“This event was a great reminder of how much joy and connection families can find outdoors. Watching kids light up as they planted milkweed and spotted birds on the trail really shows the power of hands-on conservation.”
Allison Bugarin, Education & Outreach Coordinator
The South Carolina Wildlife Federation hosted a successful Families Exploring Nature event on Friday, June 27, 2025, at the Lexington Wildlife Chapter. As part of the new 2025 Explorer series, families enjoyed a morning of fishing basics and a guided nature walk. Families also learned how to plant native milkweed seeds to understand how to support our native pollinators.
During the nature walks, participants learned how to identify some of our native trees, spiders, birds, plants, and how ecologically important native plants are to support our native wildlife. They learned tons of interesting nature facts such as the smaller male golden orb weavers are never too far from the much larger female, and that a good way to remember how to identify a water oak is that the leaves are shaped like a rain drop.
Indoors, SCWF’s Habitat Education Manager, Savannah Jordan, led a hands-on session where families built on the nature walk by learning the importance of native plants. Participants potted their own native milkweed seeds and discussed ways to support wildlife at home. Milkweed supports monarchs and their 3,000-mile migration from Mexico to Canada.
These hands-on experiences helped participants of all ages connect with nature, build outdoor skills, and deepen their understanding of South Carolina’s wild spaces. With beautiful weather, enthusiastic attendees, and plenty of wildlife sightings, the event was a joyful way to continue our new series of educational classes focused on family-friendly outdoor exploration.
Thank you to the Tonja Ivey and that Lexington Wildlife Chapter for hosting us! We would also like to say a special thank you to Mary Rhett Davidson of SCDNR for helping teach the fishing basics portion of the event.
The South Carolina Wildlife Federation is proud to be one of the sponsors of Camp Wildwood, an outdoor environmental camp that is a fun-filled week during which high school students can experience the many aspects of their natural environment. This year’s Camp was held June 15th through the 21st.
These pictures from this year’s camp show how Camp Wildwood helps the campers to discover that we are part of nature and everything we do in some way affects the natural balance. At Camp Wildwood, you acquire the knowledge and appreciation needed for the protection and wise use of our natural resources.
SCWF recently held a Habitat Workshop in Anderson, an interactive workshop designed to teach participants how to create a Certified Wildlife Habitat in their own yards to help support local wildlife. This workshop is part of our new Explores Series for 2025.
A Certified Wildlife Habitat is a designation given to properties that provide essential elements for wildlife, such as food, water, cover, and places to raise young, while also employing sustainable gardening practices. Once a yard is certified, it not only helps wildlife thrive, but it also is recognized by the National Wildlife Federation and helps to spread the message of wildlife-friendly gardening to neighbors and the community.
During the classroom portion of the workshop, participants were given an engaging and informative presentation from SCWF’s Habitat Education Manager, Savannah Jordan, where they learned about how to incorporate each of the essential elements into different landscapes and looked at pictures of their own yards to discuss ways for improving their own yards for all sorts of wildlife. They also learned about the value of native plants and the different types of plants to include for certain species of wildlife like monarch butterflies and other important pollinators.
Following the classroom portion, participants met at Green Pond Landing, a 33-acre facility on the shores of Lake Hartwell designed as a high-capacity launch facility for fishing tournaments as well as recreational boating and fishing. Managed by Anderson County Parks, Green Pond Landing features 200 paved truck/trailer spaces and 100 paved single space parking as well as grass areas utilized for overflow parking. Green Pond Landing boasts the deepest launch lanes and most dock space on the lake as well as a two-story state of the art restroom facility. In 2021, Green Pond Landing completed the development of a 1,300-seat amphitheater which has hosted tournament weigh-ins and special events. Green Pond Landing turned 10 years old in December 2024 and celebrated an economic impact to the upstate of South Carolina that exceeded $100 million during the first decade.
While enjoying lunch by the lakeside amphitheater that was generously provided by Visit Anderson, participants planted their own native milkweed seeds in peat pots that they took home to their own gardens to help monarch butterflies. A few lucky participants won door prizes in the form of native plants, including native purple coneflower and oakleaf hydrangea from a nearby nursery.
Participants took a tour of Green Pond’s brand new Certified Wildlife Habitat and Carolina Fence Garden, which was designed and installed by the city of Anderson. The group observed the variety of native plants in the garden and discussed the different habitat features and examples of how to improve habitat quality for a diversity of wildlife from bees and butterflies to birds and mammals. The workshop ended with the installation of educational signage in the garden that informs visitors about the different types of plants and pollinators that can be found in the garden.
Neil Paul with Visit Anderson stated, “It was an honor and a privilege to partner with the South Carolina Wildlife Federation and host the Habitat Workshop at Green Pond Landing. In Anderson County, we have taken a great deal of pride in establishing our facility as a leader, not only in hosting fishing tournaments, but in conservation and protecting our resource. Being able to partner with the Wildlife Federation to develop a ‘Certified Wildlife Habitat’ is another step in that leadership. The habitat garden provides an educational component for gardeners of all levels and adds to the beauty and the landscape of our lakeside facility. This project was a tremendous partnership, and we look forward to more opportunities to collaborate with the South Carolina Wildlife Federation.”
For nearly 20 years, Honda’s S.C. Manufacturing (SCM) facility has been committed to wildlife conservation, completing over 175 activities for Wildlife & Industry Together (WAIT), a South Carolina Wildlife Federation program. From planting and relocating trees to creating food plots and installing birdhouses, wood duck boxes and beehives, we’re helping to enhance biodiversity.
In May, SCM teamed up with WAIT for a fishing day event, bringing together youth and SCM associates to fish from the shore of the stocked pond on property while enjoying the great outdoors with family and friends. Participants enjoyed a complimentary lunch, and all youth took home their catch along with door prizes!
Thank you to Honda South Carolian Mfg for this update.
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.
The South Carolina Wildlife Federation is known for many things: being the voice of residents who love wildlife, an advocate for our state’s outdoor spaces, and amazing wildlife education programs. There is an incredible line-up of classes we offer including Palmetto Pro-Birder, Naturalist, and Palmetto Outdoor Women’s Retreat events. New for 2025, SCWF is introducing our “Explores” programming. The “Explores” series is a new line of classes designed to introduce the outdoors to folks who may be new to outdoor experiences. BeBe Dalton Harrison, SCWF Director of Education says, “We want to welcome even more people to the outdoors. These classes and events will be beginner friendly, lower cost, and a great way to step outside in a safe environment.”
The Explores Series will consist of a variety of topics across the state and will change yearly. This inaugural year includes programs to introduce families to fishing and hiking, backyard wildlife habitats, winter wildlife, and more! In addition to being “beginner friendly”, these classes will be offered at a low price point and in some cases will be free for the public. Once each Explores classes is open for registration, it will be listed on our events page at www.scwf.org/events.
SCWF staff, partners, and volunteers recently joined together to install five pollinator gardens throughout the state – talk about busy bees!
As development increases, the resulting habitat loss is a major challenge that affects many pollinator species in South Carolina. Pollinator gardens provide pollinators with critical habitat that can beautify any space, increase native biodiversity, increase pollination services and biological control of pest insects, and provide community engagement and learning opportunities.
These gardens create and enhance habitat for pollinators and other wildlife by incorporating native flowering plants, which are important sources of food and shelter for bees, butterflies, and countless other species. Native plants are adapted to the region’s climate and require less watering, fertilizer, and use of pesticides. Pollinators also require specific native host plants which provide nutrition and habitat to their larval and adult stages. Milkweed, the host plant for monarch butterflies, was planted in each garden to give the imperiled species a place to lay its eggs and to provide the caterpillars a source of food.
Monarch butterfly
Butterfly weed
Monarch egg on milkweed leaf
By installing the gardens in public areas, they also serve as demonstration sites to allow community members to connect with imperiled pollinator species and play a part in conservation efforts by replicating the gardens at their own homes. Educational signage was also installed with each garden that displays information about pollinator species, their importance, and how native plant gardens help them.
The first garden installation took place at the Lancaster County Library, and volunteers of all ages joined to plant a variety of native plants, including a group of high school students from Lancaster High School’s Agriculture department. The library’s garden is also on its way to becoming a Certified Wildlife Habitat, which provides natural sources of food, water, cover and places to raise young and is maintained in a sustainable way that incorporates native plants, conserves water, and does not rely on the use of pesticides.
At Andrew Jackson State Park, park staff and volunteers helped to clean up the existing pollinator garden and planted more native plants. The Friends of Andrew Jackson State Park donated a pollinator house to the park’s garden, which provides nesting sites for pollinators that nest in cavities or burrows.
Camp Canaan is located on a 100-acre island along the Catawba River in Rock Hill, and the pictures above show the progression of a bare patch of grass to a brand new garden bed! The camp staff plans to incorporate the new garden into their environmental education program for their youth attending summer camp.
The Catawba Nation is the only federally recognized tribe in South Carolina, and SCWF is honored to partner with the reservation’s Wildlife and Habitat Program on multiple conservation projects, including Project Prothonotary. The pollinator garden was installed just outside the reservation’s food distribution center, which holds a weekly farmer’s market for those who live on the reservation. Juncus, commonly known as rush, is a culturally significant plant that was added into the garden, as well as the endangered Schweinitz’s sunflower.
Sun City Carolina Lakes Community is a Certified Community Wildlife Habitat, and the pollinator garden is just one of the many ways their community is making a difference for wildlife. Visitors enjoy seeing monarch butterflies fluttering around in the garden, and we even spotted an adult monarch laying eggs on the milkweed that was planted years ago! Each garden also received a pollinator waterer, which is made using a shallow terra cotta saucer filled with stones for pollinators and insects to easily crawl out after getting a drink of water or cooling off.
Savannah Jordan, SCWF’s Habitat Education Manager who led the project stated, “Each garden plays such an important role in providing and connecting habitat for pollinators. No matter how large or how small their size, each one makes a difference. To see pollinators like bees and butterflies checking out the plants right after we put them in the ground goes to show that if you plant them, they will come!”
Savannah Jordan, SCWF’s Habitat Education Manager, stands still as a butterfly lands on her hand, almost as if to say “thank you”!
SCWF would like to thank Skyline Design and Landscape for their assistance in the design and installation of the garden, as well as providing all the native plants and materials. SCWF is also grateful for the following partners and volunteers for their involvement: Andrew Jackson State Park, Camp Canaan, Catawba Nation, Lancaster County Library, and Sun City Carolina Lakes Community
This project was made possible by Duke Energy’s Catawba-Wateree Habitat Enhancement Program.
“This (POWR) retreat made me realize the areas I had a good foundation in, filled in some other knowledge gaps, and gave me confidence to do these outdoor activities by myself.”
This comment and others like it, is why the SC Wildlife Federation continues to offer their signature Palmetto Outdoor Women’s Retreat or POWR. This retreat, POWR, has been introducing women to the outdoors for nearly 30 years. During the event, women can select a variety of classes ranging from water sports to shooting sports to other outdoor recreational activities.
Each class is led by patient instructors who introduce participants to the topic in a very safe and non-intimidating environment.
“Our goal with POWR is to do just what that participant said. We want them to gain the confidence to do the outdoor activities by themselves or with friends and family members,” said BeBe Dalton Harrison, director of Education for the SC Wildlife Federation. Harrison adds, “Once women feel confident, they can get gear that they are most comfortable using and set out on their own adventures”.
Through partnerships with Comporium, Quantum Fishing, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the Chattooga River Fly Shop, and several supportive volunteers, SCWF is proud to offer women this hands-on approach to learning outdoor skills.
In addition to the weekend event, SCWF offers several one-day events called POWR+ for women including our upcoming POWR+ Coastal Kayaking Experience on June 9 in Mt. Pleasant, SC.
Thank you to our partners and sponsors!
The Retreat is presented by the South Carolina Wildlife Federation. We are especially grateful to our sponsors, Comporium and the SC Department of Natural Resources. We are pleased to have the support of several outfitters and organizations including Angling Women, Chattooga River Fly Shop, Clemson Extension, and Quantum Fishing. These partnerships enable us to provide a wide variety of activities conducted by a diverse group of expert instructors. A special thank you is due to the numerous individual volunteers who so willingly donate their time to share their knowledge and expertise.
Columbia’s City Council recently approved a change in its nuisance ordinance to allow for “naturalistic” gardens—landscapes that favor native plants and support native wildlife. Previously, vegetation was required to be kept shorter than 12 inches. Now, gardeners may register their naturalistic gardens with the city’s ordinance enforcement office to avoid citation for having what may look to some as no more than an overgrown or untended space.
Columbia appears to be, if not the first, among a very few jurisdictions within South Carolina to explicitly welcome landscaping for wildlife. This continues the commitment made when the city became a National Wildlife Federation Certified Community Wildlife Habitat in 2019, working to “restore wildlife habitat and educate and engage community members.” The South Carolina Native Plant Society Midlands Chapter, supported by the South Carolina Wildlife Federation and Gills Creek Watershed Association, worked with the city to accomplish the ordinance change.
Landscaping with native plants to support pollinators, butterflies, fireflies, birds, and other wildlife is important because we are losing so many of these elements that make our community feel like home. We want to see butterflies by day and fireflies at night. Lawns have been described as ecological deserts. A good wildlife habitat garden, on the other hand, provides food, shelter, and places to raise young—in bird nests, old flower stalks, and native grasses.
To register a property’s naturalistic landscape, download the required form and mail or email to the address on the bottom of the form. Applicants must provide proof of the landscape’s certification from a recognized program such as National Wildlife Federation Backyard Wildlife Habitat, Gills Creek Watershed Champion, Clemson Carolina Yard, or other conservation organization. Residents who do not have a certified yard may request a visit from the Code Enforcement Division to register.
The South Carolina General Assembly recently followed the city’s lead in supporting native plants by passing a concurrent resolution to “recognize the essential value and importance of South Carolina native plants to the state’s environment, landscape, agriculture, history, and economy, and to encourage state agencies, local governments, and private landowners to use native plants for landscaping, erosion control, and vegetation management whenever possible to promote the viability of migratory and nonmigratory pollinators and to help to preserve South Carolina’s unique flora and fauna.”
The South Carolina Native Plant Society and its Midlands Chapter work to protect, restore, and educate about native plants. The Midlands Chapter hosts an educational program every other month and numerous field trips and service opportunities.
I visited Lonza for the first time at their facility in Greenwood, SC, shortly after they joined the WAIT program in 2018. While taking a walk on their nature trail, which passes by some of the 70 acres of mixed hardwood forest that surrounds their property, I forgot that I was still on a property where hundreds of employees worked.
The pollinator garden that was created 7 years ago is still going strong and supports many types of insects and arachnids, which in turn, supports an abundance of native wildlife on the property.
Image caption: The spiny oakworm caterpillar and the walnut sphinx moth caterpillar are both good examples of species that are supported by the mixed hardwood forest on Lonza’s property.
To better connect employees to the outdoors, a courtyard was created to give the employees a safe and natural place to relax and enjoy the fresh air and sunlight the area offers. Two outdoor seating areas, where furniture using recycled materials were used, create additional areas for employees to connect with the outdoors during breaks. A solar powered charger was even installed for employees needing to recharge their devices. With plans to install interpretive nature signs at these outdoor break areas, Lonza’s WAIT team looks to further educate employees about native wildlife and ways to connect with it!
Thank you Lonza for all of your hard work and dedication to wildlife conservation on your property!
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.
Banner image credit: Ruby-throated hummingbird on salvia by Susan Stamey.
South Carolina takes a huge step forward for wildlife habitat enhancement
Native plants have formed symbiotic relationships with native wildlife over thousands of years, and therefore offer the most sustainable habitat for wildlife. The South Carolina Wildlife Federation (SCWF) and several of our conservation partners drafted a concurrent resolution to “recognize the essential value and importance of South Carolina native plants to the state’s environment, landscape, agriculture, history, and economy, and to encourage State agencies, local governments, and private landowners to use native plants for landscaping, erosion control, and vegetation management whenever possible to promote the viability of migratory and nonmigratory pollinators and to help to preserve South Carolina’s unique flora and fauna.” This Resolution passed the SC Legislature on April 23, 2025.
“Passage of this resolution shows that SC leaders value the natural beauty of our state, and have a desire to preserve the essential habitats on which our wildlife depend,” said Sara Green, SCWF executive director. “This is a critical time to enhance habitat for wildlife – our state has more than twice as many species of concern as we did only 10 years ago. Our organization stands ready to assist anyone who needs additional information about native plants valuable to wildlife.”
A plant is considered native if it has occurred naturally in a particular region, ecosystem, or habitat without human introduction. Exotic plants that evolved in other parts of the world or were cultivated by humans into forms that don’t exist in nature do not support wildlife as well as native plants. Occasionally, they can even escape into the wild and become invasive exotics that destroy natural habitat. Native plants help the environment the most when planted in places that match their growing requirements.
They will thrive in the soils, moisture and weather of your region. That means less supplemental watering, which can be wasteful, and less pest problems that require toxic chemicals. Native plants also assist in managing rainwater runoff and maintain healthy soil as their root systems are deep and keep soil from being compacted. Discovering the native plants where you live can also define a unique sense of place and heritage for your garden habitat while preserving the natural history of the flora and fauna of your region.
Native plants often provide food for wildlife in the form of berries, seeds, nuts or nectar. Some wildlife will eat the leaves too, including caterpillars. Native plants also provide shelter and nesting sites for wildlife.
There are a wide variety of native options for any landscaping need. To assist in using native plants for landscaping, the SCWF website’s Native Plant page has a long list of native plants which are valuable to wildlife, as well as a list of local plant nurseries which sell natives: https://www.scwf.org/native-plants/
Native oaks and maples are great options for large trees, as well as smaller trees like dogwoods, red bud, paw paw, and sassafras. Examples of native garden plants which are beautiful and also have value for wildlife include: coreopsis, black-eyed susans, joe-pye weed, yarrow, bee balm, columbine, and milkweeds.
To recognize the efforts of landowners who incorporate native plants for habitat, properties can become Certified Wildlife Habitats through the SCWF and the National Wildlife Federation. This designation ensures valuable habitat while also helping to educate neighbors and community members about the needs of wildlife. Even larger properties such as industrial sites can be certified through SCWF’s Wildlife And Industry Together (WAIT) program. Companies like BMW, Honda, Michelin, Duke Energy, and others have already converted their unused lands to wildlife habitat. If homeowners, business owners and local governments work together, the whole neighborhood or town can be certified through the Community Wildlife Habitat program. All of these programs focus on native plants and other habitat elements and sustainable gardening practices.
South Carolina’s new Native Plant Resolution furthers efforts by the General Assembly in the past. In 2017, a bill designated the third week of every October as Native Plant Week in SC. In 2018, the “Solar Habitat Bill” created guidelines for using native plants at large scale solar installations.
Here is the full text of the new Native Plant Resolution:
Whereas, South Carolina’s native plants provide iconic, economic, artistic, historical, and environmental values, unparalleled for beauty and unique to the history of the State and its future; and
Whereas, native plants are those which occur naturally in the specific regions in which they evolved, including our estuarine and tidal freshwater, maritime strand, freshwater wetlands, river and palustrine forested wetlands, and associated coastal uplands; and
Whereas, South Carolina contains over four thousand native plant species, subspecies, and varieties, making South Carolina home to a tremendously rich and diverse plant life, and twenty-one of those species are considered to be threatened or endangered; and
Whereas, maintaining and restoring the native plant habitat in South Carolina is vital to preserving South Carolina’s present and future biodiversity amid a changing environment; and
Whereas, native plants are more drought-tolerant, provide essential food sources for insects, birds, and wildlife, and require less water. They also act as natural pollinators and help filter out fertilizers and chemicals, promoting water conservation and improving the quality of stormwater runoff. Additionally, native plants enhance the resilience of ecosystems in South Carolina; and
Whereas, native plants provide high-quality food and shelter for more than three hundred resident and migratory bird species in South Carolina, one hundred sixty-one of which are species of greatest conservation need; and
Whereas, South Carolina currently contends with over ninety invasive and exotic plants, many of which compete with native plant species, degrade soil, facilitate erosion, require more fertilizers and chemicals, provide fewer food sources to native birds and other wildlife, and alter the state’s natural landscapes; and
Whereas, the state’s original Native American residents lived and thrived by knowledge of native plants which provided generations with food, clothing, shelter, dyes, tools, medicines, and fuel; and
Whereas, from the state’s earliest time, native flora and fauna have provided a rich landscape, inspiring and influencing notable literary and artistic works by internationally recognized figures and thereby securing South Carolina’s legacy in natural heritage; and
Whereas, South Carolina’s native plants and their derivatives have provided essential foods, medicines, and other products of global import since the colonial period, while native plants, such as sweet grass and Carolina yellow jessamine, play an important role in the state’s cultural heritage; and
Whereas, native plant horticulture contributes significantly to the state’s economy and employs thousands of South Carolinians, providing a thriving, vital, and ever-expanding industry, who do their part to preserve, protect, and restore precious native habitats by using South Carolina native plants whenever possible for landscaping, erosion control, and vegetation management; and
Whereas, the state’s native plants provide essential watershed protection, helping natural aquifers recharge, serving to filter water naturally flowing into rivers and estuaries, lessening erosion and flooding, and supporting rich biodiversity in birds and wildlife; and
Whereas, gardens and landscapes comprised of South Carolina’s native plants require far fewer fertilizers, soil amendments, or pesticides, and use significantly less water compared to nonnative plants; and
Whereas, pollinators such as birds, bees, and insects, including migratory butterflies, hummingbirds, and other threatened species, depend on the biodiversity of native plants for their survival; and
Whereas, many native South Carolina plants have played a vital role in state and national history, compelling the United States Congress, the State of South Carolina, and many local communities throughout the State to protect the beauty, power, and grandeur of our wild spaces; and
Whereas, planting, restoration, preservation, and cultivation of the state’s indigenous plants provides a natural link to wild land areas present and past, while presenting beauty and benefit and instilling a greater appreciation for South Carolina’s natural heritage; and
Whereas, this resolution is not state law. It is merely intended to encourage the people of South Carolina to plant and foster the growth of plants native to South Carolina.
Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, recognize the essential value and importance of South Carolina’s native plants to the state’s environment, landscape, agriculture, history, and economy and encourage all state agencies, local governments, and private landowners to use native plants for landscaping, erosion, and vegetation management whenever possible to promote the viability of migratory and nonmigratory pollinators and to help to preserve South Carolina’s unique flora and fauna.
Be it further resolved, that the Department of Administration is urged to circulate this concurrent resolution to all state agencies and state governmental units engaged in or overseeing the landscaping or grounds maintenance of properties so that they are made aware of the General Assembly’s interest in this matter.
SCWF recently held a Habitat Workshop in Anderson, an interactive workshop designed to teach participants how to create a 
Following the classroom portion, participants met at Green Pond Landing, a 33-acre facility on the shores of Lake Hartwell designed as a high-capacity launch facility for fishing tournaments as well as recreational boating and fishing. Managed by Anderson County Parks, Green Pond Landing features 200 paved truck/trailer spaces and 100 paved single space parking as well as grass areas utilized for overflow parking. Green Pond Landing boasts the deepest launch lanes and most dock space on the lake as well as a two-story state of the art restroom facility. In 2021, Green Pond Landing completed the development of a 1,300-seat amphitheater which has hosted tournament weigh-ins and special events. Green Pond Landing turned 10 years old in December 2024 and celebrated an economic impact to the upstate of South Carolina that exceeded $100 million during the first decade.
“Passage of this resolution shows that SC leaders value the natural beauty of our state, and have a desire to preserve the essential habitats on which our wildlife depend,” said Sara Green, SCWF executive director. “This is a critical time to enhance habitat for wildlife – our state has more than twice as many species of concern as we did only 10 years ago. Our organization stands ready to assist anyone who needs additional information about native plants valuable to wildlife.”
Native oaks and maples are great options for large trees, as well as smaller trees like dogwoods, red bud, paw paw, and sassafras. Examples of native garden plants which are beautiful and also have value for wildlife include: coreopsis, black-eyed susans, joe-pye weed, yarrow, bee balm, columbine, and milkweeds.