12 Acre Forest and Trails Project

Over the past eight years, our 12 Acre Forest and Trails project has been slowly emerging. While it’s hard to notice changes day to day, we can see just how far our land has come when we reflect over the years on all the work of our community and ecological partners.

 

In many ways, our land embodies Maria Montessori’s vision of the perfect setting for a Montessori school, presenting diverse opportunities for students and staff to develop meaningful connections with the natural world while working and learning in our forest, in our pollinator and vegetable gardens, and with our pasture animals. Our campus’s power of place and capacity for connecting students to nature has long been apparent to those associated with our school’s location. As recorded in a 1977 King County, WA permitting document (before the establishment of Cedar River Montessori at the site): “The 16 acre facility will be used to increase the young child’s awareness of the natural environment. A variety of animals will be observed and utilized in our outdoor program.”

 
Click below to see a timeline of some of the incredible things that have happened over the years to build our forest and trails.

Thank you to EVERYONE who made our 12 Acre Trails and Forest Restoration project possible, making a long-term impact for our students and their relationship to the land, now and into the future.