Summer 2024: Meadow and Pond Progress
This summer more changes are afoot at The Nature Museum, including in the Chapman Meadow, the Magic Forest Playscape, and right behind the Museum. This is all part of our multi-year strategic plan to create more welcoming spaces for exploration, play, and learning for all ages. What have we done so far?
The Chapman Meadow last fall before the transformation began.
Created the Magic Forest Playscape and the Naturalists’ Cabin for imaginative nature play
Restored native species to the Chapman Meadow wetland and removed large swaths of invasive plants.
Built a pond for habitat diversity and scientific exploration
Expanded our programming and camps for more learning and exploration opportunities.
What’s happening this summer?
Pending approval from the State of Vermont, we’re moving forward with several exciting projects:
Finishing “Phase Two” of the Playscape expansion with a new bear den, parent seating areas, and play campsite.
New mowed paths in the Chapman Meadow, leading up to the Playscape and the “promontory” overlook. This path connects directly to the white trail in the Village Park!
Developing a long-term Meadow Management Plan with help from the Xerces Society that will promote native species and manage invasives.
And last but not least, we’re building a new, accessible, outdoor teaching pavilion right behind the Museum!
A crew of shovel-ready volunteers helped us plant hundreds of new native species in the evolving meadow.
While we love our historic building, it lacks basic nature center resources and teaching spaces, and this has become more challenging for our educators and programs as we’ve grown. We’ll be announcing The Pavilion Project in mid-July, and we hope you’ll consider supporting this project. In the meantime, we’re moving fast to lay the groundwork for the pavilion, including excavation and foundation work.
Looking toward our future, we’re planning to incorporate interpretive signs throughout the Chapman Meadow, Playscape, and Pollinator Gardens. We’re working with Terrigenous, an award-winning landscape architecture firm, to re-envision the Museum gardens and outdoor spaces for a better visitor experience.
The new pond filling in with the snow melt.
Our Building Committee is looking at ways to improve accessibility and reduce our environmental impact in our historic building. And, we’re working with local organizations and the Grafton Outdoor Alliance to help connect outdoor spaces and provide more cohesive recreational and nature education experiences for Grafton.
All of these projects and initiatives directly impact the work we do at The Nature Museum, and will help us better fulfill our mission. From family playtime at the Magic Forest Playscape to school field trips at the pavilion to the Fairy House Trail that winds through the meadow and by the new promontory, we are working to welcome folks from all walks of life to this beautiful corner of the Green Mountains to explore, learn, connect.
The frogs quickly populated the new pond with tadpoles in the first spring.
If you’d like to learn more about these projects, including how to support the Museum, please get in touch at info@nature-museum.org, call (802) 843-2111, or stop by during our open hours. We can’t wait to see you here!
Nikolas Katrick, Executive Director