The Butler Conservation Outdoor Education Program
Providing inspiring outdoor experiences for students and families
Butler Conservation (BC) values the education of younger generations as a critical element in the long-term protection of natural ecosystems. Often children living close to the wonders of the natural environment have little or no direct exposure to it.
Butler Conservation created the Outdoor Education Program (BCOEP) in 2012 to provide educational and recreational opportunities, often free of charge, for students grades 6-12 and their families.
Working with schools, teachers, and parents, the BCOEP spring and fall programming offer aerobic exercise and environmental education through kayaking excursions on the Black River. The Cypress Preserve partners with a local outfitter company, Coastal Expeditions, that has highly-qualified staff with extensive experience and local knowledge.
BCOEPs involve intensive hands-on learning, teaching conservation, and environmental stewardship through immersion in the ecology, history, and natural beauty of South Carolina’s Lowcountry. BCOEP guides are trained naturalists with certifications in kayaking, first aid, and lifeguarding. Participants embark on a four-hour kayaking adventure that combines local history, environmental education, and teambuilding. Since its inception, more than 13,000 students have taken part in BCOEP field trips in the Charleston area and on the Black River.
Contact us for more information about the BCOEP program.