Photography donated by Elizabeth E. Carver.

Overview:

Blue Sky Nature Center in Troutman, is a magnet destination for people with and without disabilities who want to interact with their environment, while celebrating nature with intentional accessibility, regardless of a person’s physical limitations. Blue Sky Nature Center is a certified wildlife habitat (#96,267) with the National Wildlife Federation. It incorporates the basic four elements of food, water, shelter, and safe places for wildlife to raise their young.

Creating educational hands-on experiences, work opportunities, interacting with and protecting nature, are key goals for LifeSpan’s BlueSky Nature Center. The community has created this environment including corporations, garden clubs, civic and church groups. Through support of Eagle Scout projects, benches specifically designed for people with abilities have been built and placed along the ¼ mile walking trail loop; an amphitheatre created with stage and ramp for accessibility; and many bird for specific species built.

With the support of a greenhouse, the horticulture areas include sensory gardens (directed at our participants with a variety of disabilities to stimulate all senses), butterfly and hummingbird attraction beds and gardens, water features and chimes, herb containers, vegetable beds, and floral areas with both annuals and perennials. Blue Sky Nature Center incorporates water conservation through use of rain barrels, mulching, and xeriscaping techniques using drought tolerant plantings and native species.

Blue Sky Nature Center offers an outdoor classroom experience and continues to complete the objectives that fit LifeSpan’s mission by incorporating all elements of our program services:

Education:

• learn from and protect the environment
• produce learning guides, tag NC native materials, train participants to be guides
• build awareness and community inclusion for people with disabilities by involving the community in the development and use of the gardens and habitat

Enrichment:

• boost health and wellness impact in an outdoor natural environment
• incorporate arts, music, and horticulture into learning outside the walls of the facility
• utilize plants and nature to stimulate the senses and increase communication

Employment:

• enable people with disabilities to work on the grounds for a modest income
• learn additional skills that could lead to job opportunities
• build community awareness of the abilities of people often identified only by their disability

Future plans include compost areas and bog gardens. We currently have brush piles, rock piles and natural crevices for wildlife to seek shelter. The property boasts a small creek and a natural spring area. Also included are 5 more hiking trails for advanced to beginning hikers along with one more trail for individuals with physical disabilities. The nature center will eventually become a community hub, connecting the Troutman YMCA and other agencies with the walking trails for combined miles of recreational and physical fitness opportunities.

For more information on how you can help, contact Debbie Brown at dbrown@lifespanservices.org

Learn what Nature Abounds has to say about LifeSpan's Blue Sky Nature Center.