Wonderfull Earth

Nature Net members are hosting several events this week in celebration of Wisconsin's premier conservationist, Aldo Leopold.  Green Fire Those of you anxiously awaiting the release of the Aldo Leopold Foundation 's Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for Our Time will be excited to learn about screenings at two Madison locations this week. The film, which has been premiering around the country and the world for the past month, is making its way to the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery on Friday, March 4 and the Barrymore Theater on Sunday, March 6! First Madison Show DATE: Friday, March 4, 2011 TIME: 7pm, with a reception following the film LOCATION: Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery Town Center ADDRESS: 1300 University Ave., Madison, Wisconsin TICKETS: Available through Brown Paper Tickets , $8 advance/$10 at the door MORE INFORMATION: http://www.greenfiremovie.com/ Second Madison Show DATE: Sunday, March 6, 2011 TIME: 7pm, with a reception f...

   A spring hickory bud at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center .  Spring is on its way, and now is the time of year to start up  nature journals with your family or students. It's also a perfect time introduce them to phenology! Phenology, derived from the Greek word phaino , meaning "to show or appear,"  is literally " the science of appearance ." It is a segment of ecology focused on the study of periodic plant and animal lifecycle events related to climate and seasonal changes. Although these natural observations can be done year-round, spring is a great time to get started by recording all the "firsts" you see. From noting the first bud on a tree to spotting the first robin in your yard, observing and recording these events can be the beginning of a life-long relationship with nature. You can record observations from your classroom or family in a yearly journal, and use these to compare notes from the past or make predictions about what...