This Land Is Your Land: Parks and Public Spaces

The Infamous Inhabitants

Rudy Mancke showing off a silver haired bat.

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<p>With the advent of technology and how it affects our everyday lives, it is sometimes difficult to see our connection to the natural world. As stewards of the environment, we need to step outside of the office and reconnect to nature so that we can better understand and to see the effects of our actions on our environment. To truly understand and respect the environment, we need to see ourselves as part of nature, not above nature.  Learning about nature can come from books, museums, and exhibits, but also from directly experiencing the natural environment. Uniquely, parks encompass all of these things and more—the first visit is the key.</p>

Wildlife and People

Building the Parks

Interpretation of Parks

Landscapes

Protecting the Parks

Stewards of the Parks

<p>Park rangers perform a variety of duties, and one of those is educating the public about our natural world. Expert volunteers who have spent their life studying wildlife and working for its protection are also contributors to the education of the public. They provide visitors with the knowledge and tools they need to appropriately interact with plants and animals, so that they may continue to enjoy the outdoors and come back for more.</p>

Turtle with a moth on its leg, Congaree National Park, South Carolina.

Naturalist Rudy Mancke holding up a turtle with a moth sitting on its leg. 

http://purl.clemson.edu/EDFCBA01FA5B76F1DBD39F52E7F6BC66

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Fran Rametta, the first and longest serving ranger-naturalist in Congaree National Park.

http://purl.clemson.edu/302FC963CE01C65B2AA123CE89469345

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This Land Is Your Land: Parks and Public Spaces

Enjoyment and Respect Through Education

Enjoyment and Respect Through Education