Columbia, SC—Local students will have opportunities to learn more about conservation and environmental stewardship this year, thanks to funding provided by the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) through its Conservation Education Mini-Grant program. Projects funded this fall include:
- Chapin Intermediate School received a $1,000 Mini-Grant for a Garden Greenhouse (Project Lead: Dr. Mike Garris).
- Irmo Middle School’s Action for Unity Program received a $500 Mini-Grant for “Our Budding Naturalists Build Nesting Boxes for Backyard Birds” (Project Lead: Mrs. Lori Wenzinger).
- Koinonia of Columbia, Inc. received a $500 Mini-Grant for the Koinonia Community Garden (Project Lead: Rev. Kelly Strum).
All project sites serve Richland County students, and the Richland SWCD will partner with the Lexington SWCD to provide technical support for projects located in Lexington/Richland School District 5. “We all want to be able to live in and enjoy our natural resources,” says Lexington SWCD Manager John Oxner. Like Richland SWCD, “the Lexington SWCD provides educational programs to students in local schools. Youth are interested in conservation and want to learn. And when they learn, they take it home and their parents learn also.”
According to Richland SWCD Associate Commissioner Mary Burts, “these projects will benefit Richland County students’ schools and communities. Richland SWCD is thrilled to partner with our colleagues in Lexington SWCD to support youth education in this manner.”
The Richland SWCD offers Conservation Education Mini-Grants in amounts of $500 and $1,000 each fall and spring to support a variety of conservation efforts at local schools. “It is our goal that…these grants will help students achieve conservation goals, provide insight into conservation careers, heighten awareness about natural resources, and continue to preserve our community’s resources for the future,” says Burts.
The next mini-grant application deadline is February 1, 2019. For more information and application details, visit www.richlandcountysc.gov/rswcd or contact Chanda Cooper at cooper.chanda@richlandcountysc.gov.
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Conservation Districts are political subdivisions of state government under the local direction of five-member Boards of Commissioners. In South Carolina, Conservation District boundaries conform to County boundaries. The Richland Soil and Water Conservation District promotes the wise use and care of natural resources for long-term sustainability.
Contact
Richland Soil and Water Conservation District
2020 Hampton Street, Room 3063A
Columbia, SC 29204
Phone (803) 576-2080
Fax (803) 576-2088
E-mail soilandwater@rcgov.us
Facebook www.facebook.com/rswcd