Wonder Wanders Trails Project

Overview: The UW Bothell at the EERC team, in partnership with the Finn Hill Neighborhood Alliance (FHNA), is co-designing active, nature-based activities that foster health and wellbeing, connection and caring for the natural world, stewardship identities, and motivation towards conservation and pro-environmental behaviors. FHNA and the UWB at the EERC team seek to explore collaborative opportunities to develop programming as outlined below in support of increased access, connection, caring, and understanding of the natural world in St. Edward State Park, and as well as natural areas surrounding the Park, in the Finn Hill neighborhood.

Objectives: As a result of the UWB at the EERC – FHNA Wonder Wanders project experiences, community members will:

Develop a stronger awareness of, connection to, and engagement with the EERC and FHNA.
Establish deeper connections to nature in the Finn Hill community including St. Edward State Park and areas surrounding the Park.
Increase their understanding of and caring for natural and cultural history and resources located within SESP and the Finn Hill community.
Be motivated to engage in community environmental protection through stewardship, philanthropy, local activism, and individual behavior change.
Have fun by being active in nature and staying active in the Finn Hill community.

Milestones: To reach these goals, the EERC team will:

Develop content for 3 community workshops in June, July, and September of 2022 to build awareness of the project, collect feedback, codesign nature-based activities with community members, create environmental education materials based on research and evaluation, and inform community members.
Identify two trails and develop corresponding interpretive storylines based on the natural and cultural highlights of the area.
Develop a backpack program based on Learning in Places storylines designed for families to use along the trails.
Create self-guided Geocache Adventure tours for two trails.