Environmental Conservation

North Georgia Zoo strives to protect the natural habitat. It does so through the following:

1) Leaving untouched acreage for native wildlife.

  2) Offering opportunities for co habitation through projects like bat boxes, flying squirrel boxes and planting of natural foraging plots and native plants and trees.  

3) The natural creek that wanders through the zoo is teaming with native life and is visited by native birds. We have decoys to keep predators away which ensures safe nesting areas for native birds, reptiles, small mammals and amphibians. We keep these areas protected  and provide naturally marshy, swampy, wooded and creek areas for wild animals to nest, forage and live.
Education
The zoo staff provides daily educational programs with accurate and entertaining information-based presentations. Zoo chats, guided tours, and demonstrations provide opportunities for guests to interact with staff to promote greater understanding and appreciation of animals and the environments in which they live.
Zoopoo Compost
As part of a comprehensive on-grounds conservation program, North Georgia Zoo & Farm composts tones of manure, hay, straw, herbaceous material and leaves at our on-site composting facility. NGZ uses the compost to prepare spring and summer gardens, seed sod, and basic landscaping jobs with the zoo.
Recycling & Resource Conservation
North Georgia Zoo & Farm promotes conservation of the natural world around us. Not only are we concerned about the lives of the plants and animals exhibited, but also the natural resources used every day.
Other Recycling
Recycling is one of the easiest ways for people to conserve our overabundant use of natural resources. Recycling containers are provided at all of our picnic areas and placed throughout the park to collect plastic, glass, and aluminum waste generated by visitors.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP WITH CONSERVATION AT HOME?
  1. Recycle everything you can: newspaper, cans, glass, aluminum, motor oil, scrap metal, etc.
  2. Save your kitchen scraps for the compost pile.
  3. Try to use phosphate-free laundry and dish soaps.
  4. Use cold water in the washer, unless it is necessary to use warm or hot.
  5. Use washable rags, not paper towels, for cleaning up spills and other household chores.
  6. Use cloth diapers. The plastic in disposable diapers doesn’t break down in landfills!
  7. Use re-usable containers to store food: not plastic wraps or foils.
  8. Set your water heater at 130 degrees.
  9. Turn your lights off when you leave the room. Same with the TV.
  10. Put up birdhouses and birdbaths, and feed the birds.
  11. Compost your leaves and yard debris or take them to a yard debris recycle center.
  12. Take unwanted, re-usable items to charitable organizations or thrift shops.
  13. Plant shrubs and trees in your yard that provide food and shelter for birds and other creatures.
Green Practices at North Georgia Zoo & Farm
NGZ is taking action to help preserve our environment for future generations to come, by promoting conservation efforts in our own business practices.
Light Bulbs
  • Have hanged many of our lights to Fluorescent and LED bulbs that use less energy.
Appliances
  • Have updated to energy efficient appliances were we can.
Green Cleaners
  • Have changed many of our cleaners and chemicals to environmentally friendly products.
  • Investigating new lines of green chemicals with the green seal.
Styrofoam Reduction
  • Employees are provide with real plates and cups in employee kitchen.
  • Encourage people to reuse cups by offering a refill special on a cup they can use and not dispose of.
Environmental
  • Use of recycled material in construction projects
  • Purchase sustainable products
Paper Reduction
  • Catalog/magazine recycling.
  • Newspaper recycling.
  • Encourage to print and copy 2-sided.
Zookeepers reuse these items for animal enrichment
  • Shredded newspaper for bedding
  • Cardboard boxes
  • 55 Gallon barrels
  • Perfumes and colognes
  • Feed bags
  • Plastic buckets
  • Firehouse
  • Sheets, towels, washcloths, blankets
General Recycling
  • •  Cardboard •  Leaves •  Paint •  Glass •  Aluminum •  Plastic •  Trees •  Cooking oil •  Cell phones •  Steel
  • •  Plant material •  Branches •  Paper •  Solvents •  Motor oil •  Batteries •  Animal manure