Educator, conservationist, and steadfast voice for South Carolina’s wild places
We were saddened to learn of the recent passing of Dennis Chastain, a lifelong advocate for the natural world whose influence reached far beyond any single organization. His work, teaching, and deep knowledge of this region’s landscapes shaped countless conservationists, students, and land stewards across the Upstate and throughout South Carolina.
Dennis was known for his generosity with his time and his deep knowledge of the natural world. Dan Whitten, SCNPS President, shared his experience working with Dennis through the Upstate Master Naturalist program.
“I knew Dennis partly from leading an Upstate SCNPS field trip once, but mostly from the Upstate Master Naturalist class. He regularly was a guest lecturer for 16 years. I could always count on him to answer questions I had about natural things. He was a great conservationist and naturalist, and I will surely miss him.”
— Dan Whitten, SCNPS President
Rick Huffman reflected on Dennis’s impact and the many places they worked together:
“I knew Dennis and feel sadness for his passing. … He was a champion for nature. … We worked together on the Jocassee management plan, Pickens County Museum, Glassy Mountain, Nine Times, and SCDNR work. Days in Cane Creek, the Eastatoe, Wadakoe, and Nine Times, these hills were part of Dennis. Forever. I learned so much.”
— Rick Huffman, Upstate SCNPS President
Those who worked closely with Dennis remember not only his knowledge, but also his deep connection to the landscapes he helped steward across South Carolina.
In 2024, Dennis was featured in Jeanne Malmgren’s Rx Nature newsletter as part of her “Champions of Nature” series. His own words from that interview reflect the values and perspective that shaped his life outdoors.
“It is my fervent hope and desire that we will eventually learn the fundamental principle that it is easier and smarter to work with nature than to fight it. It honestly seems that virtually every aspect of modern civilization is designed to overcome nature and somehow set ourselves apart from the natural world. … Wouldn’t it make more sense to landscape with native, regionally compatible species of groundcovers and landscape plants?”
Excerpt reprinted with permission from Jeanne Malmgren.
You can read the full profile of Dennis in Jeanne Malmgren’s “Champions of Nature” article on Rx Nature.
Dennis Chastain’s legacy lives on in the lands he helped protect, the many students he inspired, and the countless conversations he shared in the field, in classrooms, and along South Carolina’s rivers, forests, and mountains. We are grateful for the time he spent sharing his knowledge and for the example he set as a careful steward of this region’s natural heritage.
He will be deeply missed.
