Ninety excited West Lake Elementary School students in first and fourth grades participated in the grand opening of a new, reimagined nature trail on the school campus. SWC member Courtney Rousseau designed the trail and led this project with volunteers from South Wake Conservationists and the PTA over the past several months. This project also completed requirements for Courtney to earn her NC Environmental Educator certification. SWC President Monty MorĆ©e presented Courtney with SWC’s Conservation Service Award before everyone headed over to the official ribbon cutting.
The trail features 23 custom-designed, full-color, and weatherproof interpretative signs about various wildlife, plants, and features of the ecosystem along the trail. Two new SWC-branded birdhouses were also installed, and everyone is excited that bluebirds are already building a nest in one and chickadees in the other one, so they can keep an eye out for eggs and fledglings soon! A variety of native plants were also planted to give the biodiversity a boost, and the moss phlox and golden groundsel are already blooming nicely. The original block stairway was re-built with concrete and mortar to make a sturdy and safe entry point, and the kindergarteners even made a fresh new sign at the entrance under the careful supervision of their STEM teacher.
This was a great partnership between SWC and the school PTA, which first contacted SWC for help with designing a replacement for their existing trail which had fallen into disrepair and limited use. Courtney designed each of the 23 individual interpretive signs, and SWC funded the print services and materials. The PTA provided other supplies, such as landscape timbers, and everyone worked together to bring it to fruition. The PTA also plans to mount a plaque recognizing Courtney and the South Wake Conservationists for this project.
South Wake Conservationists 