Summer education programs - SCFC Tree Country

Our education team had a busy summer working with a variety of groups!

Scouting America

Shelby taught Scouts about “Good Fire vs. Bad Fire.”
The fire demo was interesting to Scouts and adults alike.
Scouts learned about the fire triangle before seeing a demo.
Forestry careers and PPE were among the last topics of the day.
Scouts used the SCFC’s Tree ID Book to identify trees around Harbison’s Environmental Education Center.
Schnabel points out some not-so-ripe persimmons.
A leaf rubbing craft was part of the introduction to tree identification.
Parents and leaders learned about tree identification alongside the Scouts.

Into the Woods Adventure Day badge

Arrow of Light Cub Scouts from across the state joined SCFC education staff at Harbison State Forest’s Environmental Education Center to earn their Arrow of Light – Into the Woods Adventure Day badge during a fun, hands-on educational workshop July 21. ⁠

Scouts explored the complexity of a forest through tree identification, fire ecology lessons and more! They also discovered some of the many resources forests provide to humans and learned that people have a very large part to play in sustaining the health of forests. ⁠

Throughout the morning, Scouts prepared a tree inventory, completed an educational leaf rubbing craft, identified native trees at the state forest, learned how different wildlife species use the forest, explored different forestry-related jobs and watched demonstrations about the effects of fire on the forest.

Merit badge workshop

A large group of 31 Scouts and 10 adult leaders from Scouting America came to Columbia from four councils across North and South Carolina for a forestry merit badge workshop June 17.

During the event, Scouts explored the remarkable complexity of a forest and identified many species of trees and plants and the roles they play in a forest’s life cycle. They also discovered some of the resources forests provide to humans and learned that people have a very large part to play in sustaining the health of forests.

Attendees prepared a field notebook, collected and identified forest trees and experienced the principles of forest management first-hand.

Thank you to SCFC Environmental Education Program Manager Matt Schnabel and Assistant Environmental Education Coordinator Shelby Bentley, who taught Scouts and leaders about:

Forest management
Tree identification
Growth patterns and hazard tree identification & remediation
Forestry careers and education

Scouts identified trees and learned about forest management at Harbison State Forest.
Matt shows Scouts a tree cookie.
Scouts used increment borers to determine tree age.
Matt did a burn demonstration and showed students how to safely put out a fire.
Shelby discussed jobs in forestry.
Scouts worked to identify trees based on their leaves.

Teachers’ Tour

The 2026 South Carolina Sustainable Forestry Teachers’ Tour welcomed more than 20 teachers from around the state who learned about sustainable forest management, conservation efforts and how forestry contributes to the state’s economy and environment though hands-on experiences June 22-26.

This year’s tour took place in the Midlands and kicked off with an immersive learning experience focused on sustainable forestry and natural resource management at Sumter National Forest.

Other stops included a logging site tour with Blake’s Timber, a morning at Mike Meetze’s tree farm in Newberry, a Project Learning Tree workshop and activities, exploring at Joe Adair Center, tours with Beal Lumber Co., West Fraser-Joanna OSB mill and more.

Every year, the South Carolina Sustainable Forestry Teachers’ Tour gives educators a comprehensive overview of SC’s $23 billion forest industry, looking closely at forestry’s economic, environmental and social impact on our state. Teachers learn about sustainable forestry practices, conservation, endangered species, careers in forestry – and more – from the experts. Learn more about Teachers’ Tour.

Facilitator workshops

PLT & Project WILD workshop

A group of 16 formal and non-formal educators from all over the state gathered at Harbison State Forest for a combination Project Learning Tree/Project WILD secondary education workshop July 12.

Facilitated by SC PLT coordinators Matt Schnabel Shelby Bentley, SC Project WILD State Coordinator Beth Foley and Nick Walker from Lexington Soil and Water Conservation District, this workshop provided training for two new secondary activity guides: Project Learning Tree’s “Forests, Water, & People” and SC Project WILD’s “Climate & Wildlife.”

Educators practiced watershed mapping and modeling as well as wildlife population graphing during group activities, then brainstormed ideas for applying these environmental education concepts and lessons in their classrooms/workplaces.

Triple facilitator refresher and reunion

SCFC education staff and PLT coordinators hosted a Triple Facilitator Refresher workshop with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Greenville County Soil & Water Conservation District with facilitators from around the state. The group gathered at Congaree Bluffs Heritage Preserve in St. Matthews for hands-on training in a few creative activities July 29.

The day started off with a presentation by SCDNR biologist Hunter Young, who talked about wildlife management at Congaree Bluffs HP. The group then saw some of the topics discussed while on a short, educational hike around the property.

Project Learning Tree State Coordinator Matt Schnabel and Asst. State Coordinator Shelby Bentley walked facilitators through PLT’s new Forests, Water & People guide with the activity “From Tap Root to Tap Water.”

South Carolina Project WILD State Coordinator Beth Foley and Facilitator Ari Hippensteal led facilitators through a creative animal track activity called “CSI: Critter Scene Investigation.”

Project WET Facilitator Kendal Juell capped off the day by leading an activity called “In the Zone.”

PLT’s “From Tap Root to Tap Water” taught facilitators about how variables such as trees, cities and landscape affect watersheds.
Project WILD’s “CSI: Critter Scene Investigation” allowed facilitators to get creative with animal track stamps and paint.
Facilitators from around the state enjoyed catching up at the beautiful nature preserve.
Project WET’s “In the Zone” was the last activity for the day.

Camp program at Conestee

SCFC education staff members Shelby Bentley and Matt Schnabel led a program about wildfire, prescribed fires and fire safety for campers at Conestee Nature Preserve in Greenville July 6. The program was part of an entire week during which campers learned about fire ecology and how it can be used as a forest management tool.

Additional lessons included came from the “Living with Fire” Project Learning Tree activity and were led by Lake Conestee staff members Sarah Whitmire and Jim Groener.

SC Association of Ag Educators Conference

SCFC education staff provided a workshop on Project Learning Tree’s Teaching with i-Tree secondary education guide at the annual South Carolina Association of Agricultural Educators Conference at the Woolard Technology Center in Camden July 16.

Ten secondary agricultural education teachers gained experience identifying and measuring trees for application in i-Tree, a software created by a cooperative initiative with the U.S. Forest Service and the Davey Tree Expert Company.

The software, when used by teachers in conjunction with Project Learning Tree’s comprehensive correlated activity guide, allows students to calculate the dollar value of the trees around their homes, schools and/or work buildings based on the ecosystem services they provide. Equipping our agricultural educators with these tools will provide SC students with greater opportunities to appreciate the trees around them, learn more about forest-sector jobs, and advocate for forests wherever they go.

Teachers participating in this workshop also had the opportunity to learn how to pace off a chain, measure DBH, use a clinometer to measure tree height and use a Biltmore stick to measure merchantable height.