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My name is Dr. Karen Hall and I am an Extension Professor in the department of Forestry and
Natural Resources. I direct both the South Carolina Master Naturalist program and the
Master Gardener program. Master Gardener is an outreach program for
members of the general public. They come and take training from us and then as a result
of that training they give back in volunteer service to their communities throughout the
state. The Master Gardener program will provide lessons
for people on things like basic botany, basic plant physiology, soils and nutrition; anything
that a person would need to learn how to grow a garden.
We provide that training and as a result of that training, people take that information
and grow vegetable gardens, flower gardens and connect to their communities through those
gardens. Master Naturalist is a program that is spread
throughout our state and the underlying goal is to teach people how to read nature. We
provide a set of skills like identification of plants, birds and mammals that would enable
a person to understand nature more fully. Once that understanding is in place, they
also have the opportunity to give back in volunteer service to their communities.
Our Master Naturalists are taking on habitat restoration in the Clemson Experimental Forest
for the restoration of a prairie-like habitat here in the Forest.
Through not only the programs that I run, but the research that I do, I try to reconnect
people with the land. One project in particular that I am very proud
of is the Cherokee Worldview Garden. Cherokee people have a way of relating to nature that
is significantly different from the way that we relate to nature.
From my perspective, I think it is a beautiful way to relate to nature. I thought if building
a garden could demonstrate to people a different way of seeing nature that would be a worthwhile
project.