Projects & Research
A New Visitor Center
For the past 41 years, the Mahan Branch of the Library has been housed in Creasey’s “old dairy barn,” built in 1928 out of locally harvested timbers and limestone. With the library’s planned move at the end of 2024, we will renovate this historic building and turn it into a Visitor Center with a gift shop, interactive displays, and comfortable seating for gatherings.
Rockasaurus Playscape
Outdoor play in a natural setting encourages creative play, coordination, teamwork, and exploration through using natural elements: raised berms, mulch piles, crisscrossed logs, a seasonally wet creek, muddy areas, and giant boulders for climbing (including the namesake “Rocky” built out of boulders and rocks, designed to look like a dinosaur rising out of the earth).
Currently, on any given day, both the Forest Friends Playground and the nearby Rockasaurus Playscape come alive with hordes of happy children and their parents!
Through our Thrive Forest School’s outdoor classrooms, we’ve learned that children who benefit most from this type of play environment are those with disorders such as speech impairments, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, and learning disabilities.
Finish Date: Phase II Summer 2026, Phase III Summer 2027
Other Projects at Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve
New Maps and Trail Signage
High Tunnel (Greenhouse) Installations
Certified Monarch Waystations
Wildlife Habitat Garden Improvements
Meadowlark Meadows Maintenance – 8 Acres
Forest Restoration & Tree Planting – 25 Acres
