Sharing Nature with Children: Junior Naturalist Program

“Passion is lifted from the earth itself by the muddy hands of the young; it travels along grass-stained sleeves to the heart. If we are going to save environmentalism and the environment, we must also save an endangered indicator species: the child in nature.” Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

Our passion at the South Carolina Botanical Garden is to introduce people of all ages to the wonders and beauty of the natural world. One of our programs dedicated to this end is the Junior Naturalist Program, which began in 2013. This after-school program (4 p.m. – 5: 30 p.m.) is for children 6-12 years old. It runs bi-weekly from February to May as well as August to November every year. Through this program, we have been fortunate to encounter some amazingly talented, curious, and passionate children over the years.

One of the most important elements of this program is getting children outside to roam and explore under our gentle guidance. The Natural Heritage Garden is a fantastic outdoor classroom, enabling us to explore much of South Carolina without leaving the site. Indeed, the SCBG provides a wonderful learning environment from the rocks and soil beneath our feet, the habitats throughout the Garden, to the animals making their homes here. It truly is a Garden for life.

We are also fortunate to have experts from the university and the local community that share their knowledge and excitement with program participants. For example, university graduate student, Marion Clements, presented her barred owl project. Local beekeeper, Aric Black, encouraged children to conquer their fears and learn about honeybees. Entomologist, Mike Ferro, shared his passion for insects, while Gene