KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Ijams Nature Center has received a historic donation from the Presbytery of East Tennessee that will expand educational opportunities and preserve acres of woodlands in South Knoxville.
New Prospect Presbyterian Church, which sits on 15.7 acres at 4920 New Prospect Road, will close and donate its land to the nonprofit educational center. Nearly 11 acres of diverse woodland be preserved.
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“This gift represents our great faith in the future, in children, in education, and in the power of nature to shape lives,” said Rev. Dr. Wendy Neff, General Presbyter of the Presbytery of East Tennessee. “Partnering with Ijams ensures that this space will continue to serve the community in profound ways as a place of growth, stewardship, and hope for generations to come.”
Two buildings on the site will be home to the Ijams Nature Preschool and establish a new early learning center to help educators create nature-based programs. Ijams Nature Center early learning director Leigh Feld said in a release that they plan to collaborate with the Anderson School CAC Head Start, which is adjacent to the property.
“This is so much more than a new location,” Feld said. “It is an opportunity to build a model for what early childhood education can be: hands-on, curiosity-driven, and grounded in the natural world.”
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The transition of the property will occur in the coming months and program planning is already underway. Ijams plans to share more details about renovation timelines, enrollment growth, and community engagement opportunities as the process moves forward…