Two University of South Carolina Upstate staff members were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream program during its annual Confluence Volunteer Conference, March 24-25, 2017.

Dr. Jack Turner, director of the Watershed Ecology Center, and Beth Button, adult education outreach coordinator for the center, received the Beyond Borders Award. The award is presented each year to individuals who participate in the Adopt-A-Stream program in an adjacent state.

As part of their contributions to the program, Turner and Button, along with other volunteers have been monitoring at least 20 sites on streams throughout Spartanburg County.

“It’s been rewarding to see the difference that we have already made in our community,” Turner said. “We’ve been able to identify a problem and then to notify the appropriate people to have things cleaned up. Our work is important for the long-term life of our community.”

Turner founded the University’s Watershed Ecology Center in 1999. Turner’s vision for the center includes scientific research on the watershed ecology of the region, community outreach and educational programming for local schools. The center is privately funded and is supported by local businesses, water utilities, and grants.