Open 361 Days a Year: Admissions 10:00am – 3:30pm; park closes at 4:30pm
Welcome to the Western North Carolina Nature Center!
Each month during our centennial year, we’ll be interviewing people who have had an impact on the Nature Center. This month we’re talking with Chris Gentile, director of the Nature Center for the past 16 years!
What is your role at the Nature Center? Director, WNC Nature Center
How did your zoo career begin?
It took me a while to get to the Nature Center! I graduated with my Masters degree in education in 1993 and immediately had the opportunity to start my career coordinating Cincinnati Zoo’s “Zoo Academy” education program. They had a high school on their campus that provided technical units and training. I ran that program for three years.
I then took a job as the Education Curator at the Roger Williams Park Zoo, in Providence, Rhode Island in 1995. I was there for five years, before joining Zoo New England as their Education Director. In 2001, I made my way South and became the Education Director at Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, South Carolina, and thereafter, was the Director of Oatland Island Wildlife Center in Savannah, Georgia. I joined the WNC Nature Center as their Director in 2009. The first order of business was to work on gaining AZA accreditation – which we achieved again in 2010.
Can you share a few moments over the many years that stand out?
In my time here, one of the most important things that has happened from a physical standpoint was the Front Entrance project in 2018. It’s when we noticed a significant increase in attendance.
All of the sudden, we were better at welcoming guests: it was easier to park – we tripled our parking capacity; it was more seamless to get through the line; restrooms were more accessible, among many other things.
From a business operations standpoint, the most important thing that occurred was our move in 2020 under the City of Asheville’s newly renovated Community Regional Entertainment Facilities (CREF) Department. We are immediately housed under a department that encourages regional outreach visiting, and this opened up so many doors in terms of funding, access, and connectivity.
What has been the greatest reward of your involvement with the Nature Center?
In your view, how does the WNC Nature Center go beyond being just a zoo?
Our focus on the Southern Appalachian Mountains ecosystem – since our region is so rich in biodiversity and has such an interesting geological past, we can highlight the elements that make our region unique.
Not many of our AZA partners focus on one regional area. We are able to dive deeply into the culture of our own region – and the paleontological past and present.
What do you think the Nature Center’s 100-year legacy means to the community?
We are a very resilient community. We’ve had to close multiple times – during World War II, during COVID, during Tropical Storm Helene – and we came back stronger than we were prior to those closures. It’s a tribute to the people who are invested in us – our guests, members, donors, the City of Asheville, and the Friends Board of Directors. We definitely have a sense of place and purpose.
What hopes do you have for the next 100 years of the WNC Nature Center?
I’d want for us to maintain our status as the number one place to come learn about Southern Appalachian wildlife, and to only grow stronger in that realm. People come to this region for the natural encounters – Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains and the National Park- outdoor activities – and in order for us to continue to serve as the group that can promote wildlife in wild places in WNC, we have to stay the course. We need to continue to be a big part of those natural encounters. We need to stay on the path of our mission, remain resilient and be open to new opportunities. We need to think bigger than the front gates of the Nature Center.
What role do you see education playing in the future of wildlife conservation? What does this mean locally?
Education is one of the cornerstones of our mission and is important in so many different ways to ensure environmental resilience. A lot of the education we see happening around us is through people passing stories down to each other and through shared experiences. Storytelling and shared experiences are at the heart of how education occurs, and we want to help facilitate that. People can experience multiple styles of environmental education through the Nature Center: on-site group education; interpretation; outreach education at schools, libraries, and in retirement communities; and “for fun” education, such as the Wolf Howl, Night at the Nature Center and Wild Walks. Shared experiences promote growth of knowledge.
If you could be any animal at the WNC Nature Center for a day, which one would you choose and why?
All of our animals get such excellent care… how could I pick just one!? My favorite animals have always been the cats – cheetahs and snow leopards. Here at the Nature Center, it would definitely have to be the cougars, because they seem so wise. They have knowledge that humans couldn’t ever understand. It would be cool to be a cat for a day.
What’s one surprising fact about the Nature Center that most people don’t know?
Most people don’t realize that without the other thousands of City of Asheville employees, we would not exist. Our Human Relations, Finance, Fleet, Public Works, Streets – you name it. Forty of us at the Nature Center could never do what the thousands do. Being a part of the City of Asheville team is what makes us great.
How would you describe the Nature Center in three words?
Are you interested in learning more about educational programs and events at the WNC Nature Center? Visit wildwnc.org/events. To find out about future apprenticeships and employment opportunities, visit wildwnc.org/employment.
More Than A Zoo: Highlighting the personal connections and the broader impact of the WNC Nature Center in its 100th year This
More Than A Zoo: Highlighting the personal connections and the broader impact of the WNC Nature Center in its 100th year Each
More Than A Zoo: Highlighting the personal connections and the broader impact of the WNC Nature Center in its 100th year Each
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