As enhancements such as an observation tower, trails and an informational kiosk have been developed on the Preserve, and links with school personnel and programs have grown, the use of the Preserve as a unique site for outdoor education has blossomed.  The 2005 tally of hours of education (people times time spent) on the ground was 273 hours.  With a boost from a new education effort within the Tahoma Audubon Society, the 2009 tally was 2,614, a ten-fold increase in four years!

Learning at the Morse Wildlife Preserve happens mainly in groups, with participants ranging in age from toddlers to octogenarians. During the warmer months there are many birding and plant identification outings on the property, and twice a month the general public is invited to walk the several trails, in guided groups and individually.

The prepared curriculum for use with student groups is a comprehensive short-term course that imparts age-appropriate information about history, ecology, and species identification.  It is keyed to markers placed throughout the trail system, which passes through five distinct habitat zones. 

A recent cooperative program with Rocky Ridge Elementary School is providing a wonderful opportunity for fourth and fifth grade students to participate in a hands-on learning activity, to conduct useful research, and to enhance the Preserve’s prairie restoration effort.  With help and supervision from teachers, parents, and Preserve volunteers, eight plots of land are being treated and cultivated and planted with native prairie plants.  Variations in the methods of preparing these plots are being recorded and the results observed over time.  The outcomes of the planting will help to guide future restoration work on other CLC prairie properties.