Staff at LRCD have been talking for years about moving the xeriscape demonstration plot on 22^nd and Reynolds to another location.  The Reynolds location is in a flood detention pond, which is less than ideal for plants that prefer arid conditions during spring or summer rain events.  The question has been – where can we move it that is both acceptable to the City and high profile?  The answer presented itself as Trish was working on the design of the LaBonte Park Outdoor Learning Center.  Trish suggested putting the demo plot in LaBonte Park as a means of exhibiting Wyoming native plants, Tony countered that not all xeriscape (low water) plants we see around town are native, so they compromised and asked the Laramie Garden Club to design a garden that is half Wyoming native and half decorative/xeric.  The result, designed by Jennifer Jones and Amy Fluet, is an 80’ long by 40’ wide dumbbell shaped plot that serves both purposes.  The garden, situated north of the Wyoming Children’s Museum and Nature Center, was prepared and planted in June by LRCD staff and volunteers.  Over 600 plants were installed on Saturday, June 16.  Mulching was finished a

Jennifer Jones (standing) of the Laramie Garden Club leads a group of volunteers in a major planting project on June 16.

NEW DEMONSTRATION

GARDEN SERVES DUAL

PURPOSE

few days later and edging and signage are

still to come.  This will be a beautiful work in progress over the summer.  Please check it out!

LaBONTE PARK OUTDOOR

LEARNING CENTER

 

Several groups have proposed plans for improving the lake and building educational areas around the lake.  The U.W. Lab School has a group of students that were interested in learning about the previous plans and used them as a basis for planning, raising funds, and installing equipment at the park. This is a student led project that will extend the educational prospects in the area by developing an outdoor learning center on the east side of LaBonte lake.

  

The lake would become a natural educational park that will improve the water quality and odor of the lake, demonstrate to the public the importance of conservation of wetlands, create healthy wildlife habitat, beautify the park and provide a valuable educational/recreational resource for all schools, residents and visitors.  The location of LaBonte Lake is easily accessible to schools and other community groups.

 

The project would give students the opportunity to participate and understand the historical, scientific and economic issues involved in natural resource problems, as well as the viewpoints and biases of the various participants.  Students will discover how complex these issues are, and how, by using effective communication strategies and rigorous scientific reasoning, people with conflicting points of view can arrive at common solutions.  They will also learn that once a solution is reached it must be implemented, the land must be monitored to determine the effectiveness of the solution.  Finally, they will learn how the disciplines of science, mathematics,