The Nature’s Writers Trail is an interpretive trail installation near Chapman Pond on the Ferrum College campus. Sponsored by the Ecotourism and Recreation Leadership programs and involving Ferrum College faculty from English, Environmental Science, Biology, and Art, the trail took eight years to complete.

The trail is demarcated by signs featuring quotes selected by 12 faculty from 12 authors who were inspirational to Ferrum faculty and influenced their thinking and teaching about nature. Each of the signs focuses on one author and contains a QR code that directs people to a library resource page dedicated to this project. The graphic design for the signs was completed by Assistant Professor of Art Jake Smith.

Several generations of Recreation Leadership students also contributed to the development of the trail layout and installation. The project was a focal point of REC 413 Recreation Facilities this fall, with the final posts going in over fall break.

Notable authors featured on the trail include:

Robert Frost
Henry David Thoreau
Aldo Leopold
Edward Abbey
John Muir
Gary Snyder
Rachel Carson
Barbara Kingsolver
William Bartram
Marilou Awiakta
Jean Craighead George
Robert Bullard