I’ve been to Maymont a few times before this year and every visit has been enjoyable and relaxing. The grounds are absolutely gorgeous and there’s something for everyone to enjoy. I hadn’t however been in the Nature Center before, though I’ve passed it and wondered what was inside.
I’ve seen many different nature centers of sorts from various parks back in New Jersey so interactive displays were no stranger, though always fun to explore. Maymont’s nature center had interactive displays, live animals, and a plethora of information about the park and its ecosystems. Most of the information was actually not too new for me, but I still enjoyed all of the displays, especially the 3-D model of the James River watershed. This helped me visualize the scale and relative topography of the watershed that a map can’t do. The 3-D model of just Maymont Park served the same purpose for me. It’s one thing to walk around, or even live in, an area or see it on a map in class, but to get a bird’s eye view of the spatial distribution adds another level of perspective, especially in a hilly area like Richmond.
Another part of the Nature Center that I enjoyed was learning about and seeing some of the native species of the area: foxes, cows, bobcats, bald eagles, bears, turtles, many species of fish, otters, and bison(!). I knew people used the park for purposes of enjoyment: One of my close friends at UR who grew up nearby has told me about classmates who take pictures at Maymont for prom. I’ve even seen a wedding reception being set up on the grounds overlooking the Italian Garden (and was tempted to sneak into the gorgeous venue). But it was refreshing to learn that there are efforts to preserve at least a part of this ecosystem’s history.
I think what I learned first and foremost is that it is possible to preserve the nature and beauty of an area and still have it open for the public to enjoy, use, and interact with. Maymont still includes many of the species that were here long before European settlers arrived. It also includes beautiful gardens, grassy hills for picnics, backdrops for photography, and ample space for general enjoyment of the area. The area has been so well preserved in my opinion to include both ecological and aesthetic features that it makes me wonder why more areas like this don’t exist. Or if they do, where can I find them?
For general information on visiting Maymont: http://www.maymont.org/visitor-overview