Environment & Ecology Committee

The RCM Environment & Ecology (E&E) committee provides science based environmental, energy and ecology education and promotes awareness to fellow Rotarians and the community.

The E&E committee is currently working on the following:

Urban Ecology Center (UEC)
Located in Milwaukee’s historic Riverside Park, the UEC provides environmental science programs to local schools, preserves the park and river and promotes environmental awareness.  Thanks to the Milwaukee Rotary Club, the UEC is building a one-of-kind bike storage facility under the new bridge over the Oak Leaf Trail. This facility, dubbed the “bike cave”, will provide storage for the Center’s 35 trek mountain bikes, 2 tandems bicycles, helmets, and maintenance equipment. The bikes are used extensively for school group trips and summer camp programs.  UEC members can also borrow the bikes for recreation rides around the city.

River Revitalization Foundation (RFF)
Co-founded by RCM with Kiwanis in 1993, the RRF works to create and enhance public access around Milwaukee’s rivers. Our 2007 contributions were used for river bank restoration work. (For more info go to www.riverrevitalizationfoundation.org)

Trees for Tomorrow
E&E funded 35 students from the Milwaukee Academy for Science to study at this independent conservation school in Eagle. In addition we sent two MPS teachers for training. (For more information, go to www.treesfortomorrow.com.)

Greenhouse Project at the Fernwood School
This Milwaukee Public School has environmental stewardship and individual responsibility built into the core of its educational philosophy. The school added an 850 square foot greenhouse to its campus that will serve as a 4-season living laboratory.  As part of this project, teachers will work with community partners to create curriculum related to life cycles and sustainability. 

If you’re interested in learning more about the Environment & Ecology committee, you can stop by their next committee meeting at 11 am on the 4th Tuesday of every month or contact Jan van den Kieboom (jvdk@workshoparchitects.com).