ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center
Encyclopedia
ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, formerly the Lake Champlain Basin Science Center, is located on the Burlington
waterfront in northern Vermont
. It is home to more than 70 species of fish, amphibians, invertebrates, and reptiles, major traveling exhibitions, and the multimedia Awesome Forces Theatre. The name ECHO represents the mission of the organization which is to “educate and delight” people of all ages about the Ecology, Culture, History and Opportunities for stewardship of the Lake Champlain
Basin.
Located at the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, ECHO has been open to public since 2003, offering daily animal encounters and hands-on activities that are educational and family-friendly. The Patrick and Marcelle Leahy Center for Lake Champlain is a 2.2 acres (8,903.1 m²) campus recognizing Senator Patrick Leahy
's dedication to the stewardship
of the Lake Champlain Basin. The Leahy Center is also home to the University of Vermont
’s Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
, Lake Champlain Basin Program Resource Room, and Lake Champlain Navy Memorial.
The Leahy Center for Lake Champlain is Vermont’s first LEED
certified Green Building. It is the only lake aquarium in the United States with this certification. With this designation, ECHO is the third certified building in New England and joins a group of fewer than 70 LEED certified buildings in the United States.
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
waterfront in northern Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. It is home to more than 70 species of fish, amphibians, invertebrates, and reptiles, major traveling exhibitions, and the multimedia Awesome Forces Theatre. The name ECHO represents the mission of the organization which is to “educate and delight” people of all ages about the Ecology, Culture, History and Opportunities for stewardship of the Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
Basin.
Located at the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, ECHO has been open to public since 2003, offering daily animal encounters and hands-on activities that are educational and family-friendly. The Patrick and Marcelle Leahy Center for Lake Champlain is a 2.2 acres (8,903.1 m²) campus recognizing Senator Patrick Leahy
Patrick Leahy
Patrick Joseph Leahy is the senior United States Senator from Vermont and member of the Democratic Party. He is the first and only elected Democratic United States Senator in Vermont's history. He is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Leahy is the second most senior U.S. Senator,...
's dedication to the stewardship
Stewardship
Stewardship is an ethic that embodies responsible planning and management of resources. The concept of stewardship has been applied in diverse realms, including with respect to environment, economics, health, property, information, and religion, and is linked to the concept of sustainability...
of the Lake Champlain Basin. The Leahy Center is also home to the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
’s Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources is the University of Vermont's natural resources college. It was formerly called The School of Natural Resources. It is home to a natural resources and field study based curriculum, has its own core courses and building...
, Lake Champlain Basin Program Resource Room, and Lake Champlain Navy Memorial.
The Leahy Center for Lake Champlain is Vermont’s first LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
certified Green Building. It is the only lake aquarium in the United States with this certification. With this designation, ECHO is the third certified building in New England and joins a group of fewer than 70 LEED certified buildings in the United States.