Fernbank Forest re-opening in 2016
Who is up for some tree pods and floating walkways?
- Courtesy of Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- TREE HOUSE: A rendering of the floating walkways and tree pods in Fernbank Forest
For the past two years, Fernbank Forest in DeKalb County has denied visitors regular entry into its 65 acres of undisturbed, hardwood forest. With warning signs and chain-link fences put into place by Fernbank Museum of Natural History to promote “safety” and “conservation work,” the lockout was not as temporary as initially promised. These barriers that have separated the public from the old-growth habitat, however, are about to be taken down.
Today, the Museum announced its ambitious plans of not only re-opening the forest, but expanding it to bring an all new outdoor experience to Fernbank guests for its unveiling in the summer of 2016. The expansion will include the 10 acres behind the Museum’s terrace that connects with the entirety of Fernbank Forest, giving the Museum plenty of space to work with in the design of footpaths and floating walkways.
“We are thrilled to expand our offerings with this new outdoor attraction,” said Susan Neugent, Fernbank’s president and CEO said in a statement. “This is a rare opportunity to connect our visitors with a truly authentic nature experience, right here inside the city.”
This announcement seems to have been made at the right moment, after disgruntled forest fans circulated a petition in April that demanded the public be allowed access to the wooded area. The petition garnered upward of 300 signatures, but the re-opening of the forest will require something else: the cooperation between the two institutions at either end of the grounds.
Though the Fernbank Science Center originally managed the forest, the Fernbank Museum stepped in when the lease was up in an attempt to properly restore it and give it a fresh feel. Now, with the Museum’s declaration of re-opening one of Atlanta’s largest urban forests, the Fernbank Science Center remains open to the idea of collaborating with the Museum on the expansion project.
All that the Museum asks is that the public stay patient for a little while longer as the plans are brought from paper to reality in 2016. “This is the most significant development at Fernbank since the Museum opened,” Nugent said. “We can’t wait for our visitors to experience this fun and invigorating encounter with nature.”