Three fathers cleaned a creek for their kids; 50 neighbours joined the cause

Image: Charleston Magazine Three new fathers in Charleston, South Carolina, wanted their children to grow up with a closer connection to nature. Their answer was to start with a neglected tidal creek near their homes, where rubbish had accumulated and the surrounding wetland faced pressure from development and urban runoff. In 2022, Joel Caldwell, Blake Scott and Blake Suárez organised a neighbourhood clean-up, expecting only a small group of volunteers. Instead, around 50 people turned up. The response encouraged the friends to expand their efforts beyond collecting rubbish. Through their initiative, known as the M.A.R.S.H. Project, they began protecting marshland, planting native vegetation, involving students in environmental monitoring and encouraging residents to care for Charleston's natural habitats.How three new South Carolina fathers started a conservation movementThe friends established the Marsh Appreciation and Restoration Society for Happiness, abbreviated as the M.A.R.S.H. Project, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Caldwell is a photographer and writer, Scott is a historian and international studies professor at the College of Charleston, and Suárez is a graphic designer....