Fernbank Museum to Take Over Fernbank Forest Lease

Fernbank Inc., the nonprofit that owns and the Fernbank Forest, will regain control of forest come 2012.

The 65-acre forest has been leased to the , which is run by the DeKalb County school system.

The center hosts exhibits about nature and science to the county’s K through 12 students while also providing access to the public.

“We’ve taken great care of the forest for the last forty-some years and we trust that the museum will do the same,” said Doug Hrade, director of Fernbank Science Center. “It’s just their forest and I think they’re ready to take over the maintenance issues of the forest and utilize it as they need to.”

Fernbank Inc. Chief Operating Officer Aneli Nugperen said the issue is not that the nonprofit believes they can run the property better, just that the science center’s lease has run its course.

“We value access and we want to continue access of the neighborhood to the forest,” she said. “That won't change. We want to do a historic inventory as well, and we're just looking forward to it.”

Fernbank trustees leased the forest land to the DeKalb County Board of Education in the 60s with intentions of taking over at a later, undetermined date.

The Fernbank Science Center was completed in 1967, well before the museum was even in the works, Nugperen said.

Then when the Fernbank Museum was built in 1992 Fernbank Inc. decided to let the 48-year lease run its course rather than end it abruptly.

“We reformed to take care of the forest. We're going back to our roots,” she said.