4C.MOULTRIE NEWS ___________________________________ www.moultrienews.

com ___________________________ Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Conservation comes naturally to DeGarady

founded in 1951, works in more than 30 countries and all 50 states, with a state office in Columbia and a satellite office in Greenville. DeGarady is among 12 Charleston employees who focus on land management, research and the protection of native species. Basically Im involved in conservation work that helps protect places of biodiversity, she said. DeGarady supervises three staff members and PHOTOS PROVIDED specializes in forest manCollette DeGarady volunteers in the Hampton Park agement and restoration, greenhouse. invasive plant species management, and rare flora and BY DORA D. HARTSELL At Southern Illinois, she fauna studies. MOULTRIE NEWS dove deeper into her study Away from work, Deof animals by pursuing a Garady finds other ways to olette DeGarady of masters degree in zoology. protect and provide healthy Mount Pleasant beBetween degrees, she habitats. lieves her evolution was employed in a variety She is the organizer of the from animal lover to conser- of roles. She worked as a twice-annual Native Plant vationist is only natural. veterinary technician for a Sale, a collaborative effort I was originally interGoose Creek clinic. She par- by the Lowcountry Chapested in working with ticipated in an array of field ter of the S.C. Native Plant animals, said DeGarady, studies involving fawns, yel- Society and Charles Towne senior conservation ecololow warblers, red-cockaded Landing, the host site for gist at The Nature Conserwoodpeckers, sea turtles the Oct. 22 event. vancy. If you enjoy working and amphibians. Were trying to promote with animals, you have to She also lived in France native plant landscaping, protect their habitats. for one year, and worked A graduate of Stratford throughout the state and High School in Goose Creek, the southeast. DeGarady focused mainly For the past eight years, on fish and feathered and DeGarady has worked in furry creatures in college the Charleston office of The and graduate school. Nature Conservancy, one As an undergrad at of the largest non-profit Clemson, she majored in conservation organizations aquaculture, fisheries and in the world. wildlife biology. The Nature Conservancy, DeGarady said. When gardeners grow plant species native to South Carolina instead of planting non-native species, they help provide healthier habitats for wildlife and insects, she said. Everybody wants something that looks good and is low maintenance, she said. The plant sale is the ideal place for green thumbs to acquire plants and information about native species, including sweet grass, spartina, little blue stems and the honeysuckle vines which tend to attract butterflies. DeGarady also serves as treasurer and membership chair of the South Carolina Exotic Pest Plant Council, which coordinates and provides research about invasive plant species. Her involvement in the community has allowed her to travel overseas through the Rotary Foundations Group Study Exchange program. While serving as a vocational ambassador overseas, DeGarady learned about agricultural development in

Collette DeGarady is seen here with her family, hiking at Mepkin Abbey last November. England. There, a smaller percentage of land is designated as forest land than in the U.S., where we have a balance of agricultural and forested lands, she said. At home, DeGarady and her husband, Tom Johnson, have been preparing a fruit and vegetable garden comprised of lettuce, winter greens, herbs, blueberry bushes, pomegranate and citrus trees. They also take special care of a set of active, 18-monthold twins, and their family pets: a dog they call Bogey and a tortoise named Moe. The twins, it seems, are following in their mothers nature-loving footsteps. They love to be outside, and they love the beach, DeGarady said. They love to dig in the mulch around the plant beds and bury the tortoise in it.

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