WNC Nature Center Celebrates Ribbon Cutting for “Gateway to the Southern Appalachians”
The WNC Nature Center marked a major milestone on Thursday, April 16, celebrating the completion of its Gateway to the Southern Appalachians project with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The event welcomed local officials, staff, supporters, and visitors to observe the official opening of the transformed space.
City of Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer joined Nature Center Director Chris Gentile and Friends of the WNC Nature Center Director Kate Frost to address attendees prior to the ceremonial ribbon cutting. City Council Members Bo Hess and Maggie Ullman assisted with the ribbon cutting.
The Gateway project represents a significant enhancement to the guest experience, featuring a new and expanded Gift Shop, improved North Carolina Farmyard and barn, and an immersive native pollinator and butterfly garden with educational “Nature Play” elements for children.
The Butterfly Immersion Garden was designed to highlight the importance of protecting pollinators. “The completion of this project comes at a critical time,” said Frost. “Pollinators, including monarch butterflies, are in decline. This garden not only showcases their beauty; it also shows our community how to be part of the solution through conservation action.”
Much of the project construction took place during the Nature Center’s almost six-month closure due to Tropical Storm Helene, which devastated the area in late September 2024. Gentile reflected on the uncertainty following the storm and the determination it took to move the project forward. He credited staff, partners, and contractors for their persistence in bringing the Gateway vision to completion.
The Gateway to the Southern Appalachians project was made possible through a collaborative investment by the City of Asheville, the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, and the Friends of the WNC Nature Center. For the Friends, support from donors, members, and funders played a key role in bringing this dream to reality. Special thanks was given to the late Tony and Allison Amatangelo, the Cannon Foundation, and the Natural Resources Fund of the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.
The City of Asheville, in partnership with the Friends of the WNC Nature Center and other community stakeholders, continues to invest in the Nature Center as a place for education, conservation, and connection to the natural world. “We believe that education is at the heart of conservation action, and this new addition will inspire people to know more, care more, and do more for the plants and animals in our region,” said Frost.
The celebration comes amid a period of strong community attendance and engagement. Earlier in April, the Nature Center recorded its highest spring break attendance since 2010, welcoming nearly 11,000 visitors over a ten-day period.
The WNC Nature Center is accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. Located at 75 Gashes Creek Road in Asheville, North Carolina, it is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with last admission at 3:30 p.m.