The 15-acre Daubenspeck Community Nature Park at 8900 Ditch Road features a trail lined with tall prairie grass, wildflowers, native oaks and an observation deck. It occupies land actually owned by the Washington Township School District. The Park is managed by a non-profit organization led by a volunteer board. The nature park board signed a 30-year lease with the Washington Township School district in 2006.
"The schools use it as an outdoor lab," parks board President Deb Ellman Watson said. "The schoolchildren come here regularly and plant wildflowers and plants. It is one of the few places in the township they can get close to nature like that."
Though the land has an estimated "investment value" of $950,000, Watson said it is worth more to the community as a park.
"It drives up property values," Watson said.
Periodic volunteer work days are organized to remove invasive species, built trails, and plant.
For more information, go to daubpark.org.
At the February 13, 2006 City Council meeting, City Councillor Angela Mansfield made a special resolution "recognizing all involved in the landmark decision by the Metropolitan School District of Washington Township to lease the land at 8900 Ditch Road to its citizens known as the Daubenspeck Community Nature Park for the next 30 years."