Speakers

Speakers for 2024 SCNPS Symposium

Carmen Ketron

Presentation: Rewilding your Yard: How to Establish or Reestablish a Naturalized Backyard Woods
Date & Time: Friday, October 18, 3:30 PM

Carmen Ketron, Clemson Extension’s Urban Horticulture Agent, will share her expertise on rewilding your yard, with a special focus on goldenrod and its importance in your urban landscape. Discover how to effortlessly transform your wooded backyard into a thriving native forest ecosystem. Learn essential steps to rewild urban and suburban wooded areas, ensuring a diverse and enjoyable environment for all.

About Carmen Ketron:

Carmen Ketron is the Urban Horticulture Agent for Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service in Darlington and Florence Counties. With a rich background in horticulture, she brings expertise from managing community and university gardening programs in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Carmen holds an MS in Environmental Science and an MPA from the College of Charleston, along with a BA in Political Science from Coastal Carolina University. Her passion for engaging people in the mental, physical, and emotional benefits of working with plants drives her work. Originally from Williamsburg, Virginia, she has been serving South Carolina communities for the past 15 years, offering invaluable support in all horticultural endeavors.

Tim Lee

Keynote: Goldenrod Communities
Date & Time: Friday, October 18, 7:00 PM

Tim Lee, an interpretive ranger in the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area, will present on Goldenrod communities, delving into the significance of this vibrant plant in the ecosystem.

About Tim Lee:

Tim is a native South Carolinian who has studied and taught as a naturalist and biologist throughout the Southeast for more than 30 years. For the past 21 years, he has served as the Interpretive Ranger and Naturalist for South Carolina State Park Service’s Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area (Jones Gap and Caesar’s Head State Parks). He conducts research and provides educational programs for children and adults. Tim is also a coordinator and instructor for the South Carolina Master Naturalist Program and an Educational Leadership Partner for the South Carolina Aquarium. He is a member of the National Association of Interpreters, an honorary SC Statewide Master Naturalist, and an honorary member of the Upstate Master Naturalist Association.

Joy Spirithawk Evans

Presentation: This Native Land
Date & Time: Saturday, October 19, 3:30 PM

Joy Spirithawk from the Cherokee tribe will share insights on native traditions and the importance of plant medicine in her presentation titled “This Native Land.” The session will explore how Cherokee people lived before modern times on this very land, featuring artifacts like bows, arrows, baskets, hides, and more.

About Joy Spirithawk Evans:

Joy Spirithawk Evans, known as Grandmother Spirithawk, is a Cherokee artist, silversmith, and educator dedicated to preserving Native American traditions. With a rich background in Design, Advertising, and Sign Art, Joy transitioned to silversmithing, meticulously crafting each piece using traditional Southwest Indian techniques. Based in the Blue Ridge Mountains, she offers classes in her Pickens, SC, studio and through “Metalsmithing in a Rustic Studio” via AirBnB experiences. Joy has taught numerous Native American classes at Hagood Mill and for homeschool groups, sharing her heritage and skills with the community. Her work, celebrated for its authenticity and artistry, has been exhibited nationally, earning numerous accolades.

Keith Bradley

Keynote: Shrinking Violets of South Carolina’s Flora: Secretive Gems and Hopes for the Spotlight
Date & Time: Saturday, October 19, 6:00 PM

Keith A. Bradley, a Botanist with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), will delve into the lesser-known plant species that make up South Carolina’s rich and diverse flora. In this presentation, he will highlight the “shrinking violets” of the plant world—those modest, often overlooked species that thrive in the shadows of more showy plants.

About Keith Bradley:

Keith A. Bradley is a Botanist with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) specializing in plant species and ecosystems of the Southeastern United States and Caribbean. He is also an Affiliate Faculty member of the University of South Carolina’s A.C. Moore Herbarium. Keith has been active in the regional conservation community for 30 years, working on a broad array of biological conservation research, land management, and planning issues. Originally from Miami, Florida, his work on the recovery of endangered species and their habitats in Florida has earned him awards from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Keith has been with SCDNR for three years and is widely considered an expert on the flora of the Southeast.