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Xerox University Microfilms 300 North Zeeb Rood Ann Arbor, Michigan 46106 I 4 I I 73-20,330 DOCKERAY, Mary Jane Patricia, 1927THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF BLANDFORD NATURE CENTER OF THE GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, PUBLIC MUSEUM. Michigan State University, Ph.D., 1973 Agriculture, forestry wildlife University Microfilms, A XEROX Com pany, Ann Arbor, Michigan THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF BLANDFORD NATURE CENTER OF THE GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, PUBLIC MUSEUM By Mary Jane Dockeray A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University 1n p a rtia l fu lfillm e n t o f the requirements fo r the degree o f DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department o f Fisheries and W ild life 1973 ABSTRACT THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF BLANDFORD NATURE CENTER OF THE GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, PUBLIC MUSEUM By Mary Oane Dockeray Nature centers are springing up a ll over the United States 1n an e ffo r t to provide stim ulating, educational outdoor programs f o r a pub­ l i c that 1s fa rth e r removed from actual contact with the land and Its resources than a t any time 1n history. While there are agencies such as the Nature Centers Division of the National Audubon Society and the Natural Science For Youth Founda­ tio n that w ill provide assistance for groups Interested 1n startin g a center, there are few I f any documentary accounts o f the to tal develop­ ment of such a f a c ilit y . Although each nature center must serve the p a rtic u la r needs of its community, and must plan according to Its own natural a ttrib u te s , the processes of developing a center have many s im ila ritie s . I t 1s hoped th a t the description of Blandford Nature Center from Its days as the w rite r 's childhood woodland re tre a t to I t s present oasis of "Nature 1n a Nutshell" fo r the citizens o f Grand Rapids, w ill give that needed Im­ petus to someone who would lik e to see a nature center in his community. This 1s not an outside observer's account, but a resume o f the ma­ j o r physical and philosophical components of a nature center from the viewpoint of it s Curator, who has been privileged to guide Its develop­ ment from Its Inception. Basic Information for Blandford Center's f a c ilit ie s and programs Mary Jane Dockeray has been gleaned from numerous nature centers and conservation oriented organizations a l l over the United States. The s iftin g of Information has taken place over twenty years* with the practical application be­ coming possible 1n 1964, when Mr. and Mrs. Victor Blandford donated ten acres o f land to the City of Grand Rapids, to be administered by the Grand Rapids Public Musetxn. Blandford Center 1s s t i l l growing In size and adapting to the needs of its v is ito r s , while attempting to guide th e ir attitudes about th e ir environment and th e ir place 1n 1t. The s ta ff does not pretend to have a ll the answers about how to best work with the public or how to most wisely use the resources a t Its disposal, but 1s enthusiastic about the progress that has been made and eager to step up to the challenges of tomorrow. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Blandford Nature Center could never have become a r e a lity without the foresight and dedication of many people; starting with Mr. and Mrs. Victor Blandford, who so generously gave th e ir cherished property so others might enjoy 1t. The w riter expresses her deepest g ratitu d e to Grand Rapids Public Museum Directors Frank L. DuMond and Weldon D. Frankforter fo r grant­ ing her the opportunity to launch a new program, to Miss Norma E. Raby, her friend and colleague who has worked u n tirin g ly behind the scenes, to the late Richard Damstra, members of the Contractors and Suppliers Association, and hundreds of contributors who made the Interpretive building possible, and to the many groups and Individuals, especially Mrs. William A. Johnson, who have given o f themselves and th e ir funds to promote the various projects and programs o f the Center. Slncerest appreciation 1s expressed to Dr. G ilbert Mouser of Michigan State U n iversity, who directed th is graduate program, and to Drs. RolHn Baker, Eugene Roelofs, and Julian Smith, also of Michigan State University fo r th e ir patience and suggestions. To the s ta ff and volunteers of Blandford Nature Center - the warm­ est affection - fo r without your devotion, s k i l l , and enthusiasm, the Center could not succeed. Blandford Nature Center's motto tie s 1 t a l l together "Nothing 1s Accomplished Unless Somebody Cares." 11 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES vl INTRODUCTION 1 General Background The Dawning of the Nature Center In itia l Site Planning In it ia l Use o f Center Planning For An In te rp re tiv e Building Construction o f the In terp retive Building Development of an Operating Program Chronology o f Land Acquisition GROUNDS DEVELOPMENT 5 iS 12 12 22 25 28 29 Trails Fencing Ponds Parking Log Cabin and Plant T ra il Schoolhouse Preserving Habitats 29 43 43 47 48 54 56 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM 58 General Procedures Special Educational Programs Sugarbush Pioneer Heritage Student Farmers General Farm Alternative Education Plan SPECIAL CLASSES AND EVENTS 58 68 68 71 73 74 75 78 Children's Classes Adult and Family Programs Pancake Supper Family Camping Tips Fall Harvest Festival Winter Outdoor S k ills 78 80 84 86 88 90 EXHIBITS 93 111 PERSONNEL 96 Educational S ta ff Building and Maintenance S ta ff Secretarial S ta ff Oress 96 98 99 99 VOLUNTEER PROGRAM 103 Junior Aides Youth Groups Adult Aides 103 105 106 STUDENT TEACHER PARTICIPATION 112 Western Michigan University Michigan State University Aquinas College Senior High School Ecology Students FUNDING 112 112 113 113 115 Budget and Salaries Contributions Federal Funding State Recreation Bond Fund 115 115 120 121 PUBLICITY, PUBLICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS 123 News Releases and Newsletters Informational Brochures Public Relations 123 124 125 LIVE ANIMALS AND USE OF DEAD SPECIMENS 126 Acceptance Policy Care of Animals Salvaged Specimens 126 127 133 VANDALISM 136 INTERPRETIVE BUILDING EXPANSION 138 Financing the Addition 141 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 143 LIST OF REFERENCES 150 Nature Centers and Sim ilar Institutions Visited or Consulted Teacher and Youth Leader Training Programs Attended Organizational Memberships Which Provided Information iv 150 151 151 Useful Publications S ite Planning Program and Philosophy Miscellaneous Publications v 151 151 151 152 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1 General Map o f Blandford Nature Center 4 2 Woods and Stream in Early Spring 7 3 Field Approach to Nature Center, Showing Edge andMature Forest in Background 7 4 Deuling Meadow with C,A.Frost School in Background 7 5 Facing North, Away From Woods 8 6 Group Set to Explore Meadow with Volunteer Guide 8 7 Showing Rough, Original Plans 13 8 Architects' Sketch of Interpretive Building 13 9 Front View 15 10 Lobby 15 11 Book Nook 16 12 W ild life Viewing Windows In Book Nook 16 13 Laboratory 17 14 Mezzanine - Auditorium 17 15 Mr. and Mrs. Victor Blandford Presenting F irs t Junior Aide Badges 19 Groundbreaking with C.A.Frost School ChildrenLooking On L e ft, Dr. Ralph B, Baldwin, President of the Art and Museum Commission Right, Mr. Victor Blandford 21 17 Lobby Before W aterfalls 23 18 Lobby W aterfalls 23 19 Showing 2 x 4 30 16 Curbing vt Figure Page 20 Steps and Railing 30 21 Painted, Frosted Plastic Label 31 22 Turn-the-Handle Action Label 31 23 Numbered Cedar Post 33 24 Welded Iron with Fiberboard Insert 33 25 G1rl Examining Leaves 35 26 Boy Calling Chickadees 35 27 Packed Road Gravel T ra il 37 28 Raised Boardwalk 37 29 Pond Showing Vinyl Lining 38 30 Finished Pond and Bridge 38 31 Woodland Overlook 38 32 Freshly Cut, 1965 40 33 Growth Along Sewerline, 1971 40 34 Outdoor Classroom Along Sewerline 40 35 Man-made Woodland Pond and Boardwalk 44 36 Man-made Pond, Looking TowardT ra ils and Interp retive Building 44 37 Muskrat Pond, Undeveloped 44 38 Muddy Parking Lot 46 39 Surfaced Parking Lot, ServiceArea Fence, Garage-workshop, and Interp retive Building 46 40 Front View 49 41 Pioneer Farmyard 49 42 Kitchen Area 50 43 Bedroom 50 44 Pioneer L ife Class Working In Garden 51 v ii Figure Page 45 Tool Shed 51 46 Pioneer Plant T ra il Through Field 51 47 Moving Day 53 48 Restored on Temporary Site 53 49 Aseembllng for Blindfold Sensory Walk 60 50 Trimming Birds' Christmas Tree 60 51 Supervised Exploration a t Edge o f Woods 66 52 Class with Field Mouse - Face to Face Introduction to Nature 66 53 Sap Bolling In Sugar Shanty 69 54 Class Sampling Maple Syrup 69 55 Candle Dipping 72 56 Making Cross-stitch Samplers 72 57 "Tadpole" Class Experiencing a Pond 77 58 Pioneer L ife Class Making Hand-cranked Ice Cream 77 59 Outdoor Survival Class Cooking 79 60 Lapidary Class 79 61 Student Teachers After Teaching Techniques Workshop 81 62 Campfire Leaders Examining Soff Samples 81 63 Food Line 83 64 Seating 83 65 Examining Camping Equipment 85 66 Camper Bus 85 67 Outdoor Cooking Techniques 85 68 Indian Ceremonial Dance 87 69 Pioneer Hunting S k ills 87 70 Making Horseshoes 87 v 1 11 Figure Page 71 Cross-country Ski Demonstration 89 72 Winter Camping Gear 89 73 D o-It-Yourself Leaf Id e n tifica tio n 91 74 Three Dimensional Mural - From Treetops to Bedrock 91 75 Class Orientation Mural 91 76 E lectric Board - Owl's Eyes Light Up 92 77 Sensory Display 92 78 Pelt Table 92 79 "Snow, Friend or Foe?" 94 80 Michigan Minerals 94 81 "Who's Who 1n the Underworld" 94 82 Blandford Center Sleeve Patch 101 83 Junior Aide Taking Young Raccoon on a HuntingExpedition 101 84 Sanding Beams in Interpretive Building DuringConstruction 102 85 Spreading Wood Chips on Trails 102 86 Gathering Sap in Sugarbush 102 87 Junior College Forestry Club Members Building Outdoor Classroom 104 88 Horizon Club G irls Painting Tracks on Floor 104 89 High School Student Conducting A fter SchoolClass 104 90 Guides on Compass Walk During Training 107 91 Preparing fo r Benefit Bazaar 107 92 Planting Fern Garden 107 93 Stltchery Wall Panel 117 94 Michigan Rock and Mineral Table 117 95 8" x 10" Parchment 118 1x Figure Page 96 4 1/4" x 5 1/4" Heavy Paper 118 97 Screech Owl Animating Mural 128 98 Large Cage fo r Injuried Songbirds and V isitors Getting Acquainted With Fanny Ferret 128 An Unforgettable Experience 129 100 Orthopedic School Children Enjoying Young Squirrel 129 101 Sparrow Hawk Ready fo r Release 130 102 Volunteer Skinning Salvaged Muskrat 130 103 Schoolhouse with Protective Fiberglas Shutters 1n Place 135 104 Garbage Gobbler 135 105 Relocation of Entry Road to Consolidate Habitats 142 106 The Theme Underlying the Total Story of Blandford Nature Center 148 99 x INTRODUCTION Nature centers and s im ila rly oriented outdoor education f a c ilit ie s are being developed at an Increasing rate across the United States. Some o f the centers are p riv a te ly endowed, some operated by organiza­ tions such as the National and state Audubon so cieties, and some by school systems, c itie s , counties, or states. The purpose of this dissertation 1s to outlin e the development, purposes, and projects of Blandford Nature Center o f the Grand Rapids (Michigan) Public Museum believing that conmunltles, groups, and in d i­ viduals Interested 1n organizing a sim ilar f a c i li t y w ill find Ideas and assistance. Its development Is not touted to be unique 1n most of it s approaches. I t 1s an amalgamation of many programs and Ideas consider­ ed by Its curator to be useful to the Grand Rapids community which 1t p rin c ip a lly serves. The w rite r was fortunate 1n that she knew the area 1n her ch ild ­ hood, assisted In the acquisition o f the original land parcel, worked closely with fund raisers and architects, and has been p rivileg ed to d ire c t the development of the Center since the construction o f the In ­ te rp retive building 1n 1968. Blandford Center Is s t i l l In Its formative stages—perhaps 1t always w ill be—perhaps 1t always should be. Its program has develop­ ed 1n cooperation with other organizations 1n Grand Rapids so as not to duplicate or Infringe upon other programs, but to complete and sup­ plement them. Its educational program 1s especially coordinated with 1 2 the science and social studies curricula o f the Grand Rapids schools, but It s many facets are available to a ll schools, youth groups, educa­ to rs , clubs, and the general public. Before delving Into the particulars of Blandford Nature Center and its development, 1t might be wise to consider and b rie fly describe some common attrib u tes o f a nature center. Accordingly, the following gener­ alized statements re fle c t s im ila ritie s associated with typical nature centers and an Intimate Involvement with one. A nature center 1s a natural area, usually from several acres to several hundred acres In size, where organized groups and casual v is i­ tors can l i t e r a l l y "get th e ir fe e t back on the ground." In our Increas­ ingly urbanized society adults have lost contact with the land and na­ tu re , and children have frequently never been exposed to I t . An Ideal nature center w ill provide varied habitats for study, adventure, and relaxation. To many, relaxing with nature Is one of the highest forms o f recreation. A nature center should o ffe r a stimulating educational program which challenges a child to explore, discover, th in k, wonder, and de­ velop values which can Influence his future decisions as a c itiz e n . The center usually provides salaried and/or volunteer n a tu ralists who are trained to help the v is ito r interpret what he sees— to help him to look and see, lis te n and hear, fe e l, smell, and perhaps even taste. The n a tu ra lis t helps to bridge the gap between nature and the man-made, fu rth er assisting the v is ito r to see Interrelationships between man and the natural resources and l i f e support systems upon which his l i f e de­ pends. Today, as sincere but often confused citizens are being Influenced 3 by emotionalism and sensationalism over environmental problems and c r i ­ ses, a nature center should become the source o f sound, up-to-date In ­ formation, and a stimulation for constructive action re la tiv e to e n v ir­ onmental problems. A nature center frequently Includes an Interp retive building which may house exhibits to augment the outdoor experience, auditorium space f o r supplementary Indoor programs and orientation, laboratory o r work­ shop f a c i l i t i e s , and a reference lib ra ry . There are some basic questions a group Interested 1n s ta rtin g a nature center should consider before undertaking such a p ro je c t. 1. What type o f nature center and program focus do we propose? 2. Is there a need in our community for such a program? 3. Whom w ill the nature center serve? 4. Is such a service being provided by a sim ilar f a c ilit y or organlzatlon? 5. Is suitable property availab le, and at what price? 6. Who w ill finance the fa c ility ? 7. W ill this be adequate support or w ill supplemental funds be neces­ sary? 8. Are we assured o f continued support? 9. Do we plan to have an In terp retive building and salaried s ta ff? 10. What type o f building w ill suit our needs? 11. Depending on our program focus, how many and what typo o f s t a f f members w ill we need Immediately? 4 RCSIMNT/At. S /T E PLAN BC JkU C il**«eo 00000001020002 I§m ' - v - - - - -V * f AFSftwrrMu / IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIW I OoU1 CX>VAS* uuosyfl SCMOOi MATURE CENTER. Figure 1. General Map o f Blandford Nature Center 5 General Background Blandford Nature Center 1s located on approximately 60 acres o f land In the very northwest corner of Grand Rapids a t 1715 Hlllburn Ave­ nue. Although 1 t has the potential of expanding to approximately 120 acres o f undeveloped forest* f i e l d , ponds, and streams, I t Is surround­ ed by rapidly growing, middle class housing. Within two miles there are seven elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools. Grand Rapids has a population o f 200,000, with a county population of 365,000. Grand Rapids alone has 53 elementary schoools, 9 middle schools, 4 high schools, and 7 special schools 1n the public system, and 41 church supported schools. The c ity has a long-standing, strong, conservative Dutch and Polish Influence with a recent upsurge o f the black and Spanlsh-Amerlcan popula tlo n . Blandford Nature Center 1s a division o f the Grand Rapids Public Museum. The Museum 1s a department of the C ity of Grand Rapids, deriv­ ing It s principal financial support from a budget submitted by the Di­ rector and the Art and Museum Commission for approval by the City Mana­ ger and City Commission. The Art and Museum Commission 1s made up o f seven citizens of metropolitan Grand Rapids who are appointed by the City Commission and have general control of the Museum's operations. Much o f the financial support for land acquisition and buildings has come from the Grand Rapids Museum Association. The Museum Associ­ ation 1s made up o f citizens of the metropolitan community who are In ­ terested In the Museum's programs and help support special projects through th e ir membership dues and fund-raising a c tiv itie s . For many years the Grand Rapids Public Museum has provided a 6 variety of services to the area schools, and s ta ff members have assist­ ed the Grand Rapids Board o f Education in the development o f science and social studies curricula. In 1949 a n a tu ra lis t was employed to pre­ sent illu s tra te d classroom programs and conduct fie ld trip s on various phases o f natural science and conservation. As this program developed, i t became evident th at c ity parks and unposted private land, though adequate to a degree, did not constitute educational resources that a coordinated program organized around hous­ ed f a c ilit ie s including a resident professional s t a f f , lib ra ry f a c i l i ­ tie s , displays, meeting rooms, and laboratory could o ffe r . The Dawning o f the Nature Center One o f the most popular fie ld trip sites was a tra c t o f land re­ cently annexed to the northwest comer o f the City o f Grand Rapids. A check with the Assessor's o ffic e 1n the spring o f 1964, determined that the parcel was owned by Victor A. Blandford. A call to Mr. Blandford fu rther determined th at he had hesitated to sell the property because he and his family had enjoyed roaming there with friends and ybuth groups and he had long f e l t that such a spot should be preserved as a park. The then Museum D irector, Frank L. DuMond, and the n a tu ra lis t b rie fly outlined to the Blandfords how the Museum could use the area as a liv in g laboratory where school classes, youth groups, and a ll In te r­ ested citizens could lit e r a lly "get th e ir fe e t back on the ground." In June 1964, the City Commission accepted the Blandfords' donation o f ten acres, to be managed by the Museum and used as a nature center. About eight acres of this plot 1s forested with a near climax beech-maple-oak woods covering the top and sides o f a deep ravine. 7 BLANDFORD CENTER LANDSCAPE Figure 2. Woods and Stream in Early Spring M i M i Figure 3. Field Approach to Nature Center, Showing Edge and Mature Forest in Background Figure 4. Deuling Meadow with C.A.Frost School in Background 8 THIRTY ACRES OF ROLLING MEADOW •VvW' ■fc* tti Figure 5. Facing North, Away From Woods : l £ * ■v-" «•■•■ XL‘.".-'O' - ,*> ' nf , - j * . i vl; ■*v » * ) ; t V. V\ ' v* ? ;U :£ . j »v -.v: Figure 6. Group Set to Explore Meadow w ith V o lu n teer Guide 9 Narrow Brandywine Creek meanders through the ravine, intercepted by a clean-water runoff from a drainage ditch in an adjacent residential area to the east. The remaining two acres to the south are aspen-cherry- ash-sassafras "edge11 growth and open meadow. Beyond the property lin e to the south lie s tw enty-five acres o f open meadow and marsh now owned by the City o f Grand Rapids, except fo r six acres. Most o f the meadow portion had been planted to corn and cover crops u n til the la te 1950s, at which time I t was placed under the United States Conservation Re­ serve program and allowed to revert to natural succession. Club g olf course borders the east side o f th is property. The Elks A small sec­ tion of meadow adjacent to the woods had been fenced o ff from the cul­ tivated area some years previously and was f i l l i n g 1n with sumac, haw­ thorn, grape vines, and a few mixed hardwoods. Approximately twenty acres of meadow owned by the John Deullng family lie s to the west. C. A. Frost Elementary School of the Grand Rapids School System 1s located on the southwest corner o f th is p lo t. The north end of the Deullng property Includes a continuation of the wooded deep ravine and Brandywine Creek. Mr. Dueling had cut the mar­ ketable timber during the la te 1930s, resulting in a th ick, spindly second growth o f predominately sugar maple. North o f the wooded area lie s about th irty acres o f ro llin g open meadow dotted with several small elm-r1mmed marshy spots, a remnant o f an old apple orchard, and a sentinel black cherry surrounded by a th icket of assorted f r u l t produclng w ild shrubs. A powerllne right-of-way separates the woods from the meadow. To a ll sides of this described undeveloped land are rapidly grow­ ing residential areas. 10 In it ia l Site Planning Hlllburn Avenue, the only access road to the Nature Center, te r ­ minated 1700 fe e t from the property lin e . The Museum petitioned the Grand Rapids Foundation fo r funds to extend Hi 11burn to that point and gravel a turn-around. The Foundation a llo tte d $3,400, and during the summer o f 1965 a crude graveled road was constructed by the City and a private excavating company. The Center was used prim arily fo r school classes under the guid­ ance of the Museum n a tu ra lis t, but I t was also heavily used by neigh­ borhood fam ilies who found I t a pleasant place to play and walk. Heavy use of the steep sides o f the ravine would have quickly resulted in barren, unsightly spots and a loss o f much o f the variety o f w ild flow­ ers and shrubs. Two one-quarter mile t r a il loops were la id out to reach as great a variety o f Interesting features as possible. At f i r s t the t r a ils were marked with streamers o f white sheet and used with classes on an experimental basis. A fter a few minor t r a f f ic adjustments were made, the t r a ils were covered with a four foot wide, four Inch thick layer o f wood chips contributed by the City Forestry Department. (See T r a ils , p. 32) P rio r to contributing the land fo r Nature Center use, Mr. Blandford had given the C ity o f Grand Rapids permission to route a sanitary sewer­ lin e through the v a lle y. He asked that a ll possible care be taken dur­ ing the excavation because he wanted the property l e f t In a natural state. The resulting disturbance along the 320 foot sewerline section denuded a 50-75 foot wide s trip of fo rty trees six Inches and over 1n diameter, and a l l undergrowth o f shrubs and w ild flowers. o f c a tta il marsh was also eliminated. A small area The excavation caused Brandywine 11 Creek to jump Its banks a t the west end of.the property and create an a u x ilia ry stream channel 1n the sewerline slash. The w ritten agreement between Mr. Blandford and the City called fo r the City to replace vegetation destroyed by the sewerline p ro ject. Although th is was quite Impossible 1n th is Instance, the Park Depart­ ment did plant several small trees and shrubs across the east end o f the sewerline to act as a t r a f f ic b uffer. The sewerline s trip had the appearance o f a d ir t road and connected two streets In i t s course across the landscape. I t was quite naturally used as a scenic shortcut by horseback rid e rs , b ic y c lis ts , snowmobllers, and drivers of a l l terra in vehicles. I t was hoped by the s ta ff th at through a good job o f neighborhood public re latio n s, vehicular t r a f f ic would use th is route and stay o ff the foot paths 1n the woods. Since the Nature Cen­ te r was not fenced or supervised 1n any regular manner, 1 t was appar­ ent th at certain compromises would have to be made with the public. I t must be admitted th at the sewerline presented an Interesting object lesson 1n plant succession as the disturbed land began to f i l l 1n1 I t also afforded an Ideal place fo r the placement o f log seats fo r an outdoor classroom and council f i r e ring. With guidance from the local o ffic e of the United States Soil Con­ servation Service, a small pond was dug to replace the marshy area which had been o b literated by the sewerline. The In te n t was to create a simi­ la r springtime wet spot, but the re s u lt, due to a high water ta b le , was a permanent pond about seventy-five fe e t by f i f t y feet and three fe e t deep. (See Grounds Maintenance, p. 43) 12 In it ia l Use of Center The Center was used sporadically by Grand Rapids school classes as teachers requested an outdoor experience. The n a tu ra lis t noted that 1n her classroom programs the students exhibited less and less knowledge of natural phenomena, less awareness o f th e ir role 1n nature, and l i t t l e respect for liv in g things. They were caught up 1n a boxed, bagged, and canned economy without re a lizin g th at the contents o f the boxes, bags, and cans were products o f nature. I t was d if f ic u lt to plan anything except b rie f excursions to the Nature Center because of the complete lack o f s h e lte r, restrooms, or emergency f a c ilit ie s . The Center 1s located six miles from the Museum, causing time lo s t through travel and w aiting fo r classes to a rriv e . From these minor frustrations grew an evermore elaborate plan fo r an Interp retive building with a resident s t a ff. Planning For An Interpretive Building The dream began to take form in August o f 1965 as the new Museum Director, W. D. Frankforter; Miss Norma Raby, Curator o f the Museum's Visual Education Department; and Miss Mary Jane Dockeray, N atu ralist (now Curator of Natural H isto ry ), staked out the s ite fo r an In te r­ pretive building and drew rough floo r plans and e x te rio r views. These would be ready 1n case someone should show In te re s t 1n-financing the project. There was l i t t l e hope that C ity funds would ever be available for building purposes. Within the month, as though the Fates had been standing by, the Grand Rapids Museum Association Board o f Directors announced that i t was looking fo r a special project. Mr. Frankforter presented the plans 13 MUSEUM ASSOCIATION PROMOTIONAL BROCHURES Figure 7. Showing Rough, Original Plans Figure 8. Architects' Sketch o f In terp retive Building 14 fo r the building and the Board agreed to seek funds f o r It s construc­ tio n . President Donald Thompson appointed fund raising and building comnlttees, a ll members o f the Association. The Association had lim it ­ ed funds o f its own, derived prim arily from profits o f Its Nature Shop 1n the Museum. Local foundations, organizations, and Industries were tapped fo r funds, and Interested Individuals made contributions. Mr. James Sanderson, Museum Association Board member, was p a rtic u la rly In ­ strumental 1n making contacts and securing pledges. The Idea o f a nature center was a new one for the area— a conser­ vative community th at frequently takes slowly to new Ideas. The Cura­ to r o f Natural History seized every possible opportunity to present i l ­ lustrated talks to area clubs and c iv ic organizations. I t was stressed that the Center would be open to the general public as well as to school classes. A $5,500 contribution came from a couple who said th at the project appealed to them because 1t was fo r everyone. The Grand Rapids Foundation and Downtown Klwanls Club each contributed $10,000, and many organizations and Individuals gave from $5.00 to $500. was made of a ll donors and acknowledgements sent. A complete l i s t Special appeals, such as the "Be a Christmas Angel" b u lle tin sent to Museum Association mem­ bers, netted $1,000 - $2,000 each. During the w inter of 1966, the archltectual firm of Frank and Stein o f Lansing was commissioned by the Museum Association to design a build­ ing, working from the original rough sketches. Its outside appearance should blend as unobtrusively as possible Into the woodland edge se ttin g . P eriod ically the Museum D irector, the Curator o f Natural H istory, and the Museum Association Building Committee met with the architects to evaluate the plan. Several compromises were made, A one story building I 15 LAYOUT OF ROOMS IN INTERPRETIVE BUILDING Figure 9. Front View Figure 10. Lobby 16 INTERPRETIVE BUILDING Figure 11. Book Nook Figure 12. W ild lif e Viewing Windows in Book Nook 17 INTERPRETIVE BUILDING Figure 13. Laboratory Figure 14. Mezzanine - Auditorium 18 would have been easier fo r physically handicapped v is ito rs , but 1 t would have spread the f a c i li t y over too great a land area. E le c tric heat, though more expensive than natural gas, was considered u ntil Michigan Consolidated Gas Company agreed to contribute the cost o f extending the gas main 1700 fe e t to the Nature Center property. Although the trunk- lin e o f the Lake Michigan water system to Grand Rapids passes through the Center property, 1t could not be d ire c tly tapped. there was no City water service on Hlllburn Avenue. to d r i l l a w e ll. At this point The decision was However, the City did grant permission to attach di­ re ctly to the sanitary sewer which had caused such a disruption 1n the valley. The t r l- le v e l plan submitted by the architects could not be modi­ fied to Include a dumb w aiter which would be highly desirable fo r mov­ ing books, e x h ib it m aterials, and food service. Original sketches c a ll­ ed fo r a large mechanical room 1n the finished plans. F1re Inspectors approved the plans a fte r an additional emergency door was Included at the rear of the building. The finished plans included a ll of the f a c ilit ie s 1n the original sketches, but modified as to size and arrangement. The broad fro n t overhang, enlarged lobby, and upstairs auditorium can sh e lte r three se­ parate groups a t a time. The "Book Nook," a comfortable lounge-type room with a fire p la c e , serves as a lib ra ry , small meeting room, and w ild life feeder viewing area. The laboratory 1s large enough to pro­ vide working space fo r an average class of 25-30. The mezzanine, or upper le v e l, can seat up to 125 and doubles as an exh ib it area. The portion o f the upstairs affected by the slant o f the roof 1s used for storage and o ffic e space. Most Incoming groups assemble 1n the } Figure 15. Hr. and Mrs. Victor Blandford Presenting First Junior Aide Badges 20 auditorium fo r a b r ie f orientation and leave fo r the tr a ils by the out­ side back stairway. The total Inside space 1s approximately 4800 square fe e t. The plans were submitted to the City Commission and approved. It was not without precedent, however, 1t was fa r from usual, th a t a p r i­ vate organ1zat1on--the Museum Association—should be permitted to con­ struct a building on City property, with the agreement that 1t would be turned over to the City upon completion. As money raising continued, the Curator o f Natural History r e a liz ­ ed I t was most Important that the Immediate community surrounding the Center be Informed of the new f a c i l i t y , the role 1t would p la y , and how they as neighbors could use 1t and aid In Its success. To e ffe c t this type o f public education, the Curator spoke at nearby PTA meetings, school assemblies, scout meetings, and neighborhood clubs. A budding volunteer corps began when the Curator encountered neigh­ borhood children playing in the woods'. They were excited about the pros* pect o f the Nature Center and wanted to know how they could help. Since they came from a h a lf dozen d iffe re n t schools, they frequently did not know each other and spent considerable time jousting fo r power. One of the boys suggested that a ll helpers should have some kind o f badge to mark them as members o f the Blandford Nature Center Junior Aide Corps. The resu lt was a sleeve patch featuring the Center's emblem—a screech owl—and marked Blandford Nature Center Junior Aide, Aide, or S ta ff. Boys and g irls eight and older q u a lify by helping to keep the property / U t t e r - f r e e , asking v is ito rs to use the t r a il s , and helping to maintain those t r a ils . This Is a loosely k n it group of youngsters whose enthusi­ asm outruns the number o f tasks available to them. The Curator's Figure 16. Groundbreaking with C.A.Frost School Children Looking On L eft, Dr. Ralph B. Baldwin, President of the Art and Museum Conmission Right, Mr. Victor Blandford 22 i n i t i a l thought was to provide a feelin g of belonging to the children who might otherwise engage in mischievous destruction which exists 1n any community. Good public relations cannot be over stressedl Construction o f the In te rp re tiv e Building Fund raising proceeded slowly through 1966 and 1967. The Museum Association was reluctant to begin construction u ntil s u ffic ie n t funds were assured. Richard Damstra and Edward Johnson, members of the West Michigan Contractors and Suppliers Association as well as the Museum Association, s o lic ited help from other members as a community service project for th e ir organization. Members interested in p articip atin g went over the plans and determined what they could contribute 1n the way o f labor and m aterials. Mr. Damstra then drew up a contract with a "not to exceed" cost of $69,414.89. They estimated the cost would be approximately $150,000 I f a ll labor and materials were obtained through re ta il sources. With a ll but a small portion o f the funds secured, the Museum As­ sociation authorized ground breaking to take place on December 17, 1968. I t 1s to be especially noted that this was not "ju st a job" fo r the par­ ticip a tin g members o f the Contractors and Suppliers Association. Rich­ ard Damstra was appointed general contractor, w ith his fa th e r, M. C. Damstra, a re tire d construction foreman, In s talled as on-the-job general supervisor. Great care was taken to see that surrounding vegetation and terra in were spared from construction damage. Retired stonemason, Thomas Damstra, made the rounds o f local gravel p its , selectin g, s p lit­ tin g , d elivering, and u ltim ately supervising the placement of fo rty -fo u r tons o f fieldstone. Workers and supervisors showed genuine in te re st 23 Figure 17. Lobby Before Waterfalls Figure 18. Lobby W a te rfa lls 24 and care in th e ir part of the building process. Several minor modifi­ cations requested by the Museum s ta ff were taken In good humored s trid e by the builders, as were several unique building problems posed by the architects. The Contractors and Suppliers fin a l cost was $66,014.56, a savings o f $3,400.33 over th e ir estimate, a true cooperative e f f o r t , and a beautiful monument for the community. While the building was under construction, three large thermopane windows were broken, e ith e r by vandals or a ll too curious children. To ward o ff future breakage, the Museum carpenter fashioned shutters o f eight ounce Fiberglas to f i t each of the fourteen ground flo o r windows. Each set o f four or fiv e 1s secured at the base by a metal pipe which 1s locked 1n place with a coupling. remove or replace them. I t takes less than ten minutes to The Fiberglas 1s strong enough to repel a p el­ le t gun blast as close as three fe e t. The shutters also prevent a f t e r - hours vis ito rs from looking into the building. Finishing touches Inside the building were l e f t fo r the Center’ s caretaker. One of his f i r s t challenges was construction o f a w ate rfall in one corner o f the lobby. The architects had l e f t this Item e n tire ly to the s ta ff's Ingenuity, providing only a 2 1/2' x 2 1/2' square hole. Boulders were added which help t e l l the geologic story of Michigan; plantings provide a b it of native greenery the year around. I t 1s a focal point 1n the lobby, emphasizing design and beauty 1n nature. V isits to gravel pits and g ifts from local rockhounds provided the nec­ essary stone. The square hole was camouflaged as a pool, and the bould­ ers were spread out and up the wall to cover an area 10' long, 5' wide, and 7' high. A circu latin g pump recycles water which tumbles refresh­ ingly over the rocks and waters the plantings. 25 There was an Immediate need fo r a garage to house a station wagon and a twelve H.P. garden tra cto r and attachments. The Museum Associ­ ation donated $2,000 fo r a tw o-stall garage constructed to blend with the In te rp re tiv e building. A year la te r a 20' x 20' addition, also do­ nated by the Museum Association, provided a much-needed carpenter shop. In the f i r s t two years o f the Center's operation, an o ffic e fo r additional s ta ff was p artitioned o f f from the upstairs storage area, and a Museum Association Nature Shop showcase was b u ilt 1n the lobby. A1r conditioning was In s talled to a lle v ia te an upstairs heat problem caused by the huge expanse o f southern exposed roof. Once again the Museum Association and private contributors came to the rescue, since financing a ir conditioning through the c ity budget would have been out of the question. The Development of an Operating Program As the In terp retive building neared completion 1n September, 1968, the City Commission Informed the Museum th a t there had been no budget allocated fo r the operation of the Nature Center. The Commission an­ nounced that this was a new project fo r which funds had never been pro­ vided. However, Museum records showed the Center had been authorized a budget o f $5,000 the previous year, the Commission had approved plans for the building, and had agreed to permit the Grand Rapids Museum As­ sociation to construct the building and turn I t over to the City. Commission continued to plead lack o f funds. The They assured the Museum they f e l t this was a worthwhile p ro ject, but that funds were more ur­ gently needed 1n other departments. The Museum Director was able to arrange the transfer o f the salary 26 of the Curator back to the central Museum budget* The o f fic ia l trans­ fe r o f the Nature Center caretaker from the Museum custodial s t a f f had not y e t taken place. As teachers called to arrange appointments fo r f a ll fie ld trip s , they were Informed o f the tenuous future o f the Nature Center. This led to a chain reaction o f teachers c a llin g teachers, who 1n turn c a ll­ ed the Mayor and members o f the C ity Commission. A delegation o f teach­ ers appeared at a C ity Commission meeting with the Museum Director and the Curator to voice th e ir concern and support. The Curator seized every opportunity to ta lk to c iv ic organizations and explain the reasons fo r a nature center in the community. Citizens responded as the teachers had, urging th e ir Commissioners to authorize s u ffic ie n t funds to give the Center an opportunity to open. The Grand Rapids Press and WOOD-TV ran news Items on the p lig h t o f the Center. The Curator offered to pay I n i t i a l operating expenses h erself un­ t i l regular financing could be found. small sums fo r such purposes. This prompted friends to donate Neighborhood children, caught up 1n the crusade, went door-to-door s o lic itin g donations; Cub Scouts held rum­ mage and bake sales — the Center's doors stayed open. Students from nearby Oaklelgh Junior High School gathered 2,000 signatures on p e ti­ tions which were presented to the City Commission. In early January, 1969, the Commission appropriated $5,000 toward a budget, with the un­ derstanding th at the Grand Rapids Board o f Education would allocate a lik e amount. The shaky ark had reached calmer waters 1 Since then, pru­ dent, conservative budget requests have been approved with very l i t t l e alte ratio n and no controversy. During the fin an cial c ris is 1 t also became apparent th at a 27 n a tu ra lis t and caretaker were not s u ffic ie n t s t a ff fo r such an opera­ tion . Who would greet v is ito rs , answer the phone, prepare exh ib its, perform se cretarial chores? How could one n a tu ra lis t provide guidance fo r more than one class at a time? Newspaper a rtic le s reporting on the Center's problems and p o s s ib ilitie s appealed for volunteers. It was during this hectic and uncertain beginning that an essential vol­ unteer corps was formed. (See Volunteer Program, p . 106) Since a Nature Center was a new concept fo r most o f the people of Grand Rapids, the f i r s t year was devoted prim arily to getting acquaint­ ed. School classes, unless the teacher requested a specific emphasis, were given a "general tour" to Introduce them to an ecological survey o f a West Michigan woodland and Its surroundings. Youth groups and casual v is ito rs were, and s t i l l a re , encouraged to use self-gu1d1ng woodland t r a il brochures. Although the in te rp re tiv e building was open Monday through Friday from 8 - 5 p.m ., the tr a ils were open at a ll times, since the area was not fenced and had been regularly used by neighbors. Interested organi­ zations which had made contributions were permitted to use the In te r­ pretive building fo r a meeting i f th e ir program was given by the Center's Curator. Continued newspaper and television coverage of a c tiv itie s , plus enthusiastic word-of-mouth comments from vis ito rs and volunteers, help­ ed to keep Blandford Nature Center before the public as its to tal pro­ gram continued to grow. The following pages w ill cover 1n more detail many o f the facets of the Center's operation which may prove to be use­ ful to others Interested 1n a sim ilar f a c ilit y . 28 Chronology o f LandAcquisition June, 1964 - 10 acres donation by Mr.and Mrs. Victor Blandford January, 1968 - 6 acres donation by Mr. and Mrs. V icto r Blandford May, Mr. and Mrs. Victor Blandford 1971 - 12 acres purchased from by the Grand Rapids Museum Association from the sale o f stock donated by the Ralph F. and Melvin Baldwins July, 1972 - 30.7 acres purchased from Mr. Chris VanEss from Michigan Recreation bonds August, Total 1972 - 1 acre donation by Mr. and Mrs. Victor Blandford - 59.7 acres GROUNDS DEVELOPMENT Blandford Nature Center serves a metropolitan population of 365,000 and 1s Inside the c ity lim its o f Grand Rapids, with a population of about 200,000. One o f the biggest questions that looms uppermost In Its devel­ opment plans 1s how to provide v is ito rs a stim ulating, active program, y e t preserve Its delicate habitats for these and future generations. The o rig in al ten acres of the Center Is located 1n the choicest p art of the mature beech-maple fo rest. Here are the magnificent 100- 200 year old trees, beds o f many varieties o f wild flowers, and the steep sides o f a deep ravine. The d is t r ic t forester for the Michigan Department o f Natural Resources recommended no cutting of mature trees nor removal o f diseased or dead ones unless they pose a hazard along the t r a ils . This p a rtic u la r area 1s maintained as "Nature taking It s course" as much as possible. Fallen trees and branches are also l e f t unless they f a l l across t r a ils . going to clean up the woods?" V isitors occasionally ask, "Aren't you A managed woodlot 1s planned fo r a sec­ tion of second growth woods which does not yet belong to the Center. T ra ils Two 1/4 mile loop t r a ils are woven through the woods, passing as many sites as possible th a t help to explain the development o f and l i f e in such a h a b ita t. The t r a ils were f i r s t marked with strips o f sheet u n til they were used by several groups and th e ir adaptability establish­ ed. Although 1t was an added t h r i l l fo r the youngsters to ford the creek, balance on a log, and scramble up the slippery banks o f the ra­ vine, this was hard on school clothes, devastating to ravine banks, and 29 30 TRAILS IN WOODS Figure 19. Showing 2 x 4 Curbing Figure 20. Steps and R a ilin g 31 FIRST TYPES OF TRAIL LABELS BLANDFORD NATURE CENTER I n J u n e , ( 96*1. ♦ hu b e a u t i f u l , u n s p o i l e d I r a c f of a n d *Q 1 g iv e n i o th e C '* v o ; T r ,iv: >-'ir d; b y Vl 1 V1 . j ■ .! V r j . ~ M 'l i'i **«.r J r a n d 3 t J r a * :r ) . , ' * , 1' - A o r e? r i ».*!” I o ’* : ’ ' ‘ I f ds P u b lic V u k e j' t ro«rnl J r d ‘ . 1 ! . . r. iri'iL ' v i'J 1 t)i r ) • V.' *r.i•“ its b o r d e r * lie f o r e s t , f i e l d and w u l e r e o c h a r o m p l e * . t i vi nq co mmu n i t y in i t s e l f e a c h r e l a t e d t o the* o t h e r in t he f o t o n a t l n q web o f l i f e . - I t ft your nature center. Please tre a t It a* you ^ g O tMd.-your chafceit po u ettfo n t. , Figure 21. Painted, Frosted P lastic Label TAk.Lt' Chm» Figure 22. Turn-the-Handle Action Label d if f ic u lt fo r older folks who also enjoyed the opportunity o f tramping the woods 1n a less strenuous manner. S light adjustments were made 1n the t r a il routes to accommodate a twelve horsepower tra c to r which was necessary to maintain the t r a il s — carry supplies, haul wood chips, clear snow. Wood chips, f i r s t from the City forestry department and la te r from the Consumers Power Company, are spread along the tr a ils four fe e t wide and about four Inches deep. During the f i r s t year o f use, the tr a ils widened to twelve fe e t 1n some places as groups tended to spread out. Raking the wood chips back to the four foot width helped l i t t l e . The caretaker In s ta lle d rough sawn two by fours as curbing 1n the most vul­ nerable areas. I t 1s not as pleasant visually as a simple path, but I t confines the footsteps and the chips! The f i r s t winter pointed up another hazard. Even though the tr a ils were cleared by snow blower, the steeper areas became extremely slippery a fte r a few classes had passed. from three Inch cedar posts. This was remedied by handrails made Negotiation o f the ravine and stream were made easier by railroad tie steps and a rough board foot bridge. Sand 1s sprinkled on steps and along the steeper parts of the t r a il during the winter. Curious, energetic neighborhood children who had been used to hav­ ing the woods as th e ir playground made tr a il marking a challenge. The f i r s t attempt was Id e a lis tic a lly elaborate, with signs that had covers to 1 1 ft, knobs to tu rn , and interesting shapes. The w ritten material was printed with le tte rin g guides 1n India Ink on frosted 1/16 Inch thick p lastic that had been painted on the back with assorted colors. The printed side was sprayed with a p la stic coating and framed with 33 PRESENT TYPES OF TRAIL LABELS Figure 23. Numbered Cedar Post m a y TRAILS l>n M ' ’ IX.STUIfr. ANIMALS rL O w rn s ■. T f» n .! i i i Figure 24. Welded Iro n w ith Fiberboard In s e rt 34 strips o f wood. Each had a b r ie f paragraph o f Information w ritten 1n language most la te r elementary age children could read, but 1n such a way that adults would also enjoy them. The signs were attached to two by two Inch wood stakes fiv e fe e t t a l l , Imbedded firm ly 1n large f r u i t ju ice cans f i ll e d with concrete, and burled two feet In the ground. These were quickly and systematically pulled out and strewn through the woods - - the labels wrenched from the stakes. This type o f marking should obviously be used only on a closely supervised t r a il with lim it ­ ed access 1 The next step was to try the two by two Inch stakes with only num­ bers on top. teen A self-guiding t r a i l brochure was w ritten featuring f i f ­ to twenty stops each quarter m ile. The brochures can be obtain­ ed fo r fiv e cents each at the Information desk 1n the In te rp re tiv e build­ ing. Because this meant that v is ito rs were out of luck when the building was closed, a dispenser was fastened to the fro n t porch. Although there were never more than a few coins 1n 1t at a time, 1 t proved to be too much o f a temptation to petty thieves and was soon damaged beyond repair. As the numbered posts met the same fate as the t r a i l lab els, they were replaced by three inch, four foot long cedar posts, Imbedded 1n the ground In two fee t o f concrete. the t r a il brochure. The slanted top was numbered to follow These have proved to be quite durable, lasting over two years to the date o f w riting with very l i t t l e damage. These are gradually being replaced by welded black metal signs with numbers that should be the most durable of a l l . The printed paragraph may yet be possible on one o f the more closely watched t r a ils In the future. Di­ rectional signs which slid e into a metal frame, welded on a metal post, have proved to be durable except fo r occasional defacing. 35 TRAIL FOR THE BLIND Figure 25. G1rl Examining Leaves Figure 26. Boy C a llin g Chickadees 36 Since there are several classes o f physically handicapped children in Grand Rapids, provisions are being included to make the Nature Cen­ te r more useful to them. Since the Center opened, v is u a lly handicapped students have come annually to c o lle c t insects 1n the open field s where fences, curbs, and t r a f f ic w ill not get in the way. the woods are useful to them, but r e s tr ic tiv e . The t r a ils through B ra ille t r a ils now In existence around the country depend on clumsy t r a il brochures in B ra ille and guide ropes or wires with a complicated system o f knots or knobs. Therapists from the Grand Rapids Association fo r the Blind reviewed the material fo r Blandford Center's B ra ille T ra il and deemed I t would make too bulky and expensive a booklet. They remarked that the blind person would be apt to frequently lose his place in examining the object and returning to the booklet again and again. They also advised against guide ropes or wires which had already been ruled out by the Center's s t a f f as being too easily vandalized. The therapists' suggestion was a regularly printed brochure to be read by a sighted person accompanying the blind investigator. In th is way the blind v is ito r's attention can be focused on sensing his surroundings while hearing the story at the same time. Some of the walk follows the f i r s t loop o f the woodland t r a i l , but since there w ill be re la tiv e ly few blind persons using i t , notations 1n the brochure w ill indicate where they can step o ff the t r a il to "see" a nearby feature. A small bag o f special props, such as crys­ ta ls of the minerals in g ran ite, chips of sassafras root, w ill be part of the t r a il guide, A tape o f Id e n tifie d typical seasonal sounds w ill be available fo r those who would lik e to use 1 t. The f i r s t part of the t r a il fo r the blind w ill follow the Pot Pourri T rail in front o f the in te rp re tiv e building. This area 1s being 37 POT POURRI TRAIL Figure 27. Packed Road Gravel T rail Figure 28. Raised Boardwalk 38 POT POURRI TRAIL .Figure 29. Pond Showing Vinyl Lining Figure 30. Finished Pond and Bridge Figure 31. Woodland Overlook 39 designed as a "mini nature center" fo r those physically handicapped or e ld erly who cannot negotiate the regular tr a ils . The t r a i l i t s e l f is packed road gravel* hard enough to support a wheel chair. so is a raised* railed boardwalk past a marshy area. Included a l­ Abbreviated habi­ tats o f woods* edge, f ie ld , pond, and marsh are being developed here on about one acre of land. A local garden club 1s financing this t r a i l , giving $1,000.00 for construction of the walks, ponds, black d i r t , and an underground sprinkling system. Special memorials to deceased members have added native specimen trees found seldom or not at a ll elsewhere 1n the Center. Another memorial provided a large bird feeder. struction 1s done by the Center's caretaker. All con­ The underground sprinkl­ ing system is constructed of 3/4 Inch p lastic pipe with detachable w hlrU b ird sprinklers. The pond 1s about 25 feet long, 10 feet wide and 1 1/2 fe e t deep, lined with 10-mil v in y l, covered with clean sand. I t is f i l l e d from the sprinkling system with gradual seepage maintaining a marshy spot on one side. Grass seed planted around the Irre g u la r edge o f the pond where the vinyl was anchored and burled, held the soil u n til native pond plants were introduced or grew n atu rally. Neighborhood children almost Immediately planted some small blueg llls which quickly set up housekeeping that could be ea sily watched 1n the clear water. mer. Some minnows were added the same way la te r in the sum­ Supplemental feedings o f canned dogfood were necessary u n til nat­ ural foods became available. A remedy for a th ick algae bloom that ap­ peared 1n the f a l l , has yet to be found. A bridge over the pond allows fo r wheel chairs and has a bench on each side where vis ito rs can watch the pond animals in action. 40 SEWERLINE SLASH THROUGH RAVINE Figure 32. Freshly Cut, 1965 Figure 33. Growth Along Sewerline, 1971 Figure 34. Outdoor Classroom Along Sewerline 41 In this same area and ju s t 75 feet from the in te rp re tiv e building, the caretaker has b u ilt a 20’ x 30* "Woodland Overlook." I t is placed to give the v is ito r a feeling o f being projected into the woods without walking the t r a ils . This ra ile d platform was designed fo r the physical­ ly handicapped, but i t 1s thoroughly enjoyed by a l l . face path leads from the building to the Overlook. A ra ile d , hard sur­ A slab of concrete at the beginning o f the path has imbedded 1n i t the Imprints o f the common leaves o f the woods. An answer sheet is available at the information desk. As mentioned in the Introduction, at the time Victor Blandford gave the City o f Grand Rapids the f i r s t ten acres fo r the Nature Center, he also gave permission fo r a sanitary sewer trunkllne to run through the ravine. Although there was a w ritten agreement from the City that as l i t t l e as possible would be disturbed and destroyed and vegetation would be replaced, modern excavating equipment and methods do not respect such agreements in the eyes of a n a tu ra lis t! A 50-75 foot swath, 320 fee t long was la id bare through the eight acre woods. Forty trees six inches in diameter and over were toppled; a ll undergrowth and a small spring­ time frog pond were also destroyed. Members of the local Audubon Club pitched in to clear debris along the sewerline and trim broken shrubs and trees. A fter the Museum s ta ff's I n i t i a l shock wore o f f , i t was determined that this would be an excel­ le n t t r a il fo r several years to show how nature heals such a wound 1n the landscape. The liv in g picture o f plant succession is la id out perfectly from the bare center o f the path to the climax forest a few fe e t away. The opening was a good spot fo r an outdoor classroom, which was construct­ ed from old barn timbers by members of the Grand Rapids Junior College 42 Forestry Club. The sewerline happens to connect two streets in its h a lf mile snake through the woods; so th is quite n atu rally became a short cut fo r not only those on fo o t, but also fo r those on horseback and motorcycles. While 1t upsets the s e n s ib ilitie s o f many to think that motorcycles are allowed In the nature center, there are several factors to consider: 1. There 1s no fence around the Center. 2. The property 1s not patrolled regularly and not at a ll fo r many hours a t night and on weekends. 3. Horses and motorcycles are an a ll too evident fa c t o f l i f e 1n the Blandford Nature Center neighborhood. 4. Every e ffo rt 1s made by the s ta ff to ta lk with cyclists and horse­ men encountered 1n the Center. They are permitted passage along the sewerline with the agreement that they w ill pass as quietly as possible and stay o ff the wood-chipped tr a ils that are fo r foot travel only. This procedure has worked w ell, even though 1t must be repeated as new­ comers appear. Far more cooperation and good w ill are created by this approach rather than a ban which cannot be enforced, or impatient scold­ ing which is sometimes on the tip o f the tongue! V isitors sometimes mentioned that 1 t would be pleasant to be able to s i t and soak up the atmosphere of the woods, but there were no bench­ es. This has now been remedied with two rough hewn benches placed In especially scenic spots. They are anchored to a concrete slab which a l­ so serves as a hard base which swinging fe e t w ill not wear away. When 30.7 acres of meadow were added to the Center, the Immediate query was, "What are you going to do to 1t?" Except for a protective 43 m u ltiflo ra rose hedge around 1 t , there are no plans to do anything more to 1t than to try to maintain 1 t as I t Is with no regular t r a ils . 1s This a place where classes can explore without the confinement o f a t r a i l . Classes w ill be supervised by a Center n a tu ra lis t and sample collecting w ill be heavily re s tric te d . This 1s true throughout the Center, except fo r some le a f co llectin g 1 n the f a l l , and Insects in the fie ld s . Fencing In the summer o f 1972 the Center acquired 30.7 acres o f beautiful ro llin g meadow north o f the o rig in al parcel. One steep hi 11 has been gouged by motorcyclists who have access along a power company lin e rig h tof-way. Thirty members o f the senior class o f a local high school p lant­ ed multi flo ra rose along the boundaries o f this meadow. hedge grows, unwanted access w ill be reduced. As the rose I t 1s the Curator's hope th a t the Center property w ill never have to be fenced except fo r simi­ la r hedges placed 1 n potential trouble spots where vehicles might enter. This whole natural area had been a neighborhood oasis where children played and fam ilies walked. With thoughtfulness and cooperation from the neighbors and the Center s t a f f , a free and frien d ly atmosphere w ill prevail without the menacing, challenging presence o f a chain lin k fence. Ponds The small springtime frog pond, destroyed by the sewerline, was a feature desired In that part o f the woods. A spot was selected with the help of the local o ffic e o f the United States Soil Conservation Service. As the caretaker dug the pond. I t became Immediately apparent th at this would be a permanent pond. Conditions were too wet to dig the pond to 44 PONDS Figure 35. Man-made Woodland Pond and Boardwalk Figure 36. Man-made Pond, Looking Toward T ra ils and Interp retive Building Figure 37. Muskrat Pond, Undeveloped 45 a depth o f more than three fee t in the middle. The original outlin e was quite round, which invited neighborhood b icyclists to use Its edge as a track. This was remedied by creating an irre g u la r outlin e and building a boardwalk along one side to afford access to the pond edge without Injuring vegetation and move t r a f f ic easily to the north sec­ tion of the Center. Annual rye grass s ta b ilized the pond edge and a few desired native plants were Introduced. An in le t was created from Brandywine Creek to help flush o f f surface algae. age Into a low spot on the fa r side of the pond. The overflow 1s seep­ Ultim ately this in le t w ill create a s iltin g problem which can be easily taken care o f by a few pulls with a dragline. Greater water saturation caused the death of several large trees close to the pond. Those which endangered the boardwalk were removed. A 1971 purchase o f twelve acres Included a muskrat pond o f about two acres. To a large degree Its water level 1s determined by runoff from an adjoining g o lf course and Its high f e r t i l i z e r content. Water plants abound, but conditions seem to have remained stable fo r a good many years. Its greatest depth 1s about four fe e t. Open water gives way to a ring of c a tta ils , beyond which there 1 s a dense growth o f such species as red-os1 e r, gray dogwood, hlghbush cranberry, with a sprink­ lin g o f young elms, poplars and ash. Beyond this growth 1s open meadow. I t 1s d if f ic u lt to d ire c t the excited movements o f a class of children In this area unless a narrow t r a il circles the pond 1 n as unobtrusive a way as possible. A small dock w ill enable students to reach deeper water fo r observations which cannot be made from the t r a i l . guiding brochures w ill be available by the spring o f 1973. S e lfThe pond 1s a quarter of a mile from the In terp retive building so i t w ill not Figure 38. Muddy Parking Lot Figure 39. Surfaced Parking Lot, Service Area Fence, Garage-workshop, and In terp retive Building 47 - receive the extensive, concentrated use as do the closer tr a ils . The dividing lin e between the forest and field s th at were c u ltiv a t­ ed u n til about ten years ago, has become the popular "Edge T r a il." As y e t, i t remains only a narrow foot path, weaving back and forth from the tre es , through the shrubs and along the edge of the f ie ld — a blend of h ab ita ts, y e t with a unique story o f Its own. There is no w ritten guide brochure a t present and the t r a il is used prim arily by groups accompani­ ed by a g u id e -n a tu ra lis t. I t loops into the ravine, along the sewerline, and returns to the In te rp re tiv e building by way o f a branch of woodland t r a i l — a distance o f s lig h tly more than a h a lf mile. P a rkin g Adequate parking areas are a must. At one time the parking lo t at Blandford Center may contain twenty or more cars and two or three school buses. The f i r s t three years a fte r the In terp retive building opened, the parking area was about 250 fe e t by 50 fe e t with a thin graveled sur­ face. I t was frequently overcrowded and muddy to the point where cars had to be pushed out. Visitors complained o f wet and muddy feet - - s ta ff complained o f wet and muddy floors! about $5,000.00. Estimates fo r blacktopping were A fter newspaper p u b lic ity pictured the lo t during an especially muddy period, a City Commissioner suggested glassphaltlng the surface with crushed glass as a way o f using discarded b ottles. At this point the lo t was doubled 1 n size to accommodate estimated future crowds and local companies were s o lic ite d fo r assistance. The director o f the C ity Street Department supervised the operation which would have cost $10,000 had the f u ll price been paid. Donations of $500 each from the local chapter of the Izaak Walton League and the Grand Rapids-based I I 48 pyer-Ives Foundation, labor from the Center caretaker and s tre e t depart­ ment employees o ffs e t some of the expense. The local Coca-Cola Bottling Company contributed 100 tons o f glass fo r which they could have received $20.00 per ton at a recycling depot. Local paving companies donated some o f the cost of mixing and laying the glassphalt. was approximately $3,000.00. Total actual cost Besides this being another community e f­ fo rt fo r the Nature Center, 1 t 1s an experimental recycling project 1n a public place where 1 t can be observed by a ll. At one end o f the parking lo t and beside the garage-workshop lie s a f l a t , bare area where gravel, sand, compost, railroad tie s , cedar posts and firep lace wood are stored. This 1s screened on the parking lo t side by a natural wood s la t fence. Typical Michigan shrubs are planted along the fence fo r an a ttra c tiv e softening e ffe c t as well as being Instruc­ tio n a l. The parking lo t median w ill also be planted with Michigan trees and shrubs. Boulders of typical and Interesting rocks from a local gravel p it make a geology t r a il along the west side of the parking lo t. Log Cabin and Plant T rail In the summer of 1971 a friend of the Nature Center spotted a log cabin that was being torn down near Wayland, Michigan. Investigation disclosed that 1t belonged to the Joseph Kuhtlc fam ily, was at least 100 years o ld , and they would give 1t to the Center. This was the be­ ginning o f the Pioneer Heritage program (See Program, p. 71). Because the structure o f the building would not permit 1 t to be moved in ta c t, each piece was carefu lly numbered, dismantled and reconstructed in a pleasant settin g under a venerable maple adjacent to the south end of the parking lo t. New chinking of mortar and straw and a new shake 49 LOG CABIN Figure 40. Front View Figure 4 1 , Pioneer Farmyard 50 LOG CABIN INTERIOR Figure 42. Kitchen Area Figure 43. Bedroom 51 PIONEER FARMYARD Figure 44. Pioneer Life Class Working In Garden Figure 45. Tool Shed Figure 46 . Pioneer P lan t T r a il Through F ie ld 52 shingled roof gave the appearance o f U v a b lH ty . The cabin had had a cobblestone c e lla r which was also included at the new s ite . o f the cabin contains one room with an upstairs bedroom. The Inside I t has white­ washed walls and furnishings that were used by area cabin dwellers o f the 1660s to 1900. The yard around the cabin 1s being developed to appear as 1t might have 1n that era. Old fashioned yellow roses and lila c s have been plant­ ed, along with flowering and red-os1er dogwood, Indian currant, a t r e ll i s trained w ild grape, and four old-time apple trees. A herb wheel decorates the fro n t yard and a neatly stacked h a lf cord of wood 1s close at hand In the backyard. The Immediate yard 1s separated from the f ie ld by a pine stump fence. A s p lit r a il fence w ill separate the front yard from the parking lo t. The Pioneer L ife class of the children's summer program maintains a small old time vegetable garden In the side yard, complete with scarecrows and companion plants to discourage Insects. Some o f the harvest Is stored 1n the c e lla r of the cabin or dried 1 n the a ttic bed­ room. A rough board and batten farm equipment shed and corn crib com­ plete the farrnyard setting. A loop of about 1,000 fee t circles a portion o f the f ie ld behind the pioneer log cabin. pioneers and Indians. Its emphasis 1s on plants th at were used by the I t opened 1n the f a ll of 1972 1n conjunction with the Pioneer Heritage program being In s titu ted especially fo r th ird level students. (See Educational Program, p. 71). Brochures are available fo r teachers to take back to the classroom, and fo r adult vis ito rs to use on th e ir own. I t is fa r from an exhaustive account of useful p lants, but lis ts about twenty-five species, along with comments on the pioneer farmyard. 53 SCHOOLHOUSE Figure 47. Moving Day Figure 48. Restored on Temporary S ite 54 Schoolhouse An 1853 one room schoolhouse, donated 1n the summer o f 1972, is being restored and 1s being used as a workshop fo r the Pioneer Heritage program. The cabin 1s too small to permit classes to p articip ate in any o f the pioneer s k ills , although demonstrations can be held there. The school w ill permit 25-30 children a t a time to move about fre ely and work in an atmosphere s im ila r to that known to a child of the mid1800s to 1900. To further ease the current lack o f space, the school w ill be used as the headquarters fo r the Center's summer program fo r children. It w ill eventually have a basement lapidary shop and darkroom. Moving a building 1s an expensive and involved project. The donor was given a $2,000.00 contribution grant fo r Income tax purposes. It would have cost fa r more than th at to construct a building o f sim ilar size. Even though the building was located only four and one h a lf miles from the Center, numerous powerllnes, mailboxes, and tree branches cross ed and lined the route. The telephone company engineer announced that he "stopped counting" when the estimated fee fo r th e ir services reached $10,000.00. Both the telephone company and power company agreed that th e ir charge would be greatly reduced I f the roof could be removed from the school to clear most wires. The lowest estimate fo r roof removal and replacement was about $2,100.00; mover, $600.00; telephone company, a $750.00 deposit; and power company a reduction to $300.00 from th e ir origin al $1,200.00 figure as a philanthropic gesture. A fte r the school was safely d e liv ­ ered, there was p la s te r, p a in t, rew iring, and a future cost of base­ ment, foundation, water, sewer, and power hook-up, and the in s ta lla tio n 55 o f a furnace. Total cost including a ll moving and renovation is esta- mated to be about $10,000.00. th is is a very high price I For a donated building many w ill think Contributions w ill cover a ll but Blandford Center s t a f f labor, as did the $2»500-$3,000 required to move and re­ furbish the log cabin. buildings themselves. Already much in te re s t has been shown in the They are a remnant of the past fo r which a strong feelin g s t i l l smolders within the hearts of senior citize n s . The cur­ rent trend toward preserving our heritage runs high among the middle aged, and a certain s p ir it of excitement and adventure s tirs in the young who marvel at the way things looked and were done in the "olden days." A t ie between man's made and natural heritage is a valid facet o f the educational program of a nature center. Having the authentic buildings to work with adds a much greater sense o f realism than could be conjured up in a modern structure. All buildings have been located 1n such a way as to blend with the general landscape and not overpower each other or detract from the plea­ sant vista as v is ito rs approach along H illburn Avenue. Approximately twenty acres to the west of the existing property lin e 1s now under negotiation. u n til only a few years ago. This 1s mostly open fie ld cultivated When this becomes available to the Center sometime in 1973, plans w ill proceed with the Grand Rapids Board o f Education to develop this into ten by ten foot garden plots for f i f t h level students. (See Program, p. 7 3 ). To the west o f this plot lie s a twenty-four acre general farm which Is now being worked. center A ten or twenty year projection of nature plans c a lls fo r Blandford Center to develop a model general farm with a resident farmer. (See Program, p. 74) 56 Preserving Habltats Besides these many areas of development at Blandford Center, i t 1s also necessary to maintain the status quo In habitats which need to be preserved as w ild life cover as well as fo r educational purposes. Fields gradually f i l l 1n with shrubs and young trees as the orderly march o f plant succession moves on, ponds f i l l w ith s i l t and vegetation, trees Invaded by forest insects and broken by weather w ill block or en­ danger tr a ils and clog the stream. 1s At Blandford Center, woody growth regularly cut 1 n the fie ld s , the shrub zones are thinned, and dan­ gerous branches are removed only from on or near t r a il s . T ra il guides and brochures explain the natural cycle of trees being returned to the soil as nutrients for vegetation of the future, but there are s t i l l those who ask, "When are you going to clean up the dead logs?" Thus fa r 1t has not been necessary to dredge any of the ponds, although excess fa lle n branches are removed from the creek. Some are l e f t to decrease stream flow in the spring and during heavy rains. T ra ffic flow direction along the tr a ils has already been discus­ sed. I t Is also necessary to find means of directing t r a f f ic away from certain areas that seem to draw the public. Neighborhood c h ild ­ ren especially tend to establish new tr a ils as short cuts. h ills id e s are tempting as mud or snow slides. land Overlook 1s scarred by sliding fe e t. Ravine The area below the Wood­ Birds and squirrels scurry fo r cover when people blunder Into th e ir feeding area. Signs are re­ moved or frequently Ignored to make this a constant maintenance pro­ blem. Shrubs are planted along u n o fficial t r a ils . Brush cuttings are also used here as well as on the ravine h illsid e s and around the Over­ look. A ru stic fence and a sign asking visitors to stay out o f the 57 w ild life feeding areas do help. Messages on signs should be b r ie f, unconfusing and stated 1n a posi­ tiv e rather than a negative vein whenever possible. "Keep Out!" and "Do not pick flowers," foster less good w ill and cooperation than "Please stay on the tra ils " and "Please take nothing except happy memories." Unsupervised small fry who frequent Blandford Center must have some o f the rules o f conduct explained. only a case of ignorance. Most o f f t r a il abuse Is not In te n tio n a l, The principal reason fo r a nature center's existence is to erase the ignorance and replace 1 t with an in te llig e n t concern fo r liv in g things. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS General Procedures When Blandford Center o f f ic ia lly opened In September, 1968, the C urator-naturalist was the only instructional s ta ff. Her immediate plan called fo r one class v is it in the morning and one in the afternoon, as she had been conducting fie ld trip s fo r many years. Since this would severely lim it the number o f classes that could be served, and also leave no one 1 n charge o f the In te rp re tiv e building, i t was imperative th at a corps of volunteers be Immediately activated. By October that year, the building hostess system had been established and about a h a lf dozen volunteer gulde-naturallsts were conducting general tours. (See Volunteer Program, p. 106). The general tour was an over a ll Introduction to the Center to ac­ quaint teachers and students with the new f a c i li t y . This I n i t i a l tr ip consisted of a tour of the building and Its exhibits and usually an ex­ ploration tr ip along the t r a ils 1 n the woods, using a broad ecological approach geared to early or upper elementary grade levels. Occasionally teachers who had frequently worked with the Curator, would request a specific topic be covered on the f ie ld t r ip . The Curator took these ap­ pointments u n til volunteer guides developed broader backgrounds. As the number of gu1de-natural1sts Increased, the Curator set an arb itra ry 11 mlt o f four classes or approximately one hundred students fo r each h a lf day. She f e l t that with careful planning, the guides could s t i l l manage to find an area to be alone with th e ir class and es­ cape the feeling o f confusion and people pressure. The f i r s t year, as teachers learned about the Center, the question o f lim its did not arise 58 59 u n til spring, when many classes take annual trip s . few classes A fte r permitting a to use the Center without a guide-naturalist, the Curator decided that a trained guide must accompany each group. Teachers gen­ e ra lly agreed with the plan as most o f them were not used to teaching outdoors and f e l t th at a trained guide would make the class experience much more worth w hile. There was an occasional comment that Blandford Center Is a public place and lim its could not be set. The lim its continued with the spring and f a ll rushes causing several thousand students to be turned away each year. At this w ritin g , the lim itin g o f numbers of people who use state and national parks 1s becoming standard. The Curator s t i l l firm ly be­ lieves that a q u a lity experience Is more Important than herding through vast numbers to accomplish very l i t t l e except to make a glowing s ta tis ­ t ic on a report! As more people search fo r a rewarding outdoor educa­ tion experience, even the remotely located nature centers w ill be hard pressed to present a q u ality program unless numbers are lim ite d . The Museum had an established policy of providing guides 1n Its planetarium and health hall programs fo r none younger than f i r s t level students. The Nature Center soon adopted a lik e policy when 1t was in ­ undated with requests from nursery schools, head sta rt classes and kin­ dergartens. The farmyard animals phase in the Center's future plans w ill accommodate these children. (See Special Educational Programs, p. 74) In the spring o f 1971 a Kindergarten v is ita tio n program was I n i t i ­ ated, sending a guide-naturalist Into a Kindergarten classroom fo r a fifte e n or twenty minute informal ta lk . These talks use a seasonal theme to stimulate In te re s t In and an appreciation for liv in g things. 60 CLASS ACTIVITIES Figure 49. Assembling fo r Blindfold Sensory Walk Figure 50. Trimming B irds' Christmas Tree 61 Frequently some o f the animals from the Center's "menagerie" are used. This has become known as the "V isitin g Lady Bug Program," although some o f the male student teachers rebel at the "Lady Bug" appellation and coin th e ir own t i t l e , such as "Horse Fly" or "Cockroach1" They admit to Immensely enjoying th e ir Kindergarten adventure. For nineteen years p rio r to the opening o f Blandford Nature Center, the Curator v is ite d Grand Rapids school classrooms on a request basis. She had prepared approximately one hundred programs re la tin g to the s c i­ ence and social studies curriculum. Although her time 1s now lim ited prim arily to the administration of the Nature Center, these programs are s t i l l available upon request. Most o f the programs are illu s tra te d with 35 mm. s lid e s , which became the source o f material fo r some o f the In ­ door supplemental material now used with classes v is itin g the Center. As teachers and volunteers became more fa m ilia r with the Nature Center, there were requests fo r more specialized programs th at would supplement a classroom unit o f study. The s ta ff f e l t that 1 t was more important to prepare as useful an experience as possible, rather than to set up a specific theme fo r a given time and hope that 1 t would f i t Into a teacher's plan. Since most teachers schedule a t r ip to the Na­ ture Center to supplement a science u n it, the s ta ff reviewed the sev­ eral science curricula used 1n the schools o f metropolitan Grand Rapids and planned fie ld experiences accordingly. Discussions with teachers making appointments help to pinpoint useful approaches. A schedule book at the Information desk makes 1t any hostess or s ta ff member to take appointments. divided Into morning and afternoon. possible fo r Each page 1s a day Each appointment records: name o f school, name of teacher, school telephone number, number In group, 62 grade, program desired, amount of time at the Center, and date appoint­ ment was made. Another column 1s la te r f ille d In with the name of the guide assigned. Most of the hostesses have become adept at asking a teacher about the kind o f program desired. To confirm appointments, each morning hostess ca lls the schools scheduled fo r the following morning and each afternoon hostess calls those scheduled fo r the following afternoon. This system has worked very w e ll, catching the few cancellations which have not been report­ ed. Many nature centers send confirmation notices to each class. During the busy seasons o f f a l l and spring, 1t 1s advisable fo r teachers to schedule a month or two 1 n advance to reserve the time which w ill be most convenient and useful to the class. This 1s also true fo r the tour o f the sugar bush, a popular annual event which runs the month o f March. (See Special Educational Programs, p. 6 8 ). The w inter months from about Thanksgiving to March 1, are re la ­ tiv e ly slow, perm itting s ta f f n atu ralists to prepare and update pro­ grams and exh ib its. Some nature centers use this time to send na­ tu ra lis ts Into the schools on a regular or request basis, depending on the size of the system served. The Grand Rapids system 1s too large and the Nature Center s t a f f too small to permit any kind o f a to tal coverage. By designing catchy programs, Blandford Center 1s endeavor­ ing to promote the use o f the outdoors during the w inter. An in tro ­ duction to w in ter birds and bird feeding In December 1s e n title d , "The Birds' Christmas." Classes frequently bring strings or cups of wild bird foods to hang on the birds' Christmas tree 1 n front o f the In te r­ pretive building. With the Introduction o f a variety of conifers along the Pot Pourrl 63 T r a il, classes w ill be scheduled fo r Christmas greens and legends about them from around the world. January and February are months to schedule trip s which further draw In units on social studies concerning "Michigan Mammals - T ra ils , Tracks and Trapping." Field trip s are highlighted by a search for an i­ mals' w inter re tre a ts , tracks of active members of the Center's wild community, and a demonstration program of the history o f the fu r Indus­ try 1n Michigan. A ll programs are adapted to varying grade levels when possible. Trips are ra re ly cancelled because of inclement weather. Each guide and s t a f f n a tu ra lis t is expected to have an indoor prgram to pre­ sent on an extremely rainy or cold day. They use slides from the Cen­ te r's lib r a r y , a flannel board presentation, chalk ta lk , games, actual specimens, or any materials from the numerous stored supplies. There is usually some time during th e *v is it when the rain lets up or when a short period in the icy a ir is stimulating and exciting . The brochure to the teachers and the follow-up telephone call caution about having the class and the teacher and adults dress according to the weather and to expect conditions at the Center to be somewhat more severe than they are in the c ity . A frequent question from teachers is "How many adults do you want with the class?" the group. Or they report how many mothers w ill be accompanying Even though 1t 1s s t i l l usually not possible staff-w ise to divide a class of tw enty-five or th ir ty into h alf or th ird s , i t does not seem to help to have several mothers included. Some mothers tend to group together at the rear o f the class, carrying on an animated and t o ta lly unrelated conversation. Or there may be one who gets so wrapped 64 up in the fie ld t r ip that she is constantly butting in to ask or answer questions, even when the guide subtly suggests th at the t r ip Is fo r the children. Most classes arrive on school buses, although a few come in private cars. Buses usually hold f i f t y to sixty children, and teachers, trying to cut expenses, prefer to schedule two classes a t a time. Children in the outlying school d is tric ts are provided free transportation to the Nature Center. The Grand Rapids Public Schools charge students accord­ ing to the number o f miles and the amount o f time the bus Is used. Charges may run seventy-five cents per student fo r schools farthest from the Center. Students are not charged fo r trip s which are Included as a required part of the curriculum. Since the Grand Rapids Board o f Education makes an annual appropri­ ation to the City fo r Museum services, the Grand Rapids school children do not pay an admission charge. Students from the outlying schools, which make no appropriation fo r Museum services, are charged tw enty-five cents each. This money must be turned Into the C ity's General Fund. Carefully prepared children are stimulated by the prospect o f be­ ing out of the classroom and having an adventure. private cars tend to be p a rtic u la rly stimulated. Those who a rrive in Since as i t has been previously stated, 1t is the general policy at Blandford Center to have each class assemble 1 n the auditorium fo r a b r ie f orientation before going outside. This 1s an opportunity fo r the group to reorganize, the guide to Introduce herself and fo r her to find out by questioning the students, how prepared they are fo r the program scheduled for them. She also goes over a few basic "ground rules" and explains why they are important: 65 1. Stay on the tr a ils in the woods to protect the d elicate liv in g things from the beat o f thousands o f v is itin g fe e t, 2. stay with or behind the guide so as not to miss anything, 3. remember th at this is a w ild life sanctuary and collecting specimens would soon destroy the plants and w ild life that liv e and work here. Discipline is seldom a problem, even with an en tire class in tow. Teachers are asked to handle any d isciplinary a c tio n .th at might be nec­ essary. Most classroom v is its to the Nature Center are necessarily lim ited 1n time by schedules with buses, safety p atro ls, lunches, team teachers and special teachers. Secondary schools are especially lim ited to one hour or less unless, under some team teaching programs, blocks of time can be reserved with a ll Involved teachers p articip atin g in the f ie ld t r ip . Under these circumstances, arrangements can be made to permit the students to eat sack lunches in an area specified by the Nature Cen­ te r . Otherwise there are no picnic f a c ilit ie s availab le. This 1s a policy which w ill stand at least until such time when adequate Indoor and outdoor space can be adapted fo r easy care and the average person has acquired better manners about cleaning up a fte r himself! Teachers who have visited the Center before are aware o f the liv e animal room and frequently request that the guide spend some time there, even I f i t 1s not part o f the planned program fo r that class. This is tru e, to a lesser extent, o f the exhibits In the building, which are de­ signed more fo r the casual v is ito rs . These requests are honored as time permi t s . The rare high school class which does have a day to spend at the Center, may select a series o f experiences such as comparative 66 CLASS ACTIVITIES Figure 51. Supervised Exploration a t Edge o f Woods Figure 52. Class with Field Mouse - Face to Face Introduction Nature 67 Investigations into the several water habitats or land habitats with lim ited sampling which can be studied in more detail in the laboratory. Another investigation includes contrasting man's impact on the land and its resources around the Nature Center with his impact on the area around the students' school neighborhood. This study can be culminated with a bus tr ip highlighting current environmental concerns around Grand Rapids. A Blandford Center n aturalist can be scheduled to help plan and conduct the trip . Physically, mentally and emotionally handicapped children are regu­ la r visitors. Except for the t r a il for the blind, the Pot Pourri Trail and Woodland Overlook for physically handicapped, (See Grounds Develop­ ment, p. 41) each guided group of handicapped children has a program designed to meet its special needs. These are usually small groups of less than one dozen, although Increasing numbers of wheel chair cases are coming at one time. Present building fa c ilitie s are not adequate or particularly designed for wheelchairs but plans for the proposed ad­ dition w ill rememdy th is . (See Interpretive Building Expansion, p. 139) An annual summer event fo r the blind and perceptually handicapped children 1s a session of Insect collecting In one of the Center's field s. Each student comes prepared with net and k illin g ja r he has made. Those who are to ta lly blind have sighted persons do the actual catching for them. They are free to roam the fi^ ld without fear of tr a ffic or other impediments - free to fe e l, lis te n , smell, and satisfy a child's urge to collect. Certainly the few insects sacrificed in this way 1s ju s ti­ fiable I Special emphasis on the observation of and care and respect fo r living things is the general theme which runs through a ll programs for 68 the emotionally handicapped, even though a particular theme is request­ ed. With fo rty -fiv e to f i f t y thousand visitors using the fa c ilitie s each year, most of them in organized classes, i t is impossible to per­ mit free investigation and collecting. The principal focus of the planned programs is to cultivate a feeling of respect for living things and a better understanding of the complex Interrelationships among them and man. The greatest challenge 1s to relate the city child to the of­ ten strange and frightening world he sees at the Nature Center. Is there any way, in the b rie f v is it , to make a lasting impression on a child that may influence his attitudes and actions? How does one mea­ sure the impact an outdoor experience has on a child? There are so many variables that a valid measurement 1s Impossible. The Blandford Center s ta ff Is continually searching fo r better ways of making those impressions positive, lasting ones which w ill re fle c t on the student's decisions as he functions as a responsible citizen in his community. Lofty sounding phrases, but they reach to the core of the reason for the existence o f nature centers. Special Educational Programs Besides the optional programs that have been mentioned, there are some special event programs which occupy a significant block of time. Suqarbush March 1s set aside fo r tours of the small sugarbush one of the one-quarter mile woodland t r a il loops. located 1n There are more re­ quests for this program than the s ta ff and volunteers can handle; therefore, a ll March appointments are fo r the sugarbush. SUGARBUSH Figure 53. Sap Boiling in Sugar Shanty Figure 54. Class Sampling Maple Syrup 70 About a dozen and a h alf taps are made on maples close to the t r a il. Several of the closest trees are le f t to be tapped when a class can watch. Galvanized or plastic palls with covers are used to collect the sap. A couple of the closest trees have a wooden removable platform at th eir base to prevent damage to the undergrowth during snowless muddy periods. This enables children to get right up to the palls and watch the sap drip. Care 1s taken to d r ill the tapholes on these trees no more than three feet from the ground so that small children can peer Into the palls. On a good day, a f i f t y gallon barrel of sap is collected in late afternoon for the following day's b o ll. A three sided rustic boiling shanty near the beginning o f the tr a il houses a rectangular steel pan, partitioned to prevent sap bollover. stacked two high. The pan rests on cinder blocks A steady wood fir e bolls the f if t y gallons of sap down to about three gallons in approximately six hours. The condensed sap Is strained at least twice through flannel cloth and finished on the stove 1n the interpretive building. The smallness of this demonstration sugarbush does not warrant the time and expense required to Invest 1n a more elaborate evaporater or tap more trees. Visiting classes are given a preliminary talk on pioneer and Indi­ an syrup and sugar making, a slide program on a large commercial sugar­ bush, or as one high school economics class requested, a discussion about the economic factors involved 1n operating a sugarbush. Exhibits explain the tree's part 1n the syrup making process and a large maple log 1s fes­ tooned with the various old and modern ways o f tapping. Then I t ' s out on the tr a il to see the trees, taste the sap, watch i t b o ll, check the final boiling with a hydrometer to measure syrup densi­ ty and crown the adventure with a taste of fresh syrup. The syrup is 71 meted out - a drop from a medicine dropper on each extended index finger as the class troops past the guide. Interesting sidelights occur at this point. One young v is ito r, severely involved with cerebral palsy, could not manage to hold out a finger, but became a beaming s p irit of elation when the guide put his drop on his extended tongue. In another instance, a mother called to complain that the syrup she purchased at the Nature Center was not as good as the sample she had had at the end of the tour. The syrup she had purchased had been made at a quality controlled commercial sugar­ bush. The t h r ill of seeing I t happen even Influences taste! Pioneer Heritaqe In an endeavor to relate modern man with his dependence on and his responsibility for the land and its resources, Blandford Center, with the cooperation of the Grand Rapids Board of Education, launched its Pioneer Heritage program in the fa ll of 1972. All Grand Rapids third level stu­ dents - about 3200 - w ill participate as part of th eir social studies ac­ tiv itie s . Because this 1s a required trip , bus transportation is furnish­ ed free and scheduling Is arranged by the Board office. Forty to sixty students at a time spend about an hour and a half at the Center. Their activities are divided into three parts, a ll led by a s ta ff or volunteer guide. A v is it to the furnished log cabin contrasts lif e styles at the time the Midwest was settled, with urban America to­ day. Particular attention 1s focused on household equipment, foods, th eir preparation and preservation, and daily and seasonal family a c ti­ v itie s . The second part of the v is it consists of an examination of the PIONEER HERITAGE PROGRAM SKILLS Figure 55. Candle Dipping w Figure 56. Making C ro ss-stitch Samplers m 73 vegetable garden, cabin yard, and furnished toolshed. A short walk along the Pioneer Plant Trail behind the cabin permits students to dis­ cover that numerous wild plants furnished foods, dyes, medicines, and fibers - a veritable super market - for resourceful pioneers. The third part of the v is it takes place 1n the one room school house, where students participate 1n one of several pioneer s k ills that the class has selected prior to Its a rriv a l. The choice for the f i r s t sea­ son this program was offered, was limited to candle dipping, butter mak­ ing, corn husk dolls, or cross-stitch sampler 1nsign1as. The children have the results of th eir labors to take home. Although 1t was designed fo r third level students in the Grand Ra­ pids schools, 1t 1s also available to th ird and fourth level students from outlying schools, who cover this material 1n their social studies. Thus fa r, Pioneer Heritage has been enthusiastically received by both children and teachers. The contemplation o f what i t was lik e to be a pioneer seems much more real when an Imaginative youngster stands In a one hundred year old log cabin, surrounded by the everyday materi­ als of l i f e of that era. The lack of modern equipment and the u t ilitie s he takes for granted becomes readily apparent lig h t switch or a thermostat! as he searches for a The exciting but tedloug, dipping of a candle accents modern man's dependence on power, the assembly line and human comforts. Student Farmers Within the next five years another jo in t program should be function­ ing between the Nature Center and the Grand Rapids Board o f Education. This w ill be student gardens at the fifth level; About fifte e n acres adjacent to the Pioneer Heritage complex w ill be sufficient for each student to have a ten by ten foot plot, plus areas for group plantings and paths. C. A. Frost elementary school adjoins this area on the south and w ill be the assembly spot for classes coming to work 1n the gardens. Parking, orientation rooms and tool storage there w ill separate that activity from the rest of the Nature Center. Further plans w ill devel­ op as the Center acquires the necessary land and the Board of Education budget permits. This and the Pioneer Heritage program are two facets of a Kindergarten through twelfth level science and social studies plan that is currently being written by a jo in t Museum and Board of Education Commlttee. General Farm According to the Grand Rapids curriculum plan, f ir s t level children w ill v is it a general farm to become acquainted with the typical animals and the role they play 1n a modern child's l if e . Future land acquisi­ tion at Blandford Center Includes a twenty-four acre general farm which Is presently In operation. As farms of this type are becoming more and more d iffic u lt for teachers to find, the Nature Center hopes to muster the resources to buy and operate such a fa c ility within the next twenty years. Besides its use with Grand Rapids f ir s t level students, i t would be visited by other schools and the general public. This operation w ill require a resident farmer and w ill interest a new legion of volunteers. Such a major addition w ill also require the r approval of the Grand Rapids City Commission. • 75 Alternative Education Plan The Curator has recently approached the Supervisor for Elementary Instruction for the Grand Rapids schools with a suggestion for an a lte r­ native education plan for gifted sixth level students. According to this plan, about twenty five students from all parts of Grand Rapids w ill be selected - with teacher recommendations and parental and student approval - to attend school at Blandford Center for th eir entire sixth year. The plan prefers that the students be housed in the proposed addi­ tion to the interpretive building, but nearby C. A. Frost School could be used. Changing population patterns Indicate that this fa c ility may be phased out as a regular schools in the near future. A highly motivated teacher, trained to work with gifted children, w ill be assigned by the Board of Education to develop an enriched curri­ culum stressing outdoor education in its broadest sense. The teacher and class w ill work closely with the Nature Center s ta ff 1n both plan­ ning and teaching. Modifications of th eir curriculum w ill be Incorporat­ ed Into the standard curriculum where suitable. Additional assistance in curriculum development w ill be sought from Michigan State University Departments of Education, Fisheries and W ild life, and Parks and Recreation. Emphasis w ill be placed on attitude building and problem solving i which w ill stimulate the student to sensitive, in te llig e n t life-lo n g de­ cisions concerning his total environment. Early 1n 1973, the Curator and a Board administrator w ill begin formulating an outline to be submit­ ted to the Art and Museum Commission and the Grand Rapids Board of Educa­ tion. 76 There are many frustrating questions about how to reach today's young citizens. How to focus his senses and provide him with the assurance that "the bears won't get him," "No, there aren 't any gorll las in the woods," and the "stink" a young man smells 1s the rich, moist living earth. What fun i t is to guide the enthusiasm of the boys who excitedly exclaimed, "Ooo, mud - and we get to step in 1t!" How challenging to fathom the thinking of an Inner d t y second grad­ er who volunteers, "I know why that bird sounds so happy. he's free'." Because What a surge of hope when a fourth grader 1s heard to say, "I never before thought how Important I t 1s to keep something alive." 77 SUMMER PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN Figure 57. "Tadpole" Class Experiencing a Pond Figure 58. Pioneer L ife Class Making Hand-cranked Ice Cream SPECIAL CLASSES AND EVENTS Special Events at Blandford Center can be lumped Into two major categories - one being formal educational classes such as the summer program for children, and Informal programs, more for the entertain­ ment of visitors. Children's Classes The f ir s t summer program for children was a loosely knit series o f classes in nature crafts, bird study, Insect study, lapidary and general ecology, presented by volunteers once a week for four weeks. The following summer a more elaborate, in-depth program of two fourweek sessions was presented by three biology students from Grand Valley State College and a student teacher from Western Michigan University. This has become the general pattern for the program. I t 1s designed to supplement rather than compete with the classes conducted at the Museum proper. College students and outdoor education specialists are hired for a ten week period or receive partial credit for student teaching. The age range for participants 1s from 10 to about 14 years. In 1972 an advanced fie ld biology class was offered for those who had been 1n the program for a year or more. A class for 7, 8 and 9 year olds featured the "acclimatization" techniques of Introducing youngsters to nature by having them experience as closely as possible what 1t 1s like to live like a raccoon, a snake or a frog. Participants were Instrutted to wear th eir oldest clothes and expect to get wet and muddy. Ecology on an early elementary level really came alive! A class 1n pioneer lif e 1n 1972 tried out some of the s k ills that 78 SUMMER PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN Ito T S 1 Figure 59. Outdoor Survival Class Cooking Figure 60. Lapidary Class 80 were to be incorporated into the Pioneer Heritage program starting that fa ll. Time was also spent in the pioneer garden weeding, thinning, building two scarecrows, harvesting, and preserving some of the crops, and fin a lly feasting on some of the fru its of their labors. Venison stew, corn boiled in an iron kettle over an open f ir e , home-made butter and corn bread, and hand cranked ice cream disappeared in short order1 At the end of each four week session the students are taken on an overnight campout to further hone some of the investigative s k ills they have learned during the month. At least one parent signs a fie ld trip permission s lip , Indicating that he 1s aware of the nature of the pro­ gram and w ill not hold the instructors or the Nature Center responsible for injuries sustained by the child. ers every student. A short term Insurance policy cov­ The City of Grand Rapids does not carry any type of insurance. Each winter a thirteen week geology and lapidary course is conduct­ ed on Saturday mornings for children ten years and older. Saturday clas­ ses w ill expand as sta ff and budget permits. I t was thought that the children's classes would be particularly attractive to neighborhood boys and g irls , but this has not been the case. Most come from every other section-of the city and suburbs. Adult and Fami1y Programs Although there have been two four-session adult lapidary courses, there has as yet been no e ffo rt to establish additional adult classes because o f lack of s ta ff. An M.S.U. graduate credit course in conserva­ tion and outdoor education has been taught at the Center almost every term since 1969, with instructors coming from the East Lansing campus. ADULT WORKSHOPS Figure 61. Student Teachers After Teaching Techniques Workshop Figure 62. Campfire Leaders Examining Soil Samples 82 In the fa ll of 1972, the Curator taught a science methods course for Michigan State University's Educational Intern Students. This w ill be taught again winter term. Half day in-service workshops for teachers and youth leaders are scheduled on request, with no attempt to cover a ll school faculties or a ll of the leaders of the Scouts or Camp Fire G irls. In late summer 1972, a one day teacher workshop in nature activitie s was offered for any area teacher. The response from about one hundred teachers resulted in a second session a week la te r. was made to cover materials. A charge of f i f t y cents per teacher Emphasis during these workshops was on techniques of using a ll one's senses outdoors and various ways of using natural materials to sharpen the senses in the total observation and ap­ preciation of nature. While crafts make up a portion of these workshops, they are not approached only as an art technique, but as a part of this total observation and appreciation picture. Sunday afternoon programs are usually designed for families. They are organized and frequently conducted by a college student who is a na­ tu ra lis t 1n training. During mild weather, the programs are held out­ doors, emphasizing such themes as seasonal changes, nature photography, l if e in ponds and streams, birds, wild flowers. Outside speakers pre­ sent programs on subjects such as back packing, scenic spots in Michigan, water quality in the State, poisonous plants, flower drying, and bird banding. As space, time, personnel and budget become available, a greater variety of special classes w ill be held. There is a continuous demand for adult lapidary classes, an increased interest in programs for senior citizens, and requests for nature discovery classes for mothers of 83 PHYSICAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR PANCAKE SUPPER Figure 63. Food Line Figure 64. Seating 84 preschool children. The current trend toward environmental awareness may lead to a class which w ill calmly explore both sides of some o f the debatable issues. Blandford Center has the opportunity of providing unique education­ al and recreational outdoor experiences. Its urban-edge location and municipal funding make i t easily accessible for all ages and classes. Pancake Supper In March, 1969, Blandford Center began a small demonstration sugar­ bush. (See Educational Programs, p. 68) As a culmination of this high­ ly successful month long a c tiv ity , the s ta ff planned a public pancake t supper near the end of the month. A professional pancake baker was h ir­ ed who charged by the plate, with no charge for seconds. All the re­ maining assistance came from volunteers who were organized by a s ta ff naturalist. With no previous experience to go on that f ir s t year, plans were made to serve about five hundred. showed up! About seven hundred and f i f t y Obviously there was a frantic scurry for additional supplies! The event was staged as much for public relations as for profit*, although about $500,00 was realized. The Pancake Supper has become an annual a ffa ir with procedures developed to an e ffic ie n t system which can comfortably serve up to one thousand people 1n three hours. Profits re­ main between $500.00 and $600.00 as prices rise and supplies are purchas­ ed rather than sought as donations. Maple syrup and sugar from a local commercial sugarbush are sold on a consignment basis. Some of the general procedures are: 1. Menu: Pancakes, sausage, applesauce and coffee or milk. 2. Traffic regulated by the Museum bus which brings about f i f t y people FAMILY CAMPING TIPS Figure 65. Examining Camping Equipment Figure 66. Camper Bus Figure 67. Outdoor Cooking Techniques 84 preschool children. The current trend toward environmental awareness ■ay lead to a class which w ill calmly explore both sides o f some o f the debatable Issues. Blandford Center has the opportunity o f providing unique education­ al and recreational outdoor experiences. Its urban-edge location and municipal funding make I t easily accessible fo r a ll ages and classes. Pancake Supper In March, 1969, Blandford Center began a small demonstration sugar­ bush. (See Educational Programs, p. 68) As a culmination o f this high­ ly successful month long a c tiv ity , the s t a ff planned a public pancake supper near the end of the month. A professional pancake baker was h ir ­ ed who charged by the p la te , with no charge for seconds. All the re­ maining assistance came from volunteers who were organized by a s ta ff n atu ralist. With no previous experience to go on that f i r s t year, plans were made to serve about five hundred. showed up! About seven hundred and f i f t y Obviously there was a fra n tic scurry fo r additional supplies! The event was staged as much fo r public relations as for p r o fit; although about $500.00 was realized. The Pancake Supper has become an annual a f f a ir with procedures developed to an e ffic ie n t system which can comfortably serve up to one thousand people 1n three hours. P ro fits re­ main between $500.00 and $600.00 as prices rise and supplies are purchas­ ed rather than sought as donations. Maple syrup and sugar from a local coomerdal sugarbush are sold on a consignment basis. Some o f the general procedures are: 1. Menu: Pancakes, sausage, applesauce and coffee or m ilk. 2. T ra ffic regulated by the Museum bus which brings about f i f t y people 85 FAMILY CAMPING TIPS Figure 65. Examining Camping Equipment Figure 66. Camper Bus Figure 67. Outdoor Cooking Techniques 86 a t a time from a nearby church parking lo t . A policeman and a crew o f volunteers d ire c t parking. 3. Volunteer guides take tours through the sugarbush. 4. V isito rs f i l e past cashiers and pancake baker cafeteria style and are seated by volunteers. Other volunteers serve beverages, seconds on pancakes, clear and reset tab les, and wash dishes. Over one hun­ dred volunteers share the resp o nsib ility fo r the success of the sup­ per. Most volunteers serve a 1 1/2 hour s h ift and have specific as­ signments. 5. The s ta ff 1s assigned to potential c r itic a l areas or generally circu ­ lates to provide emergency assistance. Detailed organization provides a smooth running event which attracts many o f the same v is ito rs plus friends each year. The Pancake Supper Is a community t1e -in with the regular educational program. F am ll.y Cam ping T ip s May, 1971, saw the beginning o f another annual event. Family Camp­ ing Tips grew out o f the Increased In te re s t 1n camping by people who had never trie d such an adventure or by those who are always looking for new ideas. People o f the community who actually practice various camping and related s k ills are recruited to share th e ir experiences with the public. Sites are set up around the parking lo t and 1n the In terp retive building where vis ito rs can c irc u la te , ask questions, and In some cases, p a rtic i­ pate 1n the s k i l l . This has become a Sunday afternoon event, with demonstrators on hand from 1 - 5 p.m. Backpacking Demonstrations Include: Survival s k ills 87 FALL HARVEST FESTIVAL Figure 68. Indian Ceremonial Dance Figure 69. Pioneer Hunting S k ills Figure 70. Making Horseshoes 88 Tenting F irs t aid T ra ile r camping Fishing s k ills Camper van Travel games Camper van across Europe Nature crafts Outdoor cooking Nature sketching Family biking Woodcarvlng Nature photography Books on outdoor s k ills The 1972 Family Camping Tips day Included a public bike hike from the Museum to the Nature Center, with 109 participants pedaling the seven m ile, police escorted route. Fall Harvest Festival The f i r s t Fall Harvest Festival was held in late September, 1972, as part o f the public opening o f the log cabin complex and schoolhouse. There were tours o f the furnished century old cabin, garden, tool shed, and pioneer plant t r a i l . On display 1n the cabin's "Michigan ce lla r" were stored fru its and vegetables from the garden harvest. The school­ house was used fo r demonstrations of pioneer methods o f food preserva­ tion and sales of old time baked and canned goods. Other demonstrations Included: Cider making Pioneer tools Bee keeping and honey harvest Blacksmlthing Pioneer hunting s k ills D o-it-yourself candledipping Indian ceremonial dances Apple and corn husk doll Native plant dyes Q uilting making An "ox roast" provided roast beef sandwiches, beverage and apples carnival sty le during the fe s tiv a l hours, 1 - 5 p.m. Two hundred f i f t y 89 WINTER OUTDOOR SKILLS - "THE SNOW SCENE" Figure 71. Cross-country Ski Demonstration 'ftix Figure 72. W inter Camping Gear 90 pounds o f beef In fiv e rounds were roasted on a s p it over charcoal 1n a converted fuel o il tank. This was to serve one thousand people - which turned out to be the estimated attendance. Like the Pancake Supper, the Harvest Festival w ill be an annual event which w ill re late to a facet o f the regular educational program 1n this case, the Pioneer Heritage classes. Winter Outdoor S kills In January, 1972, the f i r s t cross country ski demonstration occurred on one of the most snowless Sundays o f the winter! Snow spread from the median s trip 1n the parking lo t provided enough surface fo r a Nor­ wegian ski professional and his family to show eager newcomers to the sport how 1t should be done. Winter camping gear was on display Inside the building where there was also a film on cross country skiing. This project 1s to be enlarged 1n 1973, with several additions, such as w inter fishing s k ills , sensible snowmobillng, winter w ild life and plant recognition, and w inter photography. Special events appeal to d iffe re n t groups of v is ito rs . Inquiries preceding the events Indicate that each one attracts many newcomers. The s ta f f has been Impressed by the scores o f happy faces and tru ly In ­ terested questions. The new and Innovative, the old and trad itio n al - a ll f i t into a nature center program that serves the total community. Figure 73. D o -it-y o u r s e lf Leaf Id e n t ific a tio n Figure 74. Three Dimensional Mural - From Treetops to Bedrock Figure 75. Class Orientation Mural 92 EXHIBITS t3 .Z r 1 Figure 76. E le c tric Board - Figure 77. Sensory Display Owl's Eyes Light Up Figure 78. P e lt Table EXHIBITS Although the majority o f Blandford Center's vis ito rs come in super­ vised classes which have requested a specific emphasis* there are in ­ creasing numbers o f casual v is ito rs . E le c tric boards, sensory displays, a self-operating automatic projector, and catchy, colorful exhibits and guessing games supplement and reinforce the outdoor experience. When several area schools assign le a f collections each f a l l , an a t­ tra c tiv e display o f laminated leaves makes the idenfication process easier fo r puzzled students. A three dimensional cross section mural shows a generalized Nature Center scene from tree tops to bedrock. This has not been completed, but already adds a pleasant outdoor-!1ke vista across one end o f the auditorium. The opposite end o f the auditorium has a rolled screen mural of a woods 1n w in te r, showing the homes o f various forms of w ild lif e . Ac­ companying cut outs o f matching animals can be stuck on the mural near the proper home. This mural 1s frequently used during class orienta­ tions in f a l l and w in ter. Is almost finished. Another mural depicting the pond in spring S t i l l another on a summer f ie ld , is ye t to be done. A s t a f f member with a r t is lt lc a b ilit y and a f l a i r fo r design 1s a real asset. However, a l i t t l e practice with an opaque projector w ill permit a novice to turn out some creditable displays adapted from books and magazines. Most v is ito rs lik e to become ac tive ly Involved with an exh ib it; so e le c tric boards and sensory boxes are favo rites. Blandford Center has a standing order with the public fo r road and window k ille d animals which can be made into study skins or mounted in 93 94 EXHIBITS Figure 79. "Snow* Friend or Foe? C9MC«f Figure 80. Michigan Minerals Figure 81. "Who's Who in the Underworld" 95 l if e - li k e poses. Granted, a "stuffed" animal 1s a poor substitute fo r the real thing, but 1t is as close as many people w ill get to a wild creature. The texture o f fu r, length of to en ails , shapes o f fe e t, t a ils and general body size t e l l volumes about an animal th at 1s not evident from a description 1n a book. A table o f study skins In the auditorium is one o f the f i r s t exhibits a v is ito r heads fo r. Another attractio n 1s the observation bee hive which an amateur bee­ keeper stocks. So fa r I t has been only a warm weather e x h ib it, but a t­ tempts are being made to In s ta ll an automatic feeding device fo r w inter. Eventually, a glassed, lighted hollow log Is the goal. Well planned exhibits are not a substitute fo r the real outdoors, but th e ir Influence can spark an Inquiry which can lead a tim id c ity dweller to the woods, fie ld s , and ponds beyond the protective walls o f the in terp retive building. PERSONNEL Except In the rare instance o f a re la tiv e ly unlimited budget, a nature center's paid personnel w ill never be adequate to cover the requests for services, the multitude o f ideas to be explored, arid the development o f the physical p la n t. The size o f the s t a ff depends heavily on the focus o f the program, the proximity to population cen­ ters, and of course, the funds available fo r sa larie s. Obviously, the smaller the salaried s t a f f , the more dependent the center w ill be on volunteer help. I t 1s d if f i c u l t to address one w ith­ out considering the other. However, only the paid personnel w ill be discussed in th is section. (See Volunteers, p. 103) I t should be noted that at this w ritin g , Blandford Nature Center reaches from 45,000 - 50,000 people per year with Its varied programs. Since most of these people have the services o f a n a tu ra lis t, the small salaried education s ta ff lis te d below would soon be out o f steam w ith­ out the assistance o f volunteers. Educational S ta ff A ll of the educational s t a f f should have a good basic knowledge o f ecology and the natural sciences and be able to adapt this knowledge to a variety of le v e ls 'in developing programs th at w ill in te re s t the p a r ti­ cipants and stimulate them to investigate fu rth e r on th e ir own. These naturalists must enjoy working with people, especially children, be ex­ tremely adaptable and w illin g to assist around the Center 1n a wide v a ri­ ety o f ways — from emergency cleaning to f i r s t aid. No one person can f i l l a ll performance niches w ell. 96 I t 1s up to the 97 director to define the scope o f the program and to mete out the various responsibilities to those whose s k ills best f i t . When additional na­ tu ra lis ts are hired, care should be made to cover needed s k ills . For Instance, a fte r the f i r s t y e a r, when 1t became possible fo r Blandford Center to h ire a n a tu ra lis t besides the Curator-Director, two women were selected on a h alf-tim e basis. They are young women who had volunteered th e ir services during the previous year and who did not want fu ll-tim e employment while they s t i l l have young children at home. One schedule 1s Monday, Wednesday and every other Friday; the other, Tuesday, Thursday, and every other Friday. Both communicate w e ll, are enthusiastic and re­ laxed with groups and spend much more than h a lf time working on d iffe re n t parts o f the program. One has much art1s1t1c a b ility which lends to the production o f appealing, Innovative d1splays; The other has a knack fo r organizing and training volunteer guide-natural1sts, student teachers, and high school assistants. A young man who 1s a local college student, has been working h a lftime as an educational assistan t, organizing and usually conducting Sat­ urday morning programs for children and Sunday afternoon programs fo r the general public. He completed a thirteen week n a tu ra lis t train ing program a t a National Audubon Society Nature Center and w ill be a senior 1n an environmental education program this year. Because he 1s a veteran of the Armed Services, he q u a lifie s under the Federal Emergency Employment Act, which allocates funds to governmental units. Even though this may be only a temporary source o f money fo r s ta ffin g , the Blandford Center program has grown to the point where another f u ll time n a tu ra lis t should be hired through the ordinary City employment structure. The summer program for children 1s staffed with college students who 98 have a basic natural science background and a n a tu ra lis t from the Grand Rapids Board o f Education who has the summer fre e . I t is also possible to tap the Urban Corps, another federal program which employs college students who need financial assistance. They are employed fu ll time dur­ ing the summer and up to 15 hours per week during the school year. dent teachers form another source o f educational s ta ff. Stu­ (See Student Teacher P a rtic ip a tio n , p. 112) Building and Maintenance S taff I t has been Blandford Center's good fortune from the very beginning to have a highly s k ille d , m ulti-faceted maintenance man. Besides his s k ills o f carpentry, heavy equipment operation, basic plumbing and elec­ t r ic a l know-how, he is energetic, enthusiastic, imaginative, a r t is t ic , and a good public relations representative in the community. Not a ll nature centers w ill be fortunate enough to get such a package, but a ll should try fo r as many o f these attrib u tes as possible. less projects a t a new and growing nature center. There are end­ Men n a tu ra lis ts , and some women, may possess some o f these s k ills , but a fu ll educational pro­ gram leaves l i t t l e time to pursue them. A fte r three and a h a lf years of operation and minimal vandalism, i t was possible through Emergency Employment Act funds to h ire a night main­ tenance man. His hours are 5:30 p.m. to 12:00 a.m ., Monday through Sat­ urday — the peak times o f possible trouble. He has taken over a ll o f the basic cleaning chores in the in terp retive building and patrols the grounds. His frien d ly presence and a c tiv ity discourage most after-hours highjlnks. A small part-tim e employment budget enables the Center to hire 99 assistance fo r special short term projects. The Urban Corps also provides summer help fo r building and grounds development. Secretarial S ta ff Secretarial help is v ita l unless the d ire c to r-n a tu ra lis t becomes a l­ most e n tire ly bogged down with correspondence, f i l i n g , bookkeeping, mimeo­ graphing, report making, and the myriad other day-to-day d etails that must be kept up-to-date. Until now, Blandford Center has operated with only volunteer help. Fortunately, some o f the volunteer hostesses have been able to assist — each delegated a sp ecific job. One, with o ffic e experience, has been de­ voting two to three days per week to managing the nature shop, mimeograph­ ing, f i l i n g , and attending to many general secretarial chores. released the Curator from countless d e tails. make a fu ll time secretary possible. This has Emergency Act funds may soon Volunteers w ill always be needed as hostesses and fo r secretarial assistance. Dress The subject of dress 1s frequently discussed at n atu ralists ' meetings. To wear a uniform or not to wear a uniform is usually the question. The present casual mode o f dress easily reaches the level of sloppiness with some. This 1s also the age o f easy care, permanent press clothes which can be kept clean and trim looking with l i t t l e e f f o r t. The Curator sees l i t t l e excuse fo r a professional n a tu ra lis t or any of the nature center s ta ff to appear unkempt. A standardized uniform has merit 1n that 1t 1s Id e n tifia b le , Is a leveling facto r between the fashion plate and the casual, and helps command a certain amount of respect and attention. There Is never 100 any question about what to wear! At present, the Blandford n atu ralists do not wear uniforms, a l­ though they frequently wear the o ffic ia l sleeve patch on th e ir regular clothes. Maintenance men wear one o f the standard work uniforms. Just as "clothes don't make the man," a fresh appearance, warm, frie n d ly a ttitu d e , and an enthusiasm to tackle whatever job that needs to be done, does make a good nature center employee. Individual s k ills are a must, but they cannot be appreciated 1 f the other tr a its are miss­ ing. Visitors have commented about the warm, frie n d ly atmosphere of Blandford Center too often to make 1t a casual remark. I t 1s a feeling to c u ltiv ate and cherish 1 f the v ita l work o f nature centers 1s to grow. 101 JUNIOR AIDES Figure 82. Blandford Center Sleeve Patch Figure 8 3 . Junior Aide Taking Young Raccoon on a Hunting Expedition 102 JUNIOR AIDES Figure 84. Sanding Beams 1n In terp retive Building During Construction Figure 85. Spreading Wood Chips on T ra ils Figure 86. Gathering Sap 1n Sugarbush VOLUNTEER PROGRAM Junior Aides The use of volunteers at Blandford Nature Center did not begin with design nor in an organized manner. As mentioned in the introduction, the f ir s t volunteers were the Junior Aides—boys and g irls who lived in the neighborhood and used the property as th e ir playground. Curiosity about what was happening attracted them f i r s t when tr a ils were being la id through the woods. More were drawn to the excitement o f the construction of the In te rp re tiv e building. Most of these youngsters were eight to twelve years old. lacked in muscle they made up in enthusiasm. What they Their f i r s t jobs were shov­ eling and spreading wood chips on the t r a il s , picking up trash, sweeping floors, and washing windows. They were asked to request v is ito rs to stay on the tr a ils and to answer basic questions about the nature center. Since the boys and g irls represented several schools in the neighborhood, they frequently were not acquainted with each other. This led to con­ flic t s when one group trie d to "pull rank" on another. this c o n flic t th at one group of boys came identifying badge. was a I t was because of up with the idea o f an The screech owl was selected as the symbol because 1t species that lived on the property, i t represented wisdom, and, w e ll, 1t was "cute!" The badges were distributed free to the f i r s t couple of hundred neighborhood children who expressed In te re s t in helping. The s t a f f view­ ed this as good public relations to reduce vandalism and give the kids a feeling o f belonging to Blandford Center. The principal drawbacks were not enough jobs that the Junior Aides could handle, and th e ir need for 103 104 YOUTH ASSISTANTS Figure 87. Junior College Forestry Club Members Building Outdoor Classroom Figure 88. Horizon Club G irls Painting Tracks on Floor Figure 89. High School Student Conducting A fte r School Class 105 continuous supervision and encouragement. Most were not regular in th e ir appearance so i t was d if f ic u lt to assign sp ecific duties. Lack o f profes­ sional s t a f f kept organized Junior Aide a c tiv itie s at a miniumum. They are s t i l l considered a v ita l lin k with the neighborhood, they keep vandal­ ism at a minimum, and they take th e ir casual tie s with the Center serious­ ly . A more organized group o f Junior Aides is beginning to take form with the recent addition o f college student assistance. Each Junior Aide receives a seasonal newsletter which explains what is happening, projects to try or help w ith , cartoons and puzzles. Youth Groups Scouts and Campfire G irls working on community service and conserva­ tion oriented merit badges and honors have assisted with a variety o f projects. I t has been found th at not more than three to a project is usu­ a lly b etter than a large number getting in each other's way or becoming distracted. I t Is n 't always possible to come up with a f it t in g project on the spur of the moment when a project seeker c a lls . Several o f the following projects have met with success: Larger Groups (6 - 35) 1. Planting m u ltiflo ra rose hedge around 30 acres 2. Assisting with special p rojects, such as Pancake Supper Small Groups (1 - 5) 1. Constructing Campfire Ring - seats and firep lac e 2. Assisting with exhibits 3. Servicing tr a ils 4. Cleaning debris from stream 5. Conducting a fte r school children's classes through Center 106 6. Planting small numbers o f shrubs and trees 7. Helping with Pioneer Heritage building restorations Adult Aides The adult volunteer program began as spontaneously and casually as did the Junior Aides. When the Center opened its In te rp re tiv e building in the Fall o f 1968, with only the Curator and Caretaker as s t a f f , i t was obvious th at immediate assistance was a mustl Only one class could be served at a time; no one was supervising the building, answering the telephone, or greeting casual v is ito rs when the Curator was with a class. The Grand Rapids Junior League members had been serving as Museum docents for several years and were about to phase out that p ro ject. The Curator investigated the p o s s ib ility o f a "get acquainted" day at the Center for League members who might be Interested in this new project. The local newspaper ran a f u ll page spread on the League's i n i t i a l v is it to the Center and added a plea for anyone who was Interested to c a ll or come. About two dozen women appeared--offering th e ir services e ith e r 1n the building as hostesses, or with the classes as guide-natural is ts . The Junior League expressed enthusiasm 1n serving as guides. mothers of young children and re tire d teachers joined them. Several The Curator gave them a broad Introduction to the various habitats in the Center, supplied them with printed t r a i l guides, opened her lib ra ry to them, and urged them to accompany her with classes u n til they f e l t prepared to try 1t on th e ir own. Each guide was assigned to a grade span she f e l t she would find most comfortable. Most o f the early v is its were requests fo r a general tour to acquaint the children and teacher with the Nature Cen­ te r. 107 ADULT VOLUNTEERS Figure 90. Guides on Compass Walk During Training Figure 91. Preparing fo r Benefit Bazaar Figure 92.- P la n tin g Fern Garden 108 At the end o f the f i r s t year o f operation, the Center's budget was expanded to Include an assistant n a tu ra lis t. Two young women who had volunteered many hours during the f i r s t year were each hired h a lf time. At this point 1t was possible to set up seasonal training sessions as refresher courses fo r existing guide-natural1sts and take in new ones. During the spring and f a ll o f 1972, one o f the assistant n atu ralists conducted a six week course 1n the general ecology of the Center, along w ith an Introduction to community a ir and water pollution problems. V is its were made to the local a ir pollution control center and the waste water treatment plant. The class met one morning a week fo r two hours. With the beginning o f the Pioneer Heritage program in the f a ll of 1972, prospective guides attended a workshop to acquaint them with the various s k ills which are part o f the children's workshop. They were given a crash course 1n pioneer l i f e seventy to one hundred years ago and instructed about the furnishings o f the log cabin, Items 1n the farmyard, and the Pioneer Plant T ra il. Numerous supplemental handouts present the basic material that guides should know. They then adapt the Information to each group, drawing out the students as they go along, and setting the tone fo r "pretending pioneer." Enthusiasm runs high. At f i r s t many prospective guides are over­ whelmed and say they could never "do 1t that way." Once they have mas­ tered the basic m aterial, they are encouraged to work with th e ir groups 1n whatever way they feel they can do the best job. yond the general tour. Some never get be­ Others, with more background, i n i t i a t i v e , or Imagination, work into more advanced topics and older classes. Unfortu­ n a te ly , i t 1s usually s t i l l necessary to provide only one guide fo r a class of 25-30. Id eally there should be two or three guides for that 109 number. The present policy o f lim itin g numbers to one hundred each h a lf day (four classes) necessitates having fo rty guides per week, including one s t a f f n a tu ra lis t. The Pioneer Heritage program requires a t least four guides fo r each group o f 40-60. Most guides can contribute a h a lf day each week or every other week, although a few give a day each week. Obviously, additional guides are always welcomedl Each guide 1s encouraged to plan a seasonal "rainy day' program that she can use in case her class is caught in a downpour or the day is extremely cold fo r a long stay outdoors. The building hostesses each have a specific h a lf day per week. Several have been coming since the building opened. Their principal job is to answer the telephone, greet v is ito rs , sell items from the small nature shop, assist with mailings, and help out on numerous projects that continually arise. Many have become p ro fic ie n t a t answering often asked nature questions — a big help to the s ta ff! I f they cannot cover th e ir day, they call an assistant hostess from th e ir volunteer l i s t . As i th e ir special s k ills or interests become known, they help with such jobs as typing, bookkeeping, signs, exh ib its, and lib ra ry cataloging. One who has p ro fic ie n t secretarial s k ills , spends at least two to three days a week on general secretarial work, including mimeographing and managing the nature shop. She also instigated a hand-made stuffed animal project to earn money for special projects. This has grown to an annual c ra ft bazaar during one o f the Center's special events, with many on the volun­ teer s ta ff particip atin g. There 1s no volunteer "guild" as such. Most o f those who come to help do not want a formal organization, although most are eager to help on special events and projects. This does not preclude a s p ir it .o f 110 togetherness or what has become known as the "we" a ttitu d e . Each volun­ tee r feels a personal id e n tity and closeness to the Cepter. During the Christmas season the Center s t a ff holds an appreciation coffee for a ll volunteers — the only time many d f them see each other. I t is a time fo r progress reports and a sharing o f suggestions as well as fun. Each season one o f the volunteers who has had newspaper experience gathers progress reports, news flashes, and teaching tips into a chatty newsletter that is sent to a ll adult volunteers. Volunteers are also needed for Sunday afternoons when the regular s t a f f 1s not on duty. One announcement a t the annual meeting o f the Grand Rapids Museum Association is usually enough to f i l l the Sundays o f the following year. women teams. year. Most are husband and wife teams; some are two They usually sign up fo r three, fo u r, or more Sundays per They are on duty from 2 - 5 p.m ., ready to answer questions, man the phone, sell from the nature shop, and record the number o f v is ito rs . The Museum Association pays a college student to open and close the building. The Association is also the chief source of volunteers fo r the an­ nual Pancake Supper at the close of the sugarbush season. Over one hund­ red pairs of helping hands are needed to make this event a smooth-running success. Each special event requires its own crew o f volunteers. (See Special Events, p. 78) Each volunteer has a card on which he or she records the number o f hours spent a t the Center. At the beginning of the calendar year an ac­ knowledgement card lis tin g to ta l hours is sent to them. Some volunteers forget or do not bother to record th e ir hours as they feel th at i t is Ill simply a personal matter. Other than th e ir own s a tis fa c tio n , another benefit 1s being able to deduct mileage to and from the Center on th e ir tax return. For those who come often or drive 15-20 miles each way th is can add up in the course o f a year. Deductions are also permitted for the sale price o f a rtic le s donated fo r the c ra ft bazaar, the p ro fit from which go to the Center. The Museum Board of Directors uses volunteer hours as a talkin g point to the City Commission when discussing budget, services, and expansion plans. Blandford Nature Center's volunteer program grew out o f dire need, but i t has been a unifying force which has succeeded in tying the s a la r i­ ed s t a f f and the community together. People enjoy feeling needed. Some volunteers admit that th e ir hours at the Center are th e ir "therapy." Others complain they are .not being worked..hard .enough. Hostesses, fo r Instance, do not always feel that th e ir mere dependable presence is es­ sential to the smooth functioning of the to tal program. The s ta ff's often hurried "thank you!" does not express the deep appreciation f e lt fo r the unique mark a volunteer makes. STUDENT TEACHER PARTICIPATION Through special arrangements with several area universities and colleges, Blandford Center is able to obtain the services of student teachers during part of th e ir classroom experience. This has proved to be o f mutual b enefit fo r both the Nature Center and the students. Western Michigan University During the summers of 1970, 1971 and 1972, a Western Michigan Uni­ versity student teacher has spent the fin a l six weeks o f his or her classroom time e ith e r as an instructor in the children's summer program or in designing and carrying out special classes fo r neighborhood ch ild ­ ren and the general public. These classes have a popular ecological ap­ proach, emphasizing general awareness of nature and its processes. Ml chigan State University During the th ird year o f the Michigan State Educational Intern Pro­ gram, the participants student teach under the supervision of a class­ room teacher. I f , by the fin a l month of th is program, they are consid­ ered to be doing w e ll, they can opt to spend that la s t month at Bland­ ford Nature Center. These are obviously students who re late well to children and have at least an enthusiasm fo r working with them outside the classroom. Since this so fa r has been a small program with only one or two students at a time, they are given Individual training during the f i r s t week to fa m ilia riz e them with the Nature Center, its physical set­ up and the variety o f classes they w ill be responsible fo r. sim ilar classes and design th e ir own approach. 112 They observe By the end o f the f i r s t 113 week, depending upon the In d ivid u al's natural science background, he Is assigned a group in the morning and another 1n the afternoon. His time before and a fte r classes may be spent developing a unit on some area of outdoor education, helping to prepare nature center displays, or learning about the care and feeding of liv e animals 1n the classroom by working with the Center's animals. At least once during the student's stay, he prepares and takes a program to a Kindergarten class. (See Program, p. 59) Students have consistently rated th e ir Nature Center experience as extremely valuable In a ll aspects except that o f classroom d is cip lin e . They agree th a t they would not hesitate to take a class outdoors and state that they have learned b etter how to Integrate outdoor education In to other areas of the curriculum. Aquinas College In the f a l l of 1972, Blandford Center began using students in the Aquinas College Work-Study program. Under this system, a student w ill spend th ir ty hours a week fo r one semester at the Center. A fte r i n i t i a l , basic training to acquaint him with the general opera­ tion and programs of the Center, he 1s responsible fo r two classes every day, on a s im ila r schedule as the Michigan State students. Each student keeps a log o f his a c tiv itie s to present p eriodically to his advisor. Senior High School Ecology Students In the f a l l o f 1972, about fifte e n senior high ecology students from the Grand Rapids schools, received p art o f th e ir class c re d it by volun­ teering th e ir services about two hours per week to Blandford Center. 114 Thus fa r they have been used as guide-natural is t s , presented Kindergar­ ten programs in the schools* assisted with ex h ib its , and performed some minor grounds maintenance. They are w illin g workers, but several have scheduling co n flicts which make them unavailable during the time classes are v is itin g the Center. Neither they nor the s ta f f appreciates the "make work" jobs that are sometimes assigned when a student appears a t an odd hour and no re a lly helpful or stimulating job has been planned fo r him. I t would have been b etter i f these students had selected another project that b etter f i t th e ir schedules. Or, during a less busy season, the s ta ff n atu rally could spend more time planning a meaningful experience. Student teachers bring a fresh, young approach to the Nature Center. Their innovative Ideas and enthusiasm renew the s p ir it o f discovery and wonder that may occasionally lag a b it fo r the professional n atu ralists 1n the midst o f a fatiguing schedule. The n a tu ra lis ts , In tu rn , provide a new and stimulating learning medium and practical suggestions fo r the student teachers. FUNDING Budget and Salaries Blandford Center, as a division of the Grand Rapids Public Museum, 1s tax supported, along with other City departments. Each year the Curator submits a budget request to the City Manager and Commission. S alaries, general operating and maintenance expenses, and some capital Improvements and equipment are Included in th is budget. 1972-1973 accepted budget was $47,059. The fis c a l $34,881 of that amount was fo r salaries. Current salary ranges are: Curator I (D ire c to r-n a tu ra lis t) $10,112 - $11,947 Curator I I $ 8,496 - $10,570 (Assistant N a tu ralist) Maintenance (Caretaker) $ 8,125 - $ 9,260 Night Watchman and Maintenance $ 7,404 - $ 8,496 Part time Educational Assistants $2.39 per hour (Summer Program s ta ff, Sunday program director) The Center 1s using a 1968 station wagon which was transferred from the Museum. The only other major pieces o f equipment acquired through the budget are a 12 H.P. tra c to r with plows, disc and mower attachments, a bench power saw, chain saw, gas post hole digger, weld­ e r, f ilin g cabinets, slide and opaque projectors. Contributions Some o f the land acquisition, the In terp retive building and Its furnishings, garage-workshop, log cabin, one room schoolhouse and most o f the outdoor development have been accomplished through contributions 115 116 from Individuals and groups. Money contributions are funneled through the Museum Association treasury, the Museum's philanthropic organization, to assure the donors o f income tax deductions. A fter the many contributions to the building fund, (See Introduction, p. 1 2 ), there remained a need fo r furnishings, equipment and funds fo r special projects. By this time, a good many organizations and individuals were aware o f the Nature Center and made th e ir in terest known to the Cen­ te r. The Downtown Kiwanis Club continued its contribution by supplying funds to carpet the auditorium and purchase one hundred chairs. Its K1- waniqueen au x iliary contributed the drapes and twenty-five more chairs. The Quota Club purchased the furnishings fo r the Book Nook, while Grand Rapids elementary school children selected and provided funds fo r most of the books. The Progressive Business and Professional Women furnished the kitch­ en, the L it t le Folks Welfare Society funded the construction o f the wa­ te r fa lls in the lobby, and numerous groups and individuals purchased or donated equipment such as: Freezer for w ild life specimens Two way outdoor speaker Laminating equipment Portable public address system Lapidary equipment Freeze-dry unit fo r preserving animal specimens 16 mm. movie projector Binoculars M1croprojector Tape recorders Desks and chairs Grounds development has also prospered from contributions. The Kent Garden Club donated $1000.00 for the Pot Pourri T ra il fo r the physically handicapped. introduced plantings. Periodic memorials have purchased most o f the The Woodland Overlook was a jo in t e ffo r t from CREATIVE GIFTS Figure 93. Stitchery Wall Panel Figure 94. Michigan Rock and M in eral Table i * GIFT CERTIFICATES Figure 95. 8" x 10” Parchment Figure 96. 4 1/4 " x 5 1/4" Heavy Paper 119 the Town and Country Garden Club and the local Camp F1re Council. A local couple paid fo r the moving and reconstruction o f the log cabin. Another contributor funded the moving o f the school house. S t i ll another couple made available stock which was sold to purchase twelve acres o f land. The surfacing of the parking area was another jo in t e f f o r t , super­ vised by the Grand Rapids Street Department D irecto r, with donations of funds from the local Dyer-lves Foundation and the Izaak Walton League. The Coca-Cola Bottling Company gave 100 tons o f glass fo r the experi­ mental glassphalt top la y e r, paving and gravel companies contributed other paving materials and laid the base layer and glassphalt top sur­ face. Several small groups make annual contributions o f $25.00 - $100.00 each. These are not s o lic ite d or planned. One organization makes a Christmas donation of feeder foods fo r our w ild life viewing area. It is not rare fo r a club to ask what needed item could be purchased with a specified donation. Individuals and fam ilies have contributed th e ir ta le n ts , co lle c­ tions and antiques to provide: 1. A creative stitchery wall hanging 2. A table top made with Michigan rocks and minerals Imbedded 1n p lastic 3. Large pieces o f a r tis tic driftwood 4. Barn beams and siding fo r benches, bridges and cabin restoration 5. A three dimensional mural of a cross section of a typical Western Michigan landscape 6. Furnishings fo r log cabin and school house 7. Herbs and herb wheel 120 All contributions are acknowledged with a g i f t card or c e rtific a te signed by the Curator and the Museum D irector. frequently accompany these. Notes or cover le tte rs The l i t t l e extra time and expense involved in this gesture is not only worthwhile, but essential. Many contribu­ tors need a receipt for income tax purposes and they also appreciate the l i t t l e extra recognition o f th e ir e ffo rts . In the case o f memorials, the donor and the heirs both receive acknowledgements. There are times when inappropriate or duplicate items must be turn­ ed down. This is hopefully done with ta c t and "thank you fo r thinking o f us." Several fam ilies have requested that memorials fo r a deceased mem­ ber be made to Blandford Nature Center. These may be as small as a book fo r the lib ra ry to as much as $1,000.00. Occasional catchy appeal bulletins to members o f the Museum Associ­ ation near the end of the year have raised as much as $1,000.00 fo r special projects. This a le rts Individuals who mey want to add a b it more to th e ir income tax contribution to ta l. A labeled black k e ttle in the lobby focuses attention on continuing needs of the Nature Center for v is ito rs who may drop in loose change or a d o llar or two. Federal Funding L it t le attempt has been made to tap fed erally funded programs. There are various reasons fo r th is . Some must be applied fo r through a school d is t r ic t , others were not being funded at the appropriate time, s t i l l others phase out a fte r one to three years and continuing funds must come from another source. Two applications have been made under the Federal Conservation 121 Education Act. One in 1971 was a proposal for funding an innovative environmental education program fo r secondary school students. The 1972 proposal was fo r a tra in in g program fo r laymen who would assist the Nature Center and the elementary schools in environmental educa­ tio n . Neither program was funded. State Recreation Bond Fund When the City of Grand Rapids began applying fo r funds from the 1968 Michigan Recreation Bond Issue, Mr. Glenn Gregg, then Director o f Michigan Parks, suggested to the C ity Commission th at Blandford Center be Included in the application. Fortunately, he had seen the Center in it s beginnings, recognized it s potential and spoke up in time to have a $200,000 land acquisition request put in . Legislative action was extremely slow, not passing the Blandford project u n til June, 1971. Friends o f the Center sent le tte rs to th e ir state leg is lato rs in an e ffo r t to move the project along. The le tte rs may not have speeded the process, but resulted in the leg is lato rs be­ coming very aware o f the existence of the Nature Center! The Michigan Department o f Natural Resources o ffic e responsible fo r land acquisition began work on Blandford Center during the w inter o f 1972, with the f i r s t parcel o f land - 30.7 acres o f ro llin g meadow purchased from Mr. Chris VanEss in July, 1972. At this w ritin g , negoti­ ations are moving ahead on approximately 55 more acres, which w111 give the Center v irtu a lly a ll of the undeveloped land adjacent to i t . Under the bonding program, the State of Michigan purchases the property and then turns 1t over to the City fo r administration and management. The budgets of C ity departments are frequently cut and hardly ever 122 provide fo r more than the bare essentials needed fo r operation. A Na­ ture Center is classed as a fringe benefit when measured against water treatment, waste disposal, f i r e , and police protection. Grandiose plans may be dreams, but dreams can become r e a lity when a project captures the in te re s t o f a community which responds above and beyond the taxes levied. Donations to Blandford Center have kept coming fo r over four years however, a budget cannot be planned around th e ir e r ra tic appearance. There is always a l i s t o f projects and equipment waiting fo r funds! Obviously, a p rivately financed nature center must have an endow­ ment adequate enough to meet projected expenses fo r a t least five years with clear prospects fo r the future. During this time, a continuous search must go on for additional sources o f income. PUBLICITY, PUBLICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS Timely, appealing p u b lic ity is a must in promoting nature center a c tiv itie s . A superior program can be developed, but i t w ill not be supported o r attended unless the public is aware that 1t is happening. Nature centers seem to pique the imagination o f the news media who may frequently appear unannounced to cover a special feature or supplement a story on a related subject. For Instance, the deep, water f i l l e d ruts in the muddy parking lo t illu s tra te d a story on signs o f spring. This did no harm when the City la te r spent some o f Its own money and s o lic ited donations fo r blacktopping the lo t! News Releases and Newsletters Regular monthly news releases about a ll Museum events are sent to a ll metropolitan newspapers and radio and television stations. Informa­ tion about specific news-worthy events is sent in detail to the larger papers and broadcasting companies. Sunday afternoon programs receive a small weekly notice in the major c ity newspaper. The Museum publishes a monthly calendar o f events which is sent to a ll members o f the Museum Association. Association members also receive a more detailed monthly newsletter from September through A p ril. Blandford Center programs and requests are frequently featured. School programs are publicized through a bimonthly sheet, the "Musette," which is sent to every teacher in the Grand Rapids public e le ­ mentary schools through the free school delivery service, and one 1s mailed to each o f the non-public schools. Once again, a ll Museum educa­ tional services are publicized, with occasional special attention given 123 124 to the Nature Center. While the above are jo in t notices involving a ll the Museum programs* the Nature Center i t s e l f produces a standard m u ltilitile d brochure which gives directions to the Center, hours, charges, scheduling procedures, and program suggestions. These brochures are distributed to a ll teach­ ers 1n the public elementary schools with several going to each high school and non-public school. They are also d istributed to the public through the Museum and Nature Center information desks, the Grand Rapids Chamber o f Commerce, and the West Michigan Tourist and Resort Associa­ tion. Seasonal newsletters, e n title d "Trail Talk," are compiled by a vol­ unteer and sent to a ll adult volunteers. This publication, usually two standard sized, mimeographed sheets, announces train in g sessions, special events and needs, Nature Center anecdotes, and teaching techniques. Junior Aides also receive seasonal newsletters which Include gener­ al news o f the Nature Center, projects they can help w ith , cartoons, puz­ zles, and games. Informational Brochures Besides these regular publications, the Center provides condensed background material fo r the volunteer guide-naturalists. This 1s w r it­ ten by s t a f f n aturalists and pertains especially to the fie ld t r ip ex­ periences and programs being offered to school classes. When numerous requests are made for information on a p a rtic u la r sub­ je c t, the n atu ralists prepare brochures to be d istributed to the public. Some popular ones are: Protected Plants 125 How to Build a Terrarium Bird Houses and Feeders Key fo r Identifying Common Rocks Pioneer Recipes Sugarbush Pub!ic Relations Enough cannot be said about the public image o f a nature center. Word-of-mouth p u b licity is extremely important. I t is impossible to please everyone and some c ritic is m 1s bound to come. A nature center must set up as sound and reasonable a program and policies as possible in view of the s ite , available funds, and the people to be served. The extra moment taken with a child who wants a precious rock Id e n tifie d or with someone who has what 1s to him a pressing w ild life problem, w ill pay o ff one hundred fold in good w il l . Naturalists are expected to be on twenty-four hour call and should not be surprised o r out wardly annoyed I f the Inquiring public appears a fte r hours or seeks him out at home. I f the n a tu ra lis t preaches a return to an ecological con­ sciousness, he must be w illin g to accept the growing public In te re s t. This upsurge 1n in te re s t 1n ecology and nature in general, makes natu ralists prime targets fo r club programs and a fte r dinner speeches. These are additional opportunities to spread the word o f the nature center, re c ru it volunteers, stimulate donations and above a l l , help to fo ster b e tte r public relatio n s. Most groups realize th at few pro­ grams are free nowdays and are w illin g to make a small contribution to the nature center or pay the speaker fo r his presentations. LIVE ANIMALS AND USE OF DEAD SPECIMENS I t is only natural th at the public w ill turn to a nature center with it s w ild life problems and in q u iries. To most people, th e ir p a rtic u la r need seems unique, even though nature center personnel have heard the same story dozens o f times. ed. A great deal o f tact and sympathy are requir­ A few extra minutes with each person is magnified several times each day, but these instances can educate as well as create much good w i l l . I t is the policy of some nature centers to refuse a ll liv e and keep none, even as p art o f th e ir educational program. animals I t 1s not the intention o f Blandford Nature Center to coop up large numbers o f animals, nor keep any uninjured or mature creature th a t seems discontented. Acceptance Policy For many years the Museum has been a haven of help to those who have found a fa lle n nest o f birds or accidentally raked up some hidden baby rabbits. Birds k ille d by h ittin g picture windows have become mounted specimens fo r displays and loan to schools. I t d id n 't take long fo r peo­ ple to begin callin g the Nature Center about animal problems. enough to say, "Leave i t alone, l e t Nature take its course." I t Is easy The soft hearted person on the other end o f the phone or with the box o f rabbits in his hand is not going to s e ttle fo r that kind o f an answer! Blandford Center has set the following policy: 1. Encourage people to "look, love and leave" w ild life they fin d . 2. Urge callers to put the animals back where they found them i f at a ll possible. Assure them that most animals who have adapted to liv in g close to man are not easily chased from th e ir nests and parent animals are 126 127 probably nearby. 3. Remind callers th at 1t Is unlawful to keep most native birds and mam­ mals in c a p tiv ity except under permit from the State Department o f Natur­ al Resources. Recommend releasing creatures such as re p tiles and amphi­ bians a fte r a month or so — or sooner i f they refuse to eat. 4. Take only those animals mature enough to feed themselves; give care and feeding directions to persons with baby animals. 5. Accept only native Michigan species — no hamsters, goldfish, or white mice unless 1 t 1s acceptable to the donor that they be used to feed other members o f the menagerie. 6. Have an understanding with the donor o f an injured animal that Its disposition must be l e f t to the judgment o f the Center s ta ff. 7. Large or p o te n tia lly dangerous animals (coyote, fox, raccoon, deer) are not accepted except on a very b rie f and lim ited basis and then re­ leased In a suitable wild area where they w ill not become Involved with people. Even the most tame and lovable raccoon cannot be trusted to run free with thousands o f strangers using Its h ab itat. Nature centers with several hundred acres can more read ily absorb some of these animals. A small area with an abundance o f close neighbors cannot. There comes a time, even on a large tr a c t, when releasing more rabb its, sq u irre ls , chipmunks, tu rtle s , snakes, etc. than an area can support w ill resu lt In a weakened species and damaged h ab ita t. 1t clear to the public that Make the Nature Center 1s not a dumping ground fo r a ll rescued w ild life ! Care o f Animals Most o f the animals are kept in makeshift cages o f varying degrees of s u ita b ility . This w ill be remedied when an animal room is constructed. 128 LIVE ANIMALS Figure 97. Screech Owl Animating Mural Figure 98. Large Cage fo r Injured Songbirds and V isito rs Getting Acquainted with Fanny Ferret 129 LIVE ANIMALS Figure 99. An Unforgettable Experience Figure 100. Orthopedic School C hildren Enjoying Young S q u irre l 130 ANIMALS Figure 101. Sparrow Hawk Ready fo r Release Figure 102, V olu nteer Skinning Salvaged Muskrat 131 I f animals are going to be permanent residents, they have exercise wheels, branches to climb, or as natural a habitat as possible. Those that are tame enough are allowed the freedom o f the building perio dical­ ly . 1. Examples of permanent residents are: "Fanny" Ferret - confiscated from a hunter by the DNR. species, but cannot be released. Not a native I t 1s used 1n the educational program— has endeared i t s e l f to many v is ito rs . 2. "Minnie and George" White-footed Mice — ea sily kept, abundant small manuals with no physical problems. 3. "Winks" Screech Owl - - massive In ju rie s l e f t 1t blind 1n one eye and with uncertain wings. I t Is free in the building a ll day and has become a w ell-loved educational attra c tio n fo r two and a h a lf years a t this w ritin g . 4. Assorted songbirds with permanent wing In ju rie s are kept 1n a large cage b u ilt especially fo r this purpose. 5. A constant but changing variety of snakes, tu rtle s , frogs, and sala­ manders. 6. Assorted fish from local streams. Children In v is itin g classes frequently name the animals and return to school to w rite stories and le tte rs about them. These creatures are used to supplement the outdoor Interp retation program. Guides with la r ­ ge classes cannot always be sure o f seeing many birds, mammals, or even re p tile s along the t r a ils ; so the animals 1n the lab provide a warm, l i v ­ ing lin k with the story as 1t unfolds outdoors. I t has been a continuous policy that the major cleaning and feeding 1s done by adult s t a ff members the f i r s t thing In the morning. Periodic checks and supplemental cleaning and feeding during the day are sometimes 132 delegated to older Junior Aides. Even cages that are not thoroughly satisfactory appearance and care wise, can be kept neat and odor free by systematic cleaning a t the beginning of each day before public v is ­ itin g hours. Reserve a place 1n the budget fo r animal food and veterinary fees. Some food and consultation w ill no doubt be donated, but certain staples and most surgical assistance w ill require payment. Blandford Center provides a w ild life feeding area where the public can watch a variety of birds and small animals a t close range. mals come and go as they would at a home feeder. The ani­ I t 1s stocked with ears o f fie ld corn, wild bird seed, sunflower seed, and suet. Basic foods fo r the caged animals are: Cat and dog kibbles — f e r r e t , raccoons, opossums, skunks Canned dog food — raccoons, opossums, skunks, young & meateating songbirds, fis h Baby chicks or white mice (Blandford Center keeps a frozen supply of day old baby chicks donated by a hatchery) — owls, hawks Wild bird mix and sunflower seeds — seed eating songbirds, mice, chipmunks, squirrels M1sc. f r u it s , especially apple — f r u it eating songbirds, mice, chipmunks, squirrels Graham crackers — sq u irre ls , mice, chipmunks Mealworms — ground sq u irre ls , tu rtle s , some to salamanders, frogs, toads, small snakes Earthworms — tu r tle s , frogs, toads, salamanders, small snakes Toads and frogs — hognose, g a rte r, water snakes (some snakes w ill accept toads or frogs that have been frozen and thawed) General Suggestions to Public on Animal Care Emphasize feeding frequency — every 1/2 hour for baby birds, every 133 2 - 3 hours fo r mammals. Baby Birds — Blended mixture of canned dogfood, cooked egg yo lk, and bread, mixed with enough water to allow i t to ea sily drop o ff a spoon. by b it Periodically mix a b it o f sand with the food. Lower spoon b it u n til bird is able to peck food by i t s e lf and has been introduced to Its normal adult d ie t. Host Baby Mammals — Similac with iron baby formula fixed accord­ ing todirections. Feed with medicine dropper or d o ll's b o ttle . Gradu­ a lly Introduce to natural foods as the animal 1s weaned. Special Note — Baby animals c h ill quicklyl Place cage on a con­ stant low source of heat such as a heating pad, or invert a lig h t bulb over box or cage. Salvaged Specimens Blandford Center has a salvage permit from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to keep road and window k ille d animals fo r educa­ tional purposes. Injured and Immature animals are kept u n til they are able to fend fo r themselves. A record of animals received and th e ir disposition 1s annually sent to the DNR and the permit 1s renewed. The Center had a freezer donated to hold dead specimens u n til they can be made In to study skins or mounted fo r educational displays. Vol­ unteers and student teachers prepare most study skins, while the mount­ ed specimens are hired done by a re tire d Museum taxiderm ist. A high school student 1s presently building a freeze-dry unit with the Center providing donated funds fo r parts. a science pro ject. He w ill use the unit fo r While i t is preferable to use liv in g specimens fo r most teaching purposes, study skins and mounted specimens make i t possible 134 for v is ito rs to handle animals that they would never otherwise be able to touch. The freeze-dry method provides a quick, easy and Inexpensive way to prepare most animals when the services of a highly s k ille d ta x i­ dermist are not availab le. Admittedly, a commercial freeze-dry unit Is an expensive piece o f equipment — Blandford Center could not ju s t if y such an expense, even fo r the resulting preserved specimens. I t is the feeling of the Blandford Center s ta ff that the use of liv e and salvaged w ild life 1s a valid and stim ulating facet of the Na­ ture Center's program — well worth the extra time and e ffo r t. Figure 103. Schoolhouse w ith P ro te c tiv e F ib erg las Shutters in Place Figure 104. Garbage Gobbler VANDALISM Vandalism 1s to some degree a fact o f l i f e a t a ll nature centers. I t has become a more serious problem as the population Increases and has greater m o b ility. The overly curious, Id le or unthinking person can cause fru stratin g hours of costly rep air. One of the purposes o f a nature center 1s to fo ster a deeper ap­ preciation and enjoyment o f liv in g things and a greater regard fo r the In tr ic a te complex of factors - Including man - that Influeneces them. A stimulating program and frie n d ly atmosphere help to discourage van­ dalism. Blandford Center's continuous neighborhood public relations e ffo rts , especially among the young, have helped to keep vandalism low­ er than 1n adjacent areas. Stout Fiberglas shutters on the lower windows o f the In te rp re tiv e building during the night, make entry more d if f ic u lt and ward o ff blows from stones and p elle t guns. Both the garage and the in te rp re tiv e building have been broken Into once with l i t t l e damage. In the f a l l of 1972, an electronic security and f i r e detection sysi tern was In s ta lle d in a ll buildings. The cabin had proved to be an a t­ tra c tiv e nuisance from the very beginning, with a break-in at least once a week. Nothing was damaged or taken, leading the s ta f f to believe 1t was the work o f curious neighborhood children. The security system has not yet proved this assumption. Three inch cedar posts, numbered on top and set in concrete, help­ ed solve the problem of uprooted t r a i l markers. T ra il damage now con­ sists p rin c ip a lly of occasionally loosened steps, dislodged t r a il curb­ ing, stolen chain and broken posts on the pond boardwalk, and carved 136 137 beech trees. I t is suspected that a night maintenance man, hired through the Federal Emergency Employment Act in the spring of 1972, has helped cause the near elim ination of youthful beer parties in the parking lo t. The unfenced, easily accessible nature o f the Center makes looted cars, stolen bicycles, and lif t e d b illfo ld s from unwatched purses, constant problems. Signs and personal admonitions warn, but are not always heeded. Although picnicking is discouraged, neighborhood children sometimes eat lunches on the premises, leaving pop cans and papers. A fter school youth groups are asked to feed the "Garbage Gobbler" th e ir candy wrappers and apple cores before they go outside. A n t1 -litte r campaigns and slo ­ gans seem to be catching on - perhaps a greater respect fo r l i f e and property 1s on its way! THE INTERPRETIVE BUILDING EXPANSION The original plan fo r the I n i t i a l ten acre g if t o f land did not call fo r any type of building. As the Curator led an Increasing num­ ber o f fie ld trip s to the property, 1t became apparent that there was a growing need fo r teaching outdoors and much more could be accomplish­ ed on th is s ite 1f a t least some restrooms and a roofed shelter could be b u ilt. Plans for a more elaborate structure took shape about the time the Grand Rapids Museum Association accepted the task o f raising funds to construct I t . (See Introduction, p. 12) The building was designed to make 1t possible fo r a lim ited s ta ff to keep an eye on most of the a c tiv itie s from a central point. That point 1s the Curator's o ffic e , which has a view of the front door and lobby, the Book Nook, and the woodland t r a il s . The room 1s d ire c tly be­ low the auditorium and most childhood games of h1de-and-seek and tag are easily detected. sound. Only the laboratory 1s out o f the range of sight and Since its original use as a lab preordained th a t a s ta ff member or teacher would be with the class, 1t seemed that a ll areas could be easily supervised. Almost Immediately, the laboratory became a multipurpose room. A row of cutting and polishing machines turned 1t into a part-tim e la p i­ dary shop. The public began its humane plea fo r the s ta ff to mend or raise injured and limature w ild life , lab counters. ilakeshlft cages lined up along the (See Live Animals, p. 126) The room was opened to the gen­ eral public who enjoys the residents of "the convalescent ward," as one person dubbed the room. Most v is itin g classes asked to see the animals even 1 f they were not naturally a part of th e ir requested program. 138 The 139 lab became a busy place! I t was not long before other building growing pains became evident, and the 11st grew with s ta ff , services, and use. One end of the upstairs storage space was made Into an o ffic e , a downstairs closet became a shop where natural history items and books are sold, the Curator's o ffic e be­ came volunteer headquarters, larger and more frequent groups o f physical­ ly handicapped could not reach the upstairs auditorium, summer program classes, v is itin g classes and college extension classes vied fo r space 1n the lab and auditorium, exhibits 1n preparation had to be whisked under cover when classes arrive d . Volunteers had no quiet corner to relax be­ tween classes, study, or even hang th e ir coats. Plans began to take shape fo r an addition to the exlsltng Interpretive building. At th is w ritin g , rough plans have been drawn fo r the addition to be attached to the northwest end o f the present building on the upper le v e l, with a breezeway on the lower level where the Woodland T ra il begins. The existing ro o flln e and outer appearance of the original building w ill be carried through the addition and the outside stairway modified to also serve the addition. The new structure w ill have approximately the same square footage as the original and w ill contain: F irs t Floor 1. Auditorium to seat 60 2. Classroom for 30 3. Preparation Room and S ta ff Workshop (including freeze-dry u n it fo r animal mounts, mimeo equipment, laminating machine) 4. Restrooms equipped for physically handicapped 5. Laboratory fo r 30 6. Mechanical and service room 140 Second Floor 1. Two offices 2. Volunteers' Room 3. Storage Only the major p artitio n s w ill be In stalled I n i t i a l ly * to allow fo r fle x ib le use. The preparation area or small classroom may be moved upstairs depending upon the extent of use involving the Grand Rapids Board o f Education's new curriculum plan. (See Program* p. 71) Youth headquarters, lapidary shop, and darkroom o rig in a lly proposed for the addition w ill be placed 1n the recently acquired one room schoolhouse. When the addition becomes a r e a lity , the present laboratory w ill be remodeled as a liv e animal room. This w ill keep the animals close to the hub o f general a c tiv ity 1n the building where they can be b etter supervised. Much as most v is ito rs enjoy ju s t looking at the animals and reading the captions on th e ir cages, there are occasionally those who. In te n tio n a lly or not, disturb or possibly In ju re them. (See Live Animals, p. 127) While storage areas do not appeal to the public in a fund raising campaign, they are a v ita l part o f the building and should be consider­ ed c a re fu lly a t the planning stage. Extra chairs and collapsible work tables need a spot where they can quickly and easily be moved Into the classroom or auditorium. Re-usable seasonal exhibits need racks and shelves where they can be stored systematically without becoming dusty and dog-eared. m aterials. This holds true fo r future ex h ib it and demonstration Maintenance supplies and slop sinks should be located close to restrooms and other areas th at need d ally cleaning. 141 Financing the Addition Raising funds fo r the addition is 1n i t s e l f an enormous jo b , but in the case o f Blandford Nature Center, certain procedures must take place before any additions can be made. Once the needs fo r the addi­ tion were re a lize d , the Curator presented a w ritten reconmendation to the Director of the Museum and the members o f the Art and Museum Com­ mission. I f they judge the addition to be necessary, they w ill present the plan to the City Commission, who w ill decide i f private funds can be raised to add to a building owned by the C ity . This body w ill ques­ tion the Increased financial support required to maintain and s ta ff the addition. I f the Curator's report ju s tifie s the need and indicates a reasonable expense, the Corrniission may grant permission fo r the project. 142 tie s DWCLOPMEUT S IT E id e u*rr*L- SCHEME PLAN S C A tE tV t^ o o * ECO-UNIT Ilinillliimt n iU S lP tH T U L . op m L *N O f ECO-UNIT G o t# COUQSG 3 P IL A M P F O R .P MATURE CENTER. w U tftT Figure 105. Relocation o f E n try Road to Consolidate H abitats SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS A nature center is not to be undertaken lig h tly or without basic goals and adequate fin a n c ia l support. or speed it s development. Many unforeseen events can slow In the case of Blandford Nature Center, the sudden elim ination o f c ity funds fo r this new d iv is irn of the Grand Rapids,'Michigan, Public Museum, resulted in unexpected public support. Continued yoluntary assistance and contributions have resulted in greater and more rapid growth and d iv ersity than the Curator ever envlsoned. Careful selection of salarie d , voluntary and student s ta ff have provided a broader program, more rapid development, greater internal harmony, and good public relations - a ll essentials fo r a small, grow­ ing f a c i li t y . This thesis is a record of some o f the t r ia ls and triumphs encoun­ tered 1n establishing a community oriented, urban-edge nature center. As has been mentioned, Its development 1s not unique 1n most of Its approaches, but 1s rather an amalgamation o f many programs and ideas considered by Its Curator to be useful to the community i t serves. The Blandford Center natural areas o f f ie ld , edge, mature fo re s t, sec­ ond growth, ponds, and stream are a ll w ithin easy reach of an urban population o f about 200,000. These existing habitats are being man­ aged to keep them 1n th e ir present state or improve them. T ra ils have been established to guide v is ito rs past Interesting features and also preserve as much of the natural surroundings as possible. Some less fra g ile areas have been designated fo r more free exploration by class­ es, under the guidance of a s ta ff or volunteer guide-naturalist. 143 144 The main thrust o f the Center's educational program 1s toward school classes - especially from the f i r s t through the sixth levels. A c tiv itie s are designed to supplement and reinforce the several sci­ ence curricula presently used 1n the area schools. Teachers are en­ couraged to use the Center's f a c ilit ie s to supplement studies that span the entire curriculum* not ju s t science. A varied, stim ulating program attempts to reach not only students and the already Interested, but those lik e the family th at stood one day 1n the Center's lobby and one member said, "M[y, you have a beauti­ ful place - too bad I t ' s stuck 'way out here 1n the woods." Blandford Nature Center was established with the sincere b e lie f that generally people are not aware of th e ir relationships and respon­ s ib ilit ie s toward the earth's natural resources. In the boxed, bagged and canned economy of the 20th century, a person has often lo st v ir tu ­ a lly a ll physical and philosophical connections with the native earth. Without a basic awareness and concern fo r his natural environment, he cannot and w ill not make In te llig e n t decisions about 1t. Blandford Center 1s not an environmental center where the public 1s presented formulae for jousting with the power structure to effe c t change 1n the physical environment. However, the s ta ff is ready and w illin g to assist members of the community 1n th e ir search fo r In fo r­ mation about problems and w ill o ffe r suggestions fo r solutions. But there w ill be no action u n til the people know and care about th e ir en­ vironment. The planning and present f a c ilit ie s o f Blandford Nature Center 1s Phase One of four fundamental areas of development. In Phase One, the basic physical and philosophical foundations have been la id . This is 145 not the time and place fo r the s ta ff to rest on Its oars with the thought th a t "We have arrived !" The current surge of In terest 1n a q u ality environment and the promise of more leisu re time make a na­ ture center more than Just a frin g e benefit 1n a community. I t 1s a place where citizen s can l i t e r a l l y get th e ir fee t back on the ground. Future phases o f development depend upon the a v lla b m ty of funds, both from the c ity budget and the City o f Grand Rapids, as well as contributions from the public. This may make some of the phases some­ what fragmented in r e a lit y , with parts o f more than one 1n progress at a time. The anticipated phases o f the master plan of development are as follows: Phase Two c a lls fo r closer cooperation with the Grand Rapids Board of Education's science and social studies departments. The f i r s t steps 1n the Pioneer Heritage program, begun 1n the f a l l o f 1972, with the th ird level students, w ill be expanded. More preliminary and follow - up materials w ill be availab le and evaluation forms w ill be sent to each class. On Sunday afternoons during warm weather, costumed volunteers w ill demonstrate a v a rie ty of pioneer s k ills In the log cabin and around the farmyard. A fter the one-room school house 1s placed on a permanent foundation and u t i l i t i e s are In s ta lle d during the summer o f 1973, third and fourth level classes throughout the d is tr ic t may schedule the building fo r a day and experience school as 1t was a century ago. Guidelines w ill be set up by the Center s t a f f , but a c tiv itie s w ill be conducted by the classroom teacher. During sumners, the school house w ill be the headquarters fo r the 146 Center's vacation program fo r children. Expanded classes 1n garden­ ing, pioneer l i f e , and outdoor survival w ill be among those making use o f the log cabin and pioneer farmyard complex. The basement o f the school house w ill contain permanent f a c ilit ie s fo r youth and adult la p i­ dary and research projects. Included 1n Phase Two w ill be garden plots fo r f i f t h level students 1n the Grand Rapids schools. Each student w ill p lan t, c u ltiv a te and har­ vest his own crops. The land planned fo r the gardens w ill become part o f the Center by early 1973. Since the gardening project 1s a future step 1n the Grand Rapids Board o f Education's Cooperative program, It s Imple­ mentation is based prim arily on the a v a ila b ility of school funds. The development o f a barnyard animal program fo r f i r s t level stu­ dents and demonstration gardening programs fo r the public are planned fo r this phase of the Center's progress. These two steps w ill require substantial funding and w ill begin very simply - hopefully by 1975. The Museum Association has recently entered into a land contract with the farm owners, with the agreement that they may remain in residence during most o f 1973. An a lte rn a tiv e education program for g ifte d sixth level students is another step 1n Phase Two. This w ill enable the Center and cooper­ ating In s titu tio n s to try some innovative techniques 1n outdoor edu­ cation which would not be possible 1n the average classroom. With the acquisition of additional property, Increasing the to ta l size of the Nature Center from sixty to about one hundred fifte e n acres, some habitat consolidation and restoration can be made 1n Phase Three of the Center's development. At the time the access road was extended to the In te rp re tiv e building, i t was necessary to follow the 147 most d irect and already established route. This necessitated bisect­ ing a muskrat pond and an expanse of open meadow. When funds become av ailab le, the road w ill be rerouted to sweep gracefully around the pond and unite the divided meadow. The Introduced curves w ill create a more pleasing approach and could help to slow t r a f f ic . In Phase Four, a proposed addition to the in te rp re tiv e building w ill provide much needed space fo r the expanding educational program, as well as Include necessary f a c ilit ie s which had to be l e f t out o f the origin al structure. To date, most of the children v is itin g Blandford Center, have not been part o f an integrated curriculum planning program, nor have they followed a regular program schedule. The v a lid ity of s ta tis tic a l mea­ surements directed toward detecting genuine a ttltu d ln a l changes 1n children resulting from a tr ip or even several trip s to the Center, would seem to the w rite r to be very doubtful. The City o f Grand Ra­ pids, lik e any metropolitan center, produces children from extremely varied social and economic backgrounds and physical environments. Most of them, at best, are exposed to a nature center program once or possibly twice a year. I f , however, one were to make an extended study o f some of the planned programs mentioned, or a study fifte e n to twenty years hence; this would undoubtedly have both value and v a lid ­ it y . The time covered by this thesis has not permitted the Curator the years necessary to make such a study. Public enthusiasm, acceptance and community backing are not easily measurable; likewise voluntary comments o f v is ito rs are not read ily adaptable to s ta tis tic a l charting, but they probably are an Indication of whether the Center is e ffe c tiv e ly communicating. 148 "NOTHING IS ACCOMPLISHED UNLESS SOMEBODY CARES" Figure 106. The Theme Underlying the Total Story of Blandford Nature Center 149 During the Curator's twenty-three years of experience in present­ ing nature In te rp re tiv e programs* she has had numerous spontaneous re­ sponses from adults whom she Instructed as children. I t is astonish­ ing to hear some of the long term carry-over. Facts are frequently re­ counted* but by fa r the m ajority of the comments are those of a ttitu d e a p o s itiv e , caring a ttitu d e toward one's environment, a desire to find out more, and an in te re st In sharing sim ilar experiences with th e ir fam ilies. I t 1s from such Intangibles th at Blandford Nature Center moves a head; its s ta ff searching fo r new approaches and better ways to bring man and the land closer together. To refresh his s p ir it , set him to wondering, and move him to act with an ecological conscience. LIST OF REFERENCES LIST OF REFERENCES In preparing a plan fo r the development of Blandford Nature Cen* te r , the Curator investigated several nature centers and related fa­ c i l i t i e s and participated 1n teacher and youth leader train ing pro­ grams. Numerous publications have proved helpful 1n developing the s ite , program and general philosophy. Nature Centers and S1miliar In stitu tio n s Visited or Consulted Connecticut Flanders Nature Center, Woodbury Greenwich Audubon Center, Greenwich Sharon Audubon Center, Sharon Delaware Delaware Nature Education Center, Rockland Illin o is Forest Park Nature Center, Peoria Lincoln Gardens, Springfield Indiana Hayes Arboretum, Richmond Indianapolis Children's Museum, Indianapolis Massachusetts Drumlln Farm W ild life Sanctuary, Lincoln Michigan Ann Arbor Public Schools Outdoor Program B attle Creek Schools Clear Lake Camp, Dowling Chippewa Nature Center, Midland Cranbrook In s titu te Nature Center, Bloomfield H ills DeGraaf Nature Center, Holland E lla Sharp Museum, Jackson Fenner Arboretum, Lansing Kalamazoo Nature Center, Kalamazoo Kensington Park Nature Center, Brighton Nankin M ills Nature Center, Livonia Sarett Nature Center, St. Joseph Seven Ponds Nature Center, Dryden Stony Creek Nature Center, Rochester Woldumar, Lansing New York High Rock Park Nature Center, Staten Island 150 151 Ohio Antioch College Outdoor Education Center, Yellow Springs Aullwood Audubon Center, Dayton Cincinnati Nature Center, Milford Columbus Metropolitan Parks, Columbus Dayton Museum o f Natural History, Dayton Emerald Necklace Parks, Cleveland Stark Wilderness Center, Wllmot Pennsylvania Schuylkill Valley Nature Center, Philadelphia Texas Fort Worth Children's Museum, Fort Worth Teacher and Youth Leader Training Programs Attended Association of In te rp re ta tiv e N aturalists Workshops (5) Michigan Conservation Education Association Workshop Michigan Conservation Schools a t Chatham and Higgins Lake National Audubon Camps in Maine, Wisconsin, Wyoming Organizational Memberships Which Provided Information Association of In terp retive Naturalists Michigan and National Audubon Societies Michigan and National Conservation Education Associations Useful Publications S ite Planning A Nature Center For Your Community, (Booklet) National Audubon Society Planning A Nature Center, (Booklet) National Audubon Society T ra il Planning and Layout, (Booklet) National Audubon Society W ild life Habitat Improvement, (Booklet) National Audubon Society Program and Philosophy Acclimatization (Booklet) - Richard Van Matre - American Camping Association, 1972 Adventuring In Nature (Booklet) - Betty Price - National Recreation Association, 1954 A Place to Live (Urban Ecology) (Booklet) - National Audubon Society, 1971 Conservation (Booklet) - Camp F1re G irls , Inc. Curriculum Enrichment Outdoors (Book) - John Hug and P hyllis Wilson Harper-Row, 1965 F ie ld Book of Nature A c tiv itie s and Conservation (Book) - William H111court - Putnam, 1961 152 Integrating Conservation and Outdoor Education Into the Curriculum (K-12) (Booklet) - William Stapp - Burgess* 1965 Interpreting Our Heritage (Book) - Freeman TUden - University o f North Carolina, 1967 Manual o f Outdoor Conservation Education (Booklet) - National Audu­ bon Society, 1964 Natural History Guide (Book) - H. Charles Laun - Alsace Books and Films, 1967 Nature Recreation (Book) - William Vinal - McGraw-Hill, 1940 Open Land For Urban America (Book) - Joseph Shomon - Johns Hopkins, 1971 Outdoor A c tiv itie s For Environmental Studies (Booklet) - C liffo rd Knapp - Instructor Publications, 1971 Outdoor Education (Book) - Julian Smith and Others - Prent1ce-Hall, 1963 Reading the Landscape (Book) - May Watts - MacMillan, 1957 Sand County Almanac (Book) - Aldo Leopold - Oxford Press, 1970 Steppingstones to Nature (Book) - R. 0. Bale - Burgess, 1960 Teaching Conservation Through Outdoor Education Areas (Booklet) U. S. Forest Service, 1970 Teaching 1n the Outdoors (Book) - Donald Hammerman and William Hammerman - Burgess, 1967 Techniques For Teaching Conservation Education(Book) - Robert Brown and G ilb ert Mouser - Burgess, 1966 Tips and Tricks 1n Outdoor Education (Booklet) - James Swan and Others - In te rs ta te Publications, 1970 Web o f L ife (Book) - John Storer - Devln-Adair, 1953 Miscellaneous Publications Directory of Nature Centers and Related Environmental Education F a c ilitie s , National AudubonSociety, 1972 1972 - *73 Directory of Natural Science Centers ForYouth, Science For Youth Foundation Natural This 1s by no means an exhaustive l i s t . Of the many publications consulted, these provided the greatest assistance.