The Chattahoochee Nature Center (CNC), in Roswell, has been awarded the “Georgia Grown” certification for horticultural and agritourism work.

The certification is given to Georgia organizations that grow non-processed agricultural products. The CNC gained the certification due to the development of its Unity Garden urban farm and its commitment to local plants.

“We are very proud to be Georgia Grown,” says Chris Nelson, executive director of CNC. “The Unity Garden is a key educational tool for north Atlanta, and especially for those who rely on its produce.”

The Unity Garden is a quarter-acre plot of land dedicated wholly for use as an outdoor classroom and farm. Throughout the year, schoolchildren visit the garden and learn where their food comes. When the produce is fully grown, CNC donates it to the North Fulton Community Charities (NFCC) food pantry, which gives families in the community access to fresh produce and other food. CNC distributes more than 10,000 pounds of fresh produce each year.

Georgia Grown is a marketing and economic development program of the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Its goal is to aid Georgia’s agricultural economies by bringing together producers, processors, suppliers, distributors, retailers, agritourism promoters and consumers in one powerful statewide community.

The CNC is a nonprofit environmental science center situated along 127 acres of the Chattahoochee River in Roswell. It includes a Discovery Center, a garden and woodland and river boardwalk trails featuring rehabilitated native wildlife.

For more information, visit www.ChattNatureCenter.org.