How do you measure the wingspan of a Golden Eagle? With a tape measure, some teamwork—and a whole lot of creativity. At least, that’s how a flock of community members came together to bring a brand-new interactive bird wingspan sign to life at Sheridan Community Land Trust’s Big Goose Natural Area.
It all started when SCLT volunteer Tim Koenig overheard a conversation about a wingspan display at another nature area. Having recently seen his grandson stretch his arms in front of one, Tim thought, “Why not bring that fun to Sheridan?”
“I volunteered to come up with some ideas for a wingspan display,” Tim recalled, adding that he worked with the SCLT team on a list of birds and images. From there, those images were brought into a 3D solid modeling program where Tim could scale them to actual size.
“With the smaller birds stacked on top of the larger ones, it gave the display a 3D effect,” Tim explained.
The largest bird, a Golden Eagle, stretched over six and a half feet wide—big enough to make any kid (or kid-at-heart) feel tiny. Because of that size, a 4×8 sheet of plywood would be needed to mount the outlines.
To bring the idea to life, Tim teamed up with Phorge Makerspace Executive Director, Penny Sietmann, and Shop Manager, Sam Neises, a local nonprofit where cutting-edge tools met classic craftsmanship in a collaborative environment. “Sam used their laser cutter to make cardboard templates for the jigsaw. The smaller birds were cut with a CNC router. It took several days to glue it all together,” Tim said. A custom frame made from 4×4 treated post gave the display its sturdy perch.
But there was still something missing—color.
Enter Ashley Cooper, local artist and muralist extraordinaire, who led a group of young artists from the Sheridan County YMCA’s “Make Your Mark” Art Camp to complete the display with a splash of creative flair.
“It was serendipitous,” Ashley said. “I love getting kids involved in their community, and though this was the perfect opportunity for them to create something that would be on permanent display.” The campers, ages 10 to 14, studied the birds, explored mural techniques, mixed paint, and learned about art in public spaces—including a field trip to see local murals.
“The campers learned quite a bit about scale, composition, and color theory,” she relayed.
But that wasn’t the most important lesson.
“These campers really learned how to collaborate with one another,” Ashley shared. “With 10 campers, we had a handful of different ideas about how to go about tackling this project. I was very impressed with the way they communicated, presented ideas, and compromised with one another.”
Importantly, the campers had fun. “There was no shortage of laughing and silliness,” Ashley reflected. “I think they are really excited about the fact that they all played a part in creating something really beautiful for our community to enjoy.”
The birds on the wingspan sign are all species native to the Big Goose Natural Area, from the tiny Calliope Hummingbird to the majestic Golden Eagle. Visitors can stand with their arms outstretched and see which bird they match. It’s a hands-on, feather-fueled way to learn about local wildlife—and celebrate community creativity.
“I truly enjoyed the opportunity to be creative and give something to the community,” Tim said. Ashley echoed that joy: “These kids are young community members doing big things. I want them to know they can make an impact at any age.”
So the next time you’re at the SCLT Big Goose Natural Area, stop by the wingspan sign. Stretch your arms. Snap a photo. And thank the volunteers and businesses that donated time and materials to help this project take flight—including Tim Koenig, Ashley Cooper, Phorge Makerspace, Heritage Woodwork, Imperial Powder Coating, and 10 very talented young artists: Anwynn Fack, Delilah Cassiday, Finley Demple, Hannah Harlan, Jacob Heid, Kadence Gulley, Kelsey Smothers, Levi Koltiska, Remington Brown, and Rylee Hart.
Let your wings spread wide, Sheridan County.
Plan your visit to the SCLT Big Goose Natural Area today.
