OurCoast.com :: Outdoors

Courtesy of Oatland Island Education Center

It's hard to describe Oatland Island Education Center. In the simplest of terms it is "Savannah's Zoo," but it is so much more. Located 5 miles east of downtown Savannah on a marsh island, Oatland is an environmental education center owned and operated by the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System. It serves primarily as a field trip site for both public and private school children from throughout the region, but it is also open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. till 4 p.m. and most Saturdays from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. for self-guided trail walks. More than forty different programs are available to students ranging from an hour-long barn animal program to two-and-half hour programs on endangered species, the salt marsh, forest, tidal creek and marine ecology. A more concentrated overnight program in which students learn camping skills, team building techniques, and environmental science is offered during the school year. A program guide with a description of each Oatland program is available.

Oatland has many stories to tell. The large white-columned main building was originally built in 1927 as a retirement home for the "Brotherhood of Railroad Conductors." It was then used as a Public Health Service hospital during World War II, and then as the Technical Development Laboratory for the U.S. Center for Disease Control where research on insect-transmitted diseases took place until the site was declared surplus in 1973. Today it houses classrooms, offices, and a conference center.

The sixty-acre forest was once cleared farmland where cotton was grown during the 18th and 19th centuries by the McQueen family, made famous in Eugenia Price's novel Don Juan McQueen. Today, a 1-mile "Native Animal Nature Trail" follows a circuitous route through maritime forest, salt marsh, and freshwater wetlands--typical coastal Georgia habitats. The trail links a variety of live animal exhibits where visitors can observe indigenous animals such as black bear, wolves and panthers in their natural setting.

Marking the beginning of the trail is the "Wetlands Aviary" exhibit where egrets, herons, pelicans and other wetland and shore birds invite visitors into their home. These birds have been placed in Oatland's care because they have been injured and are non-releasable. Just down the trail, in another wetland habitat, visitors can see a prehistoric-looking American Alligator. Two well-camouflaged panthers spot the visitor long before they are seen in their sawtooth palmetto, live oak and salt marsh domain. A 500' boardwalk stretches across the salt marsh giving the visitor a view of one of the most productive ecosystems on earth, and high above the forest floor a bobcat surveys his realm. A frolicsome red fox chases leaves and tosses sticks in the air in a lush, shaded, fern-covered setting.

The trail continues, bordered by red-berried yaupon holly and trees heavy with Spanish moss and muscadine grape vines. A southern bald eagle watches visitors intently, providing them with a rare glimpse of this majestic national symbol. The "Forest Aviary" is home to the eagles and a variety of owls, and hawks. Some of these birds may be "on the mend" and soon to be released, but those whose injuries are too extensive will remain as an educational exhibit. Further down the trail white-tailed deer roam through their two-acre compound searching for acorns, grass and almost any other green vegetation within their reach. A two-acre freshwater pond serves as home to wading birds, insects, turtles, frogs and other aquatic creatures. Taking a break from the animal trail and nestled in a clearing far away from other signs of human habitation is the Center's "Heritage Homesite"--two log cabins built in the 1830's which were moved from their original setting and restored at Oatland. These cabins form the backdrop for educational programs and several annual fund-raising events. Held on the second Saturday of November, the "Annual Crafts Festival and Cane Grinding" features the transformation of sugar cane into cane syrup in the traditional south Georgia manner, and on the second Saturday in March, the "Annual Sheep to Shawl Festival," features the local Fiber Guild demonstrating their skills in sheep-shearing and weaving the raw wool into a beautiful shawl.

Black bears inhabit the next animal habitat, where they may be seen snoozing in the sun or munching on things like peanuts, fish and peaches. As visitors stroll through the forest they may hear the howling of wolves in the distance. The Eastern timber wolves who reside in the next enclosure, are representatives of an animal who's range covered most of North America, and were prolific when the first colonists arrived. Today they are considered an endangered species in the lower 48 United States. An animal that is also extinct in the wild of Georgia today, the Eastern Wood Bison, resides in the last habitat. Once present in large numbers, bison were hunted because of the value of their hides and flesh.

Oatland is indeed a unique opportunity for visitors to explore and learn about Georgia's coastal flora and fauna. Besides the festivals held at the Heritage Homesite, the Center also presents special events one Saturday each month from September through May. These events offer a wide variety of fun and educational opportunities for the whole family. A list of these events can be found on Oatland's website: oatlandisland.org or by calling (912) 898-3980 and requesting a calendar of events. General admission for most events and daily attendance is $3.00 per person ages 4 and up -- well worth the price for a "walk on the wild side."