Improving community health through
recreation, conservation, and education
We are continuing to improve access, usability, and knowledge of outdoor opportunities and wellness strategies near State Road School and Chad Erickson Memorial Park. We have included features like a handicap accessible linkage trail, natural surface exploration trails, activity metrics, inclusive stations and features, interactive educational media, and permaculture landscaping.
Jed Olson – Project Coordinator
Is it possible to make the Community Forest even more MAGICAL?
On any given day, you can see dog walkers, runners, bikers, strollers, toddlers, and crawlers wandering the forested nature path, playing on the playground, utilizing the pavilion, following the interpretive play signs, and casting a line into the pond.
The park saw the latest additions in 2020, right in the middle of the COIVD-19 Pandemic. Teams worked hard to install an outdoor classroom made from locally sourced boulders, as well as a quiet meditation zone complete with affirmation prompts and a natural timber covered bench. What could make this more dreamy for kids and adults alike? How about a wheelchair accessible treehouse?
Calling all creative minds!
Community Partners are working together to bring this park another amenity that truly sets it apart from the rest. A wheelchair accessible treehouse will give kids of all abilities the feel of being taller than the trees, playing together side by side in the forest. The project is currently in the contracting phase and we hope to see engineered plans this summer.
Research continues to show us the benefits of spending time outdoors
The La Crosse Community Forest space provides an open-ended experience that promotes exploration, play, activity, and learning by incorporating physical spaces that invoke the diverse identities of our geographic region in proximity to an urban setting.
exploration, play, activity, and learning
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A safe yet exciting natural space to learn and explore
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Insight to the former, present, and future uses of the land
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Valuable biodiversity
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Motivation to improve strength and mobility
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Connecting neighborhoods
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Safe transportation
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Building community
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Adventure around every corner
