Richland County is giving residents a chance to watch, learn and win prizes during a virtual event centered on gardening and conservation.
The Winter Garden Watch Party will feature conservation experts and videos from the County’s Watch and Learn series to advise residents on what they can do now, during winter months, to prepare their yards and gardens for the spring.
The free watch party will start at noon January 27 via Zoom. To register, visit www.richlandcountysc.gov.
Participants will have a chance to win door prizes and ask questions of the County’s experts throughout the event, which is limited to the first 100 registrants.
“My colleagues and I are excited to share several tips and techniques home gardeners can use to be better stewards of the planet,” said Chanda Cooper, conservation education analyst for the Richland County Conservation Division and the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD).
“I hope every participant learns something new about ways to conserve natural resources in our own backyards,” Cooper said.
Other panelists for the watch party will be:
• Anne Marie Johnson, pollinator garden manager for the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District
• Syndi Castelluccio, recycling coordinator for Richland County Solid Waste and Recycling
• Chenille Williams, education program coordinator for Richland County Stormwater Management
With County facilities closed because of COVID-19, the Watch and Learn video series gives residents a chance to connect with County staff online from the comfort of their homes. The series kicked off last August in conjunction with SWCD’s efforts to rehabilitate, expand and maintain an existing demonstration area at Pinewood Lake Park in Southeast Richland.
That area, refashioned as a pollinator garden, is helping the County and SWCD provide technical assistance with pollinator conservation to educators, small farmers, and home and community gardeners.
