MONTGOMERY - MAX Community Credit Union recently honored the Alabama Wildlife Federation as the recipient of the 2008 MAX Community Achievement Award at their annual MAX Community Reception.
The award recognized AWF’s conservation education initiatives:
- The Discovering Our Heritage Program provides pre-planned conservation education lessons that teachers can use through the school year.
- The Alabama Outdoor Classroom Program provides on-site, technical and organizational assistance to schools for creating a viable wildlife habitat for educational purposes on school grounds.
- The Alabama Nature Center provides a quality site for outdoor education experiences, offers hands-on educational programs and activities for K-12 students, educators and the general public.
Jimmy Harris, the environmental education coordinator for the Alabama Nature Center, had spoken to the AU Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society on campus the evening before the award presentation.
“Founded in 1935, the Alabama Wildlife Federation is an association of conservationists,” Harris said. “We are the oldest conservation organization with 8,000 members in Alabama, and 17,000 nationwide.
“The mission of the Alabama Wildlife Federation is to to promote the conservation and wise use of our wildlife and natural resources and to ensure a high quality of life for future generations of Alabamians.”
“What is the best way to do that?,” he asked the AU students.
“Education,” a student answered.
“Who do we need to educate?,” he asked.
“Everyone,” a student answered.
“Yes, everyone, but more specifically, our children,” he said. “They will be the stewards of our resources.”
Through the efforts of the Alabama Wildlife Federation and the Hill family, a not-for-profit entity known as the AWF Isabel and Wiley Hill Conservation Education Center was formed. The Lanark Estate was conveyed to provide for long-term stewardship of the property and development of an outdoor education facility, the Alabama Nature Center.
The center is reserved for school field trips, teacher training workshops, seminars and other educational programs that are scheduled in advance with AWF.
The property contains 350 acres of striking forests, fields, streams, wetlands and ponds that are traversed by five miles of boardwalks and trails along with a new 4,000-square-foot outdoor pavilion.
The Alabama Nature Center is open every third weekend of each month: Feb. 16 and Feb. 17, Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is charged. For directions, visit www.alabamawildlife.org or call 800-822-9453.
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