An Update from Leap - land Experience and art of place
Did you know LEAP has been planting trees since 2017? The Commemorative Tree Grove at the Questa Municipal Park, sponsored by community members in honor of loved ones, has grown to over 20 trees. As we continue to steward the grove, we are working with the Village of Questa to install a more professional irrigation system with a timer for the park with a longer-term vision of establishing a comprehensive site plan for the Park, Youth Center and Library site. Since 2021, LEAP has collaborated with the Vida del Norte Coalition, the Village of Questa, Questa Farmers Market, Questa Economic Development Fund and other partners to facilitate intergenerational community connection days, including tree planting days! This year, our two spring Community Connection days happened at the park and Farmers Market site to pick up trash, remove invasive weeds and ready the sites for summer use. We’re also supporting the Village of Questa’s Beautification Committee and working to expand and mobilize the volunteer base in our community.
This summer we also offered two kids cyanotype art workshops with the Quesa Achievers 4H group and Vida Camp. We gathered and identified local plants along Columbine Trail for 4H and at Questa Park for Vida camp, then each child created unique prints using their collected plants and cyanotype paper, exposed it in the sun and developed it in a tub of water. Kids had a lot of fun and really enjoyed the chemistry and mystery of the process!
Claire Cote - LEAP Director
