Keep South Carolina Wild

Month: August 2024

Irmo Middle School wins award for environmental education!

Posted on by admin

Irmo Middle School, in Lexington-Richland 5 School District, earned their third superlative award as the 2024 Conserve School of the Year (2024). The school has a green house and a monarch butterfly garden. Last year they were named a Restore School of the Year and in 2019 were named they were named the Overall School of the Year.

“It’s an incredible honor to be named the 2024 Conserve School of the Year,” Irmo Middle School Principal Mansa Joseph said. “This recognition is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and passion of amazing teachers and students. We continue to be committed to nurturing a deep connection with nature and fostering environmental stewardship in our students. Together, we will continue to inspire future generations to lead with a sense of responsibility and care for our planet. Thank you for believing in our mission and supporting our journey toward a more sustainable future. Our goal is that we continue to believe, collaborate and be consistent towards our vision.”

The Green Steps program encourages individual schools in South Carolina to take annual steps toward becoming more environmentally responsible. Developed by Keep the Midlands Beautiful (KMB), Sonoco Recycling (SR) and DHEC’s Office of Recycling, Green Steps began in the 2003-2004 school year with seven Midlands school participating. To compete, schools need to document model quality projects for all of the following:

·         Conserve projects include smart energy use and saving natural resources by reducing, reusing and recycling.

·         Protect projects improve air and water quality.

·         Restore projects enhance soil and habitat.

POWR + Shooting Experience

Posted on by admin

Our POWR+ Shooting Experience participants had an incredible day at DNR’s Wateree Range in Eastover on Monday, August 19th! The participants were welcomed by BeBe Dalton Harrison, SCWF’s Director of Education. Before heading to the range, the day started with a thorough safety talk by the SCDNR officers.


The class split into two groups of four and headed out to try riflery or shotgun. At the riflery range, each participant had the opportunity to shoot three riffles. The officers were provided instruction on how to use each gun and were patient and knowledgeable instructors.






After the first shooting session, the participants headed back to the classroom to gather for lunch and a presentation by SCWF’s Habitat Education Manager, Savannah Jordan. She covered wildlife that can be seen on the range such as woodpeckers, snakes, and even songbirds. And, there is more to see than you might expect! For example, this beautiful indigo bunting was on the riflery range before the shooting started for the day.

Image Credit: Indigo Bunting by Savannah Jordan.


After the lunch break, the two groups switched. Those who shot rifles in the morning, got to move to shotguns in the afternoon and vice versa. Check out these photos of ladies shooting at clay targets!






Please check out these additional photos from the day!














August eNewsletter

Posted on by admin

Want to be the first to know about our events, classes, and volunteer opportunties? Sign up
here to receive our monthly eNewsletter in your inbox.

Although August can be very hot, fish are still biting, and deer season opens later this month! Queen Anne’s lace and cardinal flowers bloom in August, and you can pick ripe muscadines. Many of our songbirds are undergoing the molting process, replacing their worn and damaged feathers with new ones.

SCWF is devoted to helping wildlife thrive in our state, and there are many ways you can become involved with us! Support our mission by taking a class, enjoying fine dining, joining the Plishing Challenge, by volunteering, or by donating.

Wild Summer Nights Online Auction

Thank YOU to the item donors, bidders, donors, and sponsors of the 2024 Wild Summer Nights Online Auction for making this our most successful auction yet! We raised $92,280 to support our wildlife and habitat conservation and education programs.

Forks, Knives, & Spoonbills Conservation Dinner 

Wednesday, September 25

The Willcox in Aiken

Image Credit:
Feathered Flock by Candace Thibeault.

Join us for a multi-course, wine-paired conservation dinner at
The Willcox in Aiken featuring dishes inspired by imperiled bird species created by Executive Chef Philip Friesen. As each course is served, SCWF Industry Habitat Manager Jay Keck will share information about each species and the conservation efforts needed to help them thrive. Thank you to our event sponsor, Security Federal Bank, and RNDC Wine, our wine sponsor.

POWR Up: Palmetto Outdoor Women’s Retreat

Santee, SC

October 4 – 5, 2024

Save the date! Registration opens
August 12 at 12:00 pm for POWR Up, an overnight retreat in Santee that offers the opportunity to learn outdoor recreation skills in a non-competitive environment. There are three class sessions, which are three hours each. Each participant will leave the classes feeling confident and ready to try their new skills on their own.

Register here: https://www.scwf.org/events/2024powr-up

POWR+ Education Classes

Due to the demand for our Palmetto Outdoors Women Retreat or POWR, we have added (+) one-day workshops across the state. POWR+ events are open to all women whether you have attended the retreat or have yet to do so. Check out our 2024 fall offerings below, and register quickly if you are interested in joining us because each class is limited to 12 participants to ensure a quality experience.


SCWF’s Plishing Challenge

through August 31

It’s not too late to register for the Plishing Challenge. This statewide conservation initiative is designed to keep the public engaged with fishing and to help keep our waterways clean by using best fishing practices, picking up litter, and, of course, catching fish! The overall Plishing Challenge winners in
each category will receive a $500 gift card to Palmetto State Armory at the end of the month, so get ready to win!

Register here: https://www.scwf.org/plishing

Spiders of September

Goodale State Park

Thursday, September 5 or Thursday, September 12

Join Austin Jenkins, who teaches and facilitates the popular Midlands Master Naturalist class, to learn about spiders! Some call them “creepy” and some call them “cool.” Either way, spiders are infinitely interesting, and this workshop is designed to help you discover some the amazing attributes that make them so. The day will include a close-up view of spider morphology, analyzing the features that make spider life a success.

Click on the links below to register!

Thursday, September 5, Spiders of September

Thursday, September 12, Spiders of September

Volunteer Day: Litter Sweep

Archer’s Lake in Irmo

Saturday, September 14, 10 am – 1 pm

SCWF is partnering with the Harbison Community Association and Keep Midlands Beautiful for a litter sweep at Archer’s Lake on Saturday, September 14. Archer’s Lake can be a great place for wintering waterfowl, but unfortunately it can also be filled with a significant amount of litter. Please join us to make Archer’s Lake a safer home for wildlife and people.

https://www.scwf.org/events/2024-9-14-archers-lake-litter-sweep

News & Notes

  • Haig Point on Daufuskie Island was recently certified as a Community Wildlife Habitat! Read about their celebration and the many ways they help wildlife in our
    blog post.

  • Camp Wildwood has an impressive seventy year tradition of inspiring conservationists and
    this year’s camp continued that legacy.

  • Savannah Jordan, SCWF’s Habitat Education Manager, recently helped the Richland Library Ballentine celebrate Pollinator Week with a
    presentation on South Carolina’s native pollinators.

  • Sara Green (SCWF Executive Director) and Rosemary Martin-Jones (SCWF Board Member & Affiliate Representative)
    attended the NWF Annual Meeting held in Washington, DC.

  • US Silica in Lexington is one of our more recent additions to the Wildlife And Industry Together or WAIT Program. SCWF would like to congratulate them on providing critical habitat for many of SC’s species in this unique part of our state, and for the educational opportunities they provide to college students.

    Support + Shop

    With fall right around the corner, you may be thinking about exploring South Carolina once the weather cools off. If so, order a signed copy of
    Wild South Carolina, compiled by a mother-daughter team of naturalists! It delves into the most intriguing outdoor destinations, offering advice on
    how, when, and where to experience the state’s ecological treasures.

WAIT Partner Update: U.S. Silica Company

Posted on by admin

U.S. Silica, in Lexington county, SC, is one of our more recent additions to the Wildlife And Industry Together Program, or WAIT program. U.S. Silica provides excellent habitat for sandhills species. Open areas on the property provide nesting and hunting opportunities for birds like the American kestrel, painted bunting, and many owl species, including the Eastern screech owl – a declining species. Discussions were had about providing nest boxes for barn owls on the property due to giant swaths of land that would be ideal for this open-habitat specialist. Besides beautiful birds, reptiles like the Eastern glass lizard and Eastern fence lizard can be observed, sometimes quite abundantly, in sandhill habitat similar to what is found on US Silica’s property.


Image Captions L to R: Eastern fence lizard and Eastern glass lizard by Jay Keck.

Shorebirds find food on large shallow ponds on the property during migration to and from their breeding grounds. Industry Habitat Manager, Jay Keck, will be joining a group of bird experts this month to take a survey of what shorebird species are being supported on the property during fall migration. The data will be recorded and could be used to enhance the property’s habitat to help more species in the future.


Finally, during a recent field trip focused on the environment and sustainability, environmental and engineering majors from SC State University visited the plant to learn about the resources utilized for their processes and how they are managed. They also learned how US Silica reuses the water, how they recycle products such as oils and chemicals used on machinery, and how they work with DHEC on environmental reporting and testing. Thank you, U.S. Silica, for providing critical habitat for many of SC’s species in this unique part of our state, and thank you for teaching the next generation of environmentalists and engineers how a corporation can reach its production and sustainability goals through leadership and vision.

SC State University enviromental and engineering majors visting US Silica.

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.

2024 Wild Summer Night’s Online Auction is a tremendous success!

Posted on by admin

Thank you for helping SCWF Keep SC Wild by bidding in our annual fundraising auction!

This year’s auction raised $92,280 in support of our education and conservation programs, making it our most sucessful auction to date. We are grateful to all our bidders and those who helped spread the word by sharing our social media posts, emails, or by telling a friend.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Auction Blog Post: A Fresh Face for Fundraising

Posted on by admin

By Payton Potter, Fundraising Assistant.

I recently had the incredible opportunity to work on the South Carolina Wildlife Federation’s (SCWF) Wild Summer Nights Online Auction, held from July 19th to July 21st, 2024. This annual event has become a beloved tradition, raising essential funds to support SCWF’s diverse array of programs and initiatives. This year, we were able to offer an exciting array of items, from unique outdoor experiences to beautiful handcrafted goods. Seeing the community come together to support our cause was truly heartwarming.

Working on the Wild Summer Nights Online Auction was an incredibly rewarding experience! As the fundraising assistant, I had the unique opportunity to connect with many of our donors and hear their stories. One particular highlight was how enthusiastic many of our returning donors were and their willingness to contribute to our wildlife conservation mission. It was moments like this that allowed me to see firsthand the dedication and passion of our supporters. It gave me a backstage view of how much work it takes from our staff, donors, and members to help preserve South Carolina’s beautiful outdoors!

Image Caption: Payton Payton is working toward her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies at the University of South Carolina.

Image Caption: The Whistlers by Larissa Lord.

It takes a lot to organize such a large auction especially in a big state like South Carolina. There were a lot of color coded spreadsheets, emailing, phone calls, and item sorting this summer. It sounds a little silly but one of the highlights was receiving donations in the mail addressed to me and adding them to the collection. We were lucky enough to receive over 130 items from donors all over the state! Fundraising for a nonprofit is not for the faint of heart, but it was extremely rewarding to see all the hard work pay off to raise nearly $92,000!

Overall, it takes a village and it was wonderful to be a part of SCWF’s network for the summer. I feel incredibly lucky for all the opportunities this summer as a fundraising assistant and to have worked closely under strong women here at SCWF.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s event, and a special thank you to all our donors. Your support makes all the difference!

To view the list of auction item donors, click here.