The College of Charleston Foundation has received a $1 million grant from the Spaulding-Paolozzi Foundation in support of two field research stations at Dixie Plantation.
Designed to support environmental science research and instruction, the field research stations will accommodate students and faculty from the College’s undergraduate and graduate programs in Environmental Sciences, Biology and Archeology. The field research component establishes a base for generating environmental, sustainability and conservation science, while also preserving the property’s natural splendor. Research conducted at Dixie Plantation will continue to have a profound impact and provide solutions to national environmental challenges such as coastal pollution, water ecology, and sustainability.
“We are grateful for the support of the Spaulding-Paolozzi Foundation,” said College of Charleston President P. George Benson. “This grant will help further efforts by the College to protect and preserve our Lowcountry ecosystem while providing extraordinary research opportunities for our students and faculty.”
Dixie Plantation currently encompasses 881 acres bordering the Stono River and the Intracoastal Waterway, about 17 miles south of Charleston. The former home of John Henry Dick, a naturalist and artist who drew and photographed thousands of birds, the property was donated to the College of Charleston Foundation as part of Dick’s estate. The land comprises a variety of mini-ecosystems, including long-leaf pine habitat, wetlands, marsh, brackish ponds, agricultural lands, and meadows. Dixie Plantation positions the College for national distinction in environmental education and sustainability studies.
The Spaulding-Paolozzi Foundation was founded by Countess Alicia Paolozzi to support efforts concerning 1) the environment 2) the sustainability of agriculture and 3) issues involving the elderly and women.
The mission of the College of Charleston Foundation is to promote programs of education, research, student development, and faculty development for the exclusive benefit of the College of Charleston.
