If you’ve visited the Barker Woods Nature Preserve recently, you may have noticed something looks a little different. The dense overgrown brush next to the trailhead is gone!

So… what happened?

We’re excited to share that this area is being transformed into a welcoming outdoor learning and nature playspace where students, families, and community members can connect with nature while learning about the region’s unique ecology.

This project began with conversations between Save the Dunes and Barker Middle School, where the school shared a vision of an outdoor classroom to support the many school trips to Barker Woods each year. Their ideas helped shape the design, which was later incorporated into the Barker House Master Plan, finalized in June 2025. 

Thanks to the incredible work of Duneland Landscape, site preparation is now complete, and the transformation is well underway.

Over the coming months, we’ll be hosting volunteer workdays alongside our project partners to install native landscaping, nature play features, and other education elements that will bring this space to life.

If you’re visiting Barker House or Barker Woods Nature Preserve, be sure to stop by and check out the progress. We can’t wait to share what’s next!