Conservation education programs take place for children and adults in the AWC Nature Center. Programs are by reservation only, register here. Most groups are limited to 12 people due to our small size. Programs are held on Friday at 12pm.
Our Nature Center combines wildlife art, a wide selection of wildlife-themed picture books, and many hands-on exhibits for young children or the young-at heart. In addition, our wildlife partners live here.
All our permanent animals were once patients, and due to their injuries were unable to be released back to the wild. They are under special education permits from the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and the federal government. They include a wide variety of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects, including a bat colony and one of Maine’s only captive Bald Eagles.
Once a rehabilitation patient arrives, it goes into one of our rehab rooms for examination and treatment. The public is not allowed to see the patients, as they need a quiet, stress-free environment to recover. Babies that are brought to us need to be protected from human interaction so that they may grow up wild and be releasable.
Our non-releasable education partners in the Nature Center are particularly chosen and trained carefully, so that they are accustomed to our visitors. We ask that visitors respect our partners’ needs for quiet voices and recognize the wild in all of them. Seeing these animals up close is an incomparable experience.
There is no charge to come into our Nature Center, but donations are very welcome, since our only source of income, as a non-profit, are donations from the public. We receive no funding other from any other source including state or local government, or Acadia National Park. In addition, wildlife conservation receives only 1% of philanthropic giving nationwide. Sometimes groups of children including homeschoolers, bring gifts in kind which help to connect children to the needs of injured wildlife. The following products are used everyday here and are much needed.
GIFTS IN KIND THAT ARE ALWAYS WELCOME:
- Pick a Size Bounty Paper Towel
- Unscented Kleenex
- Unscented HE Laundry Detergent or Laundry Sheets
- Fall Leaves, dried and without pesticides.
- Acorns
- Hefty large Garbage Bags
- 409 Spray
- Huggies Natural Baby Wipes
- Apples, organic Spring Mix, organic berries, carrots, Unshelled Sunflower Seeds
- Unsalted Cashews
- Un-frayed towels, hand towels, washcloths, and small polar fleece blankets,
- Polar fleece hats, receiving blankets, small and mid-sized polar fleece sleeping bags and nests.
