Marsh Haven Nature Center: Where Nature is Appreciated, Celebrated and Conserved

Just a short distance from Waupun on Highway 49, is a special place called Marsh Haven Nature Center. Created in 1984, it is the brainchild of founder Larry Vine, who wanted to create a place for people to learn more about Mother Nature. “Nature is wonderful but needs our help. People need to learn more about our earth and appreciate Mother Nature more,” explained Vine. With a long history of working with nature in his career with the Department of Natural Resources, Vine teamed with other like-minded volunteers to create the center. Local nature lovers, gardeners and artists all helped create Vine’s vision. The center today includes a museum with both live animal exhibits and mounted animal displays. It also features several exhibits that explain the history of the marsh area including the time when Native Americans were the only humans present and when the pioneers began to move into the area. The museum has an area with mounted bird and mammal specimens that are native to the marsh and includes the piped-in sounds of the birds singing. There is a kids’ nature nook, which includes some hands-on activities, an aquarium and a viewing platform where you can watch birds, chipmunks and ground squirrels come to feed. The nature center is managed by Director Matt Rupnik. Rupnik came to the center with years of experience as an animal rehabber and from working at other nature centers. He plans to update many of the center’s exhibits and make the visitor experience more interactive and hands-on. Other plans for the future include a nature-based playground, updating a boardwalk and creating an observation deck. There are 20 live animal ambassadors in residence. Each of these birds and reptiles are unable to survive in the wild, so they call Marsh Haven their home and they help educate the public. One such ambassador is Poe, an American Crow. Poe had been a pet and was imprinted on humans, meaning he has developed a strong attachment to humans, but not other birds. This behavior makes it unsafe for him to be released. Another resident is Indi, an Eastern screech owl who is only about six inches tall. Indi was injured in a car accident, which caused damage to a leg and eye. Rupnik reported that owls and hawks are at risk not only for injuries from cars but also from people using rat poison to control mice and rat populations. The birds eat the vermin who are poisoned and then become sickened or die as a result. It is estimated that a single family of barn owls will eat up 3,000 rodents in a year, being a natural rodent control, but they can’t do their job if they are killed by poison. Cooper, a corn snake, which is not native to Wisconsin, was a pet until he grew too large and was donated to the center. He now resides in the gift shop area, welcoming visitors and helping to teach both kids and adults that snakes play an important part in the ecosystem. In addition to the museum exhibits, the Nature Center also has three miles of hiking trails and a 40-foot-tall observation tower, which are open for use from 10 a.m. to sunset year-round. There is a picnic shelter and a native plant garden that visitors can explore. For anyone interested in extending their visit to the Marsh Haven Nature Center, they can camp overnight. There is also a lodge with kitchen facilities and bunk beds available for rent. The Marsh View Nature Center is a non-profit institution and receives no federal or state funding. Maintaining the center and caring for all the animal residents requires a steady stream of income. The center relies on admission fees, membership fees, contributions and grants to stay open. Admission to the grounds and hiking trails is free. The fee for entering the museum exhibits is just $4 for adults and $2 for kids 14 and under. Currently, the museum is open Thursday through Sunday, but check the website at marshhaven.org for hours. If you would like to support the nature center, you can become a member with yearly fees ranging from $15 for a senior to $35 for a family. Membership gives you free admission to the nature center, 10% off gift shop merchandise, a quarterly newsletter, free admission to educational programs and the knowledge that you are supporting an important nature education facility. As the nature center continues to work towards its goal of educating the public about ways to care for our earth and appreciate nature, both Rupnik and Vine encourage everyone to do more to protect our planet. They suggest we create more safe habitats for wildlife by planting trees and native plants in our own backyards. In addition, we should avoid toxic chemicals like insecticides and herbicides. Human activity can be hazardous to nature or we can choose to work to protect it. As Vine warned, “Good planets are hard to find.”