Wise County nature and fitness trail, Wise County, Virginia

Approximately 40 acres of land and a house located in the Town of Wise were bequeathed to the Wise County Industrial Development Authority by Carol Buchanan with the understanding and intent that it be used as a sanctuary park for animals and birds and would be open to the public to enjoy nature along the paths and trails. The current vision for the site is to develop a series of nature trails on the property that are of varying degrees of difficulty. Additionally, in order to provide opportunities to combat the problem of obesity in the area, exercise stations along the pathways and an outdoor classroom for educational sessions and presentations were desired. Parking and a picnic area were desired as well.

The Community Design Assistance Center worked with a team of stakeholders including the Wise County Health Department, Wise County Litter Control Department, Keep Wise Beautiful, Keep Southwest Virginia Beautiful, and the Upper Tennessee River Roundtable to develop a conceptual master plan for the site. The team also prepared focus area designs as needed for areas, such as the parking lot, and supporting sketches to visually convey ideas for various areas within the park (i.e. outdoor classrooms, exercise stations, etc).