Crow’s Nest: The WebWalkers’ Forest

Our oldest group of nature clubs kids are studying land use and decision-making with a model forest that is modeled inside our preserve center barn.

This is not unlike the exercises that Natural Lands Trust uses with municipal officials and planning commissions, only the elected officials don’t get the nice props.

Difficult decisions need to be made to balance community interests, environmental values, and personal objectives. There are winners and losers with every land use change, from the wildlife that calls the forest home to the landowners whose family lands are at stake, to the neighbors whose property values are increased by proximity to protected open space, to the kids who play in these woods. Our WebWalkers nature club kids are experiencing a small sample of these issues when they come inside from playing in the woods on our protected lands.