The South Carolina Waterfowl Association (SCWA) and its newly formed Outdoor Heritage Institute (OHI) program was featured on the national stage last week as Founder and CEO David Wielicki delivered a presentation at the Safari Club International Convention in Nashville.
Wielicki addressed attendees on the passage and implementation of the South Carolina Conservation Education Act, a national model for attaining conservation literacy. His presentation focused on the importance of hands-on outdoor and classroom natural resource conservation education designed to help improve the mental and physical health of our youth while helping to attain conservation literacy among the majority of US citizens.
"The future of our Outdoor Heritage depends on education," said Wielicki. "If we expect the next generation to value the conservation of our natural resources and our outdoor heritage, we must intentionally teach them how the sustainable scientific management of our natural resources works and why it matters. Every problem we face in passing on our outdoor heritage to the next generation comes back to the fact that only 5% of US citizens have attained conservation literacy."
SCWA's education initiatives, including Camp Leopold and its statewide school-based programming, were highlighted as practical examples of conservation education in action. These programs combine classroom instruction with immersive outdoor experiences to build both knowledge and responsibility among students.
The presentation underscored how conservation education strengthens not only ecological understanding but also youth mental and physical health, civic responsibility, workforce development, and long-term stewardship of natural resources. Attendees from across the country engaged in discussion about replicating similar legislation and programs in their own states.
The South Carolina Waterfowl Association remains committed to enhancing and perpetuating South Carolina's wildlife heritage through education and habitat conservation. By pairing legislative progress with boots-on-the-ground programming, SCWA continues to advance a comprehensive approach to conservation that begins in the classroom and extends into lifelong stewardship.
For more information about SCWA's conservation education programs, visit www.scwa.org.
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