June 21, 2021
To: All media sources
From: Neustadter Nature Center at Collins Marsh, Collins, WI
20021 County Road JJ, Collins, WI
Phone: 920-772-4258
Date: July 11, 2021, from 12 PM until 4 PM
OPEN HOUSE of the NEW NATURE CENTER
The Neustadter Nature Center is run by Conservation Education, Inc. (CEI). The CEI Board consists of 9 board members who oversee the campus and activities as well as volunteer their time to further environmental awareness and education. The campus consists of the Neustadter Nature Center, a public hiking trail, a house, a screen room, the observation tower, public pit toilets, and a garage. James and Kaitlin Downey are the Naturalists and Caretakers of the Nature Center and live in the house on the campus. They provide educational programming for adults and children. The campus sits on the south side of Highway JJ across from the dam and is all part of the Collins Marsh, a 4200-acre state wildlife area located just 20 minutes west of Manitowoc on County Road JJ.
The Nature Center also has canoes available to travel into the marsh for rent. The Public is always welcome to visit the campus that is open from dawn to dusk. The Nature Center hours vary so please reach out to set up an appointment. People can set up an appointment to climb the tower and must sign a waiver to do so.
Please stop on out on July 11th to learn more because CEI offers a number of fun events and educational programs through the year.
The new Nature Center was built with the help of many groups and businesses.
Feel free to email them at: [email protected] and find them on Facebook at Neustadter Nature Center at Collins Marsh. The landline phone number is 920-772-4258.
Open House at the Neustadter Nature center – Collins Marsh
Come and See What is New
It is time to celebrate the re-opening of the Nature Center to the public. A lot has been happening in the last 2 years and on Sunday, July 11 from 12:00 to 4:00 anyone who is interested will be able to see what was accomplished and listen to people discuss the goings on at the new nature center.
You will see many monarchs being raised in the screened-in-building. The four stages of the butterfly are on display – from egg, larva, pupa (chrysalis), and adult. As larva they are voracious eaters and devour milkweed leaves before becoming a chrysalis. See it happening at the butterfly abode. In the fall of the year, adult Monarchs will be tagged before their long migration to Mexico. Collins Marsh is now a Certified Monarch Way Station.
A purple martin house was recently added. It is not easy to attract purple martins, but it is worth the effort. The population of eastern Purple Martins is dependent on artificial martin houses of wood or aluminum and gourds, supplied by individuals and organizations fond of the bird. This tradition was in place even before the population crash; Native Americans are said to have hollowed out gourds and erected them for this purpose.
A pollinator garden has been started. A work in progress, this garden will provide both food and homes for many of the pollinators as well as animals of all kinds. In addition, learn what insect pollinates tomatoes, look at the gourd vines growing up the fence of the tower, and find out why gourds were planted at the nature center.
The hibernaculum was the home for reptiles and amphibians this past winter. Our new hibernaculum, built last summer, is a winter home for snakes and amphibians. Of Wisconsin’s 21 snake species, 14 are considered “rare” and listed as endangered, threatened or special concern. Many snake populations have declined in Wisconsin due to habitat loss and human persecution. Snakes play very important roles in many natural communities as predator and prey. They are extremely valuable to the agricultural community by keeping grain eating mammals in check. Recent studies suggest that snakes are also valuable in reducing disease threats posed by high rodent populations.
There is also a tower to climb, a nature center path to follow, many birds to listen to that call Collins their home for the summer, and enjoy the views of Collins Marsh. Don’t forget to look at the osprey nest with the three-baby osprey on the TV monitor in the nature center.