A new outdoor classroom is under construction in the University of Connecticut Forest. When complete, the classroom will be easily accessible to all students, faculty and community members.
The outdoor classroom will replace an existing teaching space in the forest that was not easily accessible from campus, according to Robert Fahey, director of the UConn Forest and associate professor in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment.
The classroom is at the base of the forest, providing a clear view of Horsebarn Hill. The classroom is easily accessible and unlike the previous classroom, does not require hiking far into the forest.
The pavilion will have a hexagonal shape with a 30-foot radius and the structure will be timber framed, according to an article published by UConn Today in August. It will be set up like a stadium, with an arrangement of seats around a speaker’s space.
“One of the broader goals of the forest is to make the forest useful, from a teaching and learning perspective, for the broader UConn community,” Fahey said.
The new space is designed to be more multifunctional than the old space and plans to accommodate clubs and organizations in addition to classes.
“If somebody wants to have a performance, like play their violin for some people or read some poetry with a beautiful landscape in the background, we could have artistic uses, in addition to meetings of different organizations and traditional class use,” he said.
The space is under construction and should be completed before the end of this fall.
“We are hoping that before it gets cold, it can be something that people can go and check out,” Fahey said.
The space will utilize an area of the forest that has been affected by invasive species like the emerald ash borer. Fahey said after salvaging the trees that were killed, the disturbance created a clear space that could easily be transformed into a classroom.
Fahey said the space is great for those who want to go into the forest but don’t want to go on long trails.
“It could also just be a good space for quiet reflection and watching wildlife and listening to the birds,” he said.
Regardless of the classroom, Fahey said the UConn Forest is a great place to go for a walk and release the everyday stress of classes. His favorite area of the forest is along the Fenton River, which you can access with the Nipmuc trail.
“We’re hoping to put some different tables down there so that people can kind of hang out and spend a little more time back there. It’s a pretty great place,” he said.
The UConn Forest consists of 2100 acres of forest land distributed among parcels in the Mansfield area. Maps and lists of trails can be found on the UConn Forest website.
UConn Forest is overseen by a committee of faculty and staff under the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment. The forest has a crew of students and volunteers who maintain the forest and the trails. For those interested in getting involved with the UConn Forest, email Fahey at robert.fahey@uconn.edu.