There’s a lot that happens at Wehr Nature Center that visitors never see.

Behind every well-maintained trail, every maple sugaring program, every river exploration and every volunteer workday is a collection of people, tools and equipment working together to care for this special place. Soon, that behind-the-scenes work will have a new home.

Wehr Nature Center is preparing to build a new garage and service yard that will transform how we support our trails, volunteers, programs and land stewardship work.

A much-needed home for Wehr’s tools and equipment

Today, much of Wehr’s equipment is squeezed into a collection of small sheds that simply aren’t large enough to accommodate everything we need. Space limitations mean that some tools and equipment are stored outside, sometimes unsecured, and program equipment must be moved around to make room for other needs.

The new building will provide secure, organized storage for the equipment that helps keep Wehr running, including our Kawasaki UTVs, carpentry and land stewardship supplies, pruners, weed wrenches and other tools.

It will also give our program teams a dedicated place to store and access equipment such as the maple sugaring evaporator, waders for river programs and other specialized materials used throughout the year.

A gathering place for the people who make Wehr work

This project is about more than storage.

The new service yard will create a home base for Wehr’s weekly volunteer groups, including Wheel & Chip, Stew Crew and other volunteer teams who dedicate their time and talents to caring for the nature center.

Having a dedicated space to gather, organize tools, prepare for projects and safely store equipment will make volunteer workdays more efficient, and help our volunteers spend more time doing what they do best: taking care of Wehr.

For our staff, it means a more functional workspace for carpentry, trail maintenance, land stewardship and equipment management. For our programs, it means easier access to the specialized equipment that makes hands-on learning possible.

Ultimately, this building will help us do more of the work that visitors come to Wehr to experience: exploring trails, connecting with nature, learning outdoors and caring for the land.

An idea that has been years in the making

This project has been a long time coming.

The idea grew out of Wehr’s 50th anniversary in 2024, when staff, Milwaukee County Parks, Friends of Wehr and community members came together to identify priorities for a five-year site improvement plan.

One of the clearest needs was improved infrastructure to support the people and work behind Wehr’s mission.

Two years later, that vision is becoming a reality.

We hope to break ground by the end of 2026, with the goal of moving into the new space sometime in 2027.

Made possible by Friends of Wehr, this entire project is being funded by Friends of Wehr and supported by Milwaukee County Parks with a significant portion made possible through a generous gift from the estate of Connie and Ed Vidmar.

Connie and Ed were longtime volunteers and deeply engaged members of Milwaukee’s cultural and environmental community. For decades, they supported education and land stewardship at Wehr, contributing their time, energy and generosity to help strengthen the nature center. Their legacy will now be part of the infrastructure that supports Wehr’s work for years to come.
We’re grateful to Friends of Wehr, the Vidmar family and everyone who has helped bring this long-awaited project to life.

The building may be behind the scenes, but its impact will be felt throughout Wehr.

It will give our volunteers a place to gather, our staff a place to work, our programs a place to organize, and our tools a place to live. Most importantly, it will help us better care for the land and provide the experiences that make Wehr Nature Center such a special part of our community. If you have further questions, please reach out to Carly Hintz, Center Director at Carly.Hintz@milwaukeecountywi.gov or call 414-425-8550.

Image descriptions:

Image at the top of the article shows a green gamble-styled roofed garage with cedar picket fence and cedar garage door and framing located within a stone service yard. The location of the Stewardship Garage and Service Yard is off Nature Center Drive north of the Maple Woods.

Image below shows three volunteer carpenters rebuilding the boardwalk located near the accessible pier.