Environmental Exploration

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Outdoor Activity Center, Inc
West Atlanta Watershed Alliance (WAWA)

NEXT Steps relies heavily on the environmental expertise provided by The West Atlanta Watershed Alliance (WAWA) environmental engineers.  WAWA manages The Outdoor Activity Center — the a sister site to Atwood Community Gardens. Located approximately 2-3 minutes away, this 23 year old urban forest and nature center (the first in Atlanta) is a conservation resource and neighborhood treasure . Twenty-six acres of a mature piedmont forest, plenty of urban wildlife, and a walking trail up the historic Bush Mountain are offered at this site.

This facility is designed with kids in mind. Among the learning facilities are a tree house classroom, a 650-gallon freshwater aquarium, and an interactive ecological playground called Naturescape.  Nature tours, educational programs, bioponics, and a wide range of special events are offered throughout the year.

The West Atlanta Watershed Alliance also takes youth and their families to the Cascade Springs Nature Preserve to help maintain the natural paths, hiking trails and waterfall. To register for one of their upcoming workshops or special events, contact Darryl Haddock at 404.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outdoor Nation Atlanta Campus Club

Through the Outdoor Nation Atlanta Campus Club Initiative, The National Park Service and The Outdoor Foundation have joined with North Face to leverage and strengthen the existing network of outdoor clubs on college campuses across the country. Transforming these traditional outdoor clubs into powerful Outdoor Nation Campus Club hubs, college students will be charged with expanding the club concept into high schools ‐‐ introducing younger peers to outdoor experiences and opportunities.

The program provides a high profile way for universities to: connect with the local community, build on existing outdoor, environmental and sustainability efforts and give students a great learning and leadership experience.

Outdoor Nation 2012-2013 Atlanta Campus Club has begun! Please visit our enrollment page to participate in our next outing. Join our mailing list (see sidebar on the right) to receive up-to-date announcements.

Photos from our previous outings: Overnight camping trip & ropes course at Stone Mountain Park, Atlanta Stone Summit, geocaching at the Outdoor Activity Center, and zip-lining at the Georgia Tech Leadership Challenge Ropes Course.