Established in 1975 as the Bush Mountain Outdoor Activity Center (OAC), the mission of the OAC has been to involve children and adults in environmental issues through education about conservation, ecology and the natural environment.  This 26-acre urban nature preserve includes about 2.0 miles of trails, as well as a team-building ropes course and a children’s nature themed playground. Among the learning facilities are a tree house classroom, a 650-gallon freshwater aquarium and a multi-purpose building. The facility is located approximately 5 miles from downtown Atlanta, at 1442 Richland Road, Atlanta, GA 30310.      

The site has been integral to Atlanta public schools in times past, at one point elementary and middle schools had annual field trips to the facility every year. The facility has been an asset and amenity as urban forest and green-space within the largely single-family community of Richland Hills, a low-to-moderate income, environmentally stressed, and under-served area in southwest Atlanta.  In 1999, approximately 20% of families and 23% of individuals in this area were living below the poverty line (US Census: 2000).

WAWA has completed the process of signing an official Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Atlanta Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs. Through partnership with other organizations,  WAWA seeks to make the center open and accessible to the surrounding community via community and school-based environmental education and civic engagement programming. It will also serve as a training ground for people to learn applicable and transferable skills.  Initial activities will focus on watershed protection practices, natural and recreational activities and other sustainability concepts like trail-building and community organizing around parks and greenspace.