Discover Nature's Beauty Right Here on Our Campus at the Falcon Park
Discover Nature's Beauty Right Here on Our Campus at the Falcon Park
Hammocks may be checked out from the Falcon Center by Fairmont State students, faculty and staff.
This is a central gathering place in the park.
The yurt provides the outdoor classes and programming an indoor setting in an outdoor space. Students have camped out overnight in the yurt. Classes are held in the yurt.
The yurt is getting solar power. This is work that is currently in progress.
All of this is thanks to a generous donation from Equitrans Midstream.
The Falcon Park, a green space on the Fairmont State campus, began as a class project in 2019 and has become a reality.; This 7.9-acre living laboratory offers opportunities for long-term relationships between humans and nature that emphasize a full range of physical, mental and cognitive engagement. In addition to the natural environment, the park has multiple designed spaces for education and engagement that include a trail system, yurt, open-air community space, hammock hangout area, a sensory garden and trail, and citizen science stations. The goal of the park is to invite people from diverse cultures, situations and abilities to engage with the outdoors through activities such as applied math, art, nature therapy, environmental stewardship and citizen science. Contact with the environment coupled with diverse programming opportunities will promote healthier social behavior, connect participants to the environment, engage users in citizen science and educate the population about sustainable practices.
Contact us at falconpark@fairmontstate.edu
In the Fall of 2019, Jan Kiger, Associate Professor of Outdoor Recreation Leadership,
took her Foundations of Outdoor Recreation (RECR 1141) class up to the wooded area
and tried to enter via the eastern side of the property (closest to Bryant Street).
They found the space inaccessible.
They sat outside the space and discussed the pros and cons of a park on campus. The class continued to use the space for discussion purposes in the class and started to develop a PowerPoint proposal. By the spring of 2020, Jan had investigated the space a little more than before and decided to incorporate the idea of a park and trail into the RECR 1141 class. She worked with Stephanie DeGroot, Construction Manager, to acquire tax maps for the space and used the park as a focal point.
It gave the students a real connection to the process of citizen involvement in the park’s plan and creation. The class continued to develop the PowerPoint presentation, connecting it to each module of the course. Unfortunately, Covid-19 brought this to a virtual space none of us expected and the park planning was set aside for standard course content in the virtual world.
In the fall of 2020, Jan created a clean-up event in the green space that would eventually become the Falcon Park and Trail. The volunteers on that day collected a record amount (768 pounds) of trash.
There was enough talk about the park idea that when the 2021 Senior Class was looking for their campaign project, a trailhead sign for the park was their pick. This sped up the designation of the park. With the support of many people at the university, the park was approved.
The goal of the trail system is to provide a recreational and leisure space for students to experience the outdoors through personal outings, educational and community programming. The focus of the work is to create a sustainable trail system that will continue to be available for current and future generations. Trail management involves many facets:
Trail Planning – Planning trails that provide access to the greenspace, protect the environment, and do not contribute to the degradation of the natural environment.
Trail Building and Improvement – Developing, constructing, and maintaining trails that consider sustainability, drainage, erosion control, and green space features.
Trail Evaluation – Manage the trail system in regards to sustainability, erosion and water control, and need for improvement. Prioritize planning efforts that might include re-routes, closing of non-sustainable sections, and rehabilitation of disturbed areas.
Park Development – Identifying, creating, funding and maintaining plans, facilities, events, projects and features within the park such as water features, seating areas, educational spaces, accessibility features, programming, events and other infrastructure beyond trails.
If you are interested in contributing your time to help with stewardship efforts and trail maintenance in the park, we'd love to hear from you!
Trail Monitors: Walk the trail and report on trail conditions, and areas in need of attention.
Trail Maintenance Crew Leaders and Members: help maintain and improve the trails (raking, pruning, benching, etc.). If you are a Fairmont State Student you can sign up for RECR 1154 to get credit for this work.
Trail Guides: offer time to show others the trail that might be uncomfortable alone.
All of these opportunities have a physicl activity component. We do trail work year-round. Trail volunteers must come dressed for the weather and wear sturdy, and closed-toed shoes.
Contact us at falconpark@fairmontstate.edu
