Nature Centers are in Natural Areas, which are the main attraction, and the buildings are gateways to information or to meet a docent or to go out and explore on your own
Nature Centers have well-trained staff and dedicated docents who enhance
visitor experiences in the Natural Area by human contact, especially for
first-time visitors ... children are often introduced to Nature for the
first time at these centers
Nature Centers provide exhibits and displays which can help
visitors learn on their own and experience aspects of Nature they would
probably never see in the Natural Area
Nature Centers are information stations ... for answers to questions from public and newspapers ... for adults to learn more about the local birds and
plants that are found nearby, about the stars, the rocks, the hills and the
hikes ... for disseminating trail guides
Nature Centers are gathering places, centers for people interested in nature, places where transition begins from a human-oriented area to a natural
one ... jumpoffs for all the wild that surrounds them
learn not to be afraid of the animals living there
learn cultural history of area, see living history re-enactments, tour historical buildings (replicas or real)
learn more about how the valley used to be before pioneers and major developments became a way of life
friendly staff and well-trained and dedicated docents are glad to answer your questions about the area
Living on the Edge Location, location, location
exhibits are geared towards people who live on the edge of the wilderness
for the thousands of school children who visit every year, it's their first experience in a natural area
be introduced to Lesser Goldfinches and Pine Siskins coming to the feeders in the patio ... the people who visit are more likely to have a goldfinch than an eagle in their yard - we teach what's around us!
provide immediate, but buffered, contact with different wilderness habitats -- walnut woodland, alluvial scrub, canyon, dry wash, chaparral, riparian woodland, montane forest, buffers can be parking lots
observe a red-tailed hawk up close and personal, realize how strong its talons are and how powerful its beak ... it usually is soaring a hundred feet overhead.
trail maintenance, bathrooms, protection of the natural resources, security, parking
These excerpts, sometimes taken verbatim, other times rewritten, are from letters and websites featured in the links on the webpages below. Amenities listed above can be found at at least one nature or visitor center, but not all.