The mission of Fontenelle Forest is to provide a place where people can experience and enjoy the quiet wild of nature. We want to inspire current and future generations to care for the natural world. Founded in 1913, Fontenelle Forest is one of Nebraska's oldest conservation organizations and one of the largest private nature centers in the nation. This federally designated 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity is a National Natural Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. Fontenelle Forest manages two nature centers at Fontenelle Forest in Bellevue and Neale Woods in Omaha, encompassing 24 miles of trails and over 2,100 acres of forest, prairie, wetlands, and Native American historical sites along the Missouri River. Education is at the core of everything we do, because we believe that today’s children are tomorrow’s stewards. We provide on- and off-site nature-based educational programming for children and adults, including statewide raptor education highlighting the vital need for the conservation of birds of prey. In 2016, we opened our Raptor Woodland Refuge, located at the Fontenelle Forest Nature Center, which provides visitors with an opportunity to observe many species of birds of prey in a unique, tree-top environment.
