Brukner Nature Center is a non-profit, privately-funded organization promoting the appreciation and understanding of wildlife conservation through preservation, education, and rehabilitation.  We opened to the public in May of 1974, through the vision of aviation pioneer and inventor, Clayton J. Brukner.  Under the guidance of our first Directors, Bob & Joan Heidelberg, we grew to a 165-acre preserve with services reaching 21 counties.  Today we reach over 20,000 people a year thru our hands-on wildlife encounters featuring our wildlife ambassadors, native Ohio wildlife no longer able to survive in the wild.  We think of them as ‘spokes-wildlife’ for their species, helping to demonstrate their amazing adaptations and providing those awe-inspiring close encounters!

We also welcome over 130,000 visitors each year, manage 235 acres of diverse habitats accessed by over 6 miles of hiking trails, and operate a wildlife rehabilitation unit for injured and orphaned wildlife.  Each year we accept over 1200 wild patients from caring individuals in 20+ different Ohio counties!  Thanks to the dedication of our staff and volunteers, we are able to release over a third of those patients back to the wild!  In 2011, we purchased 70 acres located at 3909 Calumet Dr. in the Village of West Milton.  The property was named River’s Edge Wildlife Preserve and is being restored to native prairie, woodland and wetland habitat for wildlife.  A small trail system and access to the Stillwater River for fishing are the highlights of this unique natural area.

Inside our Interpretive Building you’ll find live wildlife exhibits, meeting spaces and a Nature Shop.  In 1998, an addition to Interpretive Building doubled the size and provides handicap accessibility to all three floors including our popular Tree-Top Bird Vista.  In May of 2011, we renovated the interpretive area in our downstairs wildlife exhibits. Our main lobby renovation was completed in May 2016 and we finished our wildlife rehabilitation quarantine building in 2019! The 1804 Iddings log house was renovated in 1980 and again in 2006.  It is on the registry of Historic Places as the oldest structure on its original site in Miami County!