SCNPS Statewide Symposium 2026

PLANTS & PINTS:

Time: 5-8 p.m.

Location: Edmund’s Oast Brewing, 1505 King Street, #15, Charleston, SC 29405

The Lowcountry Chapter will provide some light bites and additional food and beverages can be purchased on your own. We’ll have some reserved tables outside under the covered patio – just look for your fellow plant people!

PLANT & SEED SWAP: Have some extra native plants or seeds looking for new homes? Bring your labeled plants or seeds and trade with fellow members. Bring one, trade one!

Time: 7:30 a.m.

Location: Meet at SCDNR Outdoor Classroom

Join Jen Tyrell of Audubon South Carolina for a walk around the Ft. Johnson campus to see what variety of songbirds, shorebirds, seabirds, and more make their home around the woods and shoreline of campus. BYO binoculars and cameras!

Bio:

General Session 1: Symposium Welcome

Time: 9 a.m.
Location: SCDNR Auditorium
Speaker/Guide: Lowcountry Chapter & Upstate Chapter President

The Lowcountry Chapter will welcome participants and Rick Huffman, co-founder of the SC Native Plant Society and Upstate Chapter President, will provide a 30th Anniversary reflection.

General Session 1: 2026 SCNPS Annual Business Meeting
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Location: SCDNR Auditorium
Speaker/Guide: SCNPS Chapter Board Members

We will hold the annual business meeting for the SCNPS and hear from state President, Tierney Rosenstock, and receive chapter highlights from each of our 8 chapters.

General Session 2: Keynote

Time: 10 a.m.
Location: SCDNR Auditorium
Speaker/Guide: SCNPS Chapter Board Members

General Session 3: Interactive Discussion Panel

Engaging Communities for the Next 30 Years Using Action for Stewardship & Restoration

Time: 11:15 a.m.
Location: SCDNR Auditorium
Speaker/Guide: Community Conservation Leaders

In this panel discussion, our Lowcountry Programs Chair Rebecca Fanning will lead a conversation with some of our favorite native plant champions here in the Lowcountry to have a lively discussion about opportunities to “think outside the box” and grow the mission of the SCNPS for the next thirty years. Our panel guests have a diverse set of perspectives and super powers to lend to the topic from giving the Lowcountry a completely fresh perspective on how beautiful stormwater infrastructure can be to incorporating social justice and undertold stories to the conversation about our green urban spaces.

Panelists:

Tom Austin, Director of Land Conservation, Edisto Island Open Land Trust

Mika Gadsden, Director of Sustainability, City of Charleston, Office of Resilience & Sustainability

Belvin Olasev, Executive Director, Charleston Climate Coalition

Zack Snipes, Co-owner, Shoreline Restoration Group

Field Trip 1: Sullivan’s Island Nature Trail – Maritime Forest Walk
Time: 1:15 p.m.
Location: Sullivan’s Island, Station 18.5

Sullivan’s Island is fortunate to have around 200 acres of maritime forest stretching along its beach and protecting its shores. And walking along the Sullivan’s Island Nature Trail provides a fascinating overview of the Island’s military history, the surprising story of the forest’s expansion and preservation, and a glimpse into the world of plant succession and disturbance ecology in fragile landscapes. Join us Saturday, September 19th at 1:15pm at the lighthouse at Station 18.5, and we will hit the trail. The sandy path can be challenging at times to trek through, but otherwise this walk will be slow paced and easy to keep up with. We will loop back on the beach, so dress accordingly, and plan to be back at your cars within two hours of setting out. Be advised that there are no public restrooms in the vicinity of the nature trail, but there is one available a quick drive away at Stith Park.

Activity Level: Moderate (1-3 mile walk on uneven ground)

Accessibility: Partial

Bio: Rebecca Fanning is the Director of Resilience & Natural Resource Management for the Town of Sullivan’s Island. She grew up spending her summers on Sullivan’s Island and became an avid birder at a young age as a result of seeing and hearing painted buntings in the maritime forest. She received master’s degrees in environmental science and public administration from the College of Charleston, where her research focused on the interaction between degraded stream morphology and effects on riparian plant communities. She currently serves on the board of the SC Native Plant Society and the Robert Lunz Group of the Sierra Club.

Field Trip 2: Wild Herbs of the Carolina Coast
Time: 1:15 p.m.
Location: Folly Beach, Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve

Join April Punsalan, author of the recent book, “Foraging Wild Herbs: 30 Healing Plants of Carolina Coast”, for a wild herbal walk to Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve. You will learn up to 6 to 10 wild herbs that you can connect with daily to improve your health. Bring water, journal/notebook and pen, and sunblock. Parking is available on the street and all 4-wheels must be off the pavement to avoid a parking ticket! A small paid parking lot is also available at the nearby beach access point.  Note there are no restrooms at this location but they are available on Center Street approximately 10 minutes from the area.

Bio: April serves as a voice for plants. She weaves the different plant science fields, botany, plant taxonomy, plant conservation, and herbalism to reconnect humans to the Earth. Her 28-year plant journey has led to a Bachelor and Master of Science, emphasis in Botany, a two-year Horticulture Degree, a Traditional Herbalist Certificate, and specialized botanical training in the ferns and fern allies, grasses, sedges, and bryophytes. April’s mission is to teach you how to forage your food and medicine to help you improve your health and the health of the Earth.

Field Trip 3: Sustainable Development & Restoration at Kiawah River Development
Time: 1:15 p.m.
Location: Kiawah Island, Kiawah River Community

Join Zack Snipes of SRG to highlight some of the current and past projects happening at Kiawah River Development. We will see their wildflower meadow that spans over one mile, planted shoreline buffers, and other ecological projects taking place. This field trip will emphasize the importance of maintenance and invasive species management to support our native ecosystems. Participants will see an “agrihood” tucked right in the middle of the development with 3 working farms on site. We will finish the tour at the entrance of KRD and tour their beautiful farm stand that is teeming with local produce, foods, art, and shrimp. The trip will last ~2 hours. Bring hat, water, sunscreen, and if you want to walk through the meadow, snake boots are highly recommended. Binoculars are a must for birders!

Activity Level: Moderate (1-3 mile walk on uneven ground)

Accessibility: Yes

Bio: Zack Snipes is the co-owner of Shoreline Restoration Group and brings a strong horticultural background to every project. His passion for nature and the environment began in childhood, exploring the Francis Marion National Forest and the rivers of the Lowcountry with his father. That early bond with the outdoors grew into a lifelong commitment to protecting, enhancing, and enjoying natural spaces. Zack believes we are stewards of the Earth and should do all we can to support the native ecosystems around us.

Field Trip 4: Edible Native Plant Walk
Time: 1:15 p.m.
Location: SCDNR Ft. Johnson campus

Join Vaughan as he leads participants on a leisurely walk around the grounds of Ft. Johnson to observe and identify native edible plants found there. Over 75 edible species have been found on this site. The program will last about 2 hours, and will require walking around 2 miles. Water, a hat, other sun protection and insect repellent are recommended. Participants may wish to take notes, as there are no handouts or plant lists prepared in advance.

Activity Level: Moderate (1-3 mile walk on uneven ground)

Accessibility: Partially

Bio: Vaughan Spearman is a forester and wildlife biologist working for the SC Forestry Commission and a tree farm owner in Williamsburg County, SC where he lives with his family and keeps a herd of Gulf Coast Native Sheep. He has been interested in foraging and wild edible plants & fungi for most of his life, and began teaching about these subjects about 15 years ago.

Field Trip 5: Gardening Alongside Wildlife
Time: 1:15 p.m.
Location: SCDNR Ft. Johnson auditorium

Accessibility: Yes

Bio: In her role as Natural Resource Extension Associate, Tess primarily focuses on wildlife and habitat education for adults and on evaluating adult education for the Clemson Extension Natural Resource team. Her collegiate education is in wildlife biology and adult education. Professionally, she’s worked as a naturalist, environmental scientist, and researcher. She keeps a collection of tropical indoor plants and maintains a native plant garden for wildlife outdoors.

Field Trip 6: Botanical Nature Walk-Beachwalker Park & Captain Sams Spit
Time: 1:15 p.m.
Location: Beachwalker County Park (Kiawah Island); Entry cost to Beachwalker Park is $15.  

Join botanist Celie Dailey & artist Mary Edna Fraser – both environmental activists – for a tour of Captain Sams Spit. We will do a botanical tour along the beach, proceeding to the inlet, then tour maritime forest where it wraps around the end of the island at the inlet, without impacting any areas of erosion, dunes, or turtle nests. The total walk is about 2 – 2.5 miles. We will meet at Beachwalker Park at 1:15 PM and walk from 1:30-4:30 PM. 

Please bring water, sunscreen, walking shoes, insect repellant, and hat. Long, lightweight pants are advised. Bring a snack.  Charleston County Parks Gold Pass members are admitted for free year-round. Please allow 45 minutes – 1 hour to drive from SCDNR to Beachwalker Park.

Bio:

Mary Edna Fraser’s environmental activist artist career spans five decades. Over one hundred exhibitions include the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the National Academy of Sciences, Duke University Museum of Art, and the National Science Foundation. She was honored with NASA’s Artist of the year (1995) and The Verner Award (2016).

Currently, Cecelia “Celie” Dailey is working with Dr. Richard Porcher and other botanists (Patrick McMillan, Samantha Tessel, Keith Bradley, Eric Ungberg, and Kate Brundrett) to survey for the upcoming book, South Carolina’s Rare and Endangered Flora: Saving Our Botanical Heritage One Species at a Time (USC Press). Dailey has focused specifically on the barrier islands and shell-deposit plant communities for this text, but is also accompanying Porcher around the state to search for populations of vanishing flora, some of which have not been seen since the 70s. Dailey has conducted botanical surveys on the Black River for groups such as Butler Conservation Fund, Open Space Institute and SC Parks, Recreation & Tourism since 2017, as well as Sullivan’s Island. She has contributed over 2,500 specimens to herbariums at The Citadel, University of South Carolina, and Coastal Carolina University. Dailey also published The Batik Art of Mary Edna Fraser (USC Press, 2019).

Collaborative works: Dailey worked with Mary Edna Fraser in 2009, producing the video “50 Houses on Kiawah Sand”  with Dr. Orrin Pilkey (Duke University coastal geologist, now deceased) and Nancy Vinson (Director of the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League’s Air, Water, and Public Health Programs). Fraser’s website Delete Apathy  catalogs their work. According to Vinson, it was “critical to convince the DHEC board to overturn the agency’ staff decision to approve the project.” The video inspired Vinson’s use of diagrams of the spit from Hayes & Michel’s A Coast for All Seasons in litigation, and demonstrated “the ephemeral quality of the spit” to the public. Dailey’s mentor Dr. Richard Porcher also worked with Dailey to document seasonally-inundated sloughs and wetland plants, showing the wetland delineation was not properly conducted, and existing wetlands were overlapping with developer’s roads on their plans. Porcher & Dailey were expert witnesses in one of the many rounds of litigation in 2017. Porcher and Dailey were recruited by the Coastal Conservation League and SC Environmental Law Project after Dailey’s article (https://coastalcare.org/2016/05/captain-sams-spit-kiawah-island-by-cecelia-dailey/) appeared on CoastalCare.org on May 1, 2016. Today, Captain Sams Spit has been saved from development, setting a precedent for protecting our barrier islands from improper use.

Workshop 1: Grow Your Own Plants: The Basics of Propagation
Time: 1:15 p.m.
Location: Roots & Shoots Nursery, 1108 Wappoo Road, Charleston, SC 29407

Join Roots & Shoots Nursery owner, David Manger, for a hands-on workshop to discover how to multiply your favorite plants through cuttings, division, and seeds. We’ll demonstrate each technique, then you’ll get hands-on experience and take home the plants you propagate. If you have a pair of pruners please bring them with you along with some water, hat, and sunscreen.

Activity Level: Light (mostly standing)

Accessibility: No

Bio: David Manger is the owner of Roots & Shoots Nursery, where he specializes in native plants and southern fruits. As a master naturalist, sustainable landscaper, and permaculture designer, he enjoys helping people create beautiful gardens that reconnect us with nature and support all creatures that give our gardens wings.

Workshop 2: Beginner Build a Bog Workshop
Time: 1:15 p.m.
Location:

Build your own carnivorous plant bog planter with Stacy Andrews of Milkweed Madness & More, and learn about how to keep the plants happy.

Activity Level:Light (less than 1-mile walk and standing)

Accessibility: Yes

Bio: Stacy Andrews in the owner of Milkweed Madness & More and calls herself a Milkweed & Carnivorous Plant Enthusiast!

Time: 6:30-9:00 PM

Location: SCDNR Ft. Johnson, Outdoor Classroom

The Dinner Social is a ticketed event and will be offered as an add-on at registration. Tickets will include a full meal of Lowcountry boil, bbq, sides, vegetarian option, and tea and lemonade or BYOB.  We will do our best to accommodate any dietary restrictions.

Relax after a full day of learning as we gather for dinner, music, games and maybe a bonfire (if the weather cooperates!). Our venue is back at the SCDNR Ft. Johnson campus at the outdoor classroom overlooking Charleston Harbor. This is a casual event so dress comfortably for the weather.

Menu: 

• Lowcountry Boil (Shrimp, corn, potatoes, sausage) and cornbread
• Barbeque
• Coleslaw, Mac-n-Cheese
• Quinoa Salad (Vegetarian option)
• Cobbler/Banana pudding
• Tea & Lemonade

Time: 7:30 a.m.

Location: Meet at SCDNR Outdoor Classroom

Join Jen Tyrell of Audubon South Carolina for a walk around the Ft. Johnson campus to see what variety of songbirds, shorebirds, seabirds, and more make their home around the woods and shoreline of campus. BYO binoculars and cameras!

Bio:

General Session 4: Keynote Speaker

Building Advocacy Efforts For Real Impact

Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: SCDNR Auditorium
Speaker/Guide: Belvin Olasov, Charleston Climate Coalition

Belvin Olasov, Co-Founder and Director of the Charleston Climate Coalition, wants to talk to you about changemaking. How can we reshape our human world into one that protects and respects the more-than-human? How do we balance anger and joy? The presentation will dive into how a mixture of organizing and creative activism can help us build the future we want to see.

Bio: Belvin Olasov is the Co-Founder and Director of the Charleston Climate Coalition and the Co-Editor-In-Chief of Surge Magazine. He believes in bringing creativity and heart to mending the climate crisis.

Field Trip 7: 
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Location: Caw Caw Interpretive Center, 5200 Savannah Hwy, Ravenel, SC 29470

Step through centuries of intertwined cultural and natural history on this guided interpretive walking tour of Caw Caw Interpretive Center. Explore a scenic loop trail that winds through bottomland hardwood forest and into the remnants of 18th- and 19th-century rice fields as you discover the site’s rich heritage. Learn about a variety of native plants while exploring their ecological roles, cultural significance, and importance in supporting healthy ecosystems. Discover how plant and animal communities change through ecological succession across diverse landscapes, shaping the biodiversity and resilience of this unique Lowcountry environment.

Please bring drinking water, appropriate outdoor clothing, insect repellent, and sun protection. Bring binoculars and a hand loupe if you have them. The program route is a loop and a few benches are available along the trail route. The program speed is moderately slow to medium. Trails at this park are combination of flat, paved trails and natural, unimproved surfaces.

Activity Level: Moderate (1-3 mile walk on uneven ground) Accessible parking, accessible restrooms, accessible water fountain, and accessible picnic tables are available at this location.

Accessibility: Partial

Bio: Kristina Wheeler is the Natural History Interpretation Specialist for the Charleston County Parks. She has been working professionally as a naturalist along the eastern seaboard for over twenty years, from the Lowcountry of South Carolina down to Belize, Central America. Kristina is an American Canoe Association Level II Coastal Kayak Instructor, SC Statewide Master Naturalist, and National Association for Interpretation Certified Interpretive Guide. Kristina enjoys traveling where she can camp, mountain bike, hike, bird and botanize.

Debbie Seabrook has been a Caw Caw Interpretive Center Operations Aide for 8 years. She is a 2015 Master Naturalist graduate in and is inspired by learning about the Lowcountry and sharing that knowledge.

Field Trip 8: Wildflowers of the Francis Marion National Forest
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Location: Francis Marion National Forest, Awendaw, SC (specific location provided day of field trip)

Join Dr. Richard Porcher, renowned botanist, author, and currently Professor Emeritus at The Citadel, and Jeff Jackson, owner and Naturalist with The Hellhole Naturalist, on a field trip as we caravan to various wildflower hot spots in The Forest and learn not only about the flowers but also the habitats and history that abound there.

The trip will last 3-4 hours. Bring lots of water, bugspray, and sunscreen. Closed toe shoes and long pants highly recommended.

Activity Level: Light (less than 1-mile walk and standing)

Accessibility: Partially

Bio: Jeff Jackson grew up in upper Berkeley County and the Francis Marion National Forest was his playground. A nature lover since childhood, he enjoys sharing this incredible public resource with others through lectures and field trips as The Hell Hole Naturalist. When not doing this, he can often be found scouting for new places and plants to share or kayaking the blackwater creeks and Lake Moultrie.

Field Trip 9: Beidler Forest Foray – Native Plants, Wildlife, and More in an Old-Growth Landscape
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Location:  Francis Beidler Forest Audubon Center and Sanctuary, 336 Sanctuary Road, Harleyville, SC 29448  

The Francis Beidler Forest Audubon Center & Sanctuary includes 1,800 acres of original-growth, cypress-tupelo swamp – the largest habitat of it’s kind in the world! At Beidler Forest, a 1.75-mile, ADA-accessible, elevated boardwalk meanders through this ancient forest, offering a unique opportunity to “step back in time” to what a lot of our river corridors and bottomland forests in South Carolina historically looked like. This walk will be a casual stroll along the boardwalk, as your guide points out unique plants and other wildlife encountered along the way.

Approximately three hours. Participants will be on a flat, elevated surface the entire trip. Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather. Binoculars and/or camera are recommended (a limited supply of binoculars are available for us at the center). Bring water and plenty of snacks. There is a refillable water bottle station at the center, but we do not sell food.

Activity Level:Moderate (1-3 mile walk on uneven ground)

Accessibility: Yes

Bio: Matt Johnson is the Center Director at the Francis Beidler Forest Audubon Center & Sanctuary. A native of South Carolina, Matt grew up in Columbia and attended Clemson University from 2003-2009, earning an undergraduate degree in Wildlife & Fisheries Biology, as well as a Masters in Biological Sciences. Matt started working for Audubon South Carolina in 2013 as the Education Manager at Beidler Forest, where he fell in love with the old-growth swamp, the cypress knees, Prothonotary Warblers and Brown Watersnakes! He became Center Director in 2019 and is carrying on the legacy of environmental education, research, and conservation at Beidler. Matt particularly enjoys leading programs, conducting bird research, and learning more about the cultural history of the land on which Beidler exists today.

Field Trip 10: Nature Walk with Tom Austin at Harrell Family Park
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Location: Harrell Family Park, 4708 Gibson Road, Meggett, SC 29449

Join local naturalist Tom Austin on a nature walk through the newly protected, and now publicly accessible, Harrell Family Park operated by the Town of Meggett, SC. As you weave your way through the property and take in the breathtaking views of Wadmalaw Sound and Oyster House Creek, Tom will highlight and showcase the native plants, birds, butterflies, and other walks of life that call the property home. You’ll also learn more broadly about our natural plant communities, the ecology of the Sea Island ecoregion, historic impacts on the landscape that have changed the greater Charleston Area, and how land conservation benefits everyone and provides for a resilient future for the Lowcountry.

Trip will last 3 hours (or more if desirable to attendees and SCNPS). Participants should dress for full sun, high heat, high humidity, wet ground, snakes, and biting insects. Bring a sun hat, water, and bug repellent. Close-toed shoes are recommended. Bring a camera and binoculars if you’ve got ’em!

Activity Level:Moderate (1-3 mile walk on uneven ground)

Accessibility: No

Bio: Tom Austin is the Director of Land Conservation for the Edisto Island Open Land Trust, where he works to protect what’s left of the ecological integrity of the Lowcountry and preserve the irreplaceable natural splendor of the ACE Basin, one of the last great places on Earth. Off the clock, Tom is also a published author, an independent researcher, a volunteer board member with the SC Association of Naturalist and the Carolina Butterfly Society, an 11th generation Edistonian, and a life-long naturalist. Tom’s a walking, talking encyclopedia when it comes to Lowcountry Flora and Fauna!

Field Trip 11: Native Plant Garden Tour – Building Community & Ecosystem Connectivity
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Location: Area gardens in downtown Charleston (driving tour with logistics provided day of trip)

This field trip features a driving tour to three distinctly different publicly accessible native plant gardens on the upper Charleston peninsula:

1. The sunny and well-drained ‘Just Native Plant Pollinator Garden’ at Mitchell Playground, planted by volunteers in a city park across the street from an elementary school, coordinated by the Green Heart Project and The M.A.R.S.H. Project.
2. The Halsey Creek Headwaters Garden, located on a privately owned street corner; this garden floods with stormwater during rain events and features native plants adapted to wetland and upland habitats; established/maintained by The M.A.R.S.H. Project.
3. A native plant rain garden at Corinne Jones Community Garden, established/maintained by the Charleston Parks Conservancy.

Due to limited street parking near the gardens, participants will be encouraged to carpool, and will rotate among the three gardens in an assigned sequence to provide a high-quality small-group experience. The trip will last 3+ hours. Recommended to wear comfortable shoes, hat, sunscreen, water bottle.

A knowledgeable garden host will be stationed at each garden to provide an introduction to that garden, its history, the native plants growing and flowering there, and pollinators and other wildlife frequently found in that garden.

Participants will also be provided with a map highlighting additional native plant gardens and natural areas available nearby for independent exploration.

Activity Level: Light (less than 1-mile walk and standing)

Accessibility: Partially

Bio: Sharleen Johnson, Founder of Native Plants to the People, LLC (NPTTP),  is the field trip leader. Formally trained as an ecologist and science educator, Sharleen is passionate about helping people learn about and actively engage with the natural world through presentations about native plants and wildlife, pollinator ecology, and sustainable landscaping. One of her primary missions through NPTTP is to increase the local availability of diverse native plants, with an emphasis on cost-effective plugs and smaller pot sizes. Prior to launching NPTTP, Sharleen worked as a marine ecologist for the SC Department of Natural Resources, in non-profit medical research, and as a high school science teacher.

Field Trip 12: Cultivating the Next Generation of Salt Marsh Stewards
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Location: Meet at SCDNR Outdoor Classroom

The From Seeds to Shoreline Program® is South Carolina’s only salt marsh restoration program for K-12 students and educators that empowers educators to cultivate the dominant salt marsh grass, Spartina alterniflora, at their schools before participating in a salt marsh restoration day with their students along the South Carolina coast. During this field trip, we will share more about how the From Seeds to Shoreline program is cultivating the next generation of stewards and discuss S. alterniflora’s role in salt marsh ecosystems. We will begin with an overview of the From Seeds to Shoreline program before spending a majority of our time engaging in hands-on learning about the salt marsh and S. alterniflora through a guided salt marsh walk to an active From Seeds to Shoreline restoration location at S.C. Department of Natural Resources’ campus.

Please come dressed for the weather with sturdy footwear to traverse uneven, sandy (and possibly muddy) ground. We will plan to begin with a short introduction to the program followed by a guided salt marsh walk to the From Seeds to Shoreline® restoration site at the SCDNR property. Please bring a water bottle, sun protection (hat, sunscreen, sunglasses), bug spray, and any medications you may need for the duration of the event. We will spend a maximum of 1.5 hrs together, depending on weather, critters, and interest!

Activity Level:Moderate (1-3 mile walk on uneven ground)

Accessibility: No

Bio: Morgan Treon, Education and Outreach Manager, From Seeds to Shoreline® Program Coordinator

Morgan Treon is the Education and Outreach Manager with the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium where she fosters connections to the environment through standard-aligned marine education programming and teacher training workshops. Morgan additionally serves as the coordinator for the From Seeds to Shoreline Program®, South Carolina’s only salt marsh restoration program for K-12 students and educators.