Perhaps the largest, open-air "classroom" in the area, the James Farm Ecological Preserve is the focal point of the Center for the Inland Bays educational efforts.

Encompassing about 150 acres along Indian River Bay, the Preserve features nature trails, a boardwalk to the bayside beach, observation platforms, a rustic amphitheater for programs and an informational kiosk. These facilities, which are free and open to the public, are accessible from Cedar Neck Road north of Bethany Beach.

The James Farm provides educational programs for schoolchildren, including wetland activities, estuarine ecology, and watershed studies as well as guided nature walks.

But the James Farm is just one facet of the Center's educational efforts. In 2006, the CIB created a partnership with the Indian River School District to build Schoolyard Habitats at schools throughout the watershed creating outdoor learning centers that begin with a wetland and grow each year and can include rain gardens, bluebird trails, and butterfly gardens and other 'growing' things. The CIB staff also promotes greater awareness of the Inland Bays through participation in environmental festivals, educational workshops for teachers and talks for clubs and organizations.

One of the Center's largest outreach efforts is its quarterly newsletter, the Inland Bays Journal, which keeps Inland Bays' residents and visitors informed about the health of the bays, the Center's research and restoration projects and other environmental topics. Check out the newsletter online at this website.