Education

New wet lab classroom enables hands-on environmental education

The establishment of a Wet Lab Classroom at the Riveredge Nature Center, which offers young people hands-on educational opportunities on water and environmental topics, promotes understanding of sustainable water management and environmental protection in Wisconsin, USA.

North America

USA

Wisconsin, Saukville

Funding period: 2025-2026

Preserving nature, sharing knowledge, and empowering the next generation: In line with its funding motto "empowering young people," the Wilo-Foundation is supporting the construction of a new experimental space focused on water, known as the "Wet Lab Classroom," in the Visitor Center of the Riveredge Nature Center in Saukville, Wisconsin, USA. This initiative creates new opportunities for young people to explore the world of water up close.

Wilo USA team members from Cedarburg visit Sharon Cross, Director of Development at the Riveredge Nature Center (center), at the construction site of the Riveredge Visitor Center in spring 2025. Photo: Riveredge Nature Center, Saukville, Wisconsin

The Riveredge Nature Center, with its Visitor Center located on the Milwaukee River, has been a gathering place for people of all ages and a destination for numerous class trips from local schools since 1968. Today, the center welcomes around 40,000 visitors each year. It offers hands-on educational programs on water topics that address important aspects of climate and species protection. Here, knowledge comes alive and becomes tangible.

The Wet Lab Classroom is taking shape: It is designed with modern architecture and innovative approaches to offer educational programs for students. Photo: Riveredge Nature Center, Saukville, Wisconsin

The newly renovated Riveredge Visitor Center supports Riveredge’s mission to inspire as many young people and families as possible through hands-on environmental education. It provides a positive and engaging environment for learning, experimenting, exploring, and environmental education. Photo: Riveredge Nature Center, Saukville, Wisconsin

In 2025, the Visitor Center underwent a complete renovation. With the support of the Wilo-Foundation, the center was expanded to include a modern Wet Lab Classroom. This space allows students to analyze water samples from the Riveredge Creek and surrounding ponds, and to observe fascinating life forms under the microscope. Through these direct, hands-on experiences, young people are encouraged to engage with environmental issues and scientific topics addressed in educational programs at the Riveredge Nature Center.

Photo Header: Riveredge Nature Center, Saukville, Wisconsin

Our funding partner

The Riveredge Nature Center, Saukville, Wisconsin (USA), is a nonprofit organization located on the Milwaukee River near Saukville, Wisconsin. The surrounding 485-hectare nature preserve is ideal for environmental education, especially regarding the importance of water protection in the Lake Michigan Basin. Visitors can explore diverse flora and fauna along numerous hiking trails and participate in educational programs that promote awareness of nature and sustainability. Last year, more than 11,000 children experienced Riveredge’s nature-based education, learning about the connection between human actions and the health of our environment.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) forms the global framework for action for socially, economically and ecologically sustainable development. Our funding commitment also supports these sustainability goals. With this project, we are making a contribution to achieving the following SDGs:

What are the SDGs?