Recreation Northwest’s Trail & Wetland Boardwalk project’s mitigation requirements will be fulfilled by the end of 2022. Next, we are working to transform our Stewardship site in Fairhaven Park into an Outdoor Classroom. Our next steps are to install Native Plant Identification signs in our Native Plant Garden area.
There are many formal groups that use Fairhaven Park trails and 100 Acre Wood urban forest for their outdoor activities and environmental education programs, including Recreation Northwest. There are also informal groups and individuals who utilize the available spaces to be outside. Having dedicated places for people to connect with one another and with nature is core to an outdoor education program approach. The use of our Rock Bench & Native Plant Garden area as meeting spaces demonstrate the community need and interest in dedicated space for small groups to gather in our parks.
Above is our first conceptual drawing from our volunteer Landscape Architect, Coreen Schmidt to bring these visions to life.
Background.
In December 2021, we hosted a Focus Group with fellow members of the Whatcom Coalition for Environmental Education (WCEE) who use Fairhaven Park. Led by Hannah Newell, WCEE, we received community input from representatives of Bellingham Parks, North Cascades Institute, and Wild Whatcom to help provide direction with planning for the needs of our outdoor education community.
