A.C. Moore Elementary School will use Conservation Education Mini-Grant funding to install a Carolina Fence Garden similar to this one at the Aiken County Welcome Center. Photo courtesy of SC Wildlife Federation.
Columbia, SC—Six Richland County schools will receive funding for spring conservation projects through the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District’s (SWCD’s) Conservation Education Mini-Grant Program. These schools’ project goals include introducing students to agriculture and ecology through school gardens, wildlife habitats, and hydroponic growing systems. Spring grant recipients include:
- A.C. Flora High School - $500 Mini-Grant for A.C. Flora Gardening and Water Conservation (Project Lead: Lindsay Purdy)
- A.C. Moore Elementary School - $500 Mini-Grant for Carolina Fence Garden (Project Lead: Nancy Frick)
- Koinonia of Columbia, Inc. - $500 Mini-Grant for Koinonia Community Garden (Project Lead: Rev. Kelly Strum)
- Summit Parkway Middle School - $500 for Hydroponically Speaking (Project Lead: Dr. Deanna Taylor)
- Joseph Keels Elementary School - $250 Seed Grant for School Gardens and Wildlife Habitat (Project Lead: Mitchell Bailey)
- L.W. Conder Arts Integrated Magnet School - $250 Seed Grant for Artist’s Garden for Budding Creativity (Project Lead: Nixie Miller)
Nancy Frick, a second grade teacher at A.C. Moore Elementary School, is excited about the upcoming installation of a Carolina Fence Garden on their campus. The Carolina Fence™ concept was originally developed by the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, and this simple garden incorporates several of SC’s designated natural and cultural symbols. The garden is anchored by a split rail fence, a device long used by Carolina farmers and ranchers to enclose livestock; yellow jessamine and goldenrod, SC’s state flower and wildflower; a nesting box for the state bird, the Carolina wren; and even a chunk of blue granite, the SC state stone. “We think it is a great way to have habitat for wildlife and also teach the students about South Carolina’s native plants, birds and butterflies,” says Frick. “This project will help foster positive attitudes about wildlife to these elementary students who may not otherwise have an opportunity to connect to nature.”
SC Wildlife Federation’s Habitat Education Manager, Jay Keck, will mentor and advise A.C. Moore Elementary School during the project’s installation. “I'm so excited to hear A.C. Moore Elementary School will be creating a Carolina Fence Garden on their property,” says Keck. “Though typically smaller in scale, these gardens can inspire children, as well as adults, to take a closer look at SC's amazing wildlife and native plants, while connecting the students to our state's natural resources through state symbols.”
The Richland SWCD offers Conservation Education Mini-Grants in amounts up to $1,000 each fall and spring to support a variety of conservation efforts at local schools. 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