If all goes as planned, the Wareham Free Library could see its backyard turned into an outdoor classroom and play area.

Bethany Gay, acting chair of the Library Board of Trustees, and Library Director Denise Medeiros appeared before the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday where they asked for, and received, a letter of approval from the board to request $7,500 in Community Preservation Act funds.

Community Preservation Act funding is generated by a 3% property tax surcharge, with the first $100,000 of a property's assessed value exempt from the levy. Matching state funds come from a tax on property transfers.

The funding may be used for recreation, affordable housing, historic preservation, and open space projects. The town's volunteer Community Preservation Committee must first OK projects seeking use of the funds. Then, Town Meeting voters have the final say as to whether a project is funded.

The library's proposed project is in the category of open space.

"Currently, we have over an acre behind the library and it would be perfect for this classroom," said Gay.

The library would work with Nature Explore, which is a collaboration of the Arbor Day Foundation and the Dimensions Educational Research Foundation. The organizations build outdoor classroom that can be as narrow as an alleyway in a city or spread out over an expansive green area. There's no "one size fits all" model.

"It can be gardens, it can be whatever you want it to be," said Gay, adding that should the project move on to the next stage, all stakeholders could get together to figure out how best to use the space.

Outdoor science classes and gardens are just two things that can be added to differentiate the space from the average playground.

"The educational possibilities are amazing," said Gay. "It's very popular in the south and the west, but it's coming this way."

Selectman Judy Whiteside inquired as to who would oversee the project, and Medeiros said that the library trustees would oversee the design. She hopes to fund maintenance through private donations.

Whiteside also wanted to make sure that the area would still be dedicated to Joseph Arruda, who was the first casualty in the Vietnam War from Wareham, and she was assured that it would.

"I think you can tell by the questions that the board is intrigued by this request," said Selectmen Chair Peter Teitelbaum.