The Duke Energy Foundation has awarded a $3,500 Trees, Trails, and Trash grant to Nature as Teacher Preserve through KC Trails, a newly designated 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The grant will fund the development and installation of interactive and educational trail signs across the Hardscramble property in Camden, SC, known as Nature as Teacher Preserve, the Margaret H. Lloyd SmartState Endowment at Clemson University.
The signs will debut along the Bunny Trail, introducing guests to the preserve and showcasing a detailed map of the property’s diverse ecosystems, including the floodplain forests, longleaf pine stand, Camp Creek, the pocosin forest, and the river bluff. This signage project directly supports Nature as Teacher’s mission: to connect communities to nature through environmental education for all ages. In addition to educating the public, the project serves as a valuable hands-on learning experience for students at Woolard Technology Center. Students from the graphic design and carpentry programs will design, construct, and install the trail signs. This collaborative effort offers students practical career training while supporting environmental education and community engagement.