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Elachee Nature Science Center |
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Mission Statement |
| Elachee Nature Science Center promotes environmental understanding through education and conservation. |
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Organization |
Elachee
Nature Science Center is one of the premier environmental education
centers in Georgia serving over 35,000 students from more than 35
school systems and an additional 30,000 visitors to the museum and preserve each year.
Located in the 1,500-acre Chicopee Woods Nature Preserve in North Georgia, Elachee
is celebrating more than 30 years of building environmental literacy
for Georgians through quality educational experiences, museum exhibitions,
special programs, and resources for schools and the general public. Elachee's curriculum is designed to develop a healthy ecological consciousness and includes preschool. elementary, and secondary education programs parallelling the Georgia Performance Standards. Other offerings include teacher education, summer day camp, special public programs, scout and home school programs, children's birthday parties, and facility rentals.
Chicopee Woods Nature Preserve serves as an invaluable outdoor
classroom and is being preserved in a wilderness state. Elachee
serves as the trustee for the Preserve in concert with the Chicopee Woods Park Commission.
Elachee is a private not-for-profit institution supported by program
fees, memberships, fundraising events, museum admissions, and donations
from corporations, foundations, and individuals like you. |
Our History |
In 1978 Elachee Nature Science Center was incorporated as a 501(c)(3). organization and operated as a volunteer organization in downtown Gainesville, housing exhibit space and conducting field trips. In 1980 The Johnson and Johnson Corporation donated 2,500 acres of land to be used as a public park overseen by The Chicopee Woods Park Commission. Approximately 1,300 acres of this land was set aside as a wilderness preserve and eventually leased to Elachee Nature Science Center, who built the museum and classroom complex in 1990 with the assistance of a sales tax option. These facilities were expanded through a capital campaign in 2002.
In 1999 Elachee gained accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), becoming the first nature center in the southeast to receive this prestigious status. Also in 1999 Elachee collaborated with The Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper to implement the first Lake Lanier environmental education program for students conducted on a floating classroom, The Chota Princess pontoon boat.
In 2001, a conservation easement designated the Preserve as a legally protected wilderness area and named Elachee as trustee of the Chicopee Woods Nature Preserve. Also in 2001, the Preserve was recognized by the The National Audubon Society as an Important Bird Area (IBA), an area essential to nesting and migrating birds.
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Our Land |
The 1,500 acre Chicopee Woods Nature Preserve is one of the largest greenspaces in the state of Georgia and features rolling topography and four diverse habitats - woodland, lake, stream and wetland. Thirteen miles of hiking trails lace through the Preserve offering a view of the beautiful flora and fauna that reside within. As a protected area, all plants, animals, and natural materials must not be disturbed or taken from the preserve but are here to be enjoyed by all visitors now and in the future. Across the Preserve from the main complex is the Chicopee Woods Aquatic Studies Center and Chicopee Lake, accessed by a 2.5 mile hike or a 10 minute car ride around the perimeter of the preserve. The lake and surrounding wetland provide a perfect spot for the study of pond life, wetland inhabitants, and birds, who favor this site as home or a stop on their migration route.
The larger Chicopee Woods Area Park is also home to the Chicopee Woods Golf Course, Chicopee Woods Agricultural Center, and SORBA (Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association) Mountain Bike Trails. |
Our Facilities |
Our main Visitor Center off Atlanta Highway includes a museum complex, administrative building, outdoor classrooms, pavilions, native gardens, butterfly garden, rain garden, compost demonstration site, and access to hiking trails. The Dunlap/Armstrong Museum Building houses interactive discovery areas investigating astronomy, native wildlife, and local archaeological history; a live animal display; educational classrooms and a Nature Shop. In addition to hosting public museum visitors, these areas are used for educational programs for school students, scouts, and the public; children's day camps; children's birthday parties; community events; and Elachee fundraisers. When not being used for Elachee progamming, the facilities are also available as rental spaces for weddings, receptions and meetings.
The Chicopee Woods Aquatic Studies Center
and Chicopee Lake are situated across the Preserve and directly accessed from Calvary Church Road. The Aquatic
Studies Center is several miles from the Nature Center, requiring a 2.5 mile hike through the preserve or a 10 minute car ride around the perimeter of the preserve. This site is home to Chicopee Lake, a lake boardwalk, and covered pavilion. Used for pond and wetland studies, this area is also a favorite site for birders.
Tumbling Waters, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Clayton, GA, is a 40-acre site adjacent to The Chattahoochee National Forest. Home to the largest documented Hemlock tree in the state and a 19th century cabin listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this venue offers a unique setting for a variety of distictive and individually designed plant, animal and water programs.
When not in use for our educational programming, our facilities are available to rent for weddings, receptions, business meetings, retreats and family events. |
| Our Staff |
The Nature Center employs more than 35 staff members with diverse degrees and backgrounds in education, environmental education, science, astronomy, forestry, gardening and nature studies. The staff is comprised of full time professionals supported by part-time naturalist and administrative staff. Many of our staff hold Masters, Bachelors, or Associate Degrees in applicable subject areas. All staff are subject to background checks to ensure the safety of visiting students and campers.
Our camp staff are college students studying education/science fields in addition to experienced teachers or child care professionals. All camp staff are trained in Cardio Pulmonary Resussitation (CPR) and are subject to background checks before being employed. Camp Directors are experienced in environmental education, supervision, and classroom management.
Volunteers are an integral staff component, expanding the capabilities of the Center in serving the community. The value of their contribution is immeasurable as they offer their time to support activities in teaching, trail care, gardening, weed control, administration, fundraising, musuem design and maintenance, in addition to serving as board and advisory board members. |
| Our Philosophy |
| Educating for today... Preserving for tomorrow. Through our environmental programming we strive to instill an appreciation, understanding, and concern for the natural world fostering an interest in personal commitment to preserving our natural resources and environment for future generations to enjoy. |
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