The Wildlife Department, licensed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the United States Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, has been a part of the Nature Center since it opened in 1976. The Wildlife Department focuses on education and rehabilitation. More than 3,500 phone calls are received by the department each year, with topics ranging from animal identification to habitat destruction. Additionally, the wildlife staff provides medical assistance to over 600 injured birds of prey, reptiles and amphibians annually in the hope of releasing them back into the wild. Sometimes, if the animal will be unable to survive on its own, it becomes a resident of CNC and is used in our educational programs and exhibits to teach our visitors about the importance of protecting our native wildlife. CNC strives to educate the community about native Georgia animals found in their own backyard.

The CNC School Program is a best in class environmental education initiative serving 500 schools and 40,000 school children annually (one-third are from Title I schools). All CNC educational programs are aligned with the Georgia Standards of Excellence, with a focus on STEAM, to support metro Atlanta K-12 teachers. Programs are conducted onsite at CNC or via outreach programs that travel to school locations, and they range from preschool programs to intensive field studies for high school students. There are also programs for home schooled students and their parents. With an increased demand on STEAM and preparing our workforce for STEAM-based jobs, getting students interested in science, technology, engineering and math at an early age is important to their future economic success. Our educational programming provides hands-on opportunities for students to learn the science behind how nature works and use problem-solving skills to find solutions to real-world problems. According to the National Science Foundation, "in the coming decades, the public will more frequently be called upon to understand complex environmental issues, assess risk, evaluate proposed environmental plans and understand how individual decisions affect the environment on local and global scales."

CNC's Community Programs provide fun, engaging and unique educational opportunities for the metro Atlanta community. Programs include regional festivals with thousands of attendees, overnight camp outs, night hikes, animal encounters, guided canoe trips and trail hikes. CNC works with Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts on several different types of badges and camp overnights as well as collaborating with numerous schools and other nonprofit organizations on programs throughout the year.

Camp Kingfisher is an environmental education day camp that serves over 1,800 children annually. Founded in 1994, Camp Kingfisher focuses on hands-on nature education combined with traditional camp activities which include: canoeing, swimming, arts and crafts, nature hikes, science exploration and live animal encounters with native Georgia wildlife. Programs are offered to campers K-9th grade. The mission of Camp K is to provide a welcoming and nurturing environment where campers can have fun in the outdoors, discover their connection to nature and build strong character.

The CNC Gold LEED-certified Discovery Center features engaging interactive exhibits on the watershed and the Chattahoochee's importance in our lives. The Nature Exchange is a unique area where kids can bring in rocks, pine cones, shells and other natural objects, talk with naturalists about their finds, examine them under microscopes, and trade them for other objects. This is a great hands-on opportunity for children to guide their own learning as they connect with the natural world.

CNC’s Outdoor Recreation Programs are designed to get individuals active and involved in the outdoors while developing an appreciation for nature. Thousands of people annually hike our nature trails and enjoy the river through our canoe programs. Our river canoe programs offer the only naturalist-led experience in metro Atlanta.