CURRENT PROJECTS

BUILDING THE WESTSIDE TRAIL

Trails are living things brought to life by all that use them; a path that connects water, plants and animals across terrain as a function of the habitat they are in - beaver trails, deer trails, rabbit trails, water trails, earth trails and human trails are all a record of repeated patterns and a tool for engagement. This trail has been lovingly “found” and stitched together by trekking along deer trails, following old farm roads, studying maps, researching flood patterns and finding views that tell the story of place.

The Westside Trail started as a way to connect existing trails and create a journey through 5 distinct floodplain habitats to engage human curiosity. Such a beautiful and huge undertaking needed expert guides which was found in the Landscape architecture firm Native Habitats, Inc founded by Robert Poore. He was hired for his experience as an artist and ecological designer combined with his knowledge of native plants (and we just liked him!) along with his partner Rob Anders who is equally awesome. A grant from the National Park Service through the MS Hills National Heritage Area made this important step possible.

The trail construction process began with the City of Grenada partnering on a $27,000 Recreational Trail Program Grant for materials and contract labor. The grant process has been led by Kim Goss of Willis Engineering. Figuring out how to get the trail from idea to an on the ground reality happened when Kevin Baker came on the scene. He was initially hired to mulch the corridor and quickly demonstrated his solid knowledge and experience in all things dealing with dirt work, chainsaw work, construction techniques, survey work and good common sense. From its inception, the trail construction process relied on volunteer labor. An Americorp NCCC Team kicked off the trail building in the spring of 2021. Their 4 week tour of 570 combined hours went by fast and only completed 1/4 mile of the 1.15 mile trail. Local volunteers and FCS board members stepped up to finish the job. For the past 18 months more than 400 volunteer hours have been logged. Ability Works, a state job assistance program for disabled people, joined forces at the beginning of 2022 allowing 320 hours of paid labor in the form of job training. Hal Little, the man assigned to us, proved to be excellent at trail work and has since been hired as a contractor by FCS continues to make progress.

The Westside Trail (named Intermediate Trail on map below) started as an idea in 2019 as a way to connect existing trails and provide access to west side of property. This 1 mile trail with a 6 ft Corridor and 4 ft surfaced trail bed is about access. Fitness, family friendly, wildlife observation, conservation activities and tree identification have guided the design process. Short boardwalks designed by Native Habitats and built to the highest standard allow for great views over drainage areas. It’s srtidfing to look at this map and know that “future” and “proposed” have become “current” and “almost complete”.

The Enchanted Forest

We are gathering a amazing group of artists, naturalists, local businesses, volunteers, sponsors & wildlife organizations for an magical day of Halloween fun at Lee Tartt Nature Preserve in the Grenada Downtown District.

***EVENT DATE HAS CHANGED BECAUSE OF WEATHER***

Be a part of this magical moment on Sunday, October 30! Open between 3pm and 8pm

This project is supported in part by funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency

$10 per ticket for all ages over 5

The Enchanted Forest is meant to charm and entertain. Appropriate for all ages!

It includes hayride to event site, firepit, games & activities, Green Dragon Apothecary, Enchanted Forest Trails with magical guides. The trails feature Aunt Nancy the Spider and her webs, dragons, dragonflies, dryads, tree spirits, nomadic trolls, and other mysterious beings.

The Mississippi Arts Commission has bestowed a grant to FCS to hire artists to dream, envision and create fantastic and magical components for the 2022 Enchanted Forest at Lee Tartt Nature Preserve. They are inviting the public to participate in the creation and installation of their vision.

The trails will interpret the idea of Troll and Dragon migration season using natural and up-cycled materials in combination with illumination. Giant glowing mushrooms on the forest floor, bioluminescent foxfire and plant forms suspended in the trees, dragon eyes and troll campfires twinkling through the brush - the Enchanted Forest is not meant to cause fright but inspiration to spend more time in nature.

Our artists are currently at work dreaming up ideas and turning them into reality. Follow us stay connected to the behind the scenes process.

SWAMP QUILT

Friends of Chakchiuma Swamp was awarded a Mississippi Arts Commission Mini Grant to bring quilt artist, Yolande Van Heerden to Grenada to create a 10ft x 10ft swamp themed quilt with the help of many hands. Community volunteers of all ages participated in a series of workshops in January and February 2020. Robin Whitfield, Director of Friends of Chakchiuma Swamp is so excited about all the community involvement, “Being creative and making things together is unique to being human. This has been an awesome way to learn new skills, make new friends and gain awareness of the wildlife at the swamp… and Yolande makes it all so fun!” 

Yolande’s approach to community quilting feels like a game. She has an engaging process that works for all ages and experience levels. Whitfield says “We loved having some experienced quilters involved but were equally excited to introduce sewing machines, quilt block design, hand embroidery and hand quilting to beginners.” The quilt was pieced together from colorful scraps representing swamp life. Old khaki pants were upcycled for the borders and backside off the quilt. The Elizabeth Jones Library allowed a drop off bin to be placed in their entrance. 

Imagine a big quilt spread on the forest floor overlooking a Chakchiuma Swamp. A group of girl scouts or a classroom from the Elementary School are sitting on the quilt looking up into the canopy of bald cypress, water oaks, sweetgum, red maple and hickory. They are quietly listening to layers of sound - bird song, frog calls, bees buzzing and the whir of hummingbird wings. The quilt itself is then used as a game board, inspiring deeper connections through stories, questions and dialogue about what was experienced. The quilt itself depicts 20 plants and animals of Lee Tartt Nature Preserve whose lives are interconnected. 

School groups, summer camps, after school organizations and other community groups will benefit from the Quilt which will be used as a portable classroom. The quilt will be a gathering space and focal area for a variety of activities during field trips. It will also act as a security blanket; a cozy space which will be a barrier between the ground and school uniforms keeping everyone tidy and relaxed. Smaller children will have a defined container for safety, better learning and cooperation.  

LTNP MASTERPLAN

Native Habitats Inc. was hired in 2018 to work with us in the creation of a master plan for Lee Tartt Nature Preserve. The plan establish the broad, long-term vision for the site and serve as a plan to guide more detailed design in the future. 

VISION

Curiosity, creativity, wellness, and community connections

To create inviting access to a Mississippi swamp forest and provide site based sensory interpretation designed to create experiences connecting people of all ages and backgrounds to nature in meaningful ways.

Rachel Carson often said “a child’s positive connection to nature depends on two things: special places and special people.”

SITE PROGRAM COMPONENTS

Created from conversations with board members, stake holders, community leaders, citizens, conservation professionals, MSU students during 3 community meetings in 2018

Interpretive Area

Level 1 - User group: large groups, children, families, outdoor beginners, travelers

Intermediate Area

Level 2 - User group: fitness, small groups, birders

Wilderness Area

Level 3 - User groups:  Researchers, photographers, artists and others interested in a "wild" experience. 

PHASE 1 

Task 1: Site Inventory, Analysis, and Intermediate Trail Layout

Conduct detailed inventory and analysis of the entire site and flag proposed trail centerlines in the field for portions of the site not within the interpretive area 

Task 2: Concept Design

Develop concept design based on the site program and existing conditions. 

Task 3: Master Plan 

Based on feedback from review of Concept Design, revise and further develop preferred concept design (overall site concept integrated with preferred concept for interpretive area) into a Master Plan depicting a summary of the overall design intent, major design features, and recommended phasing. 

INFLUENCING FACTORS ON PROJECT DESIGN

LOCATION

.25 miles from Town Square / Urban Trail Hub

1.5 miles from Grenada High School & Middle School

3 miles to future Grenada Sports Complex & I 55 Exit 208

5 miles from Grenada Lake Public Use Areas

adjacent to Trailhead for 52 mile Yalobusha River Paddling Trail from Grenada to Greenwood

PARTNERS

City of Grenada, Grenada County, Strawberry Plains Audubon Center, Grenada Tourism, Grenada Chamber of Commerce, Grenada Community Foundation, ADP Inc., Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area

General Project Information
Property Owner: City of Grenada, MS
Leaseholder: Friends of Chakchiuma Swamp 501(c)3
Project Owner: Friends of Chakchiuma Swamp

Contracted Designers:

NATIVE HABITATS INC. Landscape Architecture

Robert Poore, RLA, ASLA Founding Principal Landscape Architect

Rob Anders, RLA, ASLA Landscape Architect

“Though our principal landscape architect Robert F. Poore, ASLA, founded the firm with a primary focus on ecological design, our work has now expanded to include museums, playgrounds, arboreta, parks, interpretive exhibits, pedestrian pathways, trails, gardens, and more. We have been involved in many public and private projects over the years that seek to weave ecological processes with art, science, human and cultural needs; we approach projects with the strong-held belief that everything is related to everything else. We have been honored with numerous awards over the years related to landscape architecture, art, and conservation, both on the state and national levels.”



LTNP MANAGEMENT PLAN

A Management Plan is underway for Lee Tartt Nature Preserve with the assistance of Strawberry Plains Audubon Center ecologists and avian specialists. This 300 acre floodplain is being carefully observed & documented by experts in their fields to inform the crafting of a plan/ activities schedule supporting health and balance in Chakchiuma Swamp and it’s connected systems.

Considerations include: historical and existing plant communities, resident and migratory birds, general biodiversity, invasive species, native species of concern, hydrologic system