Chattahoochee Nature Center

http://www.chattnaturecenter.com/

9135 Willeo Road
Roswell, GA 30075


CNC is dedicated to introducing people to the ecology of the Chattahoochee River watershed and works to provide a learning environment that allows people to better understand their impact on the natural world and make informed decisions.

What to Bring

Binoculars
Camera
Good Walking Shoes
Picnic Lunch
Rain Gear
Sunscreen
For the protection of our resident wildlife, we do not allow pets on the grounds. Smoking and alcohol are not allowed. Film and disposable cameras, snacks, beverages and rain ponchos are available in the Nature Store. Limited picnic areas are available for use on a first-come basis.

The Creeks named the river, Chatto-hoche, river of painted rock. It rised out of the rocks in the Blue Ridge Mountains, trickles through forest as it flows southwest and south to mingle its waters with the Flint, and rolls into the sea more than 500 miles from its birth.

Centuries later, as our population has grown, the Chattahoochee has become the most endangered natural resource in metro Atlanta. More than 4 million residents depend on 300 million gallons a day for water supply and discharge of wastewater.

Protection & Conservation

There are over 75 native animals unable to survive in the wild due to imprinting or injury that now work as partners in education at the Chattahoochee Nature Center. Visitors can watch beavers busy with construction, get close to an opossum or learn to recognize the shrill call of a barn owl.

The CNC works with other organizations to rescue, propagate and reintroduce threatened and endangered native Georgia plant species. The nature center is spangled with hundreds of native plant species, blooming with sensational aromas and attracting all types of wildlife thriving on their bounty.

Hands-on Environmental Education

The Chattahoochee Nature Center fosters environmental stewardship through partnerships with local schools. More that 30,000 students connect to CNC each school year through hands-on interactive learning experiences and curricular programs designed to comply with Georgia’s teaching standards.

CNC also offers programs in home schooling and specialized study courses to achieve Scout achievement badge requirements.

The exciting experiences connect today’s youth to the natural world, stimulate curiosity and help build critical thinking skills. CNC’s staff of experienced certified naturalists offer support and specialized knowledge to our teaching partners in the classroom.

Self-Guided Interpretation of the Local Environment

Each year, more than 30,000 people from metro Atlanta, the Southeast and around the world come to learn about the Chattahoochee by exploring on their own. They follow interpretive signage through the gardens, then along the forest trails. A shaded boardwalk takes them through a bottomland hardwood forest and marsh habitat to reach the river.

In addition, the CNC offers regular programs throughout the week during which visitors can enjoy a hands-on experience with a trained naturalist, enjoying guided hikes, animal encounters, storytelling and special entertainment at no extra charge.

After 30 Years, CNC is Still Expanding with the Growing Demands of the Environment

In 2006, the city of Roswell will expand its ambitious river greenway project, “Roswell River Walk, to include the recreational area fronting the Chattahoochee Nature Center. Ultimately, it will connect to similar riverfront trails underdevelopment in Cobb and Gwinnett counties, forming the metro Atlanta component of the 180-mile statewide Chattahoochee River Greenway corridor. The CNC, squarely in the center of this corridor, is a unique place to focus on the ecology of this valuable natural resource and the role people play in protecting it.