Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education
by Molly Harrison
The hottest ticket on the Outer Banks this summer won't cost you a cent. The much-anticipated Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education, with the theme "Life by Water's Rhythms," is the Outer Banks' newest attraction, and admission is totally free. Also free are a wide range of educational programs for all ages.
The Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education (OBCWE) is in a prime location at Currituck Heritage Park in Corolla, on the Currituck Sound between The Whalehead Club and the Currituck Beach Lighthouse. It's housed in a beautiful, new 22,000-square-foot building, which has been under construction for the past two years. Outer Banks residents and visitors have been watching the construction and looking forward to the center's opening, and this summer it's finally here.
A gift of the state of North Carolina, specifically the North Carolina Wild-life Resources Commission (WRC), OBCWE is a wildlife and environmental education center dedicated to northeastern North Carolina's coastal ecology and culture. Through the exhibit hall, a film and year-round programming, the center provides an entertaining, educational experience on local culture and conservation. The WRC believes that the more educated people are, the more they will want to be involved in stewardship and protection of the state's wildlife resources and environment, and this center is the perfect way to do it. The OBCWE is one of three such centers in the state. The WRC also has a center in the mountains, at Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, and one on the Centennial Campus at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. The exhibit hall of the OBCWE is a 5,000-square-foot gallery. It's a stunning room, with an atrium-style ceiling and a lifelike marsh diorama of a duck-hunting scene Ð with grasses, trees, a duck blind, a hunter and preserved animals. The marsh gently slopes down into a 12,000-gallon freshwater aquarium that is similar to the environment of the Currituck Sound, providing a cutaway glimpse of the native species of the Currituck Sound.
Along the walls in the main gallery, six alcoves present exhibits on Currituck County's natural history and wildlife, people, sporting life, fishing heritage, hunting and wildlife conservation. There's even a vintage outboard motor collection. A highlight in the exhibit hall is a decoy gallery housing the Neal Conoley collection of antique decoys that were formerly on display at The Whalehead Club.
Most of the artifacts and photographs in the exhibits are on loan from the people of Currituck County. "The community has been really helpful in donating artifacts and photography as well as giving interviews," says Clarence Styron, the center's director.
The willingness of the native Outer Bankers to participate in this center lends a great credibility to the historical exhibits. "Thanks to the authenticity of these exhibits, visitors can get a glimpse into the history of northeast North Carolina, where wildlife and natural resources have always played an integral part in the regionÕs economy and heritage," says Richard Hamilton, executive director of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. "They can also look into the future and learn about ongoing conservation and habitat preservation efforts." Visitors will also be able to see a 20-minute film made especially for this center, "Life by Water's Rhythms," which will be shown every half-hour in the auditorium. The film explores the influence of water on the natural and cultural history of the region. But there is more to the OBCWE than exhibits. If you really want to learn about nature, youÕve got to get in there and experience it firsthand. A key element of the OBCWE is educational programming. The center has been offering summer programs on the Currituck Outer Banks since 2003 and is now offering year-round programming. Scheduled programming is available, but groups can also call and set up group programs on topics of their choosing. See our sidebar for more programming information. For information about group programs, call Program Coordinator Mark Buckler at 453-0221 or email him at mark.buckler@ncwildlife.org. The center's gift shop, the NC Wild Store, will be a joint effort between OBCWE and The Whalehead Club, as The Whalehead Club is planning to clear out its gift shop so that it can interpret the house's gun room the way it was formerly used. OBCWEÕs proceeds will benefit education programs and projects.
"The items in our store will support our mission of wildlife conservation," says Styron. The center will also be a Wildlife Resources Commission office that sells fishing and hunting licenses and handles boat registrations.
Plans for the future include a classroom building and an interpretive trail to the ocean. The center currently offers a spectacular soundside boardwalk, and Styron hopes that one day the center will be able to offer a similar boardwalk across the island to the ocean. Styron also says that the center will continuously update the exhibits and the programs based on comments from visitors and the local community.
For more information on the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education at Currituck Heritage Park and its programs, call (252) 453-0221.
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