Rome-Floyd ECO Center

10/26/2026

Check out our very own, Ben Winkelman, on the Stealth Pro by Great Plains podcast! You can watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwZ5KoRrQRk

10/21/2026

They're creepy and their kooky,
Mysterious and spooky,
They're all together ooky,
The ECO Center menagerie

Duh duh duh duh...snap snap

Come see our creepy, kooky, spooky, and ooky critters on Halloween!

10/20/2026

UPDATE: We had an overwhelming amount of interest for this event, and it is now full. Thank you for the support!

Guess who is coming to the ECO Center in November?! A really real, living, breathing, in-person BAT! Thanks to our friends with the GA Department of Natural Resources - Wildlife Resources Division, you have the opportunity to learn about some of the bats of Georgia, threats, and conservation efforts. Viviana will bring her knowledge and field experience to Rome along with a bat ambassador. This is one of our absolute favorite educational programs, so don't miss it!

The program is free, but spaces are limited. Attendees must register using the below link.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfiloZjsj--KEYsMVO7KibEkBb9JAW0h2X_7YyG5e8L5NHPlA/viewform?usp=header

10/19/2026

Ah yes. A Flossulus dentrus (common name: dental flosser) in the wild. We consider this one an invasive species. Its native habitats include bathrooms, purses, and trash cans, not flower pots. We have our speculations for how it go there, so we brainstormed some ideas for what could have been done instead of intentionally littering:
1. Put it in your pocket until you find a trash can.
2. Hold on to it until you find a trash can.
3. Throw it in your vehicle until you find a trash can.
4. Find a trash can.

Luckily, these suggestions not only apply to Flossulus dentrus, but to all invasive species of litter! Help us and Keep Rome Floyd Beautiful by having conversations with kids, friends, foes, your mama’s brother’s ex-girlfriend’s nephew, and anyone you see on the importance of stewardship, pride in your community, and doing the right thing.

10/16/2026

We had a hootin' good time learning about owls with Little Critters this month!

10/14/2026

Where Are They Now??
A nod to our past student-volunteers of the ECO Center.

We're taking it back to 2023 when the fabulous Carolyn Phillips volunteered with us! She joined us in 2022-2023 as an honors student with Shorter University and graduated with a bachelor of science in ecology and field biology with a minor in chemistry. (She is way smarter than we are!) Currently, Carolyn is a Stewardship Technician with the LAD Foundation at Pioneer Forest in Missouri. "Our lands serve as a template for sustainable forestry in the Missouri Ozarks through conservation-minded habitat management. My job duties include prescribed fire preparation and implementation, wildfire response, trail restoration and creation, invasive species removal, natural features inventory and mapping, outreach activities, and seasonal crew day-to-day management." Leading up to that position, she had really cool opportunities including seasonal prescribed burn crew memberships, a research assistant for graduate studies on prairie and forest ecology at the University of Nebraska: Lincoln, and worked as a tortoise technician with the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Carolyn had a quiet strength and wit that was contagious to be around, and we sure do miss her but are amazed by what she is achieving!

10/13/2026

Come see us on Halloween! Anyone dressing up as wildlife??

09/29/2026

Today is a very special day because it is our director’s birthday!! Ben is the heart of the ECO Center. You will not find anyone that loves bringing natural resource education to students and adults more than he does. He connects with kids and adults of any age or background, and he will make you excited to learn about wildlife. Ben serves our community through the ECO Center with genuine passion and joy, and you know that if you get to interact with him!

Help us celebrate Ben today!

09/28/2026

Who has noticed the extra amount of spiderwebs recently?! 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️ We have! Check out this yellow garden spider we found in the wetlands the other day. Their zigzag web is a unique feature, and while it’s exact function isn’t completely understood, it’s thought to serve as a deterrent to birds and other animals but also as an attractant to insects. Yellow garden spiders are harmless to humans but are great predators to pesky flies, gnats, and other flying insects. What spiders have you seen lately??

09/25/2026

This is an extremely close and personal loss for staff at the ECO Center, and we deeply grieve for his wife, daughter, and family right now because their loss is unfathomable. The magnitude of Sgt. Ben Cunningham’s genuineness, loyalty, personability, kindness, fairness, leadership, friendship, and so much more cannot be fully understood with words. If you had the honor of meeting or knowing him, you just know. Please surround his family with thoughts and prayers.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is deeply saddened to announce the sudden passing of Law Enforcement Division Sergeant Ben Cunningham, a 27-year veteran of the Department. Sergeant Cunningham passed away following a possible medical episode while on duty in Rome, Georgia, and participating in a Law Enforcement Division physical fitness program.

His career with DNR began with the Wildlife Resources Division in August 1999. He transferred to DNR Law Enforcement in December 2006, was promoted to Corporal in 2017 and to Sergeant in March 2021. Cunningham was an outstanding Game Warden and supervisor in the DNR Law Enforcement Division, most recently serving as Sergeant in Region I in northwest Georgia, where he supervised Game Wardens responsible for Walker, Dade, Chattooga and Floyd counties.

We are grateful for his years of dedication to this Department and will remember the mark he left on our DNR family.
The full press release can be found through the link in the comments.