Connecting Natural and Social Systems
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Descriptions of Workshops and Field trips for the 2007
Spring Conference |
| Morning |
Friday March 30
Note: All morning activities meet in Watkins Room |
| 8:00- 8:45 |
Registration on Furman campus, Watkins Room - Silent Auction
Begins in Watkins Room. Please provide your auction donations as you register.
All proceeds go for teacher mini-grants. |
| 9:00-9:50 |
Topical Class Discussion on Social and Natural Systems, Dr.
W.Worthen
Here’s your opportunity to be a college kid again! Meet in the
Watkins Room and Dr. Wade Worthen will take you to his undergraduate Ecology
class where you will be invited to enter into discussion with Furman students
on issues of environmental importance. You may want to follow this experience
with Dr. Worthen’s afternoon eco tour of the campus. |
| 10:00-10:50 |
1) BMW: Good Steward of the Environment, B. Hamilton
Learn how the BMW Manufacturing Plant is using gases produced by a
local landfill to power its production line. |
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2) Natural History of the Furman Campus, Dr. J. Pollard
Dr Joe Pollard is Department Chair of Biology at Furman. He will take
us to little known spots on campus. You will be able to purchase a Field
Guide to the Furman Habitat which will acquaint you with the interesting
variety of plants on campus. |
| 11:00-11:50 |
1) The Nature Conservancy, K. Austin
Please join K. Austin with The Nature Conservancy to learn ways to
be involved in land protection efforts in Upstate's Southern Blue Ridge.
You can then join Kristen on a field trip to a site The Nature Conservancy
has protected called the Blue Wall Preserve. |
| 11:00-3:00 |
2) Take part in “Life Cycles Aquatic Class” at Paris Mt State
Park, C. Taylor, Park Interpreter
Wondering about all the excitement for the new Discover Carolina programs
at our state parks? Become a second grader at Paris Mountain State Park
and explore the water critters! Pick up your box lunch and car pool
to the park, returning to Furman at 3 PM Friday in time to join the eco
campus tour already in progress. At the park, Cathy Taylor will lead you
as you put on knee boots to collect macro-invertebrates from a mountain
stream. You will inspect these creatures under a microscope in the new
Park Center science lab. Following your picnic lunch, you will tour the
newly remodeled Park Center (the old bathhouse) and discuss opportunities
for guided explorations in Nature for all SC students at our state parks. |
| 11:00-12:00 |
Pick up Box Lunch @ Watkins Room |
| Afternoon |
Field Trips (Please Pre-register): |
| 12:30-4:00 |
1) Tour Furman’s Eco Cottages, LEED Building, Biodiesel Facility,
and Lake Restoration Project, Dr. W. Worthen
Furman has declared this the "Year of the Environment", and the university
has committed to improving environmental sustainability. This dedication
is expressed in many facets of the university, from operations to building
design, curriculum, and student life. On this walking tour, you will be
introduced to several of these initiatives. You'll see the "EcoCottage",
which is an eight-student residence with energy saving features including
solar power, passive lighting, and an organic garden. You'll see the biodiesel
facility, which takes grease from the dining hall and converts it to biodiesel
fuel that powers the lawnmowers. You will also see Hipp Hall, the first
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental and Design) certified building
in South Carolina. Finally, you'll also hear about Furman's plans to restore
the environmental integrity of Furman Lake. |
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2) Wildcat Wayside Spring Wildflower Walk, Dr. J. Pollard (limit
14)
Wildcat Wayside Park is at the base of Caesar's Head. There you will
see some of the early spring wildflowers as well as meet Furman’s Dr. Greg
Lewis who is monitoring the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid invasion at this site.
This is rated an easy/moderate walk, but you’ll want to wear sturdy shoes
with good traction to hike this steep trail beside a cascading waterfall. |
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3) Award-winning EIC project at Pickens Middle School, R. Huffman
Travel to Pickens Middle School to see the work of EIC (Using the Environment
as the Integrating Context for learning) students and teachers planning
with mentors to make a difference in their community. Rick Huffman, mentor
for the Pickens EIC project will lead this field trip. |
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4) The Nature Conservancy trip to the Blue Wall Preserve, K
Austin
Bring binoculars because Audubon just named this area an Important
Bird Area. Hiking will be moderate. Bring comfortable walking shoes and
water. |
| 4:30–6:30 |
Enviroswap and Happy Hour, Hampton Inn’s Paladin Room
Bring an interesting item or book to swap. Dr. George Sawyer will be
our bar-tender, following 30 years of tradition. |
| 7:00–8:30 |
Awards Banquet - Annual EEASC Award presentation |
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Keynote Speaker: Dr. F. Powell
Dr. Frank M. Powell is a Professor of Health and Exercise Science at
Furman University joining the faculty in 1974. He teaches health and wellness
with an emphasis in environmental impacts. He directs the University’s
Year of the Environment Committee, oversees the Eco-cottage, and was the
inaugural environmental fellow on Furman’s campus.
Frank will tell us about Furman’s commitment to the environment,
the role of higher education in sustainability, and enlist your continued
support in making our Earth a more environmentally inviting and sustainable
place. |
| 8:30–10:00 |
Live Auction in Watkins Room, K Santos - our lively auctioneer. |
Saturday March 31
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| Morning |
All morning activities are in Watkins Room, except the bird walk |
| 7:00–8:00 |
Birding hike around Furman Lake, Dr. J. Krebs @ Tower Café
patio
Dr. Julia Krebs, head of Dept of Biology at Frances Marion College
and talented ornithologist, will lead this EEASC traditional birding hike.
Bring your binoculars. |
| 8:00–8:30 |
Registration @ Watkins Room (coffee and pastries provided) |
| 8:30–9:30 |
1) Landscapes for Learning, Dr. B. Vander Mey
Dr. Brenda Vander Mey will demonstrate how to get grant money and start planning an outdoor
learning landscape at your school. |
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2) Upstate Forever Citizens in Action, N. Fitzer
What are the current hot-button environmental issues our legislators are debating in Columbia?
How can you get involved? Come find out with Nancy Fitzer, Education Director of Upstate Forever. |
| 9:35–10:35 |
1) Recovery of a Degraded Watershed, Dr. J. Beacham Dr. Jeff
Beacham, director of the newest environmental center in our state, will
describe the environmental impact which consumers have created, and which
are gradually being amended, at Lake Conestee Nature Park. Development
plans for the park as the southern hub of the Reedy River Greenway will
also be discussed. The Conestee Foundation has entered into a Voluntary
Clean-Up contract with the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control
to safely manage the lake’s legacy contaminants in place while creating
a public wildlife and educational park for the citizens of SC. |
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2) TreesGreenville Tree Garden Project for K - 12, M.L. Jones
TreesGreenville, a new non-profit organization is providing guidance
and grants to schools who wish to plant a Tree Garden to amend runoff or
erosion problems, to educate K – 12 across the curriculum, and to beautify
the school grounds. |
| 10:40–11:40 |
1) Designing an Outdoor Learning Scape, R. Huffman
Rick Huffman, a local landscape designer and founder of the Native
Plant Society of SC, will guide you in designing an outdoor learning scape
at your school or a native plant garden for your home. |
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2) Connecting Natural and Social Systems with EIC, E. Falco
Learn how public schools are using the Environment as an Integrating
Context for learning. Our State Department of Education’s Environmental
Education Coordinator, Ed Falco, will explain how these schools have made
national news by achieving outstanding improvements in student scores,
attendance and student behaviors since adopting the EIC model less than
three years ago. |
| 11:50 |
Silent Auction Ends |
| Afternoon |
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| 12:00–1:30 |
Special Cook out with Chef George at Picnic Shelter on Furman
Lake, Silent Auction results, & EEASC Annual Meeting. |
| 1:30–5:00 |
Field Trips (Please Pre-register): Meet at Picnic Shelter,
Furman Lake |
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1) Tour Furman’s Eco Cottages, LEED Buildings, Bio diesel Facility,
and Lake Restoration Project: Dr. W. Worthen
(See Friday afternoon description of this tour.) |
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2) Lake Conestee Nature Park Project, J. Beacham
Carpool to Southern Greenville County to hike the nature trails at
Conestee. |
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3) Teacher Workshop: Project Learning Tree: Energy and Society
for grades 4 - 12, a free workshop by A. Bohnet and J. Shrum
Experience energy in a new way! Project Learning Tree® (PLT) has
integrated science and social studies, music, dance, and hands-on activities
to investigate energy concepts in creative ways. Each participant will
receive PLT’s NEW Energy & Society kit (a $40 value), including teacher’s
guide, music CD, dance video, and posters. |
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4) Walk the Beautiful Blue Ridge Escarpment, Park Interpreter
T. Lee
Join naturalist Tim Lee, who will lead us on a journey to the Mountain
Bridge Wilderness Area in Northern Greenville County. Explore the Blue
Ridge Escarpment, starting in the valley of the South Saluda River, see
Bald Rock Heritage Preserve and end up at the Caesar's Head overlook. You
will have an opportunity to observe flora, fauna and geology as it changes
in elevation as well as see a diversity of ecological communities (spray
zone, rock outcrop, etc.) Wear sturdy shoes with good traction. |
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5) League Academy TreesGreenville Tree Garden, ML Jones
Carpool to League Academy, in the heart of Greenville County, with
Mary Lou Jones to see the TreesGreenville Tree Garden (designed by Earth Design, Rick Huffman and Richard Powers). This garden is recipient of a Landscapes for Learning
start-up grant. Your school may want to apply for a Tree Garden or Landscapes
for Learning grant. |
Sunday April 1 – Suggested activities: Tour beautiful downtown Greenville
and Falls Park on the Reedy, Greenville Zoo, Upstate state parks at Lakes
Jocassee and Keowee or local golf course