A Campaign for Irvine Nature Center
A Campaign for Irvine Nature Center
NEW GROWTH.
For close to 50 years, Irvine has been a community resource for nature exploration and inspiration. As the largest private nonprofit environmental education center in the Baltimore region, Irvine connects children, adults, and families to nature by providing access to the outdoors on our 211-acre property.
Irvine’s Cultivating Community campaign is a major expansion and renovation project that will further solidify our position as a key destination for nature-based exploration and a leader in environmental education. By investing in Irvine, you are providing access to nature for all on our Baltimore County property for years to come.
OUR HISTORY
1975 Founded in an old barn at St. Timothy’s School in Stevenson, Maryland by Olivia Irvine Dodge
1977 Summer Nature Camp at Irvine welcomes its first day campers
1993 Irvine launches its Environmental Education Outreach Program serving students in Baltimore City and surrounding counties
2008 Irvine Nature Center moves to its new campus on 116 acres in Owings Mills, donated by the State of Maryland
2010 11 The Nature Preschool and Outdoor Classroom open
2015 Irvine acquires 93 acres adjacent to its new site
2016 $3.5 million endowment campaign and 66 acre wetland restoration completed
2018 New and expanded Native American site added to Bauer Preserve
2022 Cultivating Community, Irvine’s second capital campaign, launches
2025 Irvine will celebrate 50 years of service to the community: inspiring people to explore, respect and protect nature
BUILDING BALTIMORE’S BACKYARD.
FULFILLING A NEED.
At Irvine Nature Center, we think outside the walls. We believe in the power of a walk in the woods. We witness the impact of bringing animals and people together. We inspire individuals of all ages to explore, respect, and protect nature.
In preparation for our fiftieth anniversary, we wish to expand our capabilities to accommodate a growing need for access to nature. We invite you to join us in this effort to make it possible for more to discover the wonders of nature at Irvine.
SEVEN minutes
Access to nature is critical to the health of our diverse community, and our Cultivating Community campaign is about connecting more people to nature in all seasons. Today, children have less time outdoors than ever before. Our award-winning Nature Preschool and other Early Childhood Education programs provide early learners with immersive and deep connections to the natural world. Complementing their outdoor adventures, additional classrooms will provide space for instruction, animal encounters, and art activities.
OF PROGRAMMING AND EVENT SPACE 8,550 square feet
EACH DAY, KIDS AVERAGE OR LESS IN NATURE
A Campaign for Irvine Nature Center
HELP US DISCOVER OUR POTENTIAL.
To continue being an effective educator of students and steward of nature, our space has to grow with us, and our expansion plans support these efforts in a variety of ways. Our new facility will provide additional classrooms and centralized gathering spaces, which will meet the demands for growth in early childhood programming and accommodate more young children on their journey to connect with nature. A second floor, all-season space will allow us to fulfill numerous requests for public events and programs, opening doors to nature for more in our community.
35% increase
IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
CURIOSITY IS IN OUR NATURE.
A LITERAL GRASS ROOTS EFFORT.
ON THE GROUND LEVEL.
This project builds on the significant strengths of Irvine’s campus and adds to its beauty, capacity for education, and fostering of community. Our planned expansion reaches far beyond our facility as it enables us to plant deep roots of conservation through teaching; seeding ideas that will continue to grow beyond our walls for years to come.
Renovations to the Exhibit Hall and Butterfly House will provide expanded space for our resident animal ambassadors. Exhibits will showcase the natural history of the Piedmont region, the trails and property at Irvine, and the importance of protecting our planet. Outside, our plans include enlarging a dedicated space that offers a close-up view of the habitat and life cycle of butterflies.
Expanded Butterfly Garden
Additional Green Features Reimagined Animal & Nature ExhibitsGENEROSITY THAT COMES NATURALLY.
CONTRIBUTE TO GROWTH.
Shaping young minds and nurturing curiosity is what we strive to do at Irvine Nature Center. Your participation in our $6.3 million Cultivating Community campaign will bring our growing community closer to nature for years to come. Your gift will directly support Irvine’s abilities to:
CAMPAIGN CO CHAIRS
Anna Smith and George K. Reynolds
HONORARY CAMPAIGN CHAIR Theodore W. Bauer
CAMPAIGN CONTACTS
Brooks Paternotte, Executive Director 443-738-9229 | PaternotteB@ExploreNature.org
Anna Lincoln Whitehurst, Director of Development 443-738-9236 | WhitehurstAL@ExploreNature.org
Mailing Address 11201 Garrison Forest Road Owings Mills, MD 21117 www.ExploreNature.org
EXPAND the Nature Preschool and other Early Childhood Education programs at Irvine by 35%, increasing youth engagement with the natural world
WELCOME thousands of all ages to participate in year-round programs and events, connecting more people to nature in all seasons
ENHANCE the experience for Irvine visitors who participate in our compelling environmental educational programs
SECURE the future of Irvine as a vital resource in the community for nature discovery and exploration
We invite you to join our campaign, help open doors to nature, and create a legacy of environmental stewardship for the next generation. With your support, we will be able to continue to inspire people to explore, respect, and protect nature, while encouraging lifelong engagement with the natural world through environmental learning and green living.
11201 Garrison Forest Road Owings Mills, MD 21117 443.738.9200 • ExploreNature.org