Be a part of our Earth Day Upcycled Art Contest! Help us showcase local artists and sustainable art AND support our environmental education efforts.

Adult (16 years +) and youth (under 16 years) submissions welcome. Entries must be dropped off to the EEC between March 21 – March 25 (8 AM – 5 PM).

If you are reusing objects (e.g. old furniture, jewelry, tile, etc.), please include pictures of the original objects (before they were included in your final piece).

See details and criteria HERE.

Entries will be on display at the EEC for the entire month of April. Popular-vote winners will be awarded on April 22, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will be awarded at our Earth Day celebration on April 30.

Each year, the EEC gives out free trees to the public and visitors work with our City’s GIS team to map where they will plant them–you can see an updated map from past Arbor/Earth Day events HERE.
* While supplies last

10 AM – Pick up the perfect tree for your yard! Trees are 6 – 24 in. tall and potted. Leftover trees will be planted at the EEC as part of our site management/restoration plan.

• Redbud
• Bald Cypress
• Black Walnut
• Button Bush
• Pin Oak
• Quaking Aspen
• Red Osier Dogwood
• Tulip Poplar
• White Flowering Dogwood

To find the best tree for you/learn more about each species, click on the tree names above.

Bring your NONINVASIVE seeds and starters to our exchange during our Earth Day event. The exchange will start at 12 PM. Remember to label your plants with as much info as you can (labels will also be provided). 

Notes:

• Bring no more than 15 plants
• Please do not arrive more than a half hour early
• Recycle milk jugs and coffee cans for flower pots!
• A wago may be helpful to transfer plants to and from the parking lot.

Check out live fish from the Elkhart River! Learn all about the health and ecosystems of our local waterways from the city’s Aquatic Biologist, Daragh Deegan.

“Indiana Woods on Wheels is a traveling interactive exhibit that provides information about the Hoosier state’s most renewable resource, our forests. Visitors will feel as if they have been transported to the woods as soon as they enter—the interactive displays will immerse the senses while covering key topics in forestry. Navigating through the exhibit takes visitors from learning about the benefits of forest management and how it supports Indiana’s native wildlife to the history of Indiana’s forests and the many industries that rely on our magnificent hardwoods to produce the products we all know and love.”

–learn more at https://www.in.gov/isda/divisions/economic-development/hardwoods/woods-on-wheels/

Local woodworkers, Lynn and Roger Pletcher, will be turning pens on their lathe at the event–come check out their process and some of the unique materials they use!

This event will have all kinds of fun activities and resources! Come check it out!