Marty Birrell, director of Prairie Park Nature Center, 2730 S.W. Harper St., fills a bird feeder in front of the facility. A new chemical-free habitat will be created in front of the nature center this year to help educate homeowners on how and why it is important to curb the use of chemicals on their lawns.

A post marks where gayfeather will be planted at Prairie Park Nature Center. The flower produces a 1- to 3-foot spike of bright purple or white flowers. Volunteers are taking the lead in developing a chemical-free habitat in front of the center. For details on how to get involved, call 832-7980.

Prairie Park Nature Center is a fantastic Lawrence asset. People who visit the center have personal interaction with wild animals; they learn about the species as well as what brought that animal to the center. But community members want to add another layer of awareness for those who come to visit: They plan to create a new, chemical-free habitat in front of Prairie Park Nature Center and educate homeowners on how and why it is so critical to curb the use of chemicals on our own property.

“It’s a long-range plan that we hope will be far-reaching in bringing some awareness and better practices to Lawrence gardeners,” says Amy Albright, project coordinator and co-owner of Vinland Valley Nursery.

Albright developed the idea when she attended a Lawrence City Commission meeting about the Lawrence pesticide-free parks program – a plan that did not include Prairie Park Nature Center. Albright was told that the city didn’t have the funding or resources to enact the program at Prairie Park.

“Because the city is struggling with shrinking budgets and has expressed a need for volunteer help for park maintenance if we are to use fewer chemicals, I thought that as a nursery owner it was time for us to step up,” Albright says.

In spring 2007, Albright, business co-owner Doug Davison and Prairie Park supervisor Marty Birrell made their presentation to the city. They provided a site plan for a demonstration garden using the front of the nature center building as a residential example. It will display wildlife-friendly, eco-conscious plants and recycled hardscaping in an artfully designed landscape.

Volunteers started working on the project Nov. 3, and the city will remove any large dead trees and debris this spring so volunteers can move forward with the next step. They’ll erect cardboard as an eco-friendly recycled weed barrier and begin planting trees and shrubs, perennials and hardscapes.

“I’m trying to order in recycled tire pavers, and Chris Schafe from Sunflower Curbside Recycling is saving blue glass for us so another artist friend can make pretty blue tumbled glass garden rock,” Albright says. “We also have a park bench made from recycled plastics.”

If you would like to be involved in the Prairie Park Nature Center demonstration garden, you may join their e-newsletter mailing list on the Vinland Valley Web site or call Prairie Park Nature Center to receive more information. The center will continue to need volunteers to help with the upkeep throughout the summer months.

Getting involved is an opportunity to learn more, grow more and help make Lawrence as environmentally aware as any community trying to learn on how to tread more lightly while we are here.