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November 21 , 2008

Nature House Project Begins

By Leslie Perales Observer Staff Writer

More than 40 years after it was initially planned and eight years after fundraising began, the Nature House at the Walker Nature Education Center is finally under construction. The groundbreaking for the Nature House was held on Wednesday and a crowd of more than 100, including employees of Reston Association, members of the Friends of Reston and community leaders, braved the cold to take part in the ceremony.

"The journey to get here today has been phenomenal," said John Gasson, president of Friends of Reston. He said more than 1,000 people donated to the Nature House and the Friends of Reston reached its $1.5 million goal at the beginning of July.

Joe Ritchey, a member of Friends of Reston board of directors, said Friends of Reston also raised enough funds for the building to be LEED Gold Certified. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a program of the U.S. Building Council. The current structure at the Walker Nature Education Center will be torn down in the next few days and more than 90 percent of the materials will be recycled.

Green features of the building will include energy-efficient walls and roofing, sustainable harvested cypress siding, landscaping with native plants, efficient lighting, and reclaimed wood and recycled carpet for the interior decor. "Nature House will be a showcase for green and environmental standards," Ritchey said. "We should all be very proud of this building."

The 3,700 square foot Nature House will include a multipurpose room with laboratory space, audio-visual equipment and a food preparation area. It also will feature a public resource room with a nature library, displays and habitat observation area for drop-in visitors. A partial second story will house offices for the Nature Center's full-time staff and a full cellar will provide about 2,700 square feet of storage space.

Chuck Veatch, one of the founding members of Friends of Reston, said Reston was a unique community making international headlines in the 1960s and it continues to be a cutting-edge area. Educational programs have been held at the Walker Nature Education Center for years, but "the one part that was lacking was a place to do it," he said. The Nature House will continue to keep eyes focused on Reston because it will be one of the most environmentally friendly buildings in the Dulles corridor, Veatch said.

Bob Simon said Veatch, Ritchey and Jim Cleveland were instrumental in paving the way for the Nature House and he is excited to see it come to life. Nancy Herwig, who previously worked as nature center director, said, "I'm thrilled to be here celebrating with all of you. How many times did I hear 'where is the center, these are just bathrooms.'"

Pieces of the original Walker Nature Education Center were removed from the building, cut into the shape of RA mascot Earl the Squirrel, and given to attendees as mementos.