Saturday, March 2, 2013
10:00am - 12:00pm
Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery
Participation is FREE!

Stumped by Steampunk?

Looking for ideas for the Full Steam Ahead costume competition? Ravenworks has a wide selection of retro-futuristic and Victorian gear, enough to satisfy the most genteel aristocrats and the greasiest gearhead! 

For those who like to get their hands dirty, check out these fun Do It Yourself Steampunk projects: 

Steampunk Goggles: The essential tool of navigation engineers, buggy drivers, zeppelin pilots, and many other steampunk occupations. 

Victorian Dress - For those who are good with a needle and thread, try a home-sewn Victorian dress! It might seem like a lot of work, but you won't just end up with a costume- but with an excellent piece of formal wear.

 Filigree Necklace - Steampunk accessories are what really help to distinguish it as alternate history from anachronism. Finally make good use of old pocket watches and doorless keys!

Do you have your ticket yet? Space is limited, so call 608-216-9371 or visit http://www.naturenet.com/alnc/events/aldoafterdark.html to register today!

Wonder Bugs: Chilly Willy

We normally think of nature as thriving most where the flora is thickest. But even in the barren, unbreakable worlds of ice and snow, creatures of all kinds survive.

Because of staggeringly low temperatures, tree growth is significantly hindered in polar biomes. The subsoil of tundra is choked by cold, left permanently frozen. The life adapted for this environment is as tough as it gets with incredible biological tools to suit them to the unforgiving environment. The polar bear's incredible nose allows it to locate the breathing holes of seals. Reindeer have developed thick hooves to battle predatory grey wolves. In the antarctic, penguins have adapted their vestigial wings into flippers, soaring through the water as an eagle would through the air.

It might be a while north (or south) before you can see these creatures, but don’t let the absence of polar bears or penguins in Wisconsin leave you frosty. We’ll thaw our imaginations and let the games begin! Learn about the frosty animals of the world in a whole new way. It will be “tundra” of fun! 

Tuesday, February 5 and Wednesday, February 6, 2013
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Sunday, February 3, 2013


If you like this Wonder Bugs event, why not try another of our programs:

BATTING A THOUSAND
Tuesday, February 12 and Wednesday, February 13, 2013
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Sunday, February 10, 2013
Take me out to the bat game. Take me out to the cave. Buy me some bat homes and places to hang- upside down; I’ll be sporting some fangs. Come knock this topic right out of the park! You won’t care if you ever get back. Go bats!

JUST BREATHE
Tuesday, February 19 and Wednesday, February 20, 2013
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Sunday, February 17, 2013
Inhale the wonders of winter. Smell the mysteries of the cold and frozen land. Winter will come alive as we explore nature and breathe in the fresh surprises. I “nose” you’ll get a lungful of exciting discoveries! Be sure to come back spring, summer, and fall; we'll compare nature through the seasons and our noses.

Each program costs- ALNC Members: $8/participant; Non-Members: $9/participant
Registration Form

Under the Starry Skies

Saturday, February 9, 2013
6:00-8:00pm

AT our Black Earth Education and Retreat Campus
Registration Deadline: Thursday, February 7, 2013
In the dark days of winter, there is much to be seen and heard! Join us for an evening under the starry skies at our remote Black Earth Campus. We’ll spend the evening hiking under the night sky to listen for owl calls during their peak winter courtship and viewing the Orion and Crab nebulae, Jupiter, and several prominent winter constellations through a telescope on the deck (weather permitting). In between sky viewing and night hiking, warm-up by the fire in the cabin as well as participate in some indoor activities relating to owls and the night sky. ALNC will have adult and child snowshoes available on a first come first serve basis for use during night hikes.

Pre-registration Required.
ALNC members: $6/person or $20/family; Non-members: $7/person or $25/family
Click Here to Register

ALNC Presents Full Steam Ahead

Gadgets, Gears, Immersion Trips to the Moon

& Steampunk Fun Feb. 15 at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center

Calling all dreamers of yesterday, explorers of today, dapper gents and dashing ladies--join us for a steampunk adventure in space! Behold the mystery of possibility and explore an elegant age of adventure that never was at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center's Full Steam Ahead event to raise funds for the educational programs at the center.

• Show off retro-futurism at its finest in the steampunk costume contest;
• Take a virtual excursion to see the moon and planets from outer space in the Science On a Sphere;
• Meet and greet roving entertainers of renown;

• Explore the darker side of steampunk with previews of the Madison Ballet’s premiere of Dracula;
• Enjoy craft ales from Ale Asylum, local wines and appetizers;

• Unleash your creativity as you build a tinkerbot;
• Dance and socialize to music by local experimental rock gypsy band Hewn;
• Capture your fun with photos and props from Ravenworks in the green screen studio and much more!

Steampunk attire encouraged and will also be sold at the door. Steampunk attire is available for purchase locally at Ravenworks. 

For ages 21 and over. All proceeds support educational programs at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center. Admission includes two drink tickets, entry into the costume contest and appetizers.

Photos and interviews with key players in costume before, during and after the event available upon request.

Location: Aldo Leopold Nature Center, 330 Femrite Drive, Monona, WI 53716

Date/Time: Friday, February 15, 8-11 pm

Fee: $20/advance; $25/day of event. Members receive a 10% discount.

Information/Register: www.naturenet.com/alnc or 608-216-9371

Falling Oak Leaves & 30 Minutes of Sun

On icy, frigid days like today it is easy to forget that there is a lot of activity happening in the natural world! This is an exciting time to explore--so bundle up and head out to look for this week's phenological occurrences:

• Listen for the songs of the cardinal this week, a “cheer, cheer, cheer” or “birdie, birdie, birdie”.  
• Right now, frogs are in hibernation at the bottom of lakes and ponds.  Their blood contains natural antifreeze to help them survive the below freezing temps.
• The last of the oak leaves finally begin to fall off this week. 
  
• We have gained back about 30 minutes of daylight since the Winter Solstice. 

Learn more about phenology and start your own phenology journal in our Phenology Center, which is open Monday - Friday from 10 am - 4 pm and on Saturdays from 10 am - 2 pm.

Happy Birthday Aldo!

Today, January 11, is Aldo Leopold's birthday! 

So, just who was Aldo Leopold? Here's a brief introduction.  Celebrate his birthday with us at our upcoming Tiki Torch Toboggan on Saturday!

Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) is considered the father of wildlife ecology and a true Wisconsin hero. He was a renowned scientist and scholar, exceptional teacher, philosopher, and gifted writer. It is for his book, A Sand County Almanac (available in ALNC's gift shop), that Leopold is best known by millions of people around the globe. The Almanac, often acclaimed as the century's literary landmark in conservation, melds exceptional poetic prose with keen observations of the natural world. The Almanac reflects an evolution of a lifetime of love, observation, and thought. It led to a philosophy that has guided many to discovering what it means to live in harmony with the land and with one another.

The roots of Leopold's concept of a "land ethic" can be traced to his birthplace on the bluffs of the Mississippi River near Burlington, Iowa. As a youngster, he developed a zealous appreciation and interest in the natural world, spending countless hours on adventures in the woods, prairies, and river backwaters of a then relatively wild Iowa. This early attachment to the natural world, coupled with an uncommon skill for both observation and writing, lead him to pursue a degree in forestry at Yale.

After Yale, Leopold joined the U.S. Forest Service and was assigned to the Arizona Territories. During his tenure, he began to see the land as a living organism and develop the concept of community. This concept became the foundation upon which he became conservation's most influential advocate. In 1924, he accepted a transfer to the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory in Madison where he served as associate director, and began teaching at the University of Wisconsin in 1928.

Often credited as the founding father of wildlife ecology, Leopold's cornerstone book Game Management (1933) defined the fundamental skills and techniques for managing and restoring wildlife populations. This landmark work created a new science that intertwined forestry, agriculture, biology, zoology, ecology, education and communication. Soon after its publication, the University of Wisconsin created a new department, the Department of Game Management, and appointed Leopold as its first chair.

Leopold's unique gift for communicating scientific concepts was only equal to his fervor for putting theories into practice. In 1935, the Leopold family purchased a worn-out farm near Baraboo, in an area known as the sand counties. It is here Leopold put into action his beliefs that the same tools people used to disrupt the landscape could also be used to rebuild it. An old chicken coop, fondly known as the Shack, served as a haven and land laboratory for the Leopold family, friends, and graduate students. And it was here Leopold visualized many of the essays of what was to become his most influential work, A Sand County Almanac.

To find out more about Aldo Leopold, click here for a downloadable fact sheet from the Aldo Leopold Foundation. All credits given to the Aldo Leopold Foundation for this publication.