Kim Jones

It's a big job, and the public is waiting with bated breath to see
how it will be handled. As the Natural Resources Manager for
the Town of Bluffton, Kim Jones has her hands full-she's been
entrusted with the task of monitoring water quality in the May
River, and managing this important resource for the community at
large. With all the recent controversy surrounding the May, not to
mention the first ever shellfish closure being announced by DHEC, all
we can say to Kim is: good luck and we're pulling for you.

"The May River is the literal and figurative backbone of this
community," said Kim, whose knowledge, experience and optimism
are what equip her to handle this daunting task. "It's part of the fabric
of this place, and everything we do seems to revolve around it."

Growing up in the snow belt of Pennsylvania, Kim knew nothing
of the warm saltwater estuaries that characterize the Lowcountry. But
her early interest in the world around her became the foundation for
the environmental work she would do later on. "I've always been a
science geek," admits Kim, who grew up on a small family farm, and
later became a biology major. "I was the kid with the microscope,
telescope and rock tumbler."

After moving to the Lowcountry, she held a series of jobs that
allowed her to capitalize on her love for nature. Working with such
entities as the Coastal Discovery Museum and Palmetto Bluff
Conservancy, she has gotten to lead children on educational tours,
work with sea turtles and write informative articles about local
flora and fauna. But her current job with the Town gives her the
chance to put her environmental convictions into practice on the
governmental level.

"It's really great to be in a position where I can be involved in the
process of helping to fix problems, or preventing them from happening
in the first place," she said. "So many times, humans try to extract and
separate themselves from nature. But we are a part of nature, and
what goes around comes around."

Besides the recreational boaters, fisherman, kayakers, jet skiers,
swimmers, Sandbar revelers and others who enjoy being on the water,
there are also those who make their living at it. While it may not have
come as a surprise to some, it certainly saddened everyone to hear
that the headwaters of the May River would be closed to shellfish
harvesting on account of fecal coliform contamination. Though Kim
maintains that it is still unclear what has caused this scary situation,
she stresses the role that each individual plays in the health of the
river, and in fact the entire planet.

"We all impact water quality," said Kim. "I don't want to sound
preachy, but the choices we make everyday affect everything: do you
ride your bike or do you drive your car? Do you recycle? Do you plant
with native plants or put in a rain barrel? Do you pick up after your
pet? We all have the idea sometimes of, well, I'm just one person. But
making the right choices can have a big impact."

More than just trying to do the right thing in her personal life, Kim
must bring this eco-consciousness to the workplace everyday. And if
her bright smile and roll-up-your-sleeves attitude are any indication,
she has plenty of hope for the future of the May River.

"It's quite a challenge," she concedes, "but I believe we have good,
knowledgeable people behind us. If there's a political will there-and
I think there is-we can solve this."