Our Story

Pachamama Preserve is a community-rooted conservation and outdoor education space located on Johns Island, South Carolina. Founded in response to the rapid loss of accessible green space and increasing development pressures throughout the Lowcountry, the preserve exists to protect land while reconnecting children, families, and communities with the natural world.

We believe gardens are more than places to grow food — they are living classrooms, ecological refuges, and gathering spaces where people can develop meaningful relationships with the land, with one another, and with the future of their communities.

Our Mission

Pachamama Preserve is dedicated to:

• Protecting and stewarding ecologically significant land

• Expanding access to nature-based education for children and families

• Restoring native habitat and supporting biodiversity

• Cultivating regenerative gardens and food resilience

• Creating community spaces rooted in conservation, learning, and connection

What We Do

Nature-Based Children’s Education

Through initiatives such as The Little Root School and Herbal Explorers, children participate in hands-on outdoor learning experiences focused on:

• Gardening and food cultivation

• Plant identification and herbal education

• Ecological literacy and conservation

• Pollinator habitat restoration

• Seasonal and nature-based learning

• Practical life skills and environmental stewardship

Conservation & Ecological Stewardship

We actively steward the land through:

• Native and medicinal plant cultivation

• Pollinator habitat restoration

• Regenerative gardening practices

• Soil and water stewardship

• Biodiversity preservation

• Long-term land care and restoration efforts

Community Food Resilience

Pachamama Preserve supports healthier local food systems through:

• Community gardens

• Shared harvests and fresh produce access

• Educational food-growing initiatives

• Intergenerational gardening opportunities

• Community volunteer days and gatherings

Our Impact

Since our founding, Pachamama Preserve has:

• Stewarded and restored 14 acres of land

• Hosted children’s educational programming and community gatherings

• Developed gardens focused on food access and ecological education

• Engaged families in hands-on stewardship of the land

• Expanded pollinator and medicinal plant habitats

• Built partnerships with educators, herbalists, conservation advocates, and local families

Our Vision

We envision a future where protected community green spaces serve as centers for:

• Ecological education

• Conservation and biodiversity restoration

• Food resilience

• Intergenerational connection

• Community wellbeing and stewardship

Pachamama Preserve is committed to cultivating spaces where both people and ecosystems can thrive together.