GREEN COVE SPRINGS – 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, at 2 p.m., with interactive family activities beginning at noon.

Families are invited to join the pond study program or plant their native plant seed in a take-home pot from noon-2 p.m., then stay for the grand opening ceremony.

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 bunkhouse built by the Meninak Club of Jacksonville in 1986, renovations to the facility have been underway 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 through 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 more than 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.

“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,” said Liza McCain, Camp Chowenwaw’s Volunteer and Education Coordinator.

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.