Our New Home
What's Old is New Again!A Welcoming Entrance
Looking for a way to commemorate someone special and show your support of the Trust? Consider purchasing a custom engraved paver for the garden courtyard at the new Nature Center. Many of our Balsam families, children, grandchildren, and pets have already had pavers purchased in their honor.
These pavers make one-of-a-kind gifts and all proceeds go to the building fund.
Our faithful anonymous donor, who has renewed his pledge for 2017 of matching increased/new individual Trust donations, has included paver purchases in his challenge.
Metamorphosis
The old Nature Center is due for a metamorphosis this winter! We are very excited to share the new design concepts which were largely inspired by feedback from Balsam residents.
Many thanks to the generous members who have already committed to sponsoring these exhibits – we couldn’t do it without you!
If you are interested in contributing to the exhibit fund, please contact Michael (mskinner@bmtrust.org) or Rose and Jen (education@bmtrust.org).
Planned Exhibits
Animal Wall
An attractive housing solution that combines modern standards of care, ease of use, and a compelling visual experience of the Balsam ambassadors.
- Eye-catching accessible display
- Secure housing for animal ambassadors
- Easy access for care and handling
Cost to Underwrite: $5,000
Current Sponsorship: $3,500
Sponsors: Kohl/Farquarson, Watkins/Watson, Dunn, May, Colton, Barnett, and Summerford families
Kids Corner
Where nature play turns into a lifelong nature passion through hands-on inquiry, crafts, and climbing!
Play hide-and-seek with a new floor-level amphibian terrarium
- Snuggle up with a book in the tree house
- Craft, explore, and create at the activity table
- Future plans for crawl-through log tunnel
Cost to Underwrite: $1,000 – fully sponsored!
Sponsors: Outlaw/Kitchens and Reeves/Enright families
Living with Wildlife
Discover tips, tools, and tricks to get the most out of life with wild neighbors.
- Regularly changing exhibits on attracting (and discouraging!) wildlife
- Addresses frequent questions from Balsam residents
Cost to Underwrite: $500 – fully funded!
Sponsor: Sparks family
Discover tips, tools, and tricks to get the most out of life with wild neighbors.
Research Station
Let the latest Balsam research news inspire you to get out and make your own discoveries.
- Learn about the current research on the preserve and tools used to do it
- Use our tablet to discover new apps for nature exploration and citizen science
- Check out a discovery pack and hit the trails to do your own scientific investigations
Cost to Underwrite: $1,000 – fully funded!
Sponsors: Outlaw/Kitchens, Farquarson, Sparks, and Killebrew families
Living off the Land
Gardens will showcase local history through the lens of humans’ ingenuity and relationship with the land.
- Discover regional medicinal, edible, dye, and fiber plants in the Human Use Garden
- Learn how to attract pollinators in the Wildlife Garden
- Read up on BMP garden zones and which native plants fit best in your landscape
Cost to Underwrite: $750 – fully funded!
Sponsors: Watkins/Watson and Sparks families
Discovery Trail
Take a dynamic tour of the nature center’s most charismatic creatures while enjoying new outdoor interpretive areas.
- Observe the Trust’s animal ambassadors in their outdoor enclosures
- Uncover nature’s secrets at new trail Discovery Stations
- Enjoy the whimsical ambiance of our enchanted forest
Cost to Underwrite Screech Owl Mew: $1,500 – fully funded!
Sponsor: Philips family
Cost to Underwrite Kestrel Mew: $1,500 – fully funded!
Sponsor: Manidis family
Cost to Underwrite Turtle Enclosure: $500 – fully funded!
Sponsor: Bassett family
Take A Tour
