Havenwoods Environmental Awareness Ctr

The woman at the front desk was so helpful and kind! She quickly answered my questions about the place, and directed us towards the most toddler-​friendly areas.
The missing star is only because the displays themselves seem like they could use a little updating.

Hey Milwaukee! Why don’t you know about this place? It’s a state forest in the middle of our fine city!
I would guess it’s because it’s a bit hard to find and out of the way, up on the north side. For fans of the Urban Ecology Center, you’re basically talking about a 4^th location with a lot more acreage. Havenwoods has a large modern-​style building that houses displays of native animals and plants, a 75-​seat auditorium (available for events, it’s very nice and Judy on the staff is VERY pleasant to work with), a classroom, library, kitchen, info center, and front desk/​office area. It also boasts a large solar electric array! On the roof! Duh!
Outside, you’ll find dozens of acres of forest and prairie riddled with hiking trails, a fenced in area that houses gardens representing planting regions around the world, a compost demonstration, and much more than I can remember. Very informative and well labeled, so bring the kids/​class for a trip.
I STRONGLY recommend this place as on a par with UEC, with more of an adventure/​out-​in-​the-​woods feel. AWESOME for group trips. The only drawback is the neighborhood is kind of out of the way, and not the best. Unfortunately, they have had issues with vandalism. Please visit, and donate to Havenwoods! Like all state parks, they have seen a decrease in state funding in recent years and need YOUR support to remain the amazing, local resource they should be for years to come!