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The concept of designing and implementing sustainable landscapes for low-income communities grew from collaboration between several community partners and Clemson Univ. It was our desire to research, plan, design, and implement sustainable landscapes for Habitat for Humanity homes. The primary goal of designing for these low-income homes was to design for sustainability. We wanted our plans to promote energy efficiency, water conservation, and low maintenance costs. These implemented principals would help the homeowner drastically cut living costs. The design and implementation of wildlife habitats was also encouraged to promote knowledge and research on environmental issues. In the beginning of our design phase we interviewed our client about her user needs/desires and later presented her with the design. This began the exhibition and education phase of the project. By exhibiting the project we hoped to education the homeowner about the sustainability issues that are pertinent to her case. Our biggest educational outreach program took place during homecoming at Clemson Univ. Partnering with other student organizations and using donated plant material from a local nursery, we constructed gardens and “planted” trees around a Habitat for Humanity house that is built each year during homecoming and later moved by trailer to its final site. We also displayed our designs inside the house and created pamphlets and brochures for visitors to pick up detailing such topics as Butterfly Gardening. Spurred on by the success of this project a web page detailing our community and organizational involvement was created. Our projects have been covered in many newspaper articles, cable TV, and in a video on service learning being produced for national distribution. As a student it has given me and my other student colleagues an opportunity to engage in and acquire valuable hands-on experience in horticulture and environmental education/stewardship all the while providing a much needed public outreach service that assists and partners with community members in order to enhance their personal home environments.

The Wiley-Boone Aviary is a collection of domestic/exotic birds established at the Morgan Poultry Center at Clemson University in the mid-1970s. The area receives 3000 visitors per year, mostly school children. To make the site more aesthetically pleasing and conducive to educational programs, a new design was necessary. The Aviary was selected for redesign as an independent project in Fall 1995. Objectives of the design were: 1) creating an area conducive to housing, attracting, and viewing birds; 2) educating visitors through interactive display areas; 3) creating a bird garden that will attract and educate the public while providing natural food sources, cover, and nesting sites. Plants such as Pyracantha coccinea, Amelanchier arborea, and Juniperus virginiana provide winter berries production and protection from predators. Final plans feature: 1) individual aviary structures for exotic, game, and domestic birds; 2) open habitats for mallards and song birds; and 3) an amphitheater for educational purposes. Project steps include research, site analysis, preliminary design, and final master plan. As part of fund-raising activities, the master plan was displayed at the spring festival of the South Carolina Botanical Garden. This, combined with publications, will stimulate community awareness and participation as we approach the implementation phase of the project in Spring 1997.

The Wiley–Boone Aviary is a collection of domestic/exotic birds established at the Morgan Poulty Center at Clemson Univ. in the mid-1970s. The area receives 3000 visitors per year, mostly school children. To make the site more aesthectically pleasing and conducive to educational programs, a new design was necessary. The Aviary was selected for redesign as an independent project in Fall 1995. Objectives of the design were: 1) creating an area conducive to housing, attracting, and viewing birds; 2) educating visitors through interactive display areas; 3) creating a bird garden that will attract and educate the public while providing natural food sources, cover, and nesting sites. Plants such as Pyracantha coccinea, Amelanchier arborea, and Juniperus virginiana provide winter berries and protection from predators. Final plans feature: 1) individual aviary structures for exotic, game, and domestic birds; 2) open habitats for mallards and song birds; and 3) an amphitheater for educational purposes. Project steps included research, site analysis, preliminary design, and final master plan. As part of fund-raising activities, the master plan was displayed at the spring festival of the South Carolina Botanical Garden. This, combined with publications, will stimulate community awareness and participation as we approach the implementation phase of the project.