Keep South Carolina Wild

Month: July 2024

Haig Point on Daufuskie Island Celebrates Certification as a Community Wildlife Habitat

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Haig Point was recently certified as a Community Wildlife Habitat! As the 15th Certified Community Wildlife Habitat in our state, Haig Point has joined over 300 other communities across the nation making a difference for wildlife. Located on the southernmost sea island of South Carolina, the Haig Point Community is set amongst the majestic moss-draped live oaks and pristine beaches of Daufuskie Island. Residents and visitors enjoy the uninterrupted sounds of nature as they travel around the island by electric golf-carts instead of cars, far from the noise of motors, horns, and traffic. This bridgeless island is a unique coastal ecosystem, and once you arrive by boat or ferry, you instantly find out why.










The island is home to a large rookery of nesting egrets and wood storks, and you can spot fox squirrels and white-tailed deer munching on acorns. As a threatened species, loggerhead sea turtles nest along the shores during the summer months. Supporting an abundant diversity of wildlife, insects, plants, and marine life, the wooded areas, lush marshes, and beaches are critical habitats that residents of the island are dedicated to protecting.

Oyster Reef Restoration

Volunteers and community members joined together with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources SCORE (South Carolina Oyster Recycling Enhancement Program) to complete the island’s first oyster reef build in 2017. These living reefs protect the salt marsh and estuaries, while also helping to naturally reverse beach erosion, improve water quality, and create habitat for marine life. After a second build in 2022, healthy waves of spartina grass have established and become a living shoreline, supporting hundreds of species from small invertebrates to blue crabs and redfish.

South Carolina contains half a million acres of salt marsh, more than any of the other Atlantic states, but many coastal residents are concerned about the heavy amount of erosion as tides rise higher with more intense storms. Oyster reefs act as natural barriers against these threats, reducing the amount of shoreline that gets washed away and creating a more resilient coast. The community of Haig Point has constructed three oyster reefs on the island and plans to install more.

Daufuskie Island Turtle Team

About 4 miles long, Daufuskie Island’s beach provides nesting habitat for loggerhead sea turtles. The Daufuskie Turtle Patrol staff must check the tide each morning before venturing onto the beach because at high tide, some areas are impassable. Having experienced heavy erosion, many nesting areas have washed away. Abandoned beach homes have succumbed to the rising tides, and exposed roots from large, dead oak trees make navigating the beach difficult.

The island currently has around 60 nests and several of them started hatching in July. Led by volunteers, the many tasks of the turtle patrol team include documenting turtle tracks seen in the sand, marking nests, and placing protective covering over nests to prevent predators like ghost crabs, racoons, and armadillos from eating the eggs.








An Ocean-front Celebration






The community held a celebration at the Haig Point Beach Club on July 12th with residents and many other stakeholders who were involved with the certification process. Haig Point earned this impressive certification by certifying properties including homes, parks, farms, businesses, and government buildings on the island as Certified Wildlife Habitats. SCWF staff were honored to be a part of the ceremony, and Sara Green, SCWF Executive Director, spoke at the reception. SCWF’s Habitat Education Manager, Savannah Jordan, also spoke and presented the community’s certificate to Don Hunter, CEO of Haig Point. Lauren Hunt, the Brand Manager for Haig Point, oversees communication to its residents through the publishing of community newsletters and posting to social media. Lauren has been integral in the community’s certification, having digitized huge stacks of paper notes written by former habitat team members and promoting events that bring the whole community together to help wildlife. In partnership with the Daufuskie Island Conservancy, Haig Point hosts a biannual Beach Sweep in the spring and fall to help keep litter under control. Free educational events are available to the island’s residents and visitors that engage the community in creating wildlife habitat and protecting special species, including recent presentations on loggerhead sea turtles, salt marsh habitats, manatees, and butterflies.

Haig Point earned the name “Guardian of the Sea” by the Palmetto Ocean Conservancy in 2018 due to the Beach Club’s efforts to eliminate plastic straws, incorporate recyclable and reusable cups, change lights on buildings to LED lighting, and these other “Green Initiatives”:

  • Wood duck and Eastern bluebird boxes placed throughout the community, with annual maintenance and monitoring of bluebird boxes

  • Installation of a demonstration rain garden to encourage the use of native plants in our landscapes and water conservation

  • Nature Trail educational signage throughout in several key areas throughout the property

  • Butterfly gardens and the Welcome Center, Mansion, Beach Club, and Clubhouse

  • Educational table in the Mansion to promote Environmental Committee events as well as educating Members on green practices

  • Recycling receptacles in all areas of property

To learn more about the Community Habitat Program, click here or contact Savannah Jordan at savannah@scwf.org.

Camp Wildwood 2024: Seventy years of inspiring conservationists!

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By Ari Hippensteal, SCWF Community Outreach Manager

Camp Wildwood, a conservation camp founded in 1954, continues through another year of inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards with its steadfast legacy in conservation and associated jobs. This resident-camp provides a vast variety of ways high school students can learn how to engage with the environment- whether that is continuing on with a job through affiliates of the camp such as SCDNR and the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, or simply becoming an advocate for nature in their everyday lives.

Camp Wildwood employs the best staff and counselors and allows its campers to experience a wide range of activities and career roles in ways that inspire an adventurous spirit as they explore the outdoors. From shooting to boating to wildlife, navigation and fisheries, this is a week that serves as a treasured and memorable experience. The activities, while still being incredibly fun to participate in, demonstrate real-life skills and knowledge in topics like Wildlife, Fisheries, Forestry, and Hunter Education.


The camp can be somewhat daunting in the beginning, especially for the first year campers who are in an unfamiliar setting, meeting new people, learning new skills, and navigating some of the longstanding traditions of the camp like singing Taps and kitchen duty for the first time. Campers are assigned to Niches- or assigned groups that become like families, and the bonds and friendships that are made here often carry far beyond the camp. Regardless of whether you are attending as a camper, counselor, or staff; excellence, teamwork, and a passion to be here drives actions.






“It was a privilege to be able to attend this camp and to personally get to know the next generation of environmental advocates as someone that is currently in the field. It was an opportunity I will always appreciate and will continue to hold close to my heart and gather inspiration from as I continue working. There is so much hope for the future. Places like Camp Wildwood show me that things are going to get better, and that there are so many more people across different generations who all care and are working for the same thing.

— Ari Hippensteal, SCWF Community Outreach Manager

The South Carolina Wildlife Federation (SCWF) is a proud sponsor of Camp Wildwood. In addition to SCWF, other sponsors include the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the Garden Club of South Carolina, the Harry Hampton Memorial Wildlife Fund, and South Carolina Parks and Recreation. Camp Wildwood is held annually in June at Kings Mountain State Park and you can find out more information about it by visiting https://www.campwildwoodsc.com/.

Bidding for Wildlife

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You have seen some of the amazing items and packages that are included in this year’s auction, so we wanted to take a moment to share with you WHY it is critical we reach the 2024 Wild Summer Nights Online Auction’s fundraising goal of $100,000.

Project Prothonotary photo by Tim Gray.

Did you hear the recent news that South Carolina is the fastest growing state in the nation? With such amazing wildlife and natural resources, it is no wonder that people are flocking to our beautiful state. It is now more crucial than ever that we work together to protect our state’s resources and wildlife habitats. To address these issues, SCWF must continually increase our efforts and expand our programs.

The proceeds from our auction will allow us to reach new audiences and strive to keep up with the pace of development that impacts the ability for species to thrive and survive in SC.



Beautiful Marsh by Mark Whittaker



Keck teaching a nature class



Jocassee Sunset by Ellen Haynes

All auction proceeds support our mission to conserve and restore wildlife and their habitat through education and advocacy, so get ready to place your bids to support our local wildlife. It’s free to register for the auction; use the link below to register today!

https://www.scwf.org/events/2024-wildsummerauction

Bidding tips:

  • Use the “Watch” feature to keep a close eye on items you’re interested in! Just click the star, or “Watch This Item” button on the items you’re most interested in. Then, you can click the “My Activity” button at the top of the item list to see the current bids on just the ones you want to follow.
  • Set an Auto Bid so you can go outside and enjoy nature! On any item, you can click on “Auto Bid” and enter the highest amount you want to bid. It will then bid against other bidders for you! It will only increase your bid by the next highest increment, and not go over your maximum amount. This is a great way to not stress at the end of the auction about someone outbidding you at the last minute!
  • Remember that all trips or excursions expire 1 year from now, unless otherwise specified. As a courtesy to our generous donors, please do not try to redeem an item past it’s expiration date.
  • If an item can easily be mailed, it will be sent to winning bidders shortly after the auction ends. Information to redeem trips and experiences will be emailed to you – be sure to check your junk folder also. Larger items must be picked up in our office in Columbia. Some limited delivery options may be available, based on the upcoming travels of our staff.
  • Have fun bidding! If you’re bidding with friends, send us a photo to mail@scwf.org and we may feature your group on our social media channels!

Banner Image captions: Jocassee Sunset by Ellen Haynes.

Richland Library of Ballentine Celebrates National Pollinator Week

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Banner image by Melissa Sprenne

The Richland Library of Ballentine recently held a program on pollinators during National Pollinator week that included a presentation on South Carolina’s native pollinators by Savannah Jordan, SCWF’s Habitat Education Manager and a tour of the library’s pollinator gardens. Three native pollinator gardens were installed on Earth Day last year by SCWF staff, community volunteers, and partner organizations to support wildlife and educate local citizens on how to garden for wildlife – read about it here!






While enjoying a slice of cake, attendees learned about the importance of pollinators and the challenges they face in our growing world. They also learned about species such as the Eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly, different types of bees and wasps, and even other pollinators like reptiles, amphibians, and birds that can be found in the gardens. Native plants that can be found in the garden include mountain mint, coral honeysuckle, and whorled tickseed, which are all important food sources for pollinators.










Attendees were given insect identification guides using photos taken by Melissa Sprenne, Library Associate for Richland Library of Ballentine. Melissa has also taught native plant gardening classes to library visitors and holds regular programs to help the community learn more about the native wildlife in the area. Children and adults were excited to find all the species on their ID guide, plus others that haven’t been seen at the gardens before!

Interpretive nature signs accompany each garden and help to educate the thousands of visitors exploring the property. Plans are in the works to offer seeds and cuttings from the gardens in addition to the seed library that contains packets of vegetable, herb, and flower seeds for visitors to take home and plant in their own gardens. The library also has a large collection of books and field guides for those interested in learning more about how to identify insects, native plants, and how to create habitat for pollinators. Check out the library’s website to see their full collection and view upcoming events. The library will hold its first BioBlitz in September, which is a communal citizen-science effort to record as many species within a designated location and time period as possible! Check our events page to sign up for this fun morning looking for critters in the garden with others!

We’ve observed many many customers wandering through the fences and reading the signage – actual reading and not just glancing at them. We added a bench and we have seen customers relaxing out there when it’s not too hot.

— Melissa Sprenne, Richland Library of Ballentine




Groups sue DES over illegal rules for major water withdrawals

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SCWF joined this lawsuit in accordance with our mission to: conserve and restore South Carolina’s wildlife and wildlife habitat through education and advocacy. Help us continue this important work by donating today:

https://www.scwf.org/donate

Groups sue DES over illegal rules for major water withdrawals

Loophole allows removal of all water from rivers

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Today, the Southern Environmental Law Center filed a lawsuit in South Carolina state court against the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services challenging the agency’s “safe yield” rules for large water withdrawals. The DES rules allow major agricultural corporations to remove all the water from rivers and streams across South Carolina. Other state and federal agencies have criticized this loophole.

In the complaint filed on behalf of Friends of the Edisto, American Rivers, and the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, SELC asked the court to strike down the “safe yield” rules because they violate the Surface Water Withdrawal, Permitting, Use, and Reporting Act. This statute requires DES to protect river flows for the people, business, small farms, and endangered wildlife that rely on abundant clean water.

“We asked DES to change its illegal rules and follow the law passed by our elected representatives to protect families, businesses, and wildlife that rely on this water downstream,” said Frank Holleman, Senior Attorney at SELC. “Instead of obeying the law and requiring that our rivers and communities get at least the protections that our state law requires, DES has stuck with illegal rules that allow the complete dewatering of our rivers and streams.”

After SELC filed a petition with DES in November challenging the rules, DES refused to change the rules, resulting in today’s lawsuit.

“There is nothing ‘safe’ about the ‘safe yield’ rules. Just the opposite: they are a blank check for mega farms to completely de-water rivers,” said Hugo Krispyn, the Edisto Riverkeeper. “We are overdue for sensible, sustainable rules that balance everyone’s right to use our rivers and conserve our river ecosystems.”

“DES’s lax water protections draw interstate agriculture operations to South Carolina, where they can drain our rivers for free to the detriment of people and wildlife,” said Sara Green, Executive Director of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation. “The harms will only get worse as population growth and drier, hotter summers further strain our water resources in the coming years.”

“There are ways to sustainably draw from our rivers and leave enough water for swimming, fishing, drinking, farming, and the health of communities and wildlife,” said Peter Raabe, Southeast Regional Director at American Rivers. “Unfortunately, these DES rules put the profit of major agricultural corporations above this greater good.”

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Banner photo credit: Catawba River by Jacque Weir

Story published here:

07/16/24: Legal battle over future of SC’s rivers heats up as state pushes through drought – Post and Courier

07/15/24: Lawsuit accuses state agency of failing to protect rivers as drought grips SC – Rock Hill Herald

07/15/24: Lawsuit accuses state agency of failing to protect rivers as drought grips SC – The State

National Wildlife Federation & Its Affiliates

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SCWF recently had the opportunity to represent South Carolina at the National Wildlife Federation’s Annual Meeting – the largest and oldest gathering of grassroots conservation leaders in the nation.

The South Carolina Wildlife Federation, previously the SC Game & Fish Association (formed in 1931), has been a state affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) since NWF’s inception in 1936. The relationship between NWF and its state affiliates is unique among other conservation organizations because each affiliate functions as a completely separate organization concerning all aspects – finances, programs, policies, board governance, membership, etc. At the same time, NWF relies on the votes of its state affiliates to approve resolutions and elect board members each year during NWF’s Annual Meeting.

Rosemary Martin-Jones represented South Carolina in voting on NWF Policy Resolutions and Board Members.

This year, Rosemary Martin-Jones (SCWF Board Member & Affiliate Representative) and Sara Green (SCWF Executive Director) represented SCWF and South Carolina at the recent NWF Annual Meeting held in Washington, DC. They not only voted on NWF resolutions and board members, but also had the opportunity to sit on committees and interact with colleagues at NWF and other state affiliate organizations. This meeting is always such a great opportunity for SCWF to learn from other affiliates, share our successes and brainstorm new ideas.

Sara Green represented SCWF and South Carolina in the committee on Shark Conservation.

SCWF would also like to congratulate Ron Warnken, NWF’s Director of Conservation Partnerships (who represents affiliates in SC, GA, FL, AL, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands) on winning the federation’s annual Kent Salazar Director of Conservation Partnerships Award! See the news HERE. We truly appreciate all that Ron does to help connect us with NWF staff and other affiliates to help us all work together effectively!

NWF’s Ron Warnken recently won the Kent Salazar Director of Conservation Partnerships award – photo courtesy of NWF

WAIT Partner Update: Renewable Water Resources (ReWa)

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Who is Renewable Water Resources (ReWa)?

ReWa is a wastewater utility that’s served the Upstate since 1925. ReWa cleans and releases 44 million gallons of water daily into area streams and rivers while serving Greenville County and portions of Anderson, Laurens, Pickens and Spartanburg counties. We have nine water resource recovery facilities and more than 430 miles of pipe.

As a WAIT partner, some of our many programs include:

Oyster shell recycling: Since 2017, ReWa has participated in the South Carolina Oyster Recycling and Enhancement (SCORE) program through the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR). ReWa accepts oyster shells recycled by the public on its Mauldin Road campus. Volunteers from ReWa and SCDNR also bring shells from restaurants to the bin. In 2023 and 2024, ReWa employees participated in oyster reef rebuilds with SCDNR staff on Edisto Island. Since 2023, ReWa has assisted in recycling approximately 66,000 pounds of oyster shells that have been returned to the coast. Recycled oyster shells reduce erosion along the state’s coast, provide habitat for aquatic life and lead to more oysters, which improve water quality through filtration.



Photos of oyster shell recycling are courtesy of ReWa.

‘ReWa Gives Back’: ReWa’s commitment to serving and investing in the community is reinforced by the ReWa Gives Back volunteer program. Employees are encouraged to volunteer four hours a year during normal work hours. This supports the community and helps ReWa’s employees better understand the communities we serve while improving the utility’s service. The program fosters a culture of responsibility, community service among employees, teamwork, employee engagement and opportunities for personal development.

 Natural Resource projects/habitat: ReWa’s Mauldin Road Water Resource Recovery Facility is its largest property. It includes wetlands and floodplains for the Reedy River and one of its tributaries, Brushy Creek. The Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail runs through a portion of the property adjacent to the Reedy and it continues downstream into Conestee Nature Preserve. Habitat enhancement on this property includes duck boxes, bluebird boxes and wildlife viewing stations in the wetlands for birders and hikers to enjoy. ReWa has also undertaken streambank enhancement work along stretches of the Reedy River and Brushy Creek to reduce sediment transport.

Photos of habitat improvements and wildlife viewing station are courtesy of ReWa.

 Reuse water: The water treated and released into the environment daily by ReWa is known as effluent. Each year, ReWa uses 3.6 million gallons of effluent for irrigation purposes at its facilities. The utility’s administration building and its Innovation Campus receive the most visitors among the utility’s properties and guests can see educational gardens that are irrigated by the utility’s effluent. ReWa also uses 700 million gallons of effluent per year during the water treatment process.

Litter Prevention: ReWa’s Bandalong™ Litter Trap is in a portion of Brushy Creek on the utility’s Mauldin Road campus. It’s designed to collect an average of 30,000 pounds of floating litter and debris each year to reduce pollution farther downstream. The trap does not affect the hydraulics of the water body, nor does it affect aquatic life or wildlife. ReWa has hosted an annual river sweep since 1998 in portions of the Reedy River and Brushy Creek that flow through the utility’s Mauldin Road campus. It is intended to be held in conjunction with the annual statewide South Carolina Beach Sweep/River Sweep, which is organized by the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium and SCDNR.  In 2023, ReWa’s employees and volunteers removed 3,060 pounds of trash and debris from portions of the Reedy River and Brushy Creek.

Photo is courtesy of ReWa.

Photo of ReWa’s Bandalong™ Litter Trap is courtesy of ReWa.

Watershed & natural resources specialist: ReWa employs a watershed and natural resources specialist, who provides strategic and technical support for the utility’s environmental initiatives and programs related to watershed planning, water quality monitoring and land resource development.

To learn more about ReWa, visit rewaonline.org.

 

Why WAIT?

 

SCWF Partners with conservation-minded businesses throughout the state who want to help wildlife thrive by enhancing their properties and providing educational opportunities for their employees and communities. Read more about the WAIT Program, and how to join here.