Discover the many climate adaptation tools used at the Forest Exploration Center. Hike through this 60-acre southern hardwood forest to learn how climate change is impacting our forests and what we can do to keep our forests healthy, sustainable, and resilient today and into the future.

The FEC is tabling at the 2026 Tosa Green Summit on September 19 at Wauwatosa City Hall.

We’re collecting acorns to help future forests grow! This special stewardship activity will teach you how to identify red and white oaks and their acorns, provide a guided off-trail experience in the Forest, and contribute to Wisconsin’s Trillion Trees Pledge and statewide reforestation efforts.

Led by a Wisconsin DNR forester, stewards will walk the forest trails and designated off-trail areas to hand collect acorns that have fallen to the forest floor. Along the way we’ll discuss dedicated oak regeneration efforts at the FEC and other climate-smart adaptive strategies.

Come take a walk among the brilliant fall colors at the Forest Exploration Center. We’ll explore and photograph the hidden world of the forest in autumn, looking for the unique shapes, colors, and textures of the season. We'll search for signs of life among the falling leaves, tucked into tree cavities, and practice some tree and fungi identification. These tiny details can open up a whole world of forest life, and make for some very interesting photo subjects as well.

As southeastern Wisconsin faces more extreme weather and flooding events, both natural and manmade infrastructure systems are crucial for keeping our communities safe. Join Cheryl Nenn of Milwaukee Riverkeeper to learn about the forest as infrastructure. How does the FEC help absorb and filter rainwater and stabilize the surrounding landscape? How do urban trees and woodlands protect our waterways? During this guided hike along the forest trail, we'll discuss and discover the benefits of trees in a time of climate change, from their root systems to the canopy above.