The modern environmental teaching and retreat facility in the woods is managed by a consortium of Mississippi colleges and universities and the Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District. It is available for use by school groups, businesses, and other organizations, and the outdoor areas are open to the public.
The environmental center has been open since April 1993 and has done a brisk business already, with more than 2,000 visitors. Educational programs are available for groups from preschool through college age, for senior citizens, and for nearly everyone else.
The $6 million facility sits on a 530-acre peninsula in the northeast section of Bay Springs Lake. It was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as part of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway project, but is to be self-supporting through user fees, donations, and grants. The Northeast Mississippi Environmental Education Consortium manages the operation, and consortium members provided start-up costs.
Consortium members are Mississippi State, the Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District, Itawamba Community College, Northeast Mississippi Community College, and the University of Mississippi. Center director Matt Miller, formerly director of the Great Smoky Mountains Institute, heads a staff of 13, including full-time and part-time instructors.
Updated and adapted by Chris Brown <brownc@ur.msstate.edu>.
For questions or information about this page, contact Bennet George.
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