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At an outdoor educationcenter, students learn

about nature by living in it.

I By Joe Edwards / Statf WrlterI Photography by Wlll lam Oakes

Henry David Tltoreau once wrote tlrat the nrarriage of one's soul with nature makes tle intellect fruitful and gives birth toinragination. r'a.

Nearly l-50 years later, ferv would argue tlra( an educationrl prograin in rural Northeast Georgia has embraced a simildidea. Tucked away at the base of the Appalachims whcre the I'iedrnont gives way to mountain ridges of rich biodiversity, thdy'Blue Ridge Outdoor Education Center is providing unique opportunities for thousands of students in grades 4 through 12.

Although l{ollywood might lahel it "close encounters of the natural kind." the curriculum is officially known as experien-tial environmenlal education. Classes from throughout the Soutlreast find themselves in the midst of forest trails. mountainstreams and rvetlands. Ilands-on activities, ctrupled rvith traditiolral teaching meth-ods, enable studettts to explorc various ecosysterns fronr a fresh perspective.

'"llre students iue free frorn Iinritations set by cla.ssroorn rvalls because thcy'reactually able to see things that nrany of them had only read about," said RickFisher, director of the non-profit center since it opened last year.

During an aquatic portion of the program, visitors begin to understand the fragility and importance of water systems by catch-ing and cataloging fish from the cold waters of a rnountain stream. Nearby, an 8-foot, 3O0-gallon aquarium provides a represen-tative cross-section of stream habitat. not to lnention an inrpressive fish-eye view.

One of 0re more popular act ivi t ies, espccial ly wit lr youngcr chi ldren. i l rvolves rvading in t lre shal lorvs ol a 2'-acrc rvetlmd.

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understood for manyput to better use.

"In;eality, these aquatic-terrestrial transitiorr z.ones are imponmt water filters and provide a nursery habitat for many organ-isms," Fisher said.

The wetland was oncc a recreational lake at the 478-acre Mikell Canrp and Conference Center. notcd li.obin Dake, a staffmember and marketing coordinator. Students now venture into the protected area rvith strainers uscd to find ',rdpoles. srnall fishand insect larvae like dragorrfly nynrplrs.

"I think i t 's their f i rvori te thing to gct in {he rvatcr and rnutl ." l )ake chucklcd. "While t lrr . 'y 're in t lrcre t lrc irrstructors givc t lrerllessons on why the organisnrs livc here arrrl rvhat they do lrere."

* .., ;"S,qgdents also test the wetland for oxvgcn. clarity ;rn<l tenrperaturc. r'onrparing il ttr 51u4ie,; conducted in tlre rrcirrhy (rout stl.ealll.' '[he classes are taught by stall nrclnl)ers cer-ti{led by the Natirrrral \lvildlife Federation who meet (ieorgin crrrriculurn standardsas well.

"The teaclrers tell us that they go back and have a cornpletelv diffcrent rclation-ship rvith thcir ki t ls," Dake said. " l nrean, when thc krds sec t lrcir lcircher in I wct-land up to her knees, it changes thcir outlook and only ernplrasizcs the irnportanceof leamitrg."

Already holrrc to beaver, bass and heron, the wetland is heirrg rcstorcd in lropesofattract ing rvood cluck, osprcy. kingfisher and other rvi ldl i fc. Arr ovcrf low releaservjll laise the *'ltc-r levcl sub.stzuttially rutd a 750-flrot floating botrdualk is expect-ed to be conrplcted hy the end of the summer.

By studying lake plankton under nricroscopes at an indoor nnture center, visitorsalso leinr about food chains and the links that connect all creatures. At l5 workstations they are inlroduced to rnultirnedia computers, exhibits arrd live animals ina controlled environrnent. Tlre activi(ies are designetl to isolate key concepts of thenatural world and enforce students' rvork in the field.

Computer proSrams about world ecology offer insight into rnankind's role in the global environment, while field journalsand noles provide a record of each student's experiences.

Groups from Florida, Georgia and tlre Carolinas have already visited the center during its first year of operation.'The kids were very excited when they found out about parts of the program like the owl study," said Penny Brown, a

chaperone for a group of fourth-graders fronr Gwinnett County. Three of her own children were along for a tkee-day excur-sion. u'hich included the popuku ov.,l prorvl, a study of life rfter thc sun qoes down.

Within hours of their arrival they listened to screech owls, barred owls and great horned owls call into the night. Later, theygazed into the heavens during an asronomy lesson and sat by a ca:rrplire eagerly listening to a Cherokee and an Appalachianstoryteller.

"lt's really ncat to be out here like this," 9-year-old Adrun Brorvn said. "There's a lot ofstuffout here."After their nighttinre prowl for owls, the voungsters retumctl to tlre classroonr to dissect owl pellets, fte fur and skeletal

remains of prey that orvls instinctively regurgitate. 'l-lre

group spenl ln hour reconstructing the bones to leam that at least oneowl hatl ntouse frrr dinner.

'l1re follorving day. the students corrrbctl tlrrouglr a large portion of uplarrrl forcst, taking notes on its diverse flora and fauna.Although forest ecology was tlre corc of the lesson. (lre unique gcology and land fonns of the area were also examined.

"Th is t r ip isa l l he 's ta lkedabout fo raweek. "BohBar te rsa i r l o f l r i sso l r ,Ke i th " l t ' sagoodexper ienceforbo t l ro fus . "

A three-day, trvo-rright progrnnr costs $79 per student and inclutJcs l<xlging. nreals. instruction and lab fees. An extendedfive-day trip, called Eco-Ven(ures. costs $209 per student and includcs lodging, nreals, instruction and two off-campus fieldInps .

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ter raft ing on the Chattooga River antl stut lying the highestwater fa l l s in the l r i -s ta te a rea o f Nor th Caro l ina . SouthCarolina and Georgia,

Students stay in six domritory-style cabitrs and uc servedbuffet meals. In addit ion to hikes, bird rvalks and orlrer.types of acl ivi t ies, orgirnizerl recrcal iorr pcriods arc hclcl\dur in f , t l re < l ; ry . Raskc th ; r l l . r t l l cy l r : r l l : r r r r l l r r rs t . r l rocs , , , " L ,

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natural world iurtl eufrrrce studcnts' rvork in the fiekl.

Computer prograrns about world ecology offer insight into rnankind's role in the global environment, while field joumalsand notes provide a record of each student's experiences.

Groups from Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas have already visiled the center during its first year ofoperation."The kids were very excited when they found out about parts of the program like the owl study," said Penny Brown, a

chaperone for a groirp of fourth-graders fronr Gwinnett Corrnty. Tlrrec of hcr own children were along for a three-day excur-s io t r .uh ic l r i r t c l t r t le t l lhe lx rpr r ln ror . . , l p r , r rv l , l s tu r lvo f l i f t ' ; r l t c r lhcs(urqocr thxvn.

Within lrours of thcir arr ival t l rey l istened to scrcech orvls, trarrct l ow'ls :urd grca( lrorrrcd owls cal l into the night. Later. theygazed into the heavens during an astronomy lesson :rnd sat by a canrplire eagerly listening to a Cherokee and an Appalachianstoryteller.

"It's really ncat to be out here like this," 9-year-oltl Adrun Brorvn said. "There's a krt of stufiout here."After their nighttinre prowl for owls, the youngsters returnetl to the classroonl to dissect owl pellets, the fur and skeletal

remains of prey thal orvls instinclively regurgitate. The group spcnt an hotrr reconstructing the bones to leam that at least oneowl had nx)usc for dillner.

1'he follorving day. (he students conrhed tlrrouglr a large porlion ofuplalrrl forest, (aking notes on its diverse flora and fauna.Although forest ecology was the core of the lesson, tlre unique gcology and land fonns of the area were also examined.

'"I-his trip is all he's talked about for a week," Bob Ba,rter saicl of his son, Keith "lt's a good experience for both of us."A three-day, trvo-uight progriul costs $79 per student and irrcludes lodging, meals. instruction a.nd lab fees. An extended

five-day trip. called Eco-Ventures, costs $209 per student and includes lodging, meals, instruction and two off-campus fieldlnps .

' l ' he cho ices inc lude

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ter raft ing on the Chattooga River anrl stut lving t lre higlrestwater fa l l s in the t r i -s ta te a rea o f Nor th Caro l ina . SourhCarolina and Georgia.

Students stay in six dornritory-style cabirrs and ruc servcdbuffet meals. In addit ion to hikes, bird rvalks and othertypes of act ivi t ies, organiz.ed recreation periods are heldduring the day. Basketball, volleyball arrrl horseshoes areoffered, as well as supervised swinrs in a.5O-ftxrt pool.

In fact, learning takes place throughout the entire trip,said Leigh Kingsbury, an instruclor. Students gain a bet-ter appreciation for group cooperation and comrnunityinvolvenrent by living together and sharing cabin rcspon-sibilities.

"It's a good feeling to see their eyes light up when theyleam sonrething nerv about nature. but il's also grxrd tok n o w t h a t t h e y ' r e g r o w i n g i n o t h e r w a y s , " s a i dKingsbury, who livcs with olher stal-f rnenrtrers in a cabinon campus.

The Blue Ridge Outdoor Education Center was dcvel-oped with the support of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlantaand the Mikell Camp and Conference Center of Toccoa. Itis also funded through private grants and donations. Thecenter operates during thc spring arxl fall f<rr school groups.Weeklong staff developnrent workshops for teachers beginin June. For more information. call (706) 8tl6-0656.