About Josh Arrants
Josh Arrants speaking about the lessons of being a naturalist at the SC Association of Naturalists 50th Anniversary gala at the South Carolina State Museum
About Josh Arrants
Josh Arrants receiving the 2024 Lindsay Pettus Conservation Award
As a naturalist, Josh has worked in the recovery of the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker, managed birds of prey, and operated MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) stations, with much of his fieldwork conducted on two large military installations in South Carolina. Josh has served on the boards of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation and The Glacier Institute, including a term as Immediate Past President of The Glacier Institute. He has served as an instructor for the South Carolina Wildlife Federation's (SCWF) Palmetto Pro Birder and Master Naturalist programs. Josh is also a certified Master Naturalist in the state of Montana, and has been an instructor for the Glacier Institute across a range of natural history classes. He has also served as a guest Master Naturalist instructor in Texas. A Magna Cum Laude graduate of both Central Carolina Technical College, where he also served as adjunct faculty in the Natural Resources Management Department; and the University of South Carolina. Josh holds degrees in Natural Resources Management and Anthropology.
Josh Arrants on an archaeology dig in the southeastern US
Josh has been fortunate enough to study birds and natural history from California to Virginia and along the gulf coast in Texas, Alabama, and Florida. From saving sea turtle nests on the beaches of Bon Secour NWR following the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill to conducting snake research at Carolina Sandhills NWR, his natural history experience is varied and is not simply limited to ornithology. Sure, he has chased Yellow Warblers beside Niagara Falls and watched as a Golden Eagle soared across a Montana sky, but Josh has also sat with US lawmakers and discussed the need to fund conservation projects that would open up public recreation possibilities and set aside land for the protection of T&E species. As an anthropologist, he has also spent his fair share of time digging for artifacts on archeological digs throughout the Southeast.
Josh Arrants has been described as “a dynamic keynote speaker” and someone “who brings passion and knowledge to connect with his audiences, and who connects listeners to the natural world in a personal and meaningful way.”
Award-Winning Conservation Leadership
Josh Arrants has been incredibly fortunate over his career to not only do what he loves and be a full-time naturalist, but has also been lucky enough to be recognized for his tireless efforts in environmental stewardship, conservation, and natural history education. Among the professional recognitions he has received, these awards stand out:
2024 Lindsay Pettus Conservation Award, given by Katawba Valley Land Trust.
2025 Green Business of the Year, given by the Environmental Education Association of South Carolina.
2014 Outstanding Alumni Award, given by Central Carolina Technical College.
2005 Michael D. Jarrett Outstanding Customer Service Award, given by South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control (now South Carolina Department of Environmental Services) for efforts during the 2005 Graniteville, SC, chlorine spill.
These honors reflect a lifetime and a career dedicated to protecting and conserving natural resources, and to outstanding contributions in environmental education.
If there is one thing about Josh’s Alma Mater, the University of South Carolina, that Arrants Outdoors takes pride in, it is the Carolinian Creed. As stated by the university, it "emphasizes openness and the general principles of civility." The principles of the creed are the defining differences between a Carolinian and just a Gamecock fan. They separate someone who attended the university and took the values of the USC motto, "Emolit mores nec sinit esse feros" (Learning humanizes character and does not permit it to be cruel), to heart from someone that simply puts on a Gamecock hat and goes to a sporting event. The two portions of the Carolinian Creed we like to spotlight are:
I will respect the dignity of all persons.
I will discourage bigotry, while striving to learn from differences in people, ideas, and opinions.
With that in mind, we proudly state that Arrants Outdoors, LLC does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, age, national origin, or sexual orientation.
Speaking about conservation and science as a two-time guest on “Wining About the Weather”, with Mark Heyka, in Missoula, Montana.
Want to know more about our services or request Josh Arrants as a keynote speaker at your event? Follow the link below for more information about threatened and endangered species management, biodiversity surveys, bioacoustics monitoring, and our certified laboratory:
