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Planning & Parks
Join us in celebrating World Migratory Bird Day 2021 in the month of May!
To celebrate World Migratory Bird Day, all residents are invited try to find as many birds as possible outdoors in Ozaukee County throughout the month May 2021. Visit the many birding hotspots along trails and within Ozaukee County parks.
Download this Field Observation Form to participate!
Try visiting the eBird website, a project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. This website is a great resource for finding birding hot spots and getting or submitting bird species data.
Some great birding hotspots include Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve, Virmond County Park, Shady Lane Nature Preserve, or Hawthorne Hills County Park.
Virmond Park Stairway Donation
(PayPal is returning an error message if paying with a credit card before logging into a PayPal Account. If you would like to pay directly with a credit card without using PayPal, please call the Planning and Parks Department at 262-284-8257)
Donors who give $100 or more may choose to have an 8” x 4” brick engraved with a message of their choice as a permanent part of the path leading to the stairway. Donations of $250 or more may engrave an 8”x8” brick.
The 8" x 4" bricks can fit 3 lines and 16 characters per line including spaces. The 8" x 8" bricks can fit 6 lines and 16 characters per line including spaces.
Important COVID-19 Update:
At this time, all Ozaukee County Parks and facilities remain open. If you chose to visit one of the parks, please remember CDC guidelines.
HH Peters Youth Camp will be closed and will not be taking reservations for June. Updates will be provided as further information dictates.
Information about Department staff availability: To mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus and to protect the health and safety of our communities, a majority of Ozaukee County Planning and Parks Department staff are transitioning to telecommuting and will not be available in person. This move is consistent with public health guidance to limit exposure. Our staff who are able to work remotely will do so and will be able to respond to inquiries through email and Facebook. We are working with staff who cannot work remotely to accommodate their situations. Social distancing and preventing potential infections are key areas we can help with to hopefully curtail the impacts of this outbreak.
To contact Department Staff please reference the following list:
- Andrew Struck, Director – Email
- Matt Aho, Program Manager - Email
- Natalie Cotter, Planning and GIS Specialist - Email
- Civil Engineer - VACANT
- Jon Stahl, Golf Course Superintendent - Email
- Kristina (Tina) Kroening - Conservation Biologist - Email
- Ryan Miller - FP/Ecological Program Assistant II - Email
- Evan Hewes - Golf Courses Pro Shop Supervisor - Email
- Cindy DeGroot - Administrative Manager – Email
The Department phone number is still active and being monitored for calls: 262-284-8257
With an increase in the prevalence of COVID-19 in and around Ozaukee County, we are using the best information we have to take proactive steps to protect the health of our community. We know that outdoor spaces are critical to the mental and physical health of our community, now more than ever. We are doing our best to maintain the current level of services. Park visitors may want to bring hand sanitizer with them as they go out to our parks, just to be safe. At this time we are not able to wipe down playground equipment, tables, or other surfaces at the parks.
For more information on COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin, please visit the Wisconsin Department of Health page: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/outbreaks/index.htm
Mission
"To provide opportunities for Ozaukee County residents and visitors of Ozaukee County to appreciate and enjoy the natural and cultural resources, local ecology, recreational experiences, well planned sustainable growth and improved quality of life in Ozaukee County through the preservation, restoration and management of natural resources, increased awareness and education, stewardship, promotion of tourism, comprehensive planning, and the acquisition, development, enhancement and operation of large scale, intergovernmental recreational opportunities including exceptionally well-maintained golf courses, multi-use trails and parks."