Children explore nature at weeklong camp

Treks through Kalmia Gardens to discover nature firsthand and hands-on exploration of plants and animals such as turtles, lizards, crickets and other critters are what a Week in the Wild is all about. It’s a week-long camp to give children a lifetime appreciation and curiosity for the wonders of nature.

The week also includes nature walks, nature-based art, small mammal trapping and a hike to the pond in the gardens for a lesson in ecology.

Students in first through sixth grades are exploring Kalmia Gardens this summer with Dan Hill, assistant director of Kalmia Gardens. This is Hill’s second year as the instructor; however, he says the program has been around for a while.

Last Thursday was the Ornithology Day for 18 third- and fourth-graders attending Week in the Wild camp, and a highlight of their day was a visit from Marion County Falconer Mitchell Brantley and his red-tailed hawk, Mad Max, who he trains and uses to hunt. Mad Max is a one-year-old hawk.

A member of the S.C. Falconry Association, Brantley, who is in his third year as a trainer, spoke to the students about birds of prey and the art of falconry.

Brantley told the students there are things they can do to help keep wild animals safe, and one of them is not to throw food from the car window when traveling. The reason being field mice will run out to eat the food, and a hawk might swoop down after a mouse and could get hit by a car in so doing.

Last week was Ellie Fletcher’s first time attending Week in the Wild. She said, “I like everything.” Kelly Cox agreed, “Everything.”

“I like looking in the animal traps,” Hunter Thompson said.

This week the fifth- and sixth-graders round out the camp experience.

Hill said this is the last program in the gardens before school starts.

Other programs held during the year include the Master Gardeners, Junior Master Gardeners, a 4-H program called 4-H20, home school science classes and Junior Trailblazers, an after-school program.

Hill said they also conduct school tours, and in December there is the Christmas Open House and the Christmas Shop.

For the many programs held in the gardens, Hill said they rely greatly on public support through donations. They also apply for grants and charge a small fee for some of the programs. There is a fee for using the gardens and the Hart House for weddings and other events.

Hill, a graduate of Francis Marion University and biology major with an emphasis on ecology, said many things are planned for the coming year at Kalmia Gardens, including a surprise fund-raiser in October.