Bulloch County family opens Kennedy Pond Conservancy, aimed at saving green space

BULLOCH COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) – A Bulloch County family is trying to preserve the nature found in their backyards, opening Kennedy Pond Conservancy.

Executive director of the conservancy and father of four Zach VanOtteren says he wanted to create a place for his kids to enjoy being outside.

“I want them to grow up with places to play and adventure and explore and all that.”

VanOtteren tells News 3 that the previous owner of this land was ready to sell but wanted to make sure it was well taken care of. He and VanOtteren struck a deal.

Now they’re seven months into their operation.

“With all this development and technology we can really get wrapped up in it,” said VanOtteren. “We need plants coming in and jobs and economic development but at the same time we need to conserve our natural spaces and make this a greener community where we can truly enjoy it.”

Kennedy Pond Conservancy is open to the public, giving opportunities for nature tours, camping and educational workshops at least once a month. VanOtteren says their main focus as a nonprofit is to connect the community with the outdoors.

“There’s just a lack of knowledge about nature conservation as a whole,” he said. “Really getting to experience it the way our ancestors would have and really getting to appreciate it for what it is.”

He says researchers with Georgia Southern University’s biology department come out to study over 300 acres of wetlands out there. They keep a tally of how many species they’ve run into on their website.

“We’ve got just about every duck you could imagine in the south,” said VanOtteren. “Alligators, salamanders all kinds of turtles that you can see out there, so really it’s all about the wildlife right now and bringing people in.”

VanOtteren says he doesn’t have a degree in biology or conservation, but he hopes that could encourage others to conserve nature from their own backyards.

“I’m just somebody who cares about nature and likes being in it,” said VanOtteren. “If I can do this with a huge group of the community behind me then anybody can do any part of it, whether it be in their backyard or their workplace or wherever.”

They hold events at least four times a year on the property. Their food truck festival is set for September.

Kennedy Pond Conservancy holds Adventure Workshops on the second Saturday of each month on various topics chosen by a guest speaker. They always end with a nature walk around the property.

Van Otteren says the best time to go out and see wildlife is early in the morning or later in the day when it’s not so hot out.

In the future, he hopes the place could become a state park or nature preserve similar to the Okefenokee Swamp.