Celebrate Earth Week with Dane County Parks

March 25, 2024
Land & Water Resources

Celebrate Earth Week with Dane County Parks
Volunteer events, family-friendly activities, and Ribbon Cutting Event for Completion of New Picnic Shelter at McCarthy Youth and Conservation Park

Join Dane County Parks for a week of events celebrating Earth Week! The week-long celebration will kick off on Earth Day - Monday, April 22 - with a large family-friendly Earth Day volunteer event at the Lussier Family Heritage Center and end Global Youth Service Day - Saturday, April 27 - with an event tailored to get youth involved in service and volunteerism.

“Each year, Dane County celebrates Earth Week to honor our planet and raise awareness about the need to protect Earth’s natural resources for current and future generations,” said Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. “These events offer a great way for Dane County residents to connect with the nature and invest in our outdoor spaces.”

Check out the full line up of events below:

Monday, April 22 – Mini Explorer Hike at Token Creek County Park
Bring your youngest explorers (age 0-5) out for a FREE Mini Explorer Hike at Token Creek County Park Shelter #2 from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. This program's goal is to get young kids comfortable in and enjoying the outdoors. This is drop in event, no registration is required.

Monday, April 22 - Earth Day Extravaganza at the Lussier Family Heritage Center
Join Dane County Parks staff for an Earth Day Extravaganza! Stop by the William G. Lunney Lake Farm County Park solar shelter for some fun activities, including:

Heritage Oak Tree Sapling Giveaway (while supplies last) – Dane County Tree Board
Healthy Parks, Healthy You Initiative
Self-guided Scavenger Hunt
Native Plant Seed Ball Making

We will also offer volunteer shifts for a number of activities including tree planting, brush cutting, trash pickup, mulching and more. You must sign up in advance if you would like to volunteer. An outdoor wheelchair will be available for use by volunteers with an advanced sign up. Use the volunteer signup form to register for a wheelchair spot and also a volunteer spot.

This event is a part of the Healthy Parks, Healthy You program, an initiative led in partnership between the Foundation for Dane County Parks, Dane County Parks, Dean Health Plan by Medica, and SSM Health. Healthy Parks, Healthy You engages youth, seniors, and their families in improving their mental, physical, and emotional health through the use of our beautiful Dane County Parks system.

Friday, April 26 – Family Night Out at the Lussier Family Heritage Center
Bring your family to a fun Family Night Out at the Lussier Family Heritage Center from 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. We will spend the evening on a guided night hike, making pudgy pies over the fire, meeting our education animals, s'mores, and more! This event is $60 per family (up to 4 people). Registration is required.

Saturday, April 27 - Youth Service Day and Ribbon Cutting Event at McCarthy Youth &Conservation County Park
Join Dane County Parks and the Friends of McCarthy for some community service and fun! Youth Service Day will take place at McCarthy Youth and Conservation County Park from 9:00 am-Noon. Activities will include spreading mulch, spreading prairie seeds, clearing invasives, planting trees, etc. These volunteer opportunities are specifically to engage youth in volunteerism. Youth under the age of 14 require an adult chaperone. Youth aged 14-18 can attend independently with a signed DCP volunteer registration form. Youth Service Day is a National Volunteer Day when students, service groups, and families volunteer to do service projects throughout their communities to help make a difference.

At 11:00am, Dane County Parks staff will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony at the park to celebrate the completion of a new picnic shelter, drinking fountain, improved accessible parking areas, and native plant pollinator gardens.

For further information about Earth Week, contact Lael Pascual, Dane County Parks at (608) 220-7509 or pascual@countyofdane.com.

Media Contacts:

Lael Pascual Engagement & Visitor Services Manager, Dane County Parks
(608) 220-7509 pascual@countyofdane.com

Photo Resources:

Photos on our Flickr can be used as long as they include any photo attributions that are listed in the photo description.

About Dane County Parks
The Dane County Park System is made up of 18,000 acres of land that features the best of Wisconsin’s natural beauty. Our Parks do not require an entry fee and offer countless opportunities to get away from it all to unwind, spend time outdoors, and make memories with friends and family. Dane County Parks takes an active role to enhance and preserve the county’s finest natural resources. We strive to create welcoming spaces, events and educational opportunities for park visitors of all backgrounds and ability levels.

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