Clay County recently issued the following announcement.
Clay County Commissioners will celebrate the grand opening of the new Pawpaw Nature Center at Camp Chowenwaw County Park in Green Cove Springs on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at 2 p.m., with interactive family activities beginning at noon. Families are invited to join the pond study program or plant their own native plant seed in a take-home pot from 12 - 2 p.m. and stay for the grand opening ceremony at 2 p.m.
The Pawpaw Nature Center is a new full-time facility open to visitors and school groups at Camp Chowenwaw. The center is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily for park visitors to enjoy at their leisure, and school groups can schedule environmental education field trips throughout the year.
Formerly a scout bunk house built by the Meninak Club of Jacksonville in 1986, renovations to the facility have been under way for more than a year and include new windows, heating and air, floors, exhibit cases, lighting, decking, and fresh, colorful paint.
The nature center houses interactive, educational exhibits and children’s activities that focus on animals and habitats found here in Clay County, such as gopher tortoise, wild turkey, brown water snake, beaver, alligator, manatee, and black bear. Exhibits include a swamp paludarium, blackwater aquarium, gopher tortoise burrow, insect dioramas, bird viewing area, animal skulls, and a hanging river grass meadow, among others.
Chairman of the Clay County Board of County Commissioners Wayne Bolla said, “Camp Chowenwaw County Park was purchased from the Girl Scouts of Gateway Council in 2006 though the Florida Communities Trust, Florida Forever Program. We are grateful for the partnership with Florida Communities Trust and are pleased to be able to preserve the history and pristine natural beauty of the park, and to offer this outstanding new educational facility to our community.”
The staff at Camp Chowenwaw previously conducted over 20 education programs annually at the park and now anticipate being able to increase that number to more than 100 with this new dedicated facility. Liza McCain, Camp Chowenwaw’s Volunteer and Education Coordinator explained, “We have greatly expanded our ability to provide quality environmental education programs to the community and will be able to introduce unique, local environmental topics to visiting youth and small groups year-round.”
Groups can schedule environmental education classes for topics such as animal adaptations, macro-invertebrates, fungi introduction, insects, and wetland wonders. All programs are free.
To schedule or for a complete list of programs, email Camp.Chowenwaw@ClayCountyGov.com or call 904-529-8058.
Located on the grounds near the Pawpaw Nature Center, visitors will find the Otter Springs artesian pond and overlook deck, an insect study area tied to an exhibit in the nature center, and a historical garden with heirloom species of true indigo, Indigofera tinctoria. Access to the Tree House Trail and Hickory Trail are also next to the nature center.
Future plans for Camp Chowenwaw include renovating the building next to the nature center, creating a Camp Chowenwaw Centuries exhibit, which will be the new home of the Girl Scout Museum. This project will be complete by late 2022 and will expand on the historical periods of the park, including its use as an indigo plantation owned by Governor Patrick Tonyn in the 1770's and use by Timucua Native Americans over 1,000 years ago.
Learn more about Camp Chowenwaw County Park here: https://www.claycountygov.com/community/parks-and-recreation/camp-chowenwaw-park.
Original source can be found here.
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