Urban Ecology Oshkosh

06/05/2026

It’s hard to get a good photo in the dark but we detected lots of bats last night and saw some fireflies.

06/04/2026

Heartwarming story about the kind of thing we're trying to do here in the Fox Valley, too. Help us make it happen!

On a sunny Saturday morning, birders and nature enthusiasts of color gathered at Havenwoods State Forest for a community celebration.

06/04/2026

Photo from Oshkosh this beautiful morning, of a regal bur oak, a species native to this area that can grow up to 100 feet tall and live for as long as 1,000 years. As a keystone species, they are also very important ecologically. We learned (well, a couple of from our founding group, being biologists and all, already knew this) when training with Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee a few years ago that bur oaks can help sustain up to ~550 different living species, compared to a non-native tree, such as a Norway maple, which will support only ~5 species.

05/21/2026

A couple examples of urban ecology in action this week. First, a regular, 15-minute morning walk in the apparently very unwild heart of the city captured this shimmering magic and the song of 17 different bird species, including Tennessee Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, Cedar Waxwing, and Tufted Titmouse. Second, last night a group of Menominee North and Menominee South neighbors gathered to make plans for UEO's neighborhood eco-team pollinator patch project pilot. If you live in one of these neighborhoods or Midtown in Oshkosh, aren't signed up and are interested, let us know!

05/07/2026

Great topic that is so consistent with UEO's goals! Hope to see you online with us next week!

05/02/2026

UEO is represented at this wonderful event this morning. A bit earlier, the legendary Anita Carpenter and the "big sit" had recorded 41 different bird species. We were able to witness a palm warbler being caught in a mist net and then weighed, measured, otherwise classified, and banded so that the cool little dude can be tracked going forward, to try see how long he lives, how far he travels, etc. Really cool and happening right here in our urban environment!

04/29/2026

This was such a great event! We at UEO have dreamed about creating some Miyawaki forest pilots for about three years and in partnership with forestry folks from the City of Oshkosh, UW-O, and Oshkosh North, we now have one!

Akan Acres Tiny Forest Planting (Miyawaki Method) - April 22, 2026

04/25/2026

UEO had fun doing the bioblitz at Sheldon Nature Area today. Join us tomorrow morning for our bioblitz at Winnebago County Park.

04/13/2026

The 10th Annual Free School is this coming Saturday! It's put on by the Student Environmental Action Coalition and several partnering clubs. Free School was created to promote accessible, community-based education through free classes and activities. There is something for everyone!