Wading Through Wildflowers

Despite hundreds of walks along the river, Dale Durrent had never been to the Urban Ecology Center in Riverside Park. One day, the sound of bagpipes piqued his interest, and he ventured up the river trail.

Within an hour of his first visit, he was signed up and heading out on his first Restoring Our Outdoors Together (ROOT) volunteer outing with our Land Steward, Sofia, and their crew. That spontaneous decision has transformed his relationship with nature and his daily routine.

What keeps him coming back to ROOT over other volunteer opportunities? “It’s physical, it’s outdoors, and you’re doing something productive,” he explains. While he admits to selfish motivations – the health benefits of outdoor exercise and fresh air – his commitment runs much deeper. He’s witnessed dramatic transformations in the natural areas where ROOT volunteers work, removing huge patches of invasive species and watching native plants flourish in their place.

“You can get a sense of accomplishment like, wow, we made a drastic change,” he says, particularly remembering the challenging but rewarding work of pulling invasive burdock plants. The physical demands don’t deter him; instead, they connect him more deeply to what he calls “Mother Earth.”

His volunteer work has opened his eyes to urban ecology in surprising ways. He’s discovered the incredible variety of milkweed species, learned proper names for flowers he’d casually observed for years, and gained a profound appreciation for the restoration work happening along Milwaukee’s rivers. The knowledge that the river was once “a horrible, open sewer” makes today’s beautiful trails all the more precious.

Most importantly, ROOT has pushed him out of his comfort zone socially, helping him build relationships through shared outdoor work. For someone living just over a mile up the river near Hubbard Park, the Urban Ecology Center has become a second home where environmental stewardship and community intersect.

His advice for new ROOT volunteers? “Follow your curiosity — because as you restore the outdoors, you may find the earth restoring you in unexpected and beautiful ways.”

Are you inspired to volunteer with ROOT?

Restoring Our Outdoors Together (ROOT) is a volunteer opportunity at all three of our branches. Come get your hands dirty and step into projects like tree planting, trail maintenance, erosion control, and more! ROOT takes place in all four seasons, rain or shine.