The University of Southern Indiana has received $150,000 through the Community Impact Project Grant Program of The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF).
The three-year project, “Nature’s Classroom: Bridging Education and Recreation at The University of Southern Indiana,” will create educational enhancements to USI’s trails and 730-acre nature preserve, supporting K through 12 students, USI students and other trail users.
The enhancements will include a large ADA-compliant outdoor learning pavilion with seating for up to 30 participants; a nature trail extension with footbridge connecting the area to USI’s trail network; interpretive signs, developed collaboratively with USI faculty, K-12 teachers, and community subject-matter experts, to educate trail users about local geology, ecosystems, and biodiversity; and grab-and-go outdoor learning kits for environmental education. The foot bridge will be designed and built by a team of USI engineering students with decommissioned telephone poles donated by CenterPoint Energy.
A Citizen Science initiative will engage local community members in real-world environmental research. Special outreach will target Title I schools by providing transportation, supplies and lunch for students. Volunteers, including USI alumni, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana (TMMI) employees, and community members will assist with trail expansion, native plant beds installation and programming.
Among the goals of the project is to educate the broader community through free public events and targeted outreach. Events like Earth Day, World Environment Day, National Public Lands Day and/or USI Environmental Science Day will feature hands-on activities, guided hikes, Citizen Science demonstrations and family-friendly exhibits. Community members will be invited to connect with nature on the trails and learn about environmental stewardship.
The pavilion and trails will be integral to USI’s summer STEM camps held annually with the YMCA of Southwestern Indiana. The new outdoor learning pavilion and trail will also support K-12 field trips during the academic year. The University hosts hundreds of students annually from urban and rural schools, engaging them with numerous hands-on environmental education experiences.
A public kick-off event for the grant-funded improvements is being planned for fall 2025.
