Surface 678 worked with the City of Raleigh to create a model public recreation and environmental education facility grounded in resource conservation and sustainable development principles. Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve is situated above a dramatic oxbow formed by the Neuse River and showcases innovation in sustainability and low impact park development and management practices. The 146-acre site is designated as a State Natural Heritage Area. Its rich cultural history and the preservation and enhancement of its large open meadow, mature forested slopes, and wetlands and shoreline environments, are key programming features. All park structures are designed “off-the-grid,” served by green, alternative energy systems, wastewater treatment terraces, and on-site water sources to present unique, interpretive, and demonstration opportunities. Stormwater runoff is treated in a decentralized fashion, utilizing bioretention rain gardens, porous pavements, and vegetated swales. The trails in the park access the 27-mile City of Raleigh Neuse River Greenway.
