The Orianne Society’s conservation efforts in the Appalachian Highlands are anchored by the 130-acre Wharton Conservation Center (WCC). Straddling the border of northeast Georgia and western North Carolina, the WCC serves as a hub where staff, students, volunteers, researchers, and conservation partners come together to advance science, conservation, and education in one of North America’s most biologically diverse regions. First, the WCC protects a remarkable landscape of forests, streams, waterfalls, and mountain habitats that support an extraordinary diversity of reptiles, amphibians, plants, and other wildlife. Second, it serves as the headquarters for our Appalachian Highlands Initiative, providing a base of operations for field research, habitat restoration, and conservation projects throughout the region. Third, the WCC offers opportunities for students, interns, and volunteers to gain hands-on experience through scientific research, biodiversity surveys, habitat restoration, and stewardship projects. Finally, it provides a place for collaboration by hosting workshops, trainings, educational programs, and meetings that strengthen conservation partnerships, build conservation capacity, and inspire the next generation of conservation leaders.
The WCC serves as the base of operations for The Orianne Society’s Eastern Hellbender conservation efforts in the southern Appalachian Highlands. Our biologists conduct visual snorkel surveys and collect environmental DNA (eDNA) samples to monitor Hellbender populations throughout the region. These complementary survey methods allow us to better understand where Hellbenders persist, identify streams in need of conservation attention, and track changes in populations over time. The data collected through this work help guide habitat protection and restoration efforts, ensuring that these iconic salamanders and the cold, clean mountain streams they depend on remain a part of the Southern Appalachian landscape for generations to come.
The WCC has served as a living laboratory for documenting the incredible salamander diversity of the Southern Appalachians. Staff, interns, and independent researchers have conducted extensive surveys across forests, streams, seeps, and waterfalls to establish a baseline inventory of amphibian communities in the Tallulah River Watershed. These surveys not only highlight the exceptional biodiversity protected by the Center but also provide valuable long-term data that will help us monitor changes in species distributions, habitat quality, and ecosystem health over time. As this work continues, the Wharton Conservation Center will play an increasingly important role in advancing salamander research and conservation throughout the Appalachian Highlands.
Restoring and maintaining healthy native habitats is a central focus of management at the Wharton Conservation Center. Our staff are actively removing invasive plant species, improving forest health, and treating Eastern Hemlocks threatened by the invasive Hemlock Woolly Adelgid to help preserve the integrity of these unique mountain ecosystems. Looking ahead, we plan to expand restoration efforts by reestablishing native groundcover, enhancing wetland and stream habitats, and implementing prescribed fire where appropriate to restore and improve ecosystem resilience. Through these long-term stewardship efforts, we are working to ensure that the Wharton Conservation Center remains a thriving refuge for the diverse plants and wildlife that call the Southern Appalachians home.
The WCC is also becoming a hub for conservation education and community engagement in the Southern Appalachians. We are expanding opportunities for students, volunteers, educators, and community members to connect with nature through field experiences, workshops, volunteer workdays, guided hikes, and educational programs. By bringing people together to learn about and care for the region’s remarkable biodiversity, we hope to inspire the next generation of conservationists and foster a deeper appreciation for the natural world.
The Legacy of Charles H. Wharton
As an ecologist, educator, and conservationist, Charles H. Wharton spent his career studying and celebrating the remarkable diversity of Georgia’s landscapes, from mountain forests and rushing streams to coastal marshes and longleaf pine savannas. Through his teaching, writing, and conservation work, he inspired generations of people to look more closely at the natural world and recognize its value.
His landmark book, The Natural Environments of Georgia, became a cornerstone for conservation across the state. By documenting Georgia’s diverse ecosystems and explaining why they matter, Wharton provided a foundation that has guided countless researchers, land managers, educators, and conservation efforts for decades. More than a field guide, it was a call to understand and protect Georgia’s natural heritage.
That vision lives on at The Orianne Society’s Wharton Conservation Center. Through research, conservation, and education in the Southern Appalachians, we are proud to continue the work that Wharton championed throughout his life—helping people understand, value, and conserve the natural world for generations to come.
Wharton believed that caring for the land, and all the life it supports, is our shared responsibility.
Today, that vision lives on through the WCC, a place where science, conservation, and education come together to protect the remarkable biodiversity of the Southern Appalachians.
The story of the Wharton Conservation Center is still being written. Help us write the next chapter.
Join us in honoring Wharton’s legacy and ensuring that these wild places and overlooked species endure for generations to come. Your gift directly supports habitat restoration, scientific research, student training, and conservation education that will protect these mountains and the species that call them home.