A South Milwaukee man wanted to connect people with nature. Five years later, the program he created is running strong.

After five years and many more miles, the Suburban Soles series in South Milwaukee is still striding to bring the community closer to nature.

Organizer Brian Morrison called the organization's fifth year “an exciting milestone” for a program that outgrew his expectations.

“I didn’t realize there was such a need and want from the community,” he said. Morrison is very involved in South Milwaukee. He is the community outreach coordinator for the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center, the president of the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Council and the entertainment director for the South Milwaukee Downtown Farmers Market since 2017. He also created the city’s Music at the Market event.

The Suburban Soles idea was completely grassroots.

“I was just new to the whole environmental thinking mindset,” Morrison said. “I had a love and passion for nature and was out with two friends hiking and thought it’d be cool to go on guided nature walks.”

Morrison got in touch with Wehr Nature Center in Franklin, and soon he had his first partner. Suburban Soles offers free programming throughout the summer months with a different focus/expert each week. The goal is to connect the community with the natural world.

The Suburban Soles name has a double meaning for Morrison.

“It’s not only your foot to the earth but your soul connected with nature,” he said.

Participants meet up in Grant Park in South Milwaukee on Sundays and go on a one- to two-mile walk for about two hours.

“It’s not super strenuous,” Morrison said. Participants vary in age including some over 65. The biggest things are to have proper footwear, bug spray, depending on the time of year, and maybe a bottle of water.

The first year there were six programs attended by 20-plus people each.

Suburban Soles held its first 2022 event, focused on birding, May 8. Morrison said about 40 people came out. Other program topics include bats, dragonflies, native plants, insects of the night, history, fungi and more. For a more information on dates, times and other specifics visit www.fogp.org/soles.

“We live in this concrete jungle and we’re so detached from the reality of earth,” he said. “If you were to attend every single event, you’d come out with an understanding many different aspects of nature.”

Morrison has never taken any money for his work calling it “strictly a passion project.” In fact, in its infancy he was funding it out of pocket. For the second year, Morrison partnered with the Friends of Grant Park to help with funding. That partnership continues to this day.

There is also an option for participants to donate to keep the program going.

Operating Suburban Soles costs about $2,500 each year for advertising, paying the guides and more.

Other organizations that have been involved include the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, Milwaukee Area Technical College, the Mequon Nature Preserve and the Urban Ecology Center — though unfortunately not this year. New for 2022 is the University of Wisconsin System with archaeology professor Seth Schneider leading a tour on Native American culture and history on July 31.

“All these organizations have the same mission: to bridge that gap between community and nature,” Morrison said. “It’s about education, it’s about the connection with the earth.”

Morrison was in contact with Milwaukee County Parks early on and said initially they were not thrilled with the project but over time “they completely adopted the idea” though not as a direct sponsor.

“At first I felt like I was stepping on toes, that they wanted to do the programming, but then later they liked it,” Morrison said.

The COVID-19 pandemic did not stop the hikes

Suburban Soles faced some controversy in 2020 when the group help its scheduled events during pandemic lockdowns.

Morrison said Milwaukee County Parks was worried about holding programs and put some restrictions in place. Eventually he said Parks staff were supportive.

“I just pushed through,” Morrison said. “It was one of those things you ask for forgiveness later.”

About two dozen people came out and, because Suburban Soles is an outdoor activity, social distancing wasn’t an issue. Morrison said he received “many thanks” for keeping the events on schedule in a year when people were clamoring for socialization.

“Not only were they in nature doing something fun and safe, there was a kind of layer of social interaction you weren’t getting anywhere else,” Morrison said.

Morrison has considered expanding to other parks, but already has a lot on his plate. In fact, Morrison thinks he may need to hand off the program due to taking on a new job as community engagement and events manager with the Forest Home Cemetery and Arboretum — a new position he heard about through his connection with the Friends of Grant Park.

Morrison, a certified Wisconsin master naturalist, hopes to create a similar program for the diverse community in that area.

Contact Erik S. Hanley at erik.hanley@jrn.com. Like his Facebook page and follow him on Twitter at @ES_Hanley.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Suburban Soles gets Milwaukee area residents to connect with nature