A Path to Education

By: Alicia Rodriguez,Jacque Rizley,

Bahadir Ozseymen, & Alex Frasure

Intro The purpose of our EMPACTS project

was to prepare an educational trail for the community to use as a learning tool regarding ecosystems and the plants, animals, and other life within them – particularly tall grass prairie, post oak savannah, and aquatic ecosystems. .

Reason for doing it Students tend to get a

better grasp of subjects if they have real-life experiences to back them up. There are many ways to present information, but just sitting in a classroom rarely “lights the fire” under a student to motivate them to learn. The educational trail that our group is planning to build will greatly enhance the learning experiences of the students in physical science classes.

Goal We were planning to

clear a trail to be enhanced by points of interest. We were going to work around the native species to preserve the plants that the nature area, in general, is trying to encourage to grow.

Why? This project will benefit the community because it will give

local teachers a place to go for an outside classroom. It will also give regular, everyday people a chance to get out of the house, enjoy time walking and learning about different aspects of this area, including the plants and animals that live around them that they probably rarely notice.

Curriculum• We started out with an ambitious plan to have

the trail built, at least roughly, by this time, but have realized that projects of this size take more time… and money than we expected.

• Even though we did not meet our initial objective, we have achieved the planning of the trail which will allow future classes to pick up directly with building the actual trail without having to do the footwork.

Technology Gps We used a GPS unit to find the points that the presious class

had picked which gave us a general idea of where we were going to build the trail.

Powerpoint We used Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 to make this

presentation more affective through visualization. Camera We took images from the area in order to see results before

and after. (although the “befores” don’t look much different

from the “afters”)

Skills you developed as a team and as individuals

Team: • Worked together on each other’s schedule and managing our members’

time by keeping in contact.

Individual: • Realized that everyone’s time and initiative is not always on the same level. • Learned that helping the community isn’t impossible.

Technology: • Understanding the use of better technology such as GPS.

Communication: • We kept in contact through E-mail, phone, and face-to-face meetings.

Organizational: • Everyone has to come together and work well with each other in order for a

project to be of maximum success.

Methodology Started planning what our course of action needed to be. Went to the nature area and figured out roughly where the trail was going

to be based on the GPS points that former students had picked. • Bahadir

Put the PowerPoints together Helped with initial GPS location of trail points Met with Natalie Casey from Hobbs Estate

• Alicia Contacted Rogers Sand & Gravel for gravel prices, Benton County Jail to see about getting listed as a

Community Service option, and the Boy Scouts for volunteers to help clear trail Helped Bahadir get information for final presentation Made flyer requesting volunteers – to post when the trail is ready to be cleared

• Alex Used the GPS to figure out where the points from the previous class were so we could flag them. Checked with his friend regarding free mulch Met with Natalie Casey from Hobbs Estate

• Jacque Contacted John Beneke from Arkansas State Parks and Recreation – He referred me to Ken Eastin. Contacted and met with Ken Eastin from Eastin Outdoors, Natalie Casey from Hobbs Estate, and

Gayle Sparks from NRCS Set up many flags (with Ernie’s help) which wind between the initial GPS points to the points-of-

interest that his group picked out. Helped with final PowerPoint

Project Results

We discovered that there had to be two options depending on whether the land was declared a wetland area or not. • If the area IS a wetland: The trail must be elevated in the

boggy areas so that it will not impact the water flow or altar the aquatic ecosystem.

• If it is NOT a wetland: Our initial plan of building a raised trail, turnpike style, will be the most easy and affordable option.

Turnpike Construction

“A turnpike should be used primarily in flat areas with 0 to 20 percent side slope where there is wet or boggy ground. The most important consideration is to lower the water level below the trail base and carry the water under and away from the trail at frequent intervals.”

Turnpikes are used to elevate the trail above wet ground. The technique uses fill material from parallel side ditches and from offsite to build up the trail base higher than the surrounding water table. Turnpike construction is used to provide a stable trail base in areas of high water table and fair to well drained soils.

To be used in the non-aquatic areas if NOT declared a wetland

Geotextile Placement

Puncheon Construction

“Puncheon is a wooden walkway used to cross bogs or deep muskeg, to bridge boulder fields, or to cross small streams. “

To be used in the aquatic ecosystem areas or if it IS declared a wetland

Trail Specifications Length: approx. 1,700’ (linear) Space that needs to be cleared from ground with

tractor bucket or excavator: 8’ wide (6’ of walking space with 1’ on either side of trail for ditches)

Gravel depth – 12” with approx 4-6” above ground level

Tons of gravel needed: between 400-450 tons• NW Truck (Dean) quoted $9.72/ton = $4131

References John Beneke – Arkansas Parks & Tourism http://www.trailbuilders.org http://www.fhwa.dot.gov Ken Eastin - Eastin Outdoors

• 479-236-0939 Natalie Casey – Hobbs State Park Gayle Sparks – NRCS

• 1401 NE McClain Road, Suite 5 Bentonville AR

• (479) 273-2622 Frank Walker – NRCS Dean – NW Truck (best gravel price)

• 479-2632077