Educational Opportunities Abound at Newest Certified Habitat

The Western North Carolina Nature Center, a living museum of animals native to the Southern Appalachians located in Asheville, has been officially certified as a Wildlife And Industry Together (WAIT) site. The North Carolina Wildlife Federation (NCWF), a state affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), sponsors the WAIT Program, which seeks to integrate wildlife habitat at businesses and industries.

The NCWF has named the WNC Nature Center a regional partner, which will enable the center to utilize existing wildlife habitats as resources for education approximately 100,000 yearly visitors and outreach throughout the community and beyond. Current habitats at the center include gardens attracting hummingbirds, songbirds, and butterflies and a short nature trail on 24 acres of mixed hardwood and floodplain forest. To better facilitate education, Nature Center staff and volunteers will continue enhancing the wildlife gardens on the grounds by adding several plant species, installing nest boxes for several native species, and providing further signage about wildlife habitat. Additional projects will be ongoing, providing quality habitat for native wildlife.

The Nature Center will utilize the enhanced habitats as demonstration sites for visitors and for use in educational workshops. Thus, the center’s habitats will serve as valuable resources for individuals, schools and businesses interested in creating wildlife habitats of their own.

All these efforts are congruent with the WNC Nature Center’s mission of educating the public about the Southern Appalachian Mountain Environment. Existing education opportunities at the WNC Nature Center include numerous educational programs for people ages four through adult as well as interpretational displays showcasing flora and fauna native to our region’s ecosystems. The Nature Center serves as home to over 200 live animals on exhibit in naturalistic habitats. More than 150 animals from about 70 native species are featured, along with over 50 domestic animals. Most of the wild animals have been permanently injured or imprinted on humans and therefore are not releasable. The Nature Center also accepts about 1000 injured and orphaned wild animals each year. After being stabilized, these animals are then turned over to certified and licensed wildlife rehabilitators in the area.

The WAIT certification received by the WNC Nature Center is one more step toward furthering wildlife education efforts. Please feel free to contact the center at (828) 298-5600 or visit www.wildwnc.org for more information. Interested individuals can also write to: WNC Nature Center, 75 Gashes Creek Road, Asheville, NC 28805. Hours of operation are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., 7 days per week.