Area

The Michaux Conservancy is located on the Navy Yard at Noisette in North Charleston, South Carolina.

Demographics

The area adjacent to the Preserve is about 60 percent African American, predominantly low income and blue collar with higher levels of unemployment than the regional average.

The Schools

Numerous public schools (including three Magnets) are located within two miles of the Preserve. This is the highest concentration of public schools in Charleston County, SC. Many of these schools need to raise test scores; and none of these schools are connected to the Preserve. As a result, we are working with the Charleston County School District to create a “thematic district” focused on the natural sciences.

A Scientific Cluster in Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston County test scores in the sciences are low, yet this county has a large cluster of renowned science-oriented organizations that conduct business here. These agencies include the NOAA Coastal Services Center (on the Navy Yard), SC Sea Grant Consortium, the College of Charleston Grice Marine Laboratory, Fort Johnson Hollings Marine Lab, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control-Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (on the Navy Yard), SC Department of Natural Resources, and Clemson University Restoration Institute, among others.  All are located with in 15-20 minutes drive of Noisette Creek.

Linking these students to universities and organizations focused on sciences will cultivate new interest in the environment and will inspire careers in these fields. Hopefully, they will want to stay and work in the Charleston area.