First Photograph: Visit from Flat Rock Kudzu Committee and Spartanburg Herald-Journal. August 2005. Second Photograph: Visit to SE-EPPC Annual Symposium at Raleigh, NC. May 2006.

Image Image

First Photograph: Visit to Flat Rock Kudzu Committee at Flat Rock, NC. June 2006. Second Photograph: Visit from Sumter National Forest and Student Conservation Association. August 2006.

Image Image

First Photograph: Visit to Flat Rock Kudzu Committee at Flat Rock, NC. June 2006. Center Photograph: Visit from Sumter National Forest and Student Conservation Association. August 2006. Second Photograph: Bill Stringer, President, South Carolina Native Plant Society, Norris, SC. July 2007.

Image Image Image

The purpose of the Coalition is to inform and educate individuals, and organizations, that are interested in confronting the threat that kudzu presents to their community beautification investments. Our message is simple: Kudzu is a big problem, but there are ways to contain it, or push it back, or eliminate it, without using chemicals. It is not necessary to "spray and pray", or do deep digging to remove large kudzu roots.

In the list below the red asterisk * indicates that an individual is a member of the Coalition Board of Directors.

  1. Garden Clubs (Viewed Entire Coalition Presentation): Participating
    1. Spartanburg Men's Garden Club: Linda McHam (President), Lou Adams, Barbara Daniels*, Dianne Fergusson*, Newt Hardie*, Everette Lineberger, Steve Patton*, Paul Savko*
    2. Master Gardeners of the Piedmont: Joe Maple, Lou Adams, Barbara Daniels*, Dianne Fergusson*, Newt Hardie*, Paul Savko*
    3. Home & Garden Club: Mrs. Alfred New
  2. City & County: Participating
    1. Chamber of Commerce: David Cordeau (President & CEO)
    2. City Planning Commission: Ricky Richardson (Chair)
    3. City of Spartanburg: Bill Barnet, Mark Scott, Steve Raff, Douglas Jones*, Susan Schneider
    4. City of Spartanburg Code Enforcement: Buddy Bush, Kay Byrnes
    5. Hub City Farmers' Market: Jenny Osterman
    6. Spartanburg Convention Bureau: Jules Bryant, Erin Lambright, Nikki Harris
    7. Spartanburg County: Glenn Breed, Mike Garrett, Jeff Caton (Parks & Recreation)
    8. Spartanburg County Public Libraries: Winnie Walsh, Susan Wetter
    9. Spartanburg Events Team: Darryl Goodwin
    10. Spartanburg Water District: Rebecca West
    11. Spartanburg Youth Corps: Lisa Gosnell
  3. State & Federal: Participating
    1. Dr. Jim Aitken: Composed Herbicide Manual for DOT (Consultant)
    2. Clemson Extension Service (Spartanburg): Andy Rollins, Kim Dillard
    3. SC DOT: Fred Fleming, Tony Dill
    4. SC USDA NRCS (Spartanburg): Charles Banks
  4. Spartanburg Beautification & Environmental Groups & Agencies: Participating
    1. Glenn Springs Preservation Society: Marguret Burnette
    2. Graffiti Group: Brian Hammond
    3. Hatcher Horticultural Garden and Nature Preserve: Joe Mullinax
    4. "Lost Acres", Wildlife Action, Inc. Upstate Chapter: Kathleen Elam
    5. Native Plant Society: Dr. Merike Tamm
    6. Palmetto Conservation: George Fields
    7. Palmetto Trails: Mike Fields
    8. Piedmont Audubon Society: Lyle Campbell
    9. Preservation Trust: Kristi Webb, Rebecca Parris
    10. Pride Task Force: Celia Cooksey, Patrick Armstrong
    11. Spartanburg Area Conservancy (SPACE): Mary Walter (Executive Director), Steve Patton*, Ed Griffin, Fred Parrish
    12. Upstate Forever: Angela Viney (Executive Director)
    13. YMCA: Scott Sandor
  5. Neigborhood Associations: Participating
    1. Converse Heights: Merike Tamm*, Dr. Doug Rayner
    2. Cornerstone: Willie Mae Thacker (President), Bea Hill (Captain)
    3. Duncan Park: Peggy Romine, Rich Procter
    4. Highland: Sondra Rice, Rev. Wilbert McHam, Leroy Jeter
    5. Londonderry: Marlen Kuszmaul, Henry Grimsley, Jack Klein
    6. Woodland Heights: W.C. Bain
  6. Businesses: Participating/Contacted
    1. Beacon: Kenny Church
    2. Bishop Lawn & Landscape, LLC: Craig Bishop
    3. Creek Golf Club: Mike Byce
    4. Duke Energy: George Acker (General Manager)
    5. Grace Management: Dodd & Bob Caldwell
    6. Little River Roasting Co.: Gervais Hollowell
    7. MAACO: Ken Culver
    8. Milliken & Co.: Roger Milliken, Stewart Winslow
    9. Norfolk & Southern Railroad: Calvin Meeks (Track Supervisor)
    10. Only Honda: Jim Brady
    11. Piedmont Natural Gas: Mike Perry
    12. Spartan Photo Center: Mike Wojcik
  7. Nonprofit Agencies: Participating
    1. Children's Advocacy Center of Spartanburg: Bill Herrick
    2. Glenn Springs Academy: Mike Raney, Kyle Boyle
    3. Habitat for Humanity: Sharon McFalls, Kim Dillard
    4. Hub-Bub Writers: Betsy Teeter
    5. Mary Black Foundation: Philip Belcher
    6. SAFE Homes – Rape Crisis Coalition: Lynn Hawkins
    7. Spartanburg County Foundation: Mary Thomas
    8. Spartanburg Children's Shelter: Sylvia Stahley
    9. Spartanburg Humane Society: Lisa Cook
    10. United Way of the Piedmont: Kathy Dunleavy, Chris Steed
  8. Community Minded Individuals: Participating
    1. In Memoriam, Hans Balmer: Pride Task Force
    2. Martha Chapman: Inspiration and Role Model
    3. Charles Godfrey: Landscape Architect
    4. Tracy Hannah: Pride Task Force
    5. Beatrice Hill*: Author & Teacher
    6. Henry Pittman: Inspiration, Role Model, Charter Board Member
    7. Jack Rutter: Humorist and Volunteer, Judge at Juvenile Court
    8. Bill Strickland: Legal Advice
  9. Herbicide Application Contractors, and Other Companies Offering Prevention Methods: Contacted
    1. DowAgro: Travis Rogers
    2. Forestry Unlimited: Joel Cox (Herbicide Work for Johnson Development)
    3. Goat Farmer: Harold Melton
    4. Helena: Tommy Eubanks
    5. Sod Father: Charles R. Reid
  10. Colleges & Universities & Experts: Participating
    1. Clemson University: Dr. Pat Layton, Dr. Bill Stringer
    2. Greenville Technical College: Joy Finch (Environmental & Safety Training)
    3. Spartanburg Community College: Dr. Dan Terune President
    4. USC Upstate: Dr. Gillian Newberry* (Curator of USC Upstate Herbarium and Peters Creek Preserve)
    5. Wofford College: Dr. Doug Rayner
    6. Juanitta Baldwin
    7. Nancy Basket
    8. Edith Edwards
  11. High Schools: Participating
    1. Broome High School: Dr. Vernon Prosser (Principal), Pam Peeler
    2. Chapman High School: Dr. Ron Garner Principal, Tina Gragg, Jessica Gaddy
    3. Spartanburg Day School: Marcel Gauthier (Head of UpperSchool), Allyn Steele (Advisor), Rob Jordan (Student Captain)
    4. Spartanburg High School: Rodney Graves (Principal), Mary Brito, Steve Eargley, Colonel Kilcawley, Anne Moore, Robin Parsons, Rob Wilder
  12. Civic Clubs: Participating
    1. Piedmont Sertoma
    2. Breakfast Civitan
    3. Rotary Club, Spartanburg, SC
    4. Rotary Club, Union, SC
  13. Cities: Participating
    1. Greenville, SC, County Education: Becky Wooten
    2. Flat Rock, NC: Jim Holmes (Chairman, Flat Rock Kudzu Commitee)
  14. Preserves/Parks/Invasives Fighters: Participating
    1. Conestee Nature Park, Greenville, SC: Dr. Jeff Beacham, Jim Gossett
    2. Department of Natural Resources: Mary Bunch, Pendleton, SC
    3. Friends of Reedy River, Greenville, SC: Dan Trout (Executive Director)
    4. Musgrove Mill State Historic Site, SC Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism: Frank Stovall
    5. National Biological Lab, ARS, Stoneville, MS: Dr. Bob Zablotowicz, Dr. Mark Weaver, Dr. Doug Boyette, Dr. Charles Bryson
    6. The Nature Conservancy, Saluda, NC
    7. The Nature Conservancy, Bat Cave, NC: Michele Polino, Allison Kiehl
    8. NC Arboretum, Asheville, NC: Margaret Kosco
    9. Peters Creek Preserve, Spartanburg, SC: Dr. Gill Newberry*
    10. Rose Hill Historic Park, Union, SC: Casey Connell, Mary Morrison
    11. SC Native Plant Society: Dr. Bill Stringer
    12. SC-EPPC: Jim Brubaker, Robin Mackie, Matt Nespeca
    13. SE-EPPC: Dr. Jim Miller, Auburn, AL
    14. Sumter National Forest & Student Conservation Association: Robin Mackie, Mary Morrison
    15. Upstate Forever, Greenville, SC: Brad Wyche (Director)

Fighting Kudzu and "Spots of Embarrassment"!

Please read our disclaimer.