The Tangible Wonders of the Outdoor Learning Lab

By Adam Barnes and Allie Combs

Executive Director – Holliday Park Foundation; Park Manager – Holliday Park

ABAS donated $100,000 toward the construction of the Outdoor Learning Lab

The Amos Butler Audubon Society and Holliday Park have a partnership that goes back decades. In fact, we have copies of letters written between John Holliday and Amos Butler from the early 1900’s in the park archives.  It’s no wonder our organizations have such a strong relationship!

Over the years, ABAS has funded a variety of projects that have helped to broaden the impact of our environmental education programming and to protect and preserve birds and their habitat here at Holliday Park.  In 2018, our staff began to brainstorm ideas to transform the underutilized space behind the Nature Center into an Outdoor Learning Lab that would take advantage of the tremendous potential to enhance habitat diversity and expand our educational mission to thousands of additional visitors.

Thanks in large part to a leadership gift from ABAS, we reached our fundraising goal and began working with Landmark Landscaping to create a cohesive design to transform the space into a gateway connecting the scientific discovery happening in the Nature Center to the trail system and park grounds.  Thoughtful layout of an outdoor classroom, water feature, native gardens and the inclusion of interpretive elements were designed to create an Outdoor Learning Lab that enhances passive visitor experiences and active environmental education opportunities, while at the same time improving habitat for a wide variety of species.

Now, as they walk through native gardens, visitors can see wildlife using natural food sources and feeding stations, taking a drink from the stream feature, and hear their calls while participating in a program in the outdoor classroom. Educational signage provides information on pollinators, wildflowers and trees. The Outdoor Learning Lab has allowed the naturalist staff to offer new and exciting science-based programming and provides a showpiece for how native plantings and habitat diversity can benefit wildlife and provide a fully accessible learning environment available to everyone, every day.

Observing students of all ages experiencing the multi-sensory space by running their fingers through velvety leaves and watching their eyes light up with curiosity at the kaleidoscope of colors is truly enchanting and rewarding. Curiosity is sparked when they catch the scent of blooming flowers and the hum of busy bees as the immersive design of the space makes the wonder of nature tangible. Witnessing the student’s fascination and connection to their environment in such a hands-on way underscores the unique benefits of the Outdoor Learning Lab in fostering a deep and personal appreciation for the beauty and complexity of the natural world. Embark on a sensory journey with us by visiting the Outdoor Learning Lab.

As Holliday Park continues to expand our role as a leading provider of environmental education in central Indiana, our impact would not have been possible without the generosity of ABAS and we thank you for your support.