Construction recently commenced on a new environmental education building at Auburn University’s Kreher Preserve and Nature Center (KPNC). Situated near the North College Street entrance to the nature preserve, the structure is designed to be a dynamic focal point for the community, offering an engaging space for students and visitors to experience nature.

The KPNC annually welcomes tens of thousands of students of all ages to participate in a variety of programs. Featuring state-of-the-art technology resources and diverse educational and interpretive displays, the new building will enable the KPNC to expand its educational offerings, which include classes, workshops, events, programs and school field trips.

An architect’s rendering of an aerial view of the environmental education building under construction at Kreher Preserve and Nature Center in Auburn. (contributed)

“We are extremely excited about the addition of the environmental education building to the Kreher Preserve and Nature Center,” said Michael Buckman, manager of the KPNC. “For the first time, Kreher will have an interpretive hub for our visitors to explore and learn about the natural world. It will be a meeting place, a learning space and a gateway to the rest of the Kreher forest.”

With two classrooms, the new building is anticipated to be a transformative addition to the KPNC. One classroom will be a multipurpose space and the other will be specifically for the Woodland Wonders Nature Preschool, providing opportunities to expand its catalog to potentially include kindergarten and after-school programs. The building’s “Discovery Corridor” will exhibit KPNC’s live animal collection, which often complements its education programs.

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Designed with an emphasis on connectivity to the natural surroundings with modern teaching methods and practices at the forefront, the new center will feature expansive portals that blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces, Buckman said.

An architect’s rendering depicts the approach to the environmental education center at Auburn’s Kreher Preserve and Nature Center. (contributed)

The building will be constructed of cross-laminated timber (CLT), a mass timber product often created using Southern yellow pine, as a showcase of its use as a sustainable alternative to traditional building materials. The lightweight and prefabricated attributes of CLT enable precision manufacturing, reduced on-site waste and an accelerated construction process.

CLT, when manufactured and used in construction, stores carbon within the building’s structure, preventing its release back into the atmosphere. Additionally, CLT panels exhibit strong thermal performance and fire resistance.

“We are thrilled that we’ll have the ability to enhance the KPNC as a community resource,” said Janaki Alavalapati, the Emmett F. Thompson Dean of the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment at Auburn University. “The building’s integration with nature and enhanced features will undoubtedly contribute to our shared mission of fostering environmental stewardship for those of all ages.

“We look forward to the positive impact the environmental educational building will have on shaping a sustainable and ecologically conscious future for our community,” Alavalapati said.

This diagram shows the components of Auburn University’s environmental education building now under construction, along with giving and naming opportunities for the building. (contributed)

Considering the ongoing construction, parking availability at the North College Street entrance of KPNC will be limited. Embrace Church, a neighbor and partner to the KPNC, has extended the use of its parking lot as overflow.

Explore more details about the environmental education building, including opportunities to contribute to its construction, by visiting the KPNC website.

This story previously appeared on Auburn University’s website.