Small Town News

Luther College Natural Areas Walking Trail open

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Luther College Natural Areas Walking Trail, a five-mile hiking trail that traverses many of the restored native landscapes on Luther's 800-acre campus, has been completed and is open to the public.

The Natural Areas Walking Trail is a cooperative project of the college's biology department, sus-tainability program and wellness program. Project leaders include biology professors Eric Baack, Kirk Larsen and Beth Lynch; Dan Bellrichard, sustainability coordinator; and Greg Lonning, wellness director.

The campus land use committee approved the trail in April, and work began immediately to lay out the route through campus areas that are maintained to preserve the appearance and the eco-systems of the river-and-bluffs region's pre-settle-ment and early settlement bio-history.

During the summer a trail crew cut down trees, scythed underbrush, built rock and wood steps on the steep portions of the trail, and placed blue arrows along the trail to mark the route.

Trail crew members include land interns, Jason Hagemeier, a Luther senior biology and economics major from Sioux Falls, S.D., Max Mol-zahn, a Luther junior anthropology and environmental science major from South Milwaukee, Wis., and Kimberly Stocks, a Luther junior biology and environmental studies major from Dubuque.

The trail is designed for walking, and may be suitable for some runners. In the winter, snowshoes may be used on the trail, but most sections are not recommended for skis.

For detailed trail description and map, visit website: www.luther. edu/sustainability/outdoor_recre-ation/trails/.



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© 2011 The Decorah Journal Decorah, Iowa. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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