Minutes - Parks and Recreation Commission - 02/09/1995 - Public Hearing @ 6:08

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Who can use the Trai 17 : The Trail was created as a community resource for all interested persons... young, old, big, little.., families and/or individuals. We ask only that the Area be used for walking or cross country skiing ( no bikes, motorized vehicles). We hope you wilt use your eyes, ears, and nose; and take only your Memories. Is the Trail finished? The Trail is in its infancy and still needs a lot of work and community effort. We need to make the Trail handicap accessible. We are working on developing signs for identification purposes and for directions. We will be placing bird feeders and b[rd nouses on the Trail. We have discussed the need for some resting points and benches. We need to encourage the growth of a wider variety of plants. We need to compiete the wood chipping of the Trail. One more "station" will be completed by David Houston, who is working on his Eagle Scout award. The Wetland area needs a boardwalk, and hopefully an open water area will be created when the sewer line goes in for the new school. As you see many projects have been identified, more keep "popping" up, and we need your help, too. How will Eamsey students use the Trail? Our goal is to make the Environmental Learning Area an integral part of our science curriculum activities. Many teachers also see that this area offers opportunities for writing and observation skills. Students wiil beasked to take an active part in the preservation and maintenance of the area. Last year we tried to nave one student from each classroom serve on the Student Nature Trail Committee. We hope to expand their roles this year. The Eamsey teachers participated in a Nature Trail Workshop in August. Teachers may also participate in the Project Learning Tree workshop which will be offered at. Ramsey School during the month of October by Janette Nlonear of Twin City Tree Trust. Rod Kuehn has created a unique computer database with a cataloging of many of the species of plants, trees, birds, insects, mammals, mushrooms, etc. that have been found on the Trai I. The Ramsey PTA purchased the Fi leMaker Pro computer program for use by Ramsey students and teachers. Rod has created several files just for our students/staff use. One of the files allows students to take an unknown specimen (i.e, wildflower) found on the Trail, to use a checklist to identify the specific properties of that organism, and then to input the information into the computer which searches for a "match" or "matches" of the organism. The students are then g~ven a resource name and page number to help give them a visual match. We are working with our district Technology Consultants on ways to provide CD- ROM use of data to match our Trail's organisms. Our Technology Consultants will