Lost River Cave will be able to build the state’s only National Arbor Day Foundation Nature Explore Classroom, thanks to a grant from the General Motors Foundation.

The $2,500 grant allows the Friends of Lost River Cave to bring in a consultant who will help design an outdoor classroom and teach cave staff outdoor activities for children and families that could be conducted there.

The grant was one of three that were given out Wednesday by Corvette Assembly Plant Manager Dave Tatman and other plant workers. Another award of $2,500 went to the Boys and Girls Club and $5,000 went to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Lost River Executive Director Rho Lansden said the grant jump started their efforts, which would have otherwise included fundraising to pay for the consultant’s work.

Constructing the outdoor classroom should be a minimal expense – the biggest expense would be a marimba made of durable materials for outdoors.

“We want to use materials that we have found in the cave valley,” she said.

The activities will include encouraging children to build forts with cedar saplings that have been cleared from the valley floor and learning how to properly go on a cave crawl.

Lansden said berms will be built with tunnels installed in them for children to practice crawling through a cave. Many teenagers in the area often end up caving with their friends. “And we want them to learn cave safety,” she said.

The tunnels will be large enough for an adult to fit through in case a child has to be rescued.

“But the tunnels aren’t going to be so long that they will be scary,” she said.

Construction will begin after Labor Day.

Lansden showed the GM employees the space for the future classroom, which will be situated behind the visitors center, and gave them a brief tour of the wetlands. The cave itself was closed for tours after 2.25 inches of rain Bowling Green received Monday. Lansden is hopeful tours can resume Saturday.

Tatman said the outdoor classroom dovetails perfectly with the wildlife habitat that GM has established on its property. Earlier this week a scouting troop was on the property to build birdhouses and schoolchildren have helped plant trees.

“We want to partner with you on some activities,” Lansden said.

She suggested that each put up signs on the property that encourage visitors to see GM’s natural habit or Lost River Cave.

Tatman said the plant’s environmental engineers get excited about green projects that, in addition to the natural habitat, have included installing a charging station for the Chevrolet Volt in the plant’s parking lot.

“We chose Lost River Cave because its mission is in line with our green efforts, both at the Corvette plant and as a company,” he said.

A natural habitat at the plant in Detroit where the Volt is produced has enticed deer to its doors. Tatman said he just received a photo from a friend that showed a white-tailed deer peering into the plant manager’s window.

As for the other two groups receiving donations, GM officials said they provide invaluable services to the community.