Friends of Dicken Woods Activities Planning Survey
  NOTE: This survey is now closed. It is still available here for review, but it no longer takes responses.

November, 2004

Dear Friends of Dicken Woods,

The FoDW Steering Committee wants your feedback regarding possible projects for our future. Now that the woods are saved and we have fulfilled our $50,000 pledge to help pay for DW, we have begun stewardship activities. This is the time to plan for the future, to choose and prioritize possible activities.

There are a few activities that we are quite likely to undertake (noted in the questions below), but for other activities we are less sure whether to undertake them or not. For all of these activities, the likely ones and the uncertain ones, we would like your thoughts about what priority you would assign them.

This survey will only take a few minutes to complete. For each activity listed below, simply note whether you think it should be a high priority, a medium priority, a low priority, or something not to be done at all. There is also a place to enter any other comments or suggestions that you would like to provide.

Reforestation

Question 1:
Should we undertake reforestation of DW? Reforestation means we would plant lots of saplings (very small trees, perhaps a foot tall). Saplings are easier to plant than large trees, and easier to care for, but would of course take much longer to grow to large sizes. What priority would you give to this activity?

  • High priority
  • Medium priority
  • Low priority
  • Do not do this activity at all
  • Not sure

Planting Larger Trees

Question 2:
Should we purchase, plant and care for mature trees (perhaps 6-8 feet tall)? This would require allocating funds (perhaps $200/tree), and a good amount of manual labor to plant and water the trees for a few weeks or months each. We would probably only plant one or two such trees at a time. What priority would you give to this activity?

  • High priority
  • Medium priority
  • Low priority
  • Do not do this activity at all
  • Not sure

Buckthorn Removal

Question 3:
Should we work to remove the extensive stands of buckthorn? This is an activity we are likely to do in some fashion, but would still like to hear how you would prioritize it. Buckthorn is an invasive, fast growing tree species that crowds out other higher quality trees and shrubs. What priority would you give to this activity?

  • High priority
  • Medium priority
  • Low priority
  • Do not do this activity at all
  • Not sure

Improving the Wildlife Habitat & Wetlands

Question 4:
Should we work to improve the wildlife habitat and wetland aspects of Dicken Woods? Currently it is unclear exactly what that might entail! A possible first step would be to work with others to study DW's current "quality" in terms of habitat and wetland functions, and then identify possible improvements that could be made.

  • High priority
  • Medium priority
  • Low priority
  • Do not do this activity at all
  • Not sure

Natural Meeting Space for Dicken Classes

Question 5:
Should we create a natural meeting space for Dicken classrooms? Such a space would be big enough to allow a teacher and perhaps 20-25 students to gather for outdoor classroom activities, but would not be signficantly modified beyond clearing the opening. Currently there is no space available within the woods for more than a few people to gather next to each other. What priority would you give to this activity?

  • High priority
  • Medium priority
  • Low priority
  • Do not do this activity at all
  • Not sure

Expanding the Trails

Question 6:
Should we expand the trails network? Currently there is a roughly circular trail with one extra middle path down its center. Should we add more trails? What priority would you give to this activity?

  • High priority
  • Medium priority
  • Low priority
  • Do not do this activity at all
  • Not sure

Add a Wood Chip Path to Dicken School

Question 7:
Should we add a wood chipped path from DW to the Dicken School back doors or parking lot? This would require the school's approval since it would actually be on the school's property. The school's land in this area gets very wet at times and is hard to walk through to access DW. A wood chipped path would make it easier for students to access DW during the wet season. What priority would you give to this activity?

  • High priority
  • Medium priority
  • Low priority
  • Do not do this activity at all
  • Not sure

Permanent Trail Signs/Maps

Question 8:
Should we fund and/or create permanent trail signs/maps? Currently, there are temporary, laminated trail signs/maps at DW. Permanent replacements might be put on posts and be made of either wood or some type of synthetic material to withstand nature. What priority would you give to this activity?

  • High priority
  • Medium priority
  • Low priority
  • Do not do this activity at all
  • Not sure

Bridges over Wet Areas

Question 9:
There are a number of areas in DW that are very wet in the spring time, including streams that the trails cross. There is a good chance that an Eagle Scout will undertake a project to build foot bridges over these areas, though such a project would probably require our labor to help. What priority would you give to this activity?

  • High priority
  • Medium priority
  • Low priority
  • Do not do this activity at all
  • Not sure

Supporting Hanson Park

Question 10:
Should we "adopt" Hanson Park, the city park with a nature area located very close to DW, across South Maple to the northwest. This might entail helping remove invasive species, clearing trash, etc. What priority would you give to this activity?

  • High priority
  • Medium priority
  • Low priority
  • Do not do this activity at all
  • Not sure

Supporting Dicken Park

Question 11:
Should we "adopt" Dicken Park, which is a tiny city park, located at the corner of Tudor and Scio Church. This might entail planting additional trees, clearing trash, etc. What priority would you give to this activity?

  • High priority
  • Medium priority
  • Low priority
  • Do not do this activity at all
  • Not sure

Improving the Entrance Area at the End of Dicken Drive

Question 12:
Should we work to improve the entrance area to Dicken Woods (the open area at the end of Dicken Drive)? This might entail planting a grove of easy-care trees (such as serviceberry trees), wildflowers and/or garden flowers, etc. What priority would you give to this activity?

  • High priority
  • Medium priority
  • Low priority
  • Do not do this activity at all
  • Not sure

Other Comments or Suggestions

Question 13:
Do you have any other comments or suggestions for activities we should undertake, or not undertake? Please feel free to address in more detail any of the possible activities listed above, or to suggest new activities that we haven't listed, and/or to address any other topics that come to mind. We want to know what you think the Friends of Dicken Woods should do now.

    Enter your response in the box below:


Use of Dicken Woods

Question 14:
Finally, we're curious about the use of Dicken Woods. How often have you been in the woods, several times a week, several times a month, once or twice, or haven't you been there yet?

  • Several times a week
  • several times a month
  • Once or twice
  • I haven't been there yet

Name

If you would like to , please feel free to give your name below. This is not required, but it would help us as we continue to plan for the future of DW and the Friends of Dicken Woods.

    Enter your name in the box below (OPTIONAL):


Copy of your responses?

If you would like a copy of your responses by email, please click 'yes' below, and enter your email address in the box.

  • Yes, send me my responses by email

    • email address: