WELCOME!

Welcome to the second edition of The Directory of Georgia Environmental Education Providers, a project of the Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia. We hope that it will prove as successful as its popular 1999 predecessor.

Much has changed in Georgia since our first effort. The unbridled growth of Georgia and other sunbelt states has emphasized the fragility of our supplies of water, land, air, and other natural resources long taken for granted. This has spurred an explosion of interest in our populace for things environmental. The state’s new Greenspace program* has the potential to preserve our natural landscape for gener- ations to come and prompted many to learn more about our neighboring natural systems, habitats, and plant and animal life.

Environmental education has kept pace with the changes and growing interest in the environment. Students and adults have more opportunities than ever to learn about Georgia’s natural wonders. Quality education experiences utilizing science-based, hands-on activities are available through pro- grams, classes, workshops and camps. These services are offered by a diverse array of providers including government agencies, nature centers, non-profit organizations, corporations, advocacy groups, universities, and private individuals.

Please consult this directory when planning your next field study or road trip. You will soon discover what many of us know. Georgia is doubly blessed with natural beauty and a dynamic and professional environmental education community.

Peter Gordon Elachee Nature Science Center President, Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia, 2001-2003

The Directory of Georgia Environmental Education Providers is really a treasure! About twenty years ago I would have been thrilled to have such an excellent resource, but nothing like this existed. The Directory is a valuable tool for educators as they plan academic field experiences aligned to Georgia state education standards and look for environmental education resources; for parents seeking natural educational experiences for their children; for scouts and other organizations who want environmental education programs; and for teachers seeking high quality professional development.

Whether you're looking for a place to bring a class for a field study, take a hike, have a birthday party, attend camp, learn about owls, or take a workshop, you're bound to find an organization that meets your needs!

Petey Giroux Georgia Environmental Protection Division/Georgia Project WET President, Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia, 2003-2004

*For more information contact the Georgia Office of the Trust for Public Lands, (404) 873-7306, or online at www.tpl.org.

i Table of Contents

Regional Map ...... Inside front Cover Welcome ...... i Contents ...... ii Acknowledgements ...... v What is Environmental Education? ...... vi Ecoregions of Georgia ...... viii

Region 1: Ridge, Valley, and Mountains ...... 1 Amicalola Falls State Lodge Park Anna Ruby Falls Arrowhead Environmental Education Center BearWalks Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests Cloudland Canyon State Park Etowah Indian Mounds State Historic Site Fort Mountain State Park Indian Trail Trees Kangaroo Conservation Center Keep Bartow Beautiful/Bartow Co. Recycling Center & Landfill Medicine Bow, Ltd. Medicine Eagle Mil-Fran Video Rolling Thunder Enterprises Smithgall Woods-Dukes Creek Conservation Area Southeastern Windstar Connection Tallulah Gorge State Park Unicoi State Lodge Park Wahsega 4-H Center Walker County Science and Technology Center Weinman Mineral Museum Wildlife Rehab Sanctuary & Outdoor Educational Program (Ellijay)

Region 2: Piedmont ...... 24 Atlanta Audubon Society Atlanta Botanical Garden Atlanta Reptile Connection Bear Hollow Wildlife Trail Big Trees Forest Preserve Blue Ridge Outdoor Education Center Callaway Education Department Camp Toccoa/Camp Fire USA Georgia Council Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center Chattahoochee Nature Center Chattahoochee River Environmental Education Center City of Alpharetta Environmental Education City of Roswell Environmental Protection Unit Clean Water Campaign Cobb County Adopt-A-Stream Cochran Mill Nature Center Dauset Trails Nature Center Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve DeKalb Extension Service Environmental Education Center Dunwoody Nature Center, Inc. Eco-Reach Elachee Nature Science Center Environmental Science Education Program Fernbank Museum of Natural History Fernbank Science Center ii Table of Contents

Region 2: Piedmont Continued Forty Oaks Nature Preserve GEO, Georgia Environmental Organization Georgia Chapter, The Nature Conservancy Georgia Museum of Natural History Gordon Georgia Youth Science & Technology Center Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful Hightower Educational Forest John Tanner State Park Keep Sandy Springs/North Fulton Beautiful Lanier Museum of Natural History Mistletoe State Park Newman Wetlands Center Oakhurst Community Garden Project Oconee River GYSTC Panola Mountain State Conservation Park Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge Piedmont Park Conservancy Environmental Education Program Red Top Mountain State Park Rock Eagle 4-H Center Sandy Creek Nature Center Southface Energy Institute State Botanical Garden of Georgia Stone Mountain Memorial Association Sweetwater Creek State Conservation Park Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper Upper Etowah River Alliance Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery Yellow River Game Ranch Zoo Atlanta

Region 3: Southeastern Plains ...... 78 Bartram Educational Forest Birdsong Nature Center Brown’s Mount Chattahoochee-Flint Georgia Youth Science & Technology Center Grand Bay Wetland Education Center Howard E. Bennett Forestry Museum Kolomoki Mounds State Historic Park Little Ocmulgee State Park McDuffie Environmental Education Center Museum of Arts and Sciences Ocmulgee National Monument Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center Parks at Chehaw Phinizy Swamp Nature Park Providence Canyon State Park Reynolds Nature Preserve Spirit Creek Educational Forest

Region 4: Southern Coastal Plain ...... 95 Bamboo Farm & Coastal Gardens Crooked River State Park Cumberland Island National Seashore Driftwood Education Environment General Coffee State Park Georgia Southern University Museum School Outreach Programs Jekyll Island 4-H Center Mary Kahrs Warnell Forest Education Center iii Table of Contents

Region 4: Southern Coastal Plain Continued Oatland Island Education Center Okefenokee Swamp Park Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve Skidaway Island State Park Stephen C. Foster State Park Tidelands Nature Center Tybee Island 4-H Center University of Georgia Marine Education Center and Aquarium Water Resources Program

Statewide Resources/Affiliate Listings ...... 112 Birding Adventures, Inc. Daniel B. Warnell School of Forest Resources Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Film & Video Unit EEinGEORGIA.org Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia Environmental Education Services Georgia 4-H Environmental Education Program Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Georgia Agriculture in the Classroom Council, Inc. Georgia College & State University Outdoor Education Programs Georgia Conservancy Georgia Endangered Plant Stewardship Network Georgia Natural Heritage Program Georgia Power Georgia Project Learning Tree Georgia Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) Georgia Project WILD Georgia Recycling Coalition Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites Georgia Wildlife Federation Georgia Youth Science & Technology Centers H.O.M.E. HawkTalk, Inc. Keep Georgia Beautiful Ladybug Lady Metro Atlanta Clean Air Education Initiative (MACAEI) Monarchs Across Georgia National Wildlife Federation—Southeastern Natural Resource Center Nongame-Endangered Wildlife Program Okefenokee Joe Outdoor Classroom Council Oxford Institute for Environmental Education Science To Go, Inc. Scott Jones/MediaPrehistoria TAPPI Public Outreach TYTO Inc. University of Georgia Project for Excellence in Environmental Education USDA Forest Service Ways of the Ancestors Primitive Skills Programs Wildlife Wonders - ZOO TO YOU 4-H Listings Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites Georgia Youth Science & Technology Centers Keep America Beautiful Become a Member! Visit www.EEinGEORGIA.org

Index ...... 163 iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia (EEA) wishes to thank the following individuals and organizations for their contribution to The Directory of Georgia Environmental Education Providers:

Funding provided by: Atlanta Audubon Society; The Georgia Conservancy; The Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Keep Georgia Beautiful program; The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division; Georgia Ornithological Society; Georgia Power

Johnna Tuttle, Directory Coordinator

Kim Bailey, Database Manager, EEinGEORGIA Coordinator

Patty Williams and Staff (The Georgia Department of Community Affairs) Design, Data, and Production Assistance

Peter Gordon, EEA President

EEA Board Members, with special thanks to Deron Davis, Becky Champion, Rhonda Koplin, and Kristi Hastie.

Arrow Hawk Nickelson, Technical Assistance

Cover Photos: Left border, top to bottom – Elachee Nature Center, Oatland Island, Elachee Nature Center, Elachee Nature Center; Leaves on right, top to bottom – Elachee Nature Center, Cochran Mill, Oatland Island

EEinGEORGIA Questionnaire Pilot Input: Jackie Clay, Travis Williams, Kitty Esco, Eric Lindberg, Ike English, Mark Patterson, Jeremy Hilderbrand, Randy Smith, Dee West, Billy Adams

Focus Group, Jack P. Nix Primary School: Jeanette Dixon, Elaine McLean, Stacie Ward, Linda Smith, Tina Hirschi

Individual interviews for directory improvement: Joy Fuchs, Lewis Lay, Anne Shenk, Paula Fraisier, Mary Beth Cary, Christie Ford, O.C. Lam, Lynn McIntyre, Ginny Brady, Marian Long, Cas Alldred, Suzanne Belflower

Information on Georgia State Parks providers: Field Trip Guide, Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites, 2000. Atlanta, GA. Ordering information is available at www.gastateparks.org.

v What is Environmental Education?

A trip to a nature center? A six-hour teacher training? Awalk in the park? A unit on rainforests? Recycling?

Environmental education means different things to different people. But in order to be effective educators, we need a common goal.

The Belgrade Charter, adopted by a United Nations conference in 1976 provides a widely accepted goal statement for environmental education:

“The goal of environmental education is to develop a world population that is aware of, and concerned about the environment and its associated problems, and which has the knowledge, skills, attributes, motivations and commitment to work individually and collectively toward solutions of cur- rent problems and the prevention of new ones.”

Why Environmental Education? “I love nature.” “People should be responsible citizens.” “What about plants and animals? They need our help.” “Everywhere I look another forest is being torn down.” “I want to leave a wonderful world for my children.”

No two people answer this question the same way. But chances are good their answers share a purpose. Environmental education should help students become environmentally literate, so we can live in healthy communities that meet our needs and the needs of future generations.

According to Hungerford, Litherland, Peyton, Ramsey and Volk (1992):

“The environmentally literate citizen is able and willing to attempt to make environmental decisions which are consistent with both a substantial quality of human life and an equally substantial quality of the environment. Further, this individual is motivated to act on these decisions either individually or collectively.”

Citizens should: 1) understand ecological foundations, 2) be aware of issues and human values, 3) develop the skills to investigate and evaluate issues and solutions, and 4) develop the skills to take action.

If environmental education is a life-long process, then teaching for environmental literacy is every educator’s responsibility.

What is Environment-Based Education? “Saving the environment through education… or saving education through the environment?”

According to Education and the Environment: Strategic Initiatives for Enhancing Education in California (2002):

“Environment-based education focuses on educational results: using the environment to engage students in their education through “real-world” learning experiences, with the goals of helping them achieve higher levels of academic success as well as an understanding of and appreciation for the environment.”

vi What is Environmental Education?

This definition is based on the research and experience of the State Education and Environment Roundtable (SEER) in “Using the Environment as an Integrating Context for Learning (EIC).” Data collected in 60 schools in 13 states, since 1996, indicates that EIC has significant positive effects on academic achievement, classroom behavior and instructional practices. EIC students exhibit:

• Improved performance on standardized tests in reading, writing, math, science and social studies. • In 92% of the schools, students in EIC programs academically outperformed their peers in traditional programs. • Reduced discipline and classroom management problems in some cases by as much as 95%. • Increased engagement and enthusiasm for learning, resulting in substantially improved attendance; and • Heightened contributions to their communities through effective service-learning projects.

What is the Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia? “An organization working to ‘save the environment through education,’ and ‘save education through the environment.’”

The Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia is a nonprofit organization that promotes communication and educa- tion among professionals in the field of environmental education in Georgia. EEA is an affiliate of the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) and represents 400 members. By sharing ideas and resources through membership, newsletters, conferences, workshops and committees, the members of EEA set and accomplish goals that allow us all to reach more people, more effectively.

What is The Georgia Directory of Environmental Education Providers? “A book that will help me teach for envi- ronmental literacy and help my students achieve through environment-based education.”

The Georgia Directory of Environmental Education Providers is a tool for educators who want to learn, and teach in a way that is meaningful to their students. The Directory will help YOU find and use resources provided by a wide variety of organizations throughout the state.

Written by Deron Davis, an executive board member of EEA and Environmental Outreach Coordinator for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. He can be reached at (404) 675-1762 or [email protected].

References UNESCO-UNEP (1976). “The Belgrade Charter.” Connect: UNESCO-UNEP Environmental Education Newsletter, Vol. 1 (1) pp.1-2.

Hungerford, H., Litherland, R., Peyton, R.B., Ramsey, J., and Volk, T. (1992). Investigating and Evaluating Environmental Issues and Actions: Skill Development Modules. Champaign, IL: Stipes. pp. 1-9 in the Teachers' Edition.

State Plan Development Committee (2002). Education and the Environment: Strategic Initiatives for Enhancing Education in California. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Education, p. 5.

Hoody, L., and Lieberman, G. (1998). Closing the Achievement Gap: Using the Environment as an Integrating Context for Learning. Poway, CA: Science Wizards.

vii Ecoregions of Georgia

Providers in the Directory of Georgia Environmental Education Providers are categorized by the ecoregion in which they occur (except for those who offer statewide service). Following is a brief description of each of the four ecoregions used in the directory. Refer to the map on the inside front cover or below for a visual guide to the ecoregions.

The term ecoregions denotes areas of general similarity in ecosystems and in the type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. Various criteria such as geology, physiography, vegetation, climate, soils, land use, wildlife, and hydrology are used to structure these divisions. In other words, ecoregions have similar soils, hydrology, and climate resulting in similar flora and fauna throughout the area.

The state is divided into designated ecoregions that are used for the research, assessment, management, and monitoring of ecosystems. State environmental resource agencies sometimes use these divisions to base the development of biological criteria and water quality standards and to establish management goals for nonpoint-source pollution. However, most other state agencies use criteria such as population, political boundaries, demographics, economic engines, etc. to divide the state into various political districts. The recent discussions regarding water in Georgia have demonstrated that these two approaches often spur conflict as we struggle with environmental resource protection related to the use of these resources within the established political framework. Since federal agencies are not as bound by state political divisions, they often use ecoregions as they develop policies related to integrated ecosystem management, an ultimate goal of many federal and state resource management agencies.

Ridge, Valley, and Mountains (Ecoregion 1)

Southwestern Appalachians (Allegheny Plateau) – Section 68 The low mountains that reach from Kentucky to Alabama and into northwestern Georgia are characterized by a mosaic of forest and woodland interrupted by cropland and pasture. These mountains were created by erosion associated with Pleistocene glacial cycles. Located in the far NW corner of Georgia, this region borders the abrupt escarpment of the Ridge and Valley (see below). The eastern edge of this ecoregion is relatively smooth and contains small eastward flowing stream drainage. The western boundary that borders Alabama and

Please see the inside front cover for a larger, color version of the map with legend.

viii Ecoregions of Georgia

Tennessee has an extremely rough terrain with deep gorges that provide wet and cool environments harboring distinct plant communities. The deeper ravines are inhabited by a mixed mesophytic forest of oak-hickory, beech, and wild hydrangea while the tops of the mountains are dominated by mixed oaks with shortleaf pine.

Blue Ridge – Section 66 The Blue Ridge begins in southern Pennsylvania and extends into northern Georgia. The topography of the region varies from narrow ridges to hilly plateaus to more massive mountainous areas with high peaks. The underlying geologic base is a mix of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock that creates a rugged terrain. With an annual precipitation of over 80 inches, cool, clear streams run over and through the steeply forested slopes thus making the southern Blue Ridge one of the richest centers of biodiversity in the eastern part of our country. The region is extremely diverse with respect to the flora that inhabits these slopes. The floristic inventory includes Appalachian oak forests, northern hardwoods, and, at the highest elevations in Tennessee and North Carolina, Southeastern spruce-fir forests. Shrub, grass, and heath balds, hemlock, cove hardwoods, and oak-pine communities are also significant.

Ridge and Valley – Section 67 Between the Blue Ridge to the east and the southwest Appalachians to the west is a relatively low-lying region that is sometimes called the Great Valley in Georgia. The geologic materials in the region include limestone, dolomite, shale, siltstone, sandstone, chert, mudstone, and marble. The soils are mostly composed of sedimentary deposits from the Paleozoic age and contain many fossils from life that inhabited the inland oceans that once covered this area. Extreme folding and faulting events created many roughly parallel ridges and valleys that are about 50% forested with many springs and caves. Agriculture, forest harvesting, and mining have taken their toll on this region’s landscape and biodiversity. The land was once inhabited by the Cherokee who practiced extensive agriculture and cleared large tracts of old growth forest. Today, since the area is rich in many types of ore, mining impacts are especially evident. Still, this area has diverse habitats with unique species of terrestrial and aquatic flora and fauna.

Piedmont (Ecoregion 2) – Section 45

This transitional area between the mostly mountainous ecoregions of the Appalachian Blue Ridge to the northwest and the relatively flat coastal plain to the southeast region is mostly a rolling, moderate to low relief and spans a roughly northeast-southwest area across the state. Geologically, it is a complex mosaic of Precambrian and Paleozoic igneous and metamorphic rocks with fine textured soil that is composed of more clay particles than sand. Scattered throughout the Piedmont are granite outcrops that often contain endemic plant species that have extremely specific growing requirements. Man has heavily impacted the land cover of the region. Bartram’s writings indicate that when the first settlers visited the area in 1773 there were already numerous areas that had second growth forests on them. The progression has been from forest to cropland and then a return to pine and hardwood woodlands and more recently progressing to urbanization.

Southeastern Plains (Ecoregion 3) – Section 65

The boundary between the Piedmont and the Southeastern Plains is the Fall Line, the rivers and streams of which are characterized by swift moving water that tumbles over the rocks as the streams pass from the resistant rock of the Piedmont onto the softer rocks of the Southeastern Plains. The region is characterized by broad interstream areas that have a mosaic of cropland, pasture, woodland, and forest. Natural vegetation is mostly oak-hickory-pine and Southern mixed forest. Elevations and relief are greater than in the Southern Coastal Plain, but generally less than in much of the Piedmont or in the more mountainous ecoregions of northern Georgia. Streams in this area are relatively low-gradient and sandy-bottomed.

ix Ecoregions of Georgia

Southern Coastal Plain (Ecoregion 4) – Section 75

The Southern Coastal Plain spans south from South Carolina and Georgia through the Florida Panhandle and central Florida, along the Gulf Coast through south Alabama and Mississippi. Over geologic time, it has been successively covered by the sea. The Southern Coastal Plain is a major agricultural/silvicultural region irrigated predominantly by water drawn from the Upper Floridian Aquifer that exists under the region. The region was originally covered by a variety of forest communities, but due to man’s impact the region is now mostly slash and loblolly pine with oak gum- cypress forest in some low lying areas, pasture for beef cattle, and urban areas. The geographic and biological diversity of the region is enhanced by the barrier islands, coastal lagoons, marshes, and swampy lowlands along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts.

Written by Becky Champion, Ph.D., Director of Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center.

References:

Griffith, G.E., J.M. Omernik, J.A. Comstock, S. Lawrence, G. Martin, A. Goddard, V.J. Hulcher, and T. Foster. 2002. Ecoregions of Alabama and Georgia. (2 sided color poster with map, descriptive text, summary tables, and photographs). U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA. Scale 1:1,700,000.

Griffith, G., J. Omernik, T. Foster, and J. Comstock. 2001. Ecoregions of Georgia. U.S. EPA, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Corvallis, OR. 48p.

Wharton, Dr. Charles H. (1978). The Natural Environments of Georgia. Geologic and Water Resources Division and the Resource Planning Section, Office of Planning and Research, Environmental Protection Division, Department of Natural Resources.

x