Environmental Education Grant Enhances Hands-On Learning at Cypress Gardens

Walterboro, SC, April 4, 2008-- A shallow blackwater wetland located twenty-four miles northwest of Charleston, South Carolina, Cypress Gardens is home to a wide array of animal and plant life. It also boasts a butterfly house, walking trails, aquarium, reptile center, and even offers visitors a chance to explore Crocodile Isle. Its beauty is so alluring, that location scouts from major film production companies have opted to shoot movie scenes at the majestic garden, including 2000’s The Patriot, starring Mel Gibson.

Managed by Berkeley County, the gardens are also the home of the J. Chalmers Dial Education Center. Dial serves on the Lowcountry Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council, where he has been a strong supporter and proponent of environmental education.

“Mr. Dial is a tremendous advocate for environmental education, and his efforts are allowing kids to experience nature and benefit from a hands-on encounter with plant and animal life in this gorgeous setting,” said Lowcountry RC&D Coordinator Steve Edwards. At eighty-five years old, Dial is still committed to making a difference in the lives of youth. The Moncks Corner resident does not get out as much as he used to, but he’s still determined to make a difference. “This type of project is not about immediate results,” explains Dial. “What I’m excited about is the kids that are going to come through Cypress Gardens, take home what they learned, and then maybe that will help shape their future, or lead them to a career choice.” With three groups of students visiting a day (primarily second graders), and a year-long waiting list, Traci Cook is the full-time Education Coordinator overseeing the popular program. “We offer schools a choice of three subject areas, including the reptile program, the dip-netting program, and the butterfly program.” With over 14,000 students visiting a year, Cypress Gardens is an outdoor classroom for everyone that visits, whether young or old. “We are an extension of what kids are learning in the classroom, but here at Cypress Gardens, we get to knock down the confines of those classroom walls, and reveal the wonders of nature,” remarked Cook.

The Dial Education Center was constructed with help from Lowcountry RC&D’s Youth Environmental Education Grants. Edwards says, “These grants were created to promote, enhance, and assist with environmental education programs for youth, and Lowcountry RC&D is proud to fund and support these invaluable programs, like the one here at Cypress Gardens, and it’s great to see that our efforts are exposing so many people to the outdoors.”

The Lowcountry RC&D Council awarded Cypress Gardens two such grants, which assisted in the planning and construction of the education center. In 2007, an official ceremony marked the completion of the building, and also recognized Dial for his dedication. When asked about the history of Cypress Gardens, Dial mentions the impact that 1989’s Hurricane Hugo had on the gardens. “Hugo really impacted the place, including wiping out a lot of the camilla’s.” In addition, over 12,000 trees were lost, as well as all the buildings. The facility was closed two years for repairs, and the City of Charleston (who owned the garden until it transferred to Berkeley County ownership in 1996) worked diligently to bring the area back to life.

Cypress Gardens was once Dean Hall Plantation, a 3000-acre rice producing plantation on the Cooper River. Granted to Sir Alexander Nesbit of Dean Scotland in 1720, the plantation was operating by 1725. However, by the late 1800's, Dean Hall fell into disrepair, and was then revived by Benjamin Kittredge as a winter retreat and hunting preserve. Kittredge enjoyed duck hunting in the black water impoundments that were remnants left from the days when Dean Hall was a major rice plantation on the Cooper River. The story goes that one day while out hunting he was inspired by the reflection of a red maple leaf in the mirror-like waters of the swamp. This moved him to plant thousands of azaleas, camellias, dogwoods, wisteria, daffodils and iris along the dikes of the impoundments. From this vision, Kittredge created the 163-acre swamp known as Cypress Gardens. The colorful reflections of the abundant flora and fauna have been enticing visitors from the world over. The gardens are also home to many living creatures, including pesky mosquitoes, lurking alligators, and plenty of wood ducks, osprey, herons, egrets, as well as deer, raccoons, and even bobcats.

The gardens are open every day from 9-5. For more information on educational field trips or the Dial Education Center, contact Cook at (843)553-0515 or tcook@co.berkeley.sc.us. Advance reservations are required for all field trips.

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