Nature by de-sign

Lincoln City’s Open Spaces are small but mighty places where you can lose yourself in nature. Until recently, you could also lose your way for short periods of time, as trail building and maintenance took precedence over signage.

Now, Lincoln City Parks and Recreation is ready to unveil newly installed trailhead interpretive signage at all Lincoln City Open Space trails, with a ribbon cutting this Friday, Feb. 25, at the Knoll trailhead.

The signs will include trail maps along with art showcasing the flora and fauna that live in the open spaces by local science illustrator Nora Sherwood.

Invited special guests include Sherwood, Lincoln City Council members, Travel Oregon staff and the Lincoln City Parks and Recreation board.

Refreshments will be served.

The effort to preserve these special places within city limits received a major boost 1998, when Lincoln City voters passed a bond measure of more than $3 million to protect areas that have significant value as either forest or wetlands from development.

Today, the network includes seven designated open space areas, with miles of trails from easy to difficult and more than 15 trailheads.

Immediately after the ribbon cutting will be a maintenance party where volunteers are invited to ‘chip in’ and lay bark on the trail.

The event begins at 10 am at the Knoll trailhead, located at the cul-de-sac at the end of NW West Devils Lake Blvd. For more information, including maps of existing open spaces, go to lincolncity.org or call 541-996-2148.