Back to Home Page

History of the Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center

 

State of the Center Address - January, 12, 2005

History

In the spring of 2000, after 30 years as the biology teacher at Beaver Local High School, Jim Kerr decided to leave his position there and go to work for the Columbiana County Educational Service Center. At that time, Jim had a large number of mounted animal specimens in his classroom along with some bird study skins. Since no one in the science department at the high school showed an interest in keeping these mounts, it was decided that Jim could take them with him to be used in wildlife education programs throughout the Columbiana County schools. Since there was no room to keep the specimens at the CCESC, he had to find a place for them. After talking with Jim Tillman, the Beaver Creek State Park manager, Jim Tillman and Jim Kerr decided to develop a nature center in an unused house located on the park property which is the house currently used for the center.

All of the specimens found in Jim Kerr’s classroom were moved from Beaver Local High School to the new nature center at Beaver Creek State Park in August of 2000. These included 23 mammal mounts, 61 bird mounts, 18 bird study skins, and 2 wing mounts. He also brought along a number of natural history items such as eggs, nests, and beaver logs.

The purpose of this facility was to provide educational programs for school groups, community groups, and the general public on the identification and natural history of wildlife in Columbiana County.

In 2000, the center was not open to visitors but there were 17 outreach programs presented to schools and other types of groups. These programs were presented to a total of 2129 people.

The fall of 2000 and winter of 2000/2001 were spent getting the building ready as a nature center. Much of the work of getting the building ready was done by the men of Beaver Creek State Park (primarily Dave and Bill), Barb Lesko, the naturalist from Quail Hollow, Jim and Becky Kerr, members of their families, and a number of other volunteers.

The center opened for visitors in April of 2001.

The combination of open dates at the center and program presentations in 2001 reached a total of 4012 people in 68 events.

The original bylaws of the Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center Volunteers Association were adopted by the membership on November 14, 2002. Although the work of developing the bylaws was accomplished by several members, the task of the majority of writing them was done by Michele Vargo. They have been amended on February 6, 2003 and January 8, 2004. Although, in November of 2002, a group of volunteers, including some of the folks here at this meeting, had been working hard at the center for over two years, this was the official beginning of the Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center Volunteers Association. It was at this time, November 14, 2002, that the first set of official officers and trustees for the association were elected.

The purpose of the Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center Volunteers Association was not only to continue to educate school groups, community groups, and the general public on the identification and natural history of wildlife in Columbiana County, but to seek out grants, and donations to enhance the center and the educational programs.

In May of 2002, Jeff Hum donated 9 excellent bird mounts, mostly ducks, to the center. He has since donated several other specimens to the center.

In the summer of 2002, Sue Pike donated 17 mammal mounts and 85 bird mounts in the name of her father, Tom Pike, to the center. These mounts included many excellent specimens including an immature bald eagle and an osprey.

The volunteer group was certified with the Ohio Secretary of State as the "Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center Volunteers Association" on November 15, 2002. This process certified the Association as a Non-Profit Corporation. The legal papers for this process were prepared and submitted to the Ohio Secretary of State as a contribution by Attorney Jackman S. Vodrey.

In 2002 there were a total of 68 events presented to 4426 people.

The Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center Volunteers Association became a 501 (c) (3), tax-exempt organization on March 6, 2003. The legal papers for this process were prepared and submitted to the Internal Revenue Service by Thomas M. Carnahan as a contribution by Tom and his wife Pam.

In 2003 there were a total of 89 events presented to 4553 people.

The Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center Volunteers Association took an insurance policy out on the contents of the center in August of 2003. This covers the Association for the loss of any items in the center that belong to them.

We began to hold summer workshops for teachers and other adults in 2004. There were a total of 9 workshops presented to a total of approximately 75 people. The participants were offered college credit through Ashland University for attending these workshops.

In 2004 there were a total of 123 events presented to 6383 people.

In the summer of 2004, there were a total of 10 adult workshops presented to approximately 200 people. These workshops once again offered credit through Ashland University.

In 2005, the following organizations donated mounts, study skins, or frozen birds to the center:

In 2007, the Ohio Division of Wildlife donated two Double Crested Cormorants to the center and one was mounted later that year. Visits by individuals and school and community groups continue to grow in numbers and our volunteer numbers also have grown.

The number of specimens at the center as of January of 2008 has grown from that total of 102 mounts and study skins brought to the center from Beaver Local High School in August 2000 to the current total of full body mounts, study skins, and head mounts, of all animals (birds, mammals, and reptiles) is 395 plus two wing mounts. There are a total of 194 species of birds, mammals, and reptiles found in 24 orders and 64 families.

The center continues to build its collection of animal mounts, eggs, and skulls. We continue to search for private collections of eggs and mounts that are no longer being used as well as other artifacts. Because of limited space, we cannot accept head mounts. We are a 501C3 non-profit corporation and hour mission is to educate students and adults about wildlife so any additional specimens we receive will help us to complete our mission.

Visits to the Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center remain free to the public.