Greater Newark Conservancy - Learning Center Gift Opp.

Outdoor Learning Center Gift Naming Opportunities page 2 1 3 4

The Greenhouse 100,000

Located directly adjacent to the Conservancy building, this working greenhouse will use passive solar energy to complement its solar power. Interactive horticultural exhibits will be developed for indoor education sessions during inclement weather. Here, the Conservancy will also undertake more extensive composting efforts. It will provide hands-on education programs, and will house its potting and propagation areas and storage bins. A working grape arbor will be integrated into the site.

The Solarium $150,000

The Solarium's primary purpose is to show the importance of alternative energy sources, primarily solar energy. As an extension to the cafeteria located inside the Conservancy building, the Solarium will be a site for sheltered dining, catering and community gatherings. Seating in the solarium will be supplemented on the outdoor patio of paving stones, the Outdoor Cafe.

The Lunar Gallery $125,000

The Lunar Gallery will display exhibits on the moon's important function in the environment. This half-moon paved area will include paintings of moonflowers and other night-blooming flowers with explanations of why these nocturnal plants bloom as they do.

The Woodland Trail $125,000

This display will depict the importance of first peoples to our local history and teach visitors about their rituals and practices, especially those relating to agricultural environment. Included in this display may be a recreation of the "Three Sisters Garden" where corn, beans and squash all grow together, an outdoor storybook and an interactive display where children and adults can grind corn in a gristmill.

The Urban Wildlife Gallery $125,000

Located in the center of the Outdoor Learning Center, this display combines various native plantings, a turtle bog, and a wooden footbridge to demonstrate the interdependence of plants and animals in the wild. Here, children and adults see small mammals, birds, turtles, insects and fish sharing food, shelter and water and learn how a healthy environment is critical to their health and well being. Included in this display will be a series of birdhouses (constructed from recycled material) and an "Eye Spy" Exhibit using periscopes.

The Tree House Observatory $125,000

A focal point of the Urban Environmental and Ecological Center, the Tree House Observatory will be a large, fabricated sculptural depiction of a tree that will help children to see their environment from a new perspective. Located at the corner of Springfield Avenue and Prince Street, the Observatory will house exhibits that teach visitors the importance of trees and exactly what trees provide to the environment, especially in an urban setting. A solar powered irrigation system will provide water to nearby trees and plantings.

A Crop Production Demonstration Area $100,000

Here, children and adults will learn about how things grow by working in and around plant beds separated by small walkways. An exhibit on soil medium will show how plants don't need dirt to thrive, only water and nutrients. A compost exhibit will demonstrate the different stages of composting. A hands-on planting exhibit will allow children to plant their own seeds and see them grow over time. The Crop Production Demonstration Area will also feature a small amphitheater for class groups.

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Outdoor Learning Center Gift Naming Opportunities page 2 1 3 4