Jaclin DuRant poses with a grasshopper while teaching an Urban Naturalist class at A J Whittenberg.
Who is the Livability Educator?
The Livability Educator, Jaclin DuRant, works with students in AJ Whittenberg Elementary School's classrooms, the City of Greenville’s Community Centers, camps, afterschool educational programs, as well as with neighborhood residents.
Drawing from her background in Conservation Ecology and Sustainable Development, Jaclin is developing and implementing educational programming that will engage the city’s youth and adults alike in lessons and discussions on their connection with the built, natural, and social environment.
Urban Naturalist: Spring 2012
The Urban Naturalist Program
Created by the Livability Educator for the City of Greenville, the Urban Naturalist Program is a set of lesson
plans, background information, handouts and materials designed to provide students with the tools to develop a
closer connection to nature in the urban environment.
Download the Urban Naturalist Program teacher’s guide and supplemental
materials.
Butterfly sun catcher made from a plastic bottle. Page 26-27 of the Green Craft Challenge Booklet.
The Green Craft Challenge Booklet
An important part of developing sustainable communities, businesses, and lifestyles
is reducing the amount of waste that we create. But, waste reduction can be a confusing
topic. The Green Craft Challenge Booklet was developed by the Livability Educator
to provide tools for parents and educators to engage students of all ages in discussions
and problem solving related to their impact on the waste stream.
The Green Craft Challenge booklet is 28 pages of fun craft activities using materials
that may otherwise be thrown in the trash. The crafts are paired with information
about the waste stream and challenges designed to encourage out-of-the-box thinking.
Download the Green Craft Challenge Booklet and get started crafting!
A Hawk Surveys Falls Park
A Walk in the Woods
Healthy natural areas provide a wide variety of ecosystem functions that are essential
for our growth and development, from clean air and water to recreation and natural
resources. The upstate of South Carolina is an amazingly diverse area with a wide
range of natural areas open to the public. Livability educator Jaclin DuRant believes
a simple nature hike is
a great way to stay healthy while developing an appreciation of the connections
between ourselves and the natural environment.
Through the photo-journal series Walk in the Woods you can join Jaclin as she
explores trails in parks, heritage preserves, and other natural areas in the upstate
of South Carolina. The goal of the series is to highlight the connections that people
have to the natural environment through discussion, fun facts about natural resources,
and beautiful images. Along the way, she will introduce some of the wide diversity
of plants, animals, and ecosystems that are available for your enjoyment in the
upstate of South Carolina.
Read A Walk in the Woods