Just a short walk from the E.C.O. Center you will find a small swamp known as our Wetlands Demonstration Area. This habitat is an integral part of the E.C.O. Center's programs but is open for anyone to walk through and enjoy it. Students and visitors of the wetlands can experience the natural wonder and ecology of these important areas just by observing, listening, and reading. 

In the early 1990s, the Wetlands Demonstration Area was identified a low-lying area in the park with poor drainage. After soil testing confirmed the presence of hydric soil, the City of Rome, the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission, and the Coosa River Soil and Water Conservation District teamed up for the project. Funding was provided through a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program as well as in-house work completed by the City of Rome's Public Works Street Department and the Water & Sewer Department. Construction began in 1993, and although technically manmade, has been a self-sustaining and fully functioning wetland ever since!

This area was designed for education and demonstration purposes so that students and the public could learn about the essential function and purpose of wetland areas, but it lacked educational signage. In 2023, the E.C.O. Center was awarded a grant from the International Paper Foundation for installation of infographics. Thanks to this grant, people can now read about the specific ecology, habitat, function, soil, and plant & animal species of the Wetlands Demonstration Area.  

 

For questions about the Wetlands Demonstration area, email us at sjohnson@romega.us or call 706-622-6435.