Chattahoochee Hills Charter School Certified as Atlanta Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary

​The Chattahoochee Hills Charter School campus in south Fulton County was recently designated an Atlanta Audubon Certified Wildlife Habitat through the Atlanta Audubon Society Wildlife Sanctuary Program. The Program encourages both private and public properties to enhance their land for birds and other wildlife by installing native plants and providing food, water, and shelter for birds and other wildlife.

Chattahoochee Hills Charter School is a K-8th grade Fulton County charter school located on 11 acres in Chattahoochee Hills, Ga. The school features a rigorous curriculum that utilizes the environment, agriculture, and the arts as a framework for learning.  The school grounds include a vegetable garden and plans call for a working farm to be established in the coming years.
 
The school grounds features a variety of diverse habitats, including a food garden and pollinator area. The school’s forested areas contain a host of native hardwood and pine trees, and an open area with native grasses provides ideal habitat for a variety of sparrow species. In addition, a wetland area created by a bioswale may attract migrating waterfowl. Bioswales are landscape elements designed to concentrate or remove silt and pollution out of surface runoff water.
 
The school grounds have been enhanced with a variety of native plant species, including white oak, sycamore, serviceberry, winterberry holly, American beautyberry, wood aster, milkweed, native goldenrod, purple coneflower, bergamot, swamp hibiscus, lyreleaf sage, and native grasses.  All of these plants provide invaluable sources of food and shelter for birds and other wildlife. In addition, Chattahoochee Hills Charter School installed bird feeders and nest boxes to attract birds to the area.
 
“We are thrilled that our campus was certified by the Atlanta Audubon Society,” says Stacie Gottleib, Executive Director of the CHCS Foundation, which raises money for capital projects and school programs. “It is a tribute to the many community supporters who funded the introduction of native plants and other elements that make this “outdoor classroom” a sanctuary for wildlife and a wonderful environment for learning.”
 
Atlanta Audubon Society’s goal is to create a network of certified wildlife sanctuaries throughout metro-Atlanta to counter the loss of wildlife habitat to urbanization and to provide additional habitat for the hundreds of birds and other species.
 
“We’re excited to add the Chattahoochee Hills Charter School to our network of more than 450 certified wildlife habitats in Atlanta and north Georgia,” says Melinda Langston, Atlanta Audubon board member and Wildlife Sanctuary Program Coordinator. “The welfare of birds and other wildlife is directly linked to the quality of food and shelter available to them. The Chattahoochee Hills School provides an outstanding vehicle for educating our young people about how to landscape with birds and wildlife in mind.”
 
For more information on certifying a property as an Atlanta Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary, visit https://www.atlantaaudubon.org/wildlife-sanctuary-certification.html. For more information on Chattahoochee Hills Charter School, visit http://www.chatthillscharter.org/.
 
Atlanta Audubon Society is committed to building places where birds and people thrive. We create birds -friendly communities through conservation, education, and advocacy.

---