Walking down the road of progress, this trail changes how people are impacted by nature. The North Nutfeild Trail is the newest edition to the nature experience this town has to offer.
North School fifth grade teacher Beth Haarlander has been working to create a hands-on learning experience, starting with an outdoor classroom. Haarlander has been working to create this “tool” since 1998 and has been running after school activities for many years.
Working with fifth-grade teacher, and Student Council Advisor, Carol Currier for approximately two years, Haarlander has helped create a more advanced version of the blue .5-mile and red .15-mile connected trails. While also bringing together students in the Student Council and many other groups to create a better working environment for peers and families. Doubling as a family friendly place for families to spend time ‘within nature’.
“The student council decided two years ago that they wanted to make some improvements, so we started fundraising,” Currier said.
Haarlander started from wanting to create a more peaceful space in nature in a “little spot in a park,” to create a more mindful and creative environment.
It wasn’t until project based learning was “pushed” so kids had to work around projects. Once these projects came into play in all elementary schools, it was passed by the PTA and they started to carry out the idea.
“That started, we made some money, and then the following year the kids came in. We kept going and kept growing, the PTA got involved,” Currier said. “That is one of the most wonderful things about this project is that it is a community effort.”
The trail has been put together by students and their ideas so it is more of a “connection”.
“We made the area that we were going to call the classroom, so the trail actually goes all the way around by the parking lot on the other side of the school,” Haarlander said. “This was all made by student committees,” Haarlander said.
While trying to create a successful path, Haarlander and Currier applied for a Grant from the New Hampshire Association of Conversatory Commision. Haarlander ended up receiving a 1,000 dollar grant and used the money to buy supplies for the students. From students coming up with the ideas, to encouraging teachers to take them outside, and even the Londonderry Boy Scouts contributing to the trail “to get their eagle badges”.
“He ended up giving me a 1,000 dollar grant, and I bought these kits, and now I run an after school program for children to go out there and now they really learn,” Haarlander said. “They learn about everything that’s out there, the ice age, certain flowers.”
The trail has been proved to be a successful turnout by winning an award for the biggest tree in Rockingham County.
“I also got the NH big tree study that is out of the New Hampshire UNH extension and they documented a tree out on the trail that is the largest multi trunk tree in Rockingham County,” Haarlander said. “That was kind of exciting.”
It is a great way to gather the community together to provide another place for people to “create memories”.
“It really is fabulous, our ultimate goal is that it will be a community resource not a school resource,”Currier said. “In other words if you are a mother with school children outside of school hours you could bring your kids out there.”
