Nature Experts and design professionals from across the state met this week to create a vision for the Carlton Landing Nature Center. The group considered more than 200 acres of public land featuring nearly four miles of shoreline adjacent to Carlton Landing, a 1,600 acre planned community currently being developed at Lake Eufaula. Once created, the Nature Center will be open to the general public and will be a featured amenity of Carlton Landing.

The event was sponsored by the Carlton Landing Community Foundation in partnership with The Nature Conservancy. Participants included representatives from the US Army Corps of Engineers and top state officials in tourism, conservation, wildlife management and outdoor education. The event was facilitated by Brett Mann, a landscape architect and principal of Tulsa based Massey-Mann Associates.

“This event is an important milestone for the creation of the Carlton Landing Nature Center,” says Grant Humphreys, Town Founder of Carlton Landing. “Eufaula Lake and the wooded areas surrounding the shoreline offer a great opportunity for people to connect with nature and enjoy active outdoor recreation. This Nature Center will increase public access to natural education and all types of recreation. It will be a boost to the lake tourism industry and bolster the local economy. We’re excited to see this Nature Center set a national standard for excellence.”

Humphreys believes the Nature Center is a great fit for Carlton Landing. “In many ways, our modern American lifestyle has separated nature from the human experience. But as humans, we are deeply and complexly interconnected to the natural world. The Carlton Landing Nature Center will reveal this truth in fun, interactive and experiential ways so that people see the benefit of a natural and active lifestyle.”

The master plan for the Nature Center divides the land into four areas, each identified by a verb describing that area’s purpose – RECREATE, EDUCATE, EXPLORE and OBSERVE. “Our team’s goal is to develop a plan for the Nature Center that invites people into the outdoors with a variety of education and recreation options. By offering accessible and thought provoking amenities to enhance this beautiful natural setting, Carlton Landing Nature Center will be a destination for families to rediscover and share their connection to the outdoors,” states Brett Mann. “We want the spaces within the Nature Center to provide lasting memories and a renewed sense of awe and respect for nature.”

The ‘RECREATE’ area will provide children and adults with an opportunity to actively connect to nature through a climbing wall, a sports field, a public swim beach and a slackline balancing course. Kayak lessons, an archery range and a single track mountain bike trail will complete the offering of active recreational opportunities.

In ‘EDUCATE’, individuals or groups will learn about nature through wildlife exhibits, outdoor classrooms, science labs and an outdoor amphitheatre. The site for a future facility including conference and exhibit space is located next to a pervious parking area designed to accommodate cars or buses for field trips from surrounding area schools.

Partnered with a new public magnet school, Carlton Landing Academy, located just 100’ to the north, the Nature Center will have a strong educational focus. Students and teachers from Carlton Landing Academy will be able walk directly from their school building into the Nature Center during recess or for an outdoor teaching session.

The ‘EXPLORE’ area is designed to encourage a sense of wonder. Separate trails designed for pedestrians and cyclists will provide access through the natural wooded landscape. The trails will link Carlton Landing to the shoreline as well as places of interest such as an elaborate tree house, a natural playscape area, a butterfly house and a lookout tower. An additional remote swim beach will improve public access to the water and a kayak rental program will allow children and adults to explore the lake habitat directly.

This area will also feature Oklahoma’s first luxury camping experience with constructed tents nestled right on the shore of Lake Eufaula. A luxury camp allows people to enjoy the nature experience without the cost of buying gear or the hassle of setting up camp. Tents will feature queen-sized beds, hardwood floors, complete bathroom facilities and electricity. “Luxury camping is a new product we’re excited to offer at Carlton Landing,” says Grant Humphreys. “We want people to make memories around the campfire and then wake up to the sound of birds singing after a restful night in a plush bed. Since there’s no hauling gear or sleeping on rocks, this is camping without the backache.”

Lastly, the ‘OBSERVE’ area will provide guests and residents of Carlton Landing a quiet place to escape for privacy, solitude and contemplation. The walking and bicycling trails will continue into this natural area with less impact or alteration to the existing landscape. Shaded sitting areas and small picnic pavilions will be located along the paths at scenic lookout points.

With the master plan now conceived, the project will seek the necessary approval in order to become a reality. “Our next step is to create a plan for implementation,” says Humphreys. “We appreciate the Corps’ involvement and their willingness to participate in the master plan discussions. The vision is still in formation and nothing is set in stone yet. We’ll continue to work with the Corps and other public entities as we try to improve public access to the lake and provide enhanced opportunities for public recreation at Lake Eufaula.”

Background on Carlton Landing:

Carlton Landing began in 2008 when the Humphreys engaged Andres Duany of Duany Plater-Zyberk, or “DPZ”, to design a walkable community on the shores of Lake Eufaula. DPZ is known for creating more than 300 communities such as Seaside, Florida and Rosemary Beach. Duany assembled an international team of design professionals to create the master plan for Carlton Landing which covers almost 1,000 acres. The plan includes walkable streets, community pools, parks, a school, retail and restaurant areas and an organic farm. The community will be both “real” and “resort” with a mix of full-time residents and secondary home owners.

For more information about Carlton Landing, visit www.carltonlanding.com or call (888) 619-1889.
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