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Environmental Education Center Offers Enrichment For All Ages

March 12, 2021 at 07:41 PM

W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir Environmental Education Center

 

 

W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir have partnered with Friends  of W. Kerr Scott Lake to create the Environmental Education Center (EEC) which educates visitors on aquatic resources, forestry resources, soil/water/air resources, wildlife resources, climate change, energy conservation, habitat conservation, and pollinators.

 

 


The EEC also contains an extensive taxidermy collection of wildlife including a recent donation from family members of the Joseph Lester Warren estate. Mr. Warren’s collection consists of a unique bear rug, coyote, bobcat, grey fox, grouse, an owl, and several different styles of turkey mounts that will be displayed and used in the EEC to help youth and visitors see and learn about our native western North Carolina Wildlife.

Children love to crawl through a beaver lodge made from actual sticks chewed by beavers and learn how beavers work and use their teeth to build their houses.

 


Visitors can also learn about recycling with the 3RBot, a robot built by Wilkes Community College to teach visitors of all ages how to reduce, reuse, and recycle in their everyday lives.
 

 


The EEC is complemented by the Lakeside Nature Trail and Backyard Habitat. Visitors can take a short, leisurely hike on the Lakeside Nature Trail which includes a scenic overlook of the W. Kerr Scott Lake and intake tower as well as informative interpretive bulletin boards.

 

At the end of the hike, the visitors will arrive in the Backyard Habitat where they can see and learn about native trees and plants, view aquatic wildlife in the pond, watch pollinators in the wildflower plot, or sit in the gazebo and take in a view of the lake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Above: Volunteer Cathy Wall teaches in EEC classroom.
During the school year, the EEC is used to present a variety of topics to educate youth about the environment and natural resources. A typical visit will have students rotating through different stations led by Park Rangers and Volunteers.

 

They will be taught a topic in the EEC classroom, taken on a tour of the EEC exhibits, participate in an outdoor activity, and taken on a hike of the Lakeside Nature Trail and Backyard Habitat.

Afterwards, they have lunch at the Fish Dam Creek Overlook picnic shelter.The EEC is typically open to the public on the weekends during the recreation season, April 1 – Oct 31, however, it will be closed this year due to COVID-19.

Outside the recreation season, it is typically available for a tour or program upon request or by appointment.

 

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The EEC is located on the lower level of the Visitor Assistance Center (VAC). The address is 499 Reservoir Road in Wilkesboro, NC. For additional information, please call the VAC at (336) 921-3390 for more information.