FRIENDS OF EDGEWOOD NATURAL PRESERVE
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FRIENDS OF EDGEWOOD NATURAL PRESERVE
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INTERPRETIVE CENTER TO BENEFIT EDGEWOOD’S DOCENT AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS by Carol Hankermeyer and Kate Finnigan
Everyone is so looking forward to the new Interpretive Center being planned for Edgewood, especially those of us in the Interpretive Program, who so closely interact with the public through the Outreach work with the children and the Docent-led walks. Of primary importance is the fact that the interpretive center will be located at the entrance to the preserve, which could not be more ideal, as it will provide a clearly defined area for docents, visitors and students to gather for hike orientation or group discussion. It will also be a good safe distance from the cars cruising the inner parking lot, which is always a worry with the children. The outdoor amphitheatre will be particularly useful for organizing and addressing those hikes attended by a large number of people. And, of course, the Center will have restrooms, which will be a welcome convenience for everyone. The Interpretive Center will also be a secure place to store all the reference materials we provide to the docents and the public, such as maps and flower lists. It will also serve as a safe and secure place to send anyone who might need to leave a hike that turned out to be too demanding for them. Inside the Center, there will be exhibits designed to give an overview of the entire Edgewood experience, as well as much detailed information on what there is to discover in the preserve, and these exhibits will, hopefully, capture the interest of students and adults alike. And, of course, these exhibits will also provide invaluable interpretive tools for the docents. The Interpretive Center will give us a home base to post our activities and efforts, making information clearly visible to all visitors and inviting them to get involved in a variety of volunteer opportunities. Finally, as it is being designed as a “green” building, the building itself will serve as a model of environmental conservation. Now all we have to do is raise the money. To date, we have raised well over half of the funds needed for the building, exhibits, and parking-lot improvements. We hope to complete funding in time to break ground next summer after the wildflower-walks season has ended. The goal is to have the Center operational in 2010. For more information about the Center, its exhibits, and the current funding status, contact Julia Bott, Executive Director, San Mateo County Parks Foundation, at 650-321-5812, or visit www.supportparks.org. |
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