Help bring Jekyll Island’s biodiversity into clearer view for all. Your support will fund accessible observation stations that connect visitors of all abilities to the island’s thriving wildlife and restored habitats. Click HERE to learn more.
Bringing Jekyll Island’s Biodiversity into Focus
by Yank Moore, Director of Conservation
The Jekyll Island Authority Conservation Department is currently leading an extensive restoration effort across portions of the former Oleander Golf Course. This ambitious wildlife corridor project breathes new life into iconic maritime grasslands and freshwater wetlands. Beyond restoring these native habitats, the corridor will also open fresh recreational access for visitors, highlighted by four soon-to-be-installed wildlife viewing platforms overlooking the Amphitheater Pond and the tidally influenced Oleander Pond.
To elevate this experience, the Jekyll Island Foundation is seeking donor support to install four Dual-Head Observation Stations on these elevated platforms. These high-performance optics are more than simple binoculars; they are gateways designed to help ensure every visitor regardless of physical ability or color vision deficiency can fully witness the vibrant life returning to these wetlands.
Nature belongs to everyone, and thoughtful design helps ensure it stays that way. To reduce physical barriers, each station features a dual-head configuration. A standard viewer sits at a traditional standing height, while a secondary, ADA-accessible lower pivot comfortably accommodates children and wheelchair users. Both viewer heads offer effortless, smooth panning, allowing guests of all physical abilities to track a Wood Stork in flight or follow an alligator gliding across the water’s surface with ease.
In addition to physical accessibility, these optics will feature integrated EnChroma lens coatings to assist visitors with color vision deficiency. The specialized lenses are designed to enhance color differentiation and contrast, allowing the brilliant pink of a Roseate Spoonbill or the iridescent green of a Green Heron to pop against the natural backdrop. For many guests, this will mark their very first time experiencing the true, vivid spectrum of the island’s biodiversity.
These stations will serve as permanent educational tools that tie the entire corridor together. By removing physical and visual barriers, your support ensures that the natural beauty of Jekyll Island remains a shared experience for all. Join us in bringing this transformative project into clear view by making a gift today.
