Dedication of outdoor classroom in Como Regional Park
took place on Wednesday, May 20, 2015, 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
The public was invited to attend the long-awaited dedication of the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom on Wednesday May 20 at 11:30 AM in Como Park.
The Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom (CWOC) has been a community driven project since 2006. Supporters, students, and community members will gather outdoors on the south side of the Como Woodland between the Kilmer Memorial Fireplace and the Como Park Pool at 1221 Como Avenue, St. Paul.
Tim Chase, Murray Middle School science teacher and MAEE’s Environmental Educator of the Year (2014), was the keynote speaker. He shared his experiences on why giving all students opportunities to explore the natural world arouses their curiosity and opens up new career possibilities for them.
Three school groups who have used the CWOC extensively attended the dedication: Great River Montessori, Murray Junior High, and Como Park Senior High schools. After the ceremony students planted a tree near the Kilmer Fireplace and took part in a habitat restoration activity in the woodland (the public is encouraged to take part).
This 18-acre parcel located at the southwest corner of Como Regional Park, is the largest woodland left in Como Park. What had been a declining woodlot (overrun with invasive species, trash, and random bike trails) is now well on it’s way to becoming a healthy forest and prairie outdoor learning space. Invasive species are beginning to loosen their grip and are being replaced by native wildflowers and shrubs. Over 2,500 feet of ADA accessible trails have been installed.
The idea for developing an outdoor classroom in Como Park came from members of the District 10 Community Council’s Environment Committee back in the late 1990s after working to remove buckthorn from the woodlot. In 2006 they formed the Como Woodland Advisory Committee, and funding was secured from the City and various other sources to proceed with the project.
The long process of restoration has been done through the hard work of community volunteers and students with the support of the City of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department, and also with a grant from the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund.
The woodland will continue to need community and students volunteers to help maintain the outdoor classroom’s multiple plant communities. The Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department is developing a pilot program called Eco Stewards in order to support and coordinate those volunteers.
The CWOC’s mission is to be a place of learning, recreation, and nature appreciation for all ages and species. A fox family has been in residence for several years. Over 40 species of birds have been documented using in this urban woodland at different times of the year.
Back in May of 2011 the beautifully restored Joyce Kilmer Memorial Fireplace, which stands at the center of the woodland, was rededicated with much fanfare. May of 2015 they gathered again to dedicate the surrounding woodland’s new incarnation as the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom. All were welcome!
The Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom (CWOC) has been a community driven project since 2006. Supporters, students, and community members will gather outdoors on the south side of the Como Woodland between the Kilmer Memorial Fireplace and the Como Park Pool at 1221 Como Avenue, St. Paul.
Tim Chase, Murray Middle School science teacher and MAEE’s Environmental Educator of the Year (2014), was the keynote speaker. He shared his experiences on why giving all students opportunities to explore the natural world arouses their curiosity and opens up new career possibilities for them.
Three school groups who have used the CWOC extensively attended the dedication: Great River Montessori, Murray Junior High, and Como Park Senior High schools. After the ceremony students planted a tree near the Kilmer Fireplace and took part in a habitat restoration activity in the woodland (the public is encouraged to take part).
This 18-acre parcel located at the southwest corner of Como Regional Park, is the largest woodland left in Como Park. What had been a declining woodlot (overrun with invasive species, trash, and random bike trails) is now well on it’s way to becoming a healthy forest and prairie outdoor learning space. Invasive species are beginning to loosen their grip and are being replaced by native wildflowers and shrubs. Over 2,500 feet of ADA accessible trails have been installed.
The idea for developing an outdoor classroom in Como Park came from members of the District 10 Community Council’s Environment Committee back in the late 1990s after working to remove buckthorn from the woodlot. In 2006 they formed the Como Woodland Advisory Committee, and funding was secured from the City and various other sources to proceed with the project.
The long process of restoration has been done through the hard work of community volunteers and students with the support of the City of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department, and also with a grant from the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund.
The woodland will continue to need community and students volunteers to help maintain the outdoor classroom’s multiple plant communities. The Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department is developing a pilot program called Eco Stewards in order to support and coordinate those volunteers.
The CWOC’s mission is to be a place of learning, recreation, and nature appreciation for all ages and species. A fox family has been in residence for several years. Over 40 species of birds have been documented using in this urban woodland at different times of the year.
Back in May of 2011 the beautifully restored Joyce Kilmer Memorial Fireplace, which stands at the center of the woodland, was rededicated with much fanfare. May of 2015 they gathered again to dedicate the surrounding woodland’s new incarnation as the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom. All were welcome!
