PARA Set To Debut New 'Eco Trail' At Van De Graaff Park

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Tuscaloosa County Park & Recreation Authority (PARA) on Monday announced it will host a grand opening for trail sponsorship and sculpture signage for an Eco Trail in Van de Graaff Arboretum and Historic Bridge Park.

Click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.

The free ceremony will be held April 4 at noon in the park, which is located at 3231 Robert Cardinal Airport Road in Northport.

PARA says the new Eco Trail is a collaboration between the Rotary Club of Tuscaloosa Morning, the University of Alabama’s Department of Art & Art History, and the UA Department of Biological Sciences.

As part of the new Eco Trail, it will feature four custom installations which include trail signage with informational placards on metal sculpture stands, entrance signage, and a new pedestrian bridge.

“An Eco Trail brings environmental awareness by showcasing the unique aspects of your surroundings,” Rotary Club member and PARA Director of Park Operations Adrian Cleckler-Collins said. "'Eco' refers to the park’s unique 141-acre wetland ecosystem which combines aspects of land and water to create a distinctive habitat where certain plant and animal species are protected and can flourish."

Rotary Club President Bill Petty said the club is able to match funds from its Rotary district to do projects like the Eco Trail in its community.

"We chose PARA to assist them in updating the trail that was built and it was renamed the Eco Trail sponsored by the Rotary Club of Tuscaloosa Morning," he said. "The club hopes that this trail will enhance visitors’ understanding of what Mother Nature shows them throughout the trail for years to come.”

The sculptures were made possible by UA Professor of Sculpture Craig Wedderspoon and his students, who designed and constructed the bronze relief sculpture for the new stands.

"Using the skills students learn here in the UA Sculpture program to become actively engaged in positive contributions to our surrounding communities is a critical factor in teaching young lives to be responsible citizens and to apply their ideas to projects that have meaning and value to those with whom we all live," he said.

The new installations focus on birds, reptiles, insects, and fungi.

Each installation is complete with an informational placard, while the descriptions were researched and written by staff of the UA Department of Biological Sciences.

Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you're interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at ryan.phillips@patch.com