Keep South Carolina Wild

SCDSS, DHEC Announce Partnership to Transform Child Care Outdoor Spaces

COLUMBIA, S.C. — As part of the Grow Outdoors South Carolina initiative, the South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS) Division of Early Care and Education and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) announce their partnership with the National Wildlife Federation’s Early Childhood Health Outdoors (ECHO) and NC State University’s Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) to create naturalized outdoor play and learning spaces in South Carolina’s child care programs.

The collaborative effort reflects a shared commitment to provide high-quality child care by recognizing the vital role nature plays in young children’s overall health and development, and creating fun outdoor spaces that inspire curiosity, creativity, and physical activity among young learners.

“DSS and DHEC are excited about this collaborative journey with the National Wildlife Federation and the Natural Learning Initiative,” said DSS State Director Michael Leach. “This partnership aligns with DSS’ mission to ensure the well-being of South Carolina’s youngest citizens. Together, we can create vibrant, nature-inspired spaces that foster the growth and happiness of our children with lasting results.”

One of the strongest predictors of children’s physical activity is time spent outdoors. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, outdoor play for young children increases motor development, critical thinking skills, mood and learning outcomes. It also helps lower obesity rates and encourages children to have a better appreciation of the environment.

“The most recent data we have shows that 42% of South Carolina public school students ages 5 to 18 are overweight or obese and over half, 57%, are not meeting minimum standards for heart and lung health,” said Dr. Edward Simmer, DHEC director. “These problems often persist into adulthood, so addressing them early is very important.

“We know that physical activity stimulates positive cognitive and emotional development in young people, and natural play and learning environments like those created by Grow Outdoors SC are diverse and engaging spaces where children want to spend time. In addition to increased time outdoors, these environments promote problem-solving, creativity and collaboration with others.”

ECHO, with its mission to help young children develop a love and appreciation for the outdoors, will provide resources and training to child care providers to help them design and implement outdoor learning environments that promote physical activity, healthy eating, and nature-based play.

“Early Childhood Health Outdoors (ECHO) is honored to be a part of this exciting collaboration to enhance and activate naturalized outdoor play and learning environments for young children across South Carolina,” says ECHO Senior Director of Design & Engagement Rebecca Colbert. “As an initiative of the National Wildlife Federation, the ECHO team understands that we have a unique opportunity to help young children develop a connection to nature. In addition, our specialized expertise includes landscape design strategies that help mitigate heat and enhance climate resilience – supporting both healthy children and healthy communities.”

The Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) will offer its community-based, equity-driven design thinking to creating healthy natural play and learning environments, where all children and their families can thrive and learn healthy life habits.

“The Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) is excited to contribute almost a quarter century of early childhood outdoor design research and development to an ongoing collaboration with the National Wildlife Federation ECHO program,” said Robin Moore, Professor of Landscape
Architecture, NC State University.

“Working together with Grow Outdoors SC represents a unique partnership,” adds Dr. Nilda Cosco, Associate Research Professor and NLI co-founder with Moore, “that integrates NLI’s evidence-based resources, research tools, and professional development programs to support our NWF practitioner colleagues in co-creating early childhood outdoor environments.”

“And,” adds Moore, “all of us collaborating with South Carolina DSS and DHEC to implement a strategic, statewide vision for center-based, healthy, safe childhoods, engaged with nature – that’s huge.”

To announce the partnership, SCDSS and DHEC held a press conference on December 11, 2023, at MEGA Child Development Center in Gilbert. The conference ended with a tour of the child care program’s outdoor setting, led by representatives from ECHO and NLI.

In 2022, seven ABC Quality child care programs, including MEGA Child Development Center, were chosen as Grow Outdoors SC demonstration sites. Each site received seed grant funding and technical support to enhance its outdoor play space. The first group of child care centers to participate in Grow Outdoors SC with ECHO and NLI is currently being selected.

Grow Outdoors SC aims to transform early childhood outdoor spaces into diverse, naturalized environments that spark play and learning. The initiative provides resources and information on ways to improve outdoor environments for early childhood teachers, families, and community leaders. Through technical assistance and coaching, Grow Outdoors SC equips teachers and child care providers with the skills, tools, and resources to become champions for outdoor play and learning.

Learn more about Grow Outdoors South Carolina here.

Related press release links:

https://scdhec.gov/news-releases/scdss-dhec-announce-partnership-national-wildlife-federation-natural-learning

https://dss.sc.gov/news/scdss-dhec-announce-partnership-with-national-wildlife-federation-and-the-natural-learning-initiative-to-transform-child-care-outdoor-spaces/

https://www.nwf.org/Latest-News/Press-Releases/2023/12-11-23-ECHO-Grow-Outdoors-SC

See TV News Videos on this press event here:

https://www.wltx.com/article/news/local/sc-outdoor-initiative-welcomes-new-partnerships/101-918fcc93-417c-4b3d-b378-b181354b091b

https://www.abccolumbia.com/2023/12/11/nature-inspired-play-areas-aim-to-increase-curiosity-physical-activity-among-children/

Help SC Wildlife Thrive!

We share our state with wild creatures who inspire wonder. Maybe you have paddled through the Sparkleberry Swamp and
seen the vivid yellow of a Prothonotary warbler, or hiked in the forest when a white-tailed deer has scampered ahead of
you, or quietly waited in your tree stand when a Barred owl has flown by. Experiences like this make us feel a deep and
powerful connection to the Earth, to the ancient rhythms of nature. We feel humbled to be a tiny part of it, and the
urge to protect it grows stronger with each new encounter.

Image Captions: (L) The overall Plishing Challenge points leader Colton Bateman, who caught 200 fish! (R) Almost 50%
of the nesting boxes were used in the first year by prothonotaries and other bird species. Prothonotary warbler by Tim
Gray.

I am incredibly thankful for each of you who also cherish moments like this and who marvel at our natural world. As our
state continues to grow and wildlife experience shrinking habitats, we must all remain vigilant to advocate for wildlife
together through SCWF and preserve this connection that unites us and enriches our lives.

Please consider a donation now to help us continue our mission to conserve and restore South Carolina’s wildlife
and wildlife habitat through education and advocacy.

All donations stay in South Carolina, are tax-deductible and fully support our mission.

For 92 years, SCWF has offered many ways for you to connect with nature, learn new skills, and take action in your
community. We hope you will join us in the coming year to increase our impact for wildlife together.

Sara Green
Executive Director

Continue reading “Help SC Wildlife Thrive!”

FRETWELL: Megafarms could suck rivers dry because state agency isn’t following law, groups charge

BY SAMMY FRETWELL

Published by The State Newspaper at: https://www.thestate.com/news/local/environment/article282576928.html#storylink=cpy

Three environmental groups are threatening to sue the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control over what they say is a failure to protect the state’s rivers from industrial scale crop farms. A 2010 water law was supposed to prevent rivers from being sucked dry by farms, factories and drinking water plants, but DHEC’s interpretation of the law has left rivers and creeks vulnerable from farm withdrawals across South Carolina, the environmental groups say. In short, the department wrote rules that conflict with the 2010 law – and those regulations go easy on industrial-scale farms, said Carl Brzorad, an attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center in Charleston. Regulations written by agencies are supposed to support state laws, but in this case, they did not, he said.

A petition the law center filed Monday with DHEC says the agency has 30 days to change the rules to match state law, or conservation groups “may exercise their right to initiate a civil action against the department.’’ The Southern Environmental Law Center is a legal service representing the S.C. Wildlife Federation, Friends of the Edisto and American Rivers.

“The DHEC rules allow major agricultural corporations to take all the water for themselves,” according to a statement from Frank Holleman, a senior law center attorney who works with Brzorad. “We’re asking that DHEC follow the law passed by our elected representatives and stop writing blank checks to de-water South Carolina’s rivers.”

Depleting rivers takes away water that other farms might need for irrigation, as well as drinking water utilities need to provide customers. Not enough water in a river also makes it hard to dilute wastewater discharges, while taking away fish habitat and places for people to boat or kayak..

The letter to DHEC questioning the state’s effectiveness at protecting rivers from overuse is the second of its kind in less than two years. In May 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the state’s 2010 water withdrawal law and accompanying regulations don’t prevent rivers from being pumped dry. Among other things the EPA letter said the law is not scientifically sound, doesn’t preserve fish and wildlife, and actually allows overuse of rivers, instead of protecting them.

Despite the EPA’s admonition, neither the Legislature nor DHEC have made recommended changes to the law or to the regulations, environmentalists say. DHEC, whose mission is protecting the state’s environment, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The environmental groups’ lawsuit threat is the latest dust up in a disagreement that has simmered since soon after the water law took effect more than a decade ago. Critics say the surface water law and its regulations are so filled with loopholes that they don’t provide much protection for rivers.

In this case, the environmental groups are challenging the regulations. They say the law needs improvement, but the regulations are worse. At the very least, the rules need to match the law, Brzorad said.

The biggest issue through the years has been the lack of oversight of huge farms that, in some cases, have already taken a toll on groundwater in rural areas of South Carolina. Those farms, often referred to as “megafarms,’’ are massive crop-growing operations that have cleared thousands of acres of forests. Unlike industries, megafarms aren’t required to get permits to withdraw large quantities of water from rivers, The State reported in a 2017 series on the impacts of megafarms on South Carolina. That allows the farms to gain approval without receiving the same level of scrutiny from DHEC as industries. Farms also don’t have to notify the public of their plans to take major amounts of water from rivers.

The trigger for concerns over the 2010 surface water withdrawal law was the opening of a large potato farm east of Aiken. The farm gave no public notice it was opening or that it would take water from the South Fork of the Edisto River because the law didn’t require it. Walther Farms, an agribusiness from Michigan, gained approval to siphon away billions of gallons from the South Fork to water its potatoes. People living in the area were incensed and began pushing for changes to the state’s rules and regulations overseeing large water withdrawals.

But while megafarms are not regulated as tightly as industries, they do have to comply with a section of the water withdrawal law, known as safe yield, that was intended to protect rivers from over-pumping. That section of the law is intended to make sure some water is left in rivers after big farms siphon water away for irrigation. But DHEC has interpreted that in such a way that it allows rivers to be drained completely, say environmentalists and some state river experts. The agency allows those seeking to withdraw water the ability to take 80 percent of a river’s capacity, based on a mean annual daily flow. But at certain times of the year, river flow is below the daily annual mean, which would allow a waterway to be completely drawn down.

It is not known if rivers or streams have, at any point, dried up as a result of too much pumping by large farms, but statistics provided by the Southern Environmental Law Center show that some rivers are in trouble. Rivers that often exceed the safe yield include the South Fork of the Edisto between Columbia and Aiken; the Reedy River, which runs through Greenville; and the Tyger River near Spartanburg, according to the environmental group’s petition to DHEC.

Doug Busbee, a Wagener businessman who has fought for tougher surface water controls on megafarms, said the battle over river withdrawals needs to end in the public’s favor. Busbee was so upset with the law that he applied for – and won – DHEC approval to use all of the capacity in parts of the upper Edisto River basin. He is not using the water, but sought the approval to prove a point that the law is flawed. Since Busbee is not using the water, his actions have saved some parts of the basin from new withdrawals by megafarms.

“We’ve got a law that is dangerous, and the bottom line is I hope our lawmakers will listen to the people who understand the complexity of dealing with this situation,’’ Busbee told The State newspaper. “I hope they will try to come together to get us a law that would be safe for everyone.’’ Neighbors say mega-farms like this 3,700-acre potato farm in Aiken County threaten the water supply. Such growing operations clear forested land to the horizon line to make room for crops.

Sammy Fretwell has covered the environment beat for The State since 1995. He writes about an array of issues, including wildlife, climate change, energy, state environmental policy, nuclear waste and coastal development. He has won numerous awards, including Journalist of the Year by the S.C. Press Association in 2017. Fretwell is a University of South Carolina graduate who grew up in Anderson County. Reach him at 803 771 8537.

Published by The State Newspaper at: https://www.thestate.com/news/local/environment/article282576928.html#storylink=cpy

See related article by Post & Courier at:
https://www.postandcourier.com/environment/coalition-water-withdrawal-rules-petition-edisto-conservation-groups-dhec-farmers/article_85807496-92df-11ee-8377-5f5ecaa37c7d.html

WAIT Partner Update: Mark Anthony Brewery

Scott Hicks and the WAIT team from Mark Anthony Brewery have been busy this year assisting with nest box placement throughout the property, as well as providing input and direction for the pollinator garden that was installed by Heritage Landscape earlier this fall.

Eastern screech-owls have declined approximately 37% in the last fifty years, but will readily use nest boxes if the habitat is ideal. The brewery has such habitat and the team decided to install three owl boxes to help this beautiful species.

Image Captions L to R: Bluebird nesting box; Eastern screech owl nesting box.

Six Eastern bluebird boxes were also installed at the entrance of the property, and at the employee outdoor area next to the factory. During a recent visit to inspect the boxes, SCWF’s Industry Habitat Manager, Jay Keck, was able to identify bluebird nests in many of the boxes!

The pollinator garden, located a bit closer to the factory, is filled with native plant species that will attract many insects which could potentially become prey for both the bluebirds and the owls located on or near the property. We’d like to thank Scott and his team at Mark Anthony Brewery for their time and energy needed to create a beautiful and beneficial landscape for our local wildlife!

Why WAIT?

SCWF Partners with conservation-minded businesses throughout the state who want to help wildlife thrive by enhancing their properties and providing educational opportunities for their employees and communities. Read more about the WAIT Program, and how to join here.