Welty Environmental Center

Program and a Picnic

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Photo by Tom Klubertanz

Need a special event for your group? For employees, colleagues, staff? Take a break from the everyday world of work! Here's the event you need: a stimulating and enriching experience at the Welty Environmental Center.

How to Arrange a Program and a Picnic   |   Program Options   |   Food Catering Options

Here's What To Do

Select a program. Select a caterer and your food choices. Set the date and time. Call Tanya Zastrow at 608-361-1377 or email to zastrow@weltycenter.org. We'll set it up for you. Be sure to send us all the necessary contact information.

Options? Arrange for the food yourself and coordinate it with the center director. Or, skip the food. Come just for the program (@$6.00 per person). Want a different program topic? Let us try to accomodate you. If it isn't part of your arranged program, add time to your visit to experience the quiet beauty and mix and native and horticultural landscapes of Beckman Mill County Park.

Programs normally occupy about an hour but can be extended at your request. Any activity involved is light. Outdoor programs involve casual walking along unpaved trails or lawns.

For the quoted prices and arrangements, groups of 25 to 40 can be accommodated. For fewer than 25 (to a minimum of 15) a $30.00 caterer fee will be added. If you make your own food plans or have a program with no food involved, the minimum number is 15 and the program is $6.00 per person. A series of events can be scheduled to accommodate larger groups. Minimum lead time to schedule an event is 3 working days.

Prices are per person. Payment in advance of a minimum of 50% is required to confirm a scheduled event. Balance due at the event. Payments should be to the Welty Environmental Center.

All arrangements subject to availability of caterer and program leader at time reservation is made.

Program Options

Wisconsin Frogs: Nature's Sentinels
Wisconsin is home to 13 species of frogs. Learn about each of the frogs, their habitats, breeding season, how to identify them and their calls, and their sensitivity. Many of these frogs live within the varied habitats of Beckman Mill County Park. After the presentation, take part in a frog walk and learn how to identify frogs by call and sight. Why should you care about frogs? Listen, look, and learn why.


Native Friends and Alien Invaders
Beckman Mill County Park is home to many native plants. Unfortunately, it is home to invasive exotic plants as well. Discover the benefits of native plants and how the introduction of exotic plants disrupts the balance of the natural world. Learn also how invaders can tax your pocketbook and affect your health. Enjoy a hike through the oak savanna restoration to identify native and exotic plants. See firsthand the results of exotics removal efforts. Learn about the methods used to remove the invasive exotic plants and what not to harbor on your land. Good gardening is eco-friendly.

Nature, the Original Playground
Gone are the days when children played outside for hours on end. Reconnect today's youth with the outdoors and learn about the benefits children enjoy from being connected to the natural world. Parents will discover activities they can enjoy with their children while any children in the group take part in a nature discovery of the park. To finish, parents and children will come together for a joint nature activity. What outdoor games did you, as a child, play?

The Natural History of Fire on Landscapes
Fire! A fearsome cry! It signals danger, destruction, injury and even death. For most of the 20th century, uncontained fire brought to mind only these images. But in the latter third of the 1900s, we began to re-learn the benefits, and even the need in some cases, for fire on the landscape. This program explores fire as a tool in land management: its benefits, challenges and the complications human developments have added to use of fire as a tool. What are the costs, benefits, and hazards of using fire as a landscape management tool? This is an indoor, illustrated program with an optional walk through a fire-managed oak savanna.

The Incredible Journey
A sure sign that summer has come is the sight of the beautiful orange Monarch butterfly flying gracefully from flower to flower. Discover the life of this butterfly, from egg to adult, and the dangers they encounter along the way. Learn about the incredible journey they take each fall as they migrate to central Mexico. Finally, learn how to attract monarchs to your yard.


Birding In and Out of the Backyard
Ever wonder if that was a chickadee or a dark-eyed junco at your feeder? Enjoy a visual and audio presentation while learning how to identify birds using key identification marks, habitat preferences, food choices and vocalizations. Explore how you can attract birds to your backyard. Go with a guide for a bird-watching walk around the park. Binoculars will be provided. Option, for an additional fee: A suet-making activity. Make it and take it home for birds in your yard.

Food Catering Options

Note: Entree prices below include delivered meal and Welty Environmental Center program.

Bagels and More

   Also available: a side of

Bass Creek Catering

  1. Brats and Barbeques, Cheddar Potatoes, Baked Beans, Watermelon Wedges, Brownies - $15.25
    Add two of these items to #1 for $1.50: Macaroni Salad, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw or Relish Tray
  2. Baked Ham, Hot Roast Beef, Scalloped Potatoes or Potato Salad, Relish Tray or Fruit Tray, Rolls - $16.50
    Add two of these items to #2 for $1.50: Baked Beans, Macaroni Salad, Watermelon, Relish Tray
  3. Vegetarian Lasagna, Garlic Bread, Salad - $15.50
    4.
   Add to any Menu: Coffee or Tea - $0.50/person

For more information, contact
Tanya Zastrow, Program Director
608-361-1377
info@weltycenter.org

Welty Environmental Center
8606 County Road H
Beloit, Wisconsin   53511