Prince William Expands Its Nature-Based Learning Program

TRIANGLE, VA — Prince William County opened its second facility for Grō, a nature-based learning program, at its Locust Shade Park near Triangle. The new Grō indoor learning center, housed in a renovated storage building at the park, will serve as a teaching center primarily for children.

Grō, a program developed by the Prince William County Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department, helps children learn about the environment through outdoor play. The county held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Dec. 14 for the opening of the facility at Locust Shade Park. The first Grō facility opened in March 2017 at James S. Long Park in Haymarket.

Children spend increasing amounts of time engaged in indoor, especially screen-focused, activities, the department said. This results in what the department calls a "nature deficit" for many children who are spending less time interacting with nature and missing opportunities to benefit from the positive developmental impacts of time spent outdoors in a natural setting.

"It's a natural education center, principally to serve our Science in the Park youth who are coming in as part of the tour through the park," said Brent Heavner, a spokesman for the Prince William department.

The parks department teamed up with Science in the Park, a program of the Prince William County Public School System, to teach environmental science outside of the classroom. "When the children come here, they are participating in their science classes. Teachers will coordinate with Science in the Park and then come here for their lessons that corresponds with something in the classroom," Heavner said.

The new Grō center at Locust Shade Park will be open to students for planned Science in the Park events, with the occasional openings for the general public for events such as a nature day in the park. The center features wall murals showing how the park's ecosystems work, signs showing the birds, mammals, reptiles, insects and fish of the park, along with exhibits and hands-on activities.

Locust Shade Park has picnic pavilions, hiking trails, mini golf, an amphitheater, boating, fishing, playground and fitness trail. The addition of the Grō center will enhance the public's experience at the park, Seth Hendler-Voss, the director of the county's Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, said in a statement.

Located next to the Marine Corps Heritage Museum, Locust Shade Park's address is 4701 Locust Shade Dr., Triangle. The park is open year-round from 7 a.m. to dusk.