Camp Charlie

Camp Charlie is a planned weekend of hands-on outdoor activities focused on family learning and fostering respect for the environment through positive experience in the outdoors. The program primarily targets suburban and urban families who would like to experience the outdoors with their children, but who may lack the knowledge, skill, equipment, and self-confidence to venture very far into the “wilds.”

Camp Charlie teaches families:

• To become more aware of the opportunities to be involved in outdoor activities and the benefits of getting outdoors together.
• To appreciate the value of clean water, wetlands forests and other natural resources. (Appreciation)To learn new outdoor skills and explore nature.
• To take responsibility by doing something specific to help protect natural resources in their community, state, or the world for future generations.

Camp Charlie is named in memory of Charles Newton Elliott and Dr. Charles Wharton.

Charles Newton Elliott (1906 - 2000) lived in Covington, Georgia and grew up hunting and fishing in the Alcovy River Swamp. He served as the first Director of Georgia State Parks in 1937-38, became the Commissioner of Natural Resources in 1938-41, and then became the first Director of the Game and Fish Commission (now known as the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division) in 1943-49. Elliott also was Southeastern Field Editor for Outdoor Life magazine from 1950 until his passing. His dedication to the conservation of the natural world and wildlife was evident to those who knew him personally and those who read his many writings.

Dr. Charles H. Wharton (1923 - 2003) was dedicated to conservation and worked tirelessly for the preservation of Georgia's wild places.  In the 1960s and '70s, Wharton led the fight against channelization of the Alcovy River.  His efforts not only saved the Alcovy but also led to changes in federal policies concerning channelization nationwide. He is best known for his academic work, particularly his book, The Natural Environments of Georgia, published by the Department of Natural Resources in 1978.  For more than 40 years, Dr. Wharton made his home in the Georgia mountains on a 129-acre unique tract of land that is now home to GWF's Wharton Conservation Center.