Wisconsin Landscape Contractors Association Metro Milwaukee Chapter members installed a paver patio at the Education Station at Wildlife In Need Center, located in Oconomowoc, Wisc. The pavers were donated by Unilock and delivered by their area supplier, The Brickyard.

 

On Earth Day volunteers laid out and installed perennials donated by W&E Radtke. The trees were provided by Johnson's Nursery and Plant-Trans-Plant.

For the past several years, Wisconsin Landscape Contractors Association Metro Milwaukee Chapter has participated in an organized community service project on Earth Day, April 22.???(R)???AE'?N????e'?N,A+This year's???(R)???AE'?N????e'?N,A+project took place at the Wildlife In Need Center where volunteers???(R)???AE'?N????e'?N,A+built an education station.

The Wildlife???(R)???AE'?N????e'?N,A+In Need Center is located in Oconomowoc, Wisc.???(R)???AE'?N????e'?N,A+The center is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping injured and abandoned Wisconsin wildlife.

This year's project was spearheaded by Dean Pipito, chapter president, who???(R)???AE'?N????e'?N,A+is also a member of the WINC board.???(R)???AE'?N????e'?N,A+WLCA MM board of directors held a meeting at the center???(R)???AE'?N????e'?N,A+several months ago and it was decided that???(R)???AE'?N????e'?N,A+building???(R)???AE'?N????e'?N,A+an education station was the perfect???(R)???AE'?N????e'?N,A+project for???(R)???AE'?N????e'?N,A+Earth Day.

The plan for the project was to construct a 400-square-foot paver patio, a boulder wall with seating and to include several native trees and a variety of perennials. One stipulation to completing the project was that the wildlife could not be disturbed during construction. In addition, volunteers had only one day to get the work done.

WLCA Metro Milwaukee members generously donated their time, talents, materials and equipment. The size and scope of the project was impressive, valued at roughly $20,000. The all-volunteer landscaping crew worked from 8 a.m. to mid-afternoon to complete the installation.

The following WLCA Metro Milwaukee member companies donated materials for the project: Aquatica, The Brickyard, Johnson's Nursery, Lemke Stone, Oconomowoc Landscape Supply, Plant-Trans-Plant, W. & E. Radtke, Reinders, SEK/Surebond and Unilock.

Within days of completing the project, Joan Rudnitzki, executive director of the center, reported that the station had already been used by several of their wildlife ambassadors.???(R)???AE'?N????e'?N,A+ She commented that the station adds an extra dimension to their education program.

The staff and volunteers at the Wildlife In Need Center currently provide over 100 programs for classrooms, youth groups, civic and community organizations annually. The outdoor education station will add another dimension to their programs.

Pipito brought in several pieces of equipment including a Caterpillar track loader, Bobcat excavator and Wacker compactor. Mayer Landscapes supplied the other hardscaping tools. Many of the boulders were found on site, with the rest being provided by Aquatica. Additionally, Oconomowoc Landscape Supply provided the traffic bond (crushed aggregate for the paver base),???(R)???AE'?N????e'?N,A+Reinders provided the grass seed, Lemke Stone provided the flagstone, and???(R)???AE'?N????e'?N,A+SEK/Surebond supplied the polysand.