The official start of summer is upon us, and Clemson Cooperative Extension’s event calendar is full of programming opportunities with more in-person activities being made available. A positive trend continues for our state, with eighty-five percent of the counties in green stages due to low virus incidence rates. As you may remember, I stated in my May 18 email, Clemson Cooperative Extension in-person activities of fifty or fewer participants occurring in counties with green or yellow stages will no longer require approval from Clemson University Administration. However, we must still conduct all in-person events according to the Clemson Cooperative Extension Meetings and Events guidance document. Please consult your District Extension Director and Program Team Director with any questions.
I have two important reminders. First, we have been gradually transitioning into the Extension re-organization outlined in my April 6 email. All changes will be fully in place by July 1, 2021. Secondly, the fiscal year ends on June 30. Please be mindful of any reporting responsibilities that must be addressed and the deadlines to do so. Those who are in charge of collecting fiscal year information have a lot on their plates as it is. Please be considerate of their time and workload. I am so excited that we are moving toward in-person meetings, reopening the offices, and moving more to the new normal. It is important that we stay cautious but that we move our Extension Programs forward. Let’s learn from programming during the pandemic but let’s also remain steadfast to serve the needs of our stakeholders.
In my previous month’s article, I discussed Extension’s involvement in the Power Plant SC program organized by the Floodwater Commission to raise awareness about the importance of trees to human and environmental health, including flood mitigation. I would like to recognize another unique collaboration established to address water resource issues in the state. The Water Resources Program Team is partnering with the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control and the Natural Resources Conservation Division on a new dam ownership program. Many farmers have dams on their properties, and offering a free, self-paced, online course covering inspection and maintenance topics is a great service. I am excited to see this new program take off. The education shared with dam owners is also for the benefit of those who live nearby the dams.
Water is always a critical issue for our state as precipitation amounts continually swing between too much or not enough, and the impacts of climate change become more apparent. Hurricane season recently began, and the NOAA Climate Prediction Center predicts another above-normal Atlantic hurricane season. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the SC Emergency Management Division’s new website, hurricane.sc, and consider utilizing the SC Emergency Manager mobile app. Additionally, people living in the coastal areas should know that this year’s updated SC Hurricane Guide includes new evacuation zones for Berkeley County. We are grateful for those who provide their expertise for these resources that help keep South Carolinians informed and safe. Please share this information for hurricane season with your stakeholders, no matter their location in the state.
Over the past year, we didn’t know what to expect from week to week, nor did we know when to expect it. In South Carolina, the pandemic stages have become much less devastating, but that is not the case everywhere. Please keep in your thoughts those who are grieving from loss and those who are still battling the grip of COVID among their families and communities. If there is anything we’ve learned, it’s that nothing is certain at any stage of a pandemic. The pandemic is far from over; we are still and will be for a long time transitioning through stages.
I want to thank everyone for their diligence in helping us pave the way by adhering to the guidance provided. Let us continue to remain optimistic but vigilant and flexible with any new guidance that might be implemented for whatever reason.
As always, please take good care of yourselves and your families, and thank you for what you do for Clemson Extension.
