SCWF’s Executive Director, Sara Green, was recently honored by Clemson Extension’s SC Master Naturalist Program for her work since 2011 to coordinate and support the Midlands Master Naturalist Program.

Clemson Extension has been coordinating the SC Master Naturalist Program across South Carolina, through host sites located in various areas for over 20 years. SCWF became a host site in 2011 and began the Midlands Master Naturalist program, developed by Dr. Austin Jenkins (former SCWF Board Member and Chairman) and coordinated by Sara Green (SCWF Director of Education at that time). We have now held 12 sessions of the Midlands Master Naturalist course, with expert instructors leading field trips to natural areas all across the Midlands.

The program aims to train new naturalists in identification skills, ecological concepts, and natural history of the plants, animals, and ecosystems of the SC Midlands. Students learn how this knowledge can be applied to manage for wildlife and to ensure that human impacts on our Earth are sustainable. Graduates of the class are expected to use this knowledge and these new skills to volunteer and educate others. The Midlands program has now trained 230 naturalists who continue to volunteer countless hours across the state.

In 2015, the SC Master Naturalist Program implemented a recognition called Honorary Statewide SC Master Naturalists to recognize individuals who contributed significantly to the natural world in the state of South Carolina.

The inaugural Class of 2015 Honorary Statewide SC Master Naturalists included Rudy Mancke (University of South Carolina), Austin Jenkins (USC Sumter), Patrick McMillan (Clemson University), Chris Marsh (The LowCountry Institute), and Tim Lee (SC State Parks).

The 2024 Class of Honorary Statewide SC Master Naturalists included Kristina Wheeler (Charleston County Parks), Sara Green (SC Wildlife Federation), Keith McCullough (Charleston County Parks), and Greg Lucas (SC Department of Natural Resources), pictured with retiring State Director of the SC Master Naturalist Program James H. Blake (center).

Each recipient of this award has received a personalized dragonfly plate by claysmith Rob Gentry of Pendleton, SC.