E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center To Welcome All

Through an agreement with the Walton County TDC, the environmental facility on the Nokuse Plantation near Freeport will be open to the public Fridays through Sundays from June 1 to Aug. 31, and on Saturdays from Sept. 1 to May 31.

The agreement may be extended after that. For more information visit www.eowilsoncenter.org.

Visitors to the center have been limited mostly to school groups.

The center is an environmental facility serving students, teachers and professional audiences. The center is nestled in the Longleaf Pine ecosystem, which is considered the 6th most biodiverse area in the continental U.S. and less than 2% of it remains intact today. As such, it is the perfect place to educate students on the importance of biodiversity and to encourage conservation, preservation and restoration. This ecological "hot-spot" is available as a gathering place where local and regional scientists can conduct ecological research and participate in symposia that disseminates this research to the public through the Florida Educational Channel.

The Walton County TDC TDC will provide $119,500 to offset any additional costs for the center to open its doors to the general public. The center may charge a fee to visitors, but the TDC must approve the charge.