Airlie’s environmental education program provides educational opportunities for both youth and adults. Our mission includes providing the residents and visitors of New Hanover County with cultural and environmental education, and with more than a century of gardening by the sea, Airlie is a local treasure for culture and environmental education. The gardens are a great resource for the County and provide guests with excellent opportunities for hands-on, quality education.

The Environmental Education Program offers school programs, summer camps, and public programs to our guests:

Summer Camps
When school is out, what will you do? Keep the kids happy with environmental camps at Airlie Gardens. During July the Education staff plans engaging programs for youth that are age appropriate, fun, and educational. Hands on activities can range from nature hikes through the gardens, soil testing, water quality testing, and excursions into the salt marsh. Information for summer 2008 will be available in late February.

School Programs
A field trip to Airlie Gardens brings ecosystems to life with programs designed to meet your student’s interest and developmental needs, as well as being correlated to the NC Standard Course of Study.

Airlie Gardens offers programs for third and eighth grade students that are curriculum-based and include pre-visit, on-site and post-visit activities. Eighth grade students explore topics such as water quality, estuarine systems, wetland ecology, indicator species and resource conservation. They will perform water sampling, macroinvertebrate sampling, marsh collections and plankton studies. Third grade students have the opportunity to explore topics in plant biology, plant adaptations, seed dispersal and visit Airlie’s carnivorous plant collections. They will also discover decomposers and soil properties while digging in Airlie Woods.

From the Ground Up. 3rd Grade Curriculum.
Download "From the Ground Up" PDF
Download "From the Ground Up" DOC

Water Quality Education. 8th Grade Curriculum.
Download "Water Quality Education" PDF
Download "Water Quality Education" DOC

You don’t teach 3rd or 8th grade? No problem! Call the Education staff to customize your field trip to meet the needs of your students and curriculum goals. We will work with teachers to provide a quality educational experience for all students. School Programs are free to New Hanover County Schools. Reserve your field trip today by contacting the Education Staff via phone or e-mail! E-mail Matt Collogan

Public Programs
Airlie Gardens’ 67 acres include tidal creek, forest, and freshwater lake ecosystems. Discover these habitats with experienced professionals guiding our public programs, which highlight the unique environment, horticulture and history of Airlie Gardens. Our programs cover a diverse range of topics such as water quality, eco-friendly landscaping, birding, and kayaking.

Bird Hikes
Airlie Gardens Bird Hikes are the second Wednesday of each month with the Education Staff and Jill Peleuses from Wild Bird & Garden. Airlie provides habitat for a wide array of birds which vary seasonally throughout the year. Water birds such as egrets, herons, kingfishers, cormorants, and ospreys are common. Woodpeckers, buntings, cardinals, chickadees, swallows, bluebirds, and titmice are also found on the grounds. On any given day it is easy to spot more than 30 species of birds while traversing the Gardens. The walks are free to members or free with admission and leave at 8:00 AM from the Garden Services Center. Please bring your own binoculars if you have any; bird guides will be provided.

Kayaking Eco Tours
The Gardens are a great place to start your paddle! Come enjoy Airlie’s new dock and explore the unique Bradley Creek and Wrightsville Beach Sound ecosystems. The environmental education program, partnering with local business Salt Marsh Kayak Company, leads basic kayak tours into the tidal creek where groups discuss the ecology, wildlife, and human influences on one of the most productive ecosystems on the planet. Materials fee and registration questions can be answered by contacting Education Staff at 910-367-9081.

To view a schedule of Airlie’s upcoming public programs click here.

Wildlife & Wildlife Policy
Airlie's magical backdrop of myriad plants is more than just a setting for our historic and cultural garden. Airlie also celebrates its role as a wildlife refuge in this fast-developing coastal county. The garden is home to a great diversity of endemic, native, and migratory fauna and flora. The complex ecosystem supports life for many populations of birds, reptiles, insects, fish, shellfish, and mammals.

At Airlie our wildlife policy is to let wildlife be wild. There is no feeding or handling of animals at the Garden. The Education Staff coordinates with wildlife experts and certified professionals when necessary regarding wildlife present in the Garden. Airlie Gardens does not accept found or injured wildlife.

North Carolina Birding Trail
All the herons, egrets, swans, ducks, hawks, and migratory birds that are attracted to Airlie Gardens have earned us the honor of being on the North Carolina Birding Trail (NCBT). Airlie has been nominated and selected as a site for the coastal region of the NCBT.

The mission of the NCBT is, “to conserve and enhance North Carolina’s bird habitat by promoting sustainable bird watching activities, economic opportunities and conservation education.”