Alex Killman is a guest writer for SCWF sharing his experiences of connecting with nature, enjoying the outdoors, and advocating for conservation – all through hunting.
Busy. That’s the word that describes most Americans living in 2023, especially when you throw a family in the mix. Get up, get the kids fed and ready for school, head off to work minutes later, get home in time for dinner, put the kids to bed, watch a little Netflix, then rinse and repeat the next day. The exhaustion that comes from all that we do on a weekly basis can make it extremely difficult to find the time or energy to head off to the woods looking for deer on the weekends. But I’m here to tell you that summer scouting is one of the single most effective ways to have success in the fall. Without it, putting venison on the table is a roll of the dice for most folks. Unless you’re managing a property with preset stand locations, food plots, and limited hunting pressure, past intel may not help you fill a tag this year.
Why Summer Scouting?
Not everyone scouts post-season. Not everyone shed hunts during the spring. That’s ok. A solid foundation for a successful season can still be laid through summer scouting. The information you gather with boots on the ground is going to help you make informed decisions when determining when and where to set up, which will inevitably increase your odds of success. By observing warm-weather patterns, identifying food sources, and understanding how deer use the terrain you’ll be hunting, your confidence can be high with each sit because it will be based on evidence versus high hopes of tagging a nice buck. But you have to know what to look for.
Food, Water, Security, and Does
In a nutshell, scouting basically boils down to locating the things that influence deer movement. Food, water, security, and does – that’s basically it. All year round, food is king for both does and bucks except during the rut when bucks are more focused on chasing and breeding does than a full belly, which makes does another major influencer. And just like us, deer require hydration, so water is key. But perhaps the greatest influencer in deer behavior is security. Their need to stay hidden from predators is top priority for all deer, especially older age class bucks. That’s why hunting pressure negatively affects deer movement more than anything else.
White-tail deer by Lindsay Pettinicchi.
Locate Food
Food is a critical component of a deer’s daily routine and knowing where to find it can greatly improve your hunting success. Scout for preferred food sources such as agricultural fields, mast-producing trees – white oaks, particularly – and natural browse. Natural browse includes vegetation, such as greenbrier, honeysuckle, and ragweed. Pay attention to the abundance and quality of food as well, as it can influence deer movement and the size of their home range. Keep in mind that food sources may change throughout the summer as crops ripen and vegetation develops.
Where Are the Does?
Doe by Tina Schnell.
To increase your chances of encountering bucks during the rut, it’s crucial to locate doe groups during the summer. Does serve as magnets for bucks during the breeding season, so look for areas where does and fawns congregate, such as bedding areas and transition zones between feeding and bedding areas. Observing doe behavior and movement can provide valuable insight into potential buck activity during the pre-rut, rut, and possible second rut.
Thinking Through Tree Selection
Selecting the right tree for your stand is critical. Look for trees that provide adequate cover and concealment while offering a clear shooting lane to where you expect to have encounters. Consider the prevailing wind direction, and position your stand accordingly, to minimize your chances of being downwind of the dominant trails. Thermals should also play a large part in tree selection. If you’re not familiar with the term, just know that in the mornings as temps rise, the air rises with it. The process reverses in the evenings as temps cool. So, even if the forecast says that the wind should be blowing uphill from a creek bottom, during the evening, the air will actually be pulled down to the bottom as temps fall.
Entry and Exit
Planning your entry and exit routes carefully is essential to avoid bumping deer heading in andout of your hunting spots. Bumping deer while entering or exiting is one of the best ways to ruin a stand for the entire season. Learn to use topographical maps and aerial imagery to e-scout for potential routes that minimize your pressure and the scent trails that we all inevitably leave behind. The Spartan Forge app is a great tool for e-scouting.
Put The Pieces Together
Rack in the Grass by Bailey Slice.
My favorite locations to hunt are the ones that bring food, water, security, and does together all in one place. Swamps, marshes, and creek or river bottoms often check all the boxes. They provide deer with the browse they need to feed all day without having to leave the security of a location bordered by water with high vegetation that conceals them when bedded. They obviously have all the water they need as well, and with ample bedding opportunities among thick vegetation, you’ll often find lots of does, and during the rut, bucks as well. Of course, these are also great locations for bucks to use year-round. Summer is the ideal time to gather crucial information and lay the groundwork for a successful fall. Record everything you find when scouting in some type of journal. The paid version of the Spartan Forge app includes a journaling feature, but any type of journal will work. Just make sure to write it all down so you can build a strategy around your season that takes everything you find into account. And if possible, use cellular trail cameras. They’re an invaluable tool that helps you pattern movement without having to routinely go in, leaving your scent all over the woods you’re hoping to hunt. Investing time in the woods now will give you the necessary intel to tag one in every stage of the season. So, don’t wait and enjoy the time afield.
Thank you to The State, The Times and Democrat, The Island Packet, Spartanburg Index-Journal, Columbia Star, Island Eye News and KPVI News, for sharing our press release, and links are below for each article.
Contact: South Carolina Wildlife Federation – Director of Education, BeBe Dalton Harrison – mail@scwf.org
Do you have a fishing rod in your garage? Or maybe even a cane pole? If so, the South Carolina Wildlife Federation (SCWF) invites you to join our Plishing Challenge this summer! Plishing is a combination of the Swedish phrase “plocka upp”, meaning litter pick up, and fishing! Our Plishing Challenge 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 catching fish!
This conservation initiative is a great way to enjoy South Carolina’s aquatic resources, practice conservation, and win prizes. The challenge is designed to be simple and fun for all ages. Once registered, you can enter each fish you catch and each bag of litter you collect from our waterways. You do not have to weigh or measure any fish to participate, just snap a photo or video in the app and enjoy the outdoors. There is a different sponsor each month offering prizes including gift cards, apparel, and fishing gear.
Image Captions L to R: Plishing is fun for the whole family! Overall 2022 Plishing points leader Don Myers with an impressive Redfish.
At the end of the summer, there will be an overall winner for fish, an overall winner for litter collection, and a randomly selected winner, who will each receive a $500 gift card to Palmetto State Armory. In addition, Palmetto State Armory is covering the cost of the first 250 people to register for the challenge. Register early for the best chance at getting a free spot in the challenge!
Fishing and being on the water are great ways to spend time outdoors. Health benefits of fishing include boosting your immune system, relaxation, and lowering stress. Whether you like to fish solo, or take your whole family, SCWF’s Plishing Challenge is a great way to connect with your environment and appreciate our beautiful state.
In addition to Palmetto State Armory, our other amazing sponsors for the Plishing Challenge include Palmetto Pride, AFTCO, Local Boy Outfitters, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the South Carolina Boating and Fishing Alliance, and Angling Women. The event runs from June 1 through August 31 and has dedicated Facebook and Instagram pages, SCWF Plishing Challenge. For more information, visit www.scwf.org/plishing. Tight lines!
SCWF continuously works with state legislators and policymakers to protect precious wildlife habitats and ensure that sound scientific data is used to make decisions that affect wildlife. Below is an update on several issues and bills that we’ve been tracking this session. Our Government Relations Manager, Trip King, represents the SCWF, as well as our conservation partner, Audubon South Carolina (ASC) at the State House.
If you haven’t had a chance, please check out our new state advocacy page on our website here. This page is updated daily during the Session to help you stay informed on the latest status of the bills that SCWF is monitoring in the SC Legislature.
The South Carolina General Assembly adjourned promptly at 5:00 pm on Thursday May 11, 2023. Normally, the constitutionally mandated adjournment of the Legislature on the second Thursday in May is accompanied by a sine die resolution which stipulates what business the House and Senate can take up when they return, usually two weeks after adjournment, to accept and approve conference committee reports and consider vetoes issued by the Governor. This year, the Legislature did not pass a sine die resolution but instead returned to Columbia on Tuesday, May 16, upon the call of the Governor, an agreement that was worked out weeks ago between the Legislative leadership and the Governor. This is an unusual circumstance which was precipitated by a lingering abortion bill that was passed by the Senate but not taken up by the House during the regular session. Because the Legislature will be reconvening at the call of the Governor, the state constitution allows the House and Senate to take up any matters they wish including bills that were still pending when they adjourned at the constitutionally prescribed date and time.
Since neither chamber agreed with the other on a state budget, House and Senate conferees will also meet during the next several weeks to iron out the differences between the Senate and House versions of the state appropriations bill and, once they find agreement, a conference committee report will be presented to each chamber for a final vote on the state budget.
As of June 6, both the House and Senate have met (the House on May 16 and May 23; the Senate on May 16 and May 23) and have passed several bills that were carried over from the regular session which concluded May 11. While House and Senate negotiators on the Budget Conference Committee have also met several times since the regular session adjournment, as of this date, they have yet to reach a compromise on the state appropriations bill and it is unclear when they might find agreement. Both the House and the Senate passed a Continuing Resolution that would fund state government functions after July 1, the beginning on the state’s fiscal year, should conferees be unable to reach an agreement on the FY 2023-2024 spending bill and have it pass both chambers of the General Assembly by midnight June 30.
Conservation Funding in the State Budget
South Carolina Office of Resilience (SCOR) – SCWF supported SCOR’s budget request for $200M to be used for disaster relief, mitigation and statewide resilience planning and implementation because these measures protect and enhance critical wetland habitat for wildlife. The House version of the budget included this amount, but the Senate only included a placeholder amount of $1.00. House-Senate budget committee conferees must now agree on funding SCOR’s non-recurring budget request between the $1.00 and $200M mark.
SC Conservation Bank – The Bank’s baseline recurring annual budget was increased by both the House and the Senate to $12,094,515, a $3M increase from 2022. The House gave the Bank an additional $18M in non-recurring funds for their grants program while the Senate upped that amount to $25M. SCWF has advocated for $25M in the Senate version of the budget and we are hopeful the House-Senate budget conference committee report will reflect that higher amount. This agency is the single most important tool the state has to ensure South Carolina’s most iconic and precious natural resources are preserved and protected for future generations.
Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) – House and Senate appropriators were generous in supporting SCDNR’s budget request which included significant funding for deferred maintenance on our state’s fish hatcheries, maintenance for Marine Resources facilities, waterfowl impoundment infrastructure maintenance, state water planning initiative, and maintenance on public recreational properties. Additionally, for the second year in a row, the Legislature has agreed to provide $20M to DNR for habitat protection and unspecified land conservation acquisitions. SCWF supported the Department of Natural Resources overall budget request and advocated strongly for the additional funding for habitat protection and land conservation acquisitions.
Department of Park, Recreation and Tourism (PRT) – The House earmarked $25M for state parks development, upgrades, and maintenance while the Senate recommended only $11.75M for this line item in the budget. SCWF and many of our conservation partners support the higher spending level recommended by the House which will include some funding for the new Black River State Park being established on segments of the Black River between Kingstree and St. Andrews. This is an exciting new project that holds great promise for wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation.
SC Forestry Commission (SCFC) – For many years, SCWF has supported the budget requests of the SCFC. This agency does a tremendous job of managing our state’s forests and protecting our citizens and doing so with severely limited resources, aging equipment, and staff shortages. For the last several years, SCFC has made significant priority funding requests for staff recruitment and retention and for modernized firefighting equipment. SCWF has supported those requests and has advocated to House and Senate appropriators by letter and in-person with our support for these critically needed funds. The Senate version of the budget is more advantageous to SCFC and more in-line with their original request. SCWF supports the Senate budget recommendations pending before the House-Senate budget conference committee.
Some Priority Bills and Legislation of Interest to SCWF (not all inclusive)
S.280 and H.3786 (SC Conservation Enhancement Act) – Both S.280, and its House companion bill, H.3786 would re-instate the deed recording fee funding mechanism to the Conservation Bank that was the primary source of funding for the Bank from its inception in 2004 until its re-authorization in 2018 when this dedicated stream of funding was dropped in favor of an annual appropriation from the General Assembly. S.280 was introduced in the Senate by Senators Campsen and Davis on 1/10/23 and was referred to the Senate Finance Committee. H.3786 was introduced by Rep. Lowe, and others, in the House on 1/24/23 and was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee. The House bill received a favorable report by the Ways and Means Committee on March 30, and was placed on the House calendar. On March 4, the House voted 93 to 20 in favor of the bill and it was sent to the Senate where it was referred to the Senate Finance Committee. Unfortunately, despite much widespread support, Finance Committee Chairman Peeler never scheduled a subcommittee or full committee hearing on either version of the Conservation Enhancement Act before the end of the legislative session. Both bills remain in the Senate Finance Committee and will be carried over into the 2024 session.
Passage of the Conservation Enhancement Act was a priority for SCWF and the SC Conservation Coalition in 2023. Restoration of a portion of the deed stamp fee would have provided considerably more funding to the Bank than the current appropriations from the General Assembly. The additional funding that the deed stamp provides would give the Bank the ability to fund considerably more projects in the ensuing years. We are hopeful that one of these bills will be given a favorable hearing in early 2024 by the Senate Finance Committee and subsequently be approved by the Senate and, if needed, be sent back to the House for a second vote.
Image Credits from L to R: Pawleys Island by Carl Beard; Table Rock by Julie Wyatt; Hunting Island by Teresa Kopec.
H.3951 (Working Agricultural Lands Protection Act) – This legislation, introduced by Rep. Patrick Haddon from Greenville, would create the Working Agricultural Lands Preservation Program and Fund that would be housed within the SC Conservation Bank. The Program and Fund would be funded by a line-item appropriation separate from those annual funds appropriated to the Conservation Bank. The purpose of the Program and Fund is to facilitate the use of conservation easements on working farmlands to permanently protect farmland properties using a selection criterion slightly different from the criteria used by the Bank for its normal grants program.
H.3951 passed through the legislative process in the House and was approved by a vote of 104-2 on March 29th. The bill was sent to the Senate where it was referred to the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. Senator Campsen had an amendment attached to the bill during the committee process which basically included the language of S.280, the Conservation Enhancement Act to re-instate the deed stamp funding mechanism to the Conservation Bank. H.3951, as amended, passed out of the Committee, and was placed on the Senate calendar. Senator Peeler, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, objected strongly to this effort to bypass the Senate Finance Committee where the House and Senate versions of the Conservation Enhancement Act had previously been referred. As a result of his objection, the Working Agricultural Lands Protection Act, as amended, was recommitted to the Senate Finance Committee where it remained when the Legislature adjourned.
SCWF and our legislative partner, Audubon South Carolina, along with Upstate Forever and the SC Farm Bureau strongly supported the original Working Agricultural Lands Protection Act as passed by the House and actively worked to shepherd the bill through the legislative process. Had the Conservation Enhancement Act language not been added to H.3951 as an amendment, the bill would have likely sailed through the Senate and would have become law this year. Our efforts to have the amendment stripped from the bill on Senate floor and the original farmland bill taken up by the Senate failed, so we will have to wait until the 2024 session to right the ship and get this important piece of legislation enacted into law.
H.3868 (Women in Hunting and Fishing Awareness Day) – This legislation introduced by Rep. Heather Bauer of Columbia designates the third Saturday in November as Women in Hunting and Fishing Awareness Day. The bill passed both legislative chambers overwhelmingly and SCWF Executive Director Sara Green testified in support of the bill in both the House and Senate committees of jurisdiction. The bill was signed by the Governor on May 16.
S.96 (Boater Safety and Training Legislation) – This legislation sponsored by Sen. Campsen, Davis and McElveen states that anyone born on or after July 1, 2007 must successfully complete a boater safety training program and be in possession of a boater safety certificate in order to operate a vessel powered by an engine of ten horsepower or greater or equivalent to ten horsepower or greater. The bill passed the Senate and was amended in the House. The Senate amended the bill again by stripping out some of the House amendments and sent it back to the House. The House non-concurred in the Senate amendments thus creating a conference committee to iron out the difference between the two versions. The conferees issued a compromise Conference Report which was agreed to by the Senate by a vote of 43-0 but approval was held up in the House on May 11, the last day of session. After much debate in an extended session, the House finally passed the Conference Report by a 97-7 vote when they returned to the Capitol on June 7. The bill will now go to the Governor for his signature and become state law.
Image Credit: Venus Flytrap in Horry County, SC by Austin Jenkins.
S.581 (A Bill to Name the Venus Flytrap as the Official State Carnivorous Plant of the State) This bill passed both the House and the Senate and was signed into law by the Governor on May 8. The bill would bring awareness to the Venus flytrap which is federally designated as an At-Risk Species and the State of South Carolina is just one of two places in the world where the Venus flytrap naturally occurs. SCWF Executive Director Sara Green testified in support of this bill before House and Senate legislative Committees. You can read her remarks here.
H.3121 (Trails Bill) – This bill states that a taxpayer who encumbers his property with a perpetual recreational trail easement and right of way is allowed a one-time income tax credit equal to ten cents for each square foot of the property that is encumbered by the recreational trail easement. If passed, this legislation would help facilitate the continuation of public trails from publicly owned lands through privately owned property. Late in the session, this legislation passed the House and was sent to the Senate where it was referred to the Senate Finance Committee. This exact same bill passed the House overwhelmingly in 2022, but time ran out before the Senate could consider it. Since 2022 was the end of a two-year legislative session, the bill needed to be re-introduced in 2023 and will be consider by the Senate in 2024.
S.281 (SC Public Lands Enhancement Act) – This legislation would capture an amount equal to the annual general fund portion of sales tax revenue derived from sporting goods stores, designated under the 2007 North American Industry Classification System with code 451110, and credit that amount to the Public Lands Enhancement Fund (created by the bill). Funds derived from these sales tax proceeds would be used to create, improve, or restore access to public lands and waters, facilities, natural resources including fish and wildlife populations, or recreational opportunities on parks, forests, wildlife management areas, and heritage preserves that are owned, leased, or managed for public use by an agency of this State. The Bill was sponsored by Sen. Campsen and introduced in the Senate on January 10th where it was referred to the Senate Finance Committee. No further action taken in 2023. Hopefully, this legislation will advance in the 2024 session.
Sunday Hunting on WMAs – The SC Department of Natural Resources promulgated regulations that would allow for Sunday hunting on selected Wildlife Management Areas around the state that are owned or leased by the Department. Committees of jurisdiction in the House and Senate approved these new regulations and they became effective May 26, 2023. Since Sunday hunting was not recommended nor approved for all WMA’s, hunters should check with SCDNR to determine which WMA’s are affected and which are not by the new regulations.
Endangered Pine Barrens Treefrog, photo by Nathan Shepard
H.4047 (Endangered Species Disclosure Prohibition) – This legislation authored and introduced by Rep. Ott states that the Department of Natural Resources may not release records in its possession that contain site-specific information, including but not limited to, unique numeric identifiers of precise geographic locations, telemetry, or other locational data, regarding the occurrence of federal- or state-listed rare, threatened, species in need of management, endangered, or otherwise imperiled plant and animal species on public or private property, except in support of scientific, conservation, or educational purposes. The owner or owners of private property upon which threatened, endangered, or at-risk species occur shall be entitled to records specific to said property upon the request to the department. The bill passed the House on a vote of 97-0 on May 3 and was sent to the Senate where it was referred to the Senate Fish, Game and Forestry Committee. The bill will receive Senate consideration in the 2024 session. SCWF favored this legislation and Sara Green testified in support of the bill before the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee prior to the bill’s passage in the House.
S.484 (SC Waterways Protection Act) – Legislation would create the South Carolina Waterways Protection Fund. Funds would be expended from the trust account primarily for the removal of hazardous, abandoned, or unattended vessels, marine debris, or hazards to navigation from the waters of this State. This bill passed the Senate 41-1 and was sent to the House and referred to the House Ways and Means Committee. It will be taken up by the House in the 2024 session.
We are thrilled to announce the mailing of 5,000 packets of native milkweed seeds to SC residents, thus completing the 2023 Milkweed for Monarchs Project! We were able to send these packets completely free of charge thanks to the sponsorship of Wells Fargo. This project was a huge success due to the statewide support of South Carolina residents and the dedicated volunteers who gave their time and expertise to hand-mix seeds and prepare each packet for mailing.
This is the eighth year that the SC Wildlife Federation (SCWF) has completed this project, which is vital for the survival of monarch butterflies. Over the past twenty years, there has been a sharp decline in the monarch butterfly population along their normal migration routes from Canada to Mexico. In fact, these important pollinators have dwindled by almost 97 percent. Native milkweed plants, however, are the key to helping these beautiful butterflies continue to thrive in North America.
This image shows a monarch caterpillar and the three native milkweed varieties included in the seed packet.
SCWF was able to assist in increasing crucial habitat for our fluttering friends by distributing over 5,000 milkweed packets throughout the state! Native milkweed seed varieties were purchased in bulk from Ernst Conservation Seeds, then packaged and shipped by SCWF staff and generous volunteers. These seed packets were paired with informational cards that SCWF created for recipients to learn how to successfully raise the plants, how essential the plant is to the monarch species, and additional steps to take to certify their yards as a Certified Wildlife Habitat. Read more about how to certify your yard on our habitat page, or contact Savannah Jordan at savannah@scwf.org.
South Carolina residents were excited by the opportunity to support the butterflies, and it showed through their participation. In addition to requests from individuals, SCWF also distibuted over 700 seed packets to schools, garden clubs, and other organizations in the state. We received several comments from SC residents who wanted to do “their part” to help monarchs. This energized support from those who requested the seeds is part of what made this project so successful! We also asked recipients to consider donating to offset program costs, and many of you did. Thank you!
Because of this project, thousands of migrating monarchs will now have places to lay their eggs and food for their caterpillars before they become butterflies and begin their journey to Central Mexico. Hopefully, we will see an increase in monarchs in the coming years! This program also allows SCWF to educate, advocate, and build our network with new supporters by connecting them with the wildlife in their own backyards. We’ve already received requested for next spring’s distibution, and we can’t wait to build upon the success of this year’s project.
Although monarchs need native milkweed to survive, it can be hard to capture a picture of them on it! These beautiful photographs were all entered in SCWF’s annual photo contest. Image Credits from L to R: Monarch butterfly by Candy Jones; Monarch butterfly on lantana by Joanne Wuori, and Monarch butterfly on a zinnia by Janie Sigmon.
We couldn’t complete a project of this magnitude without the help of many volunteers. In particular, we would like to say thank you to Barbara & Jimmy Watson for their MANY hours dedicated to processing the seed packet requests this year as well the previous years. We would like to send a HUGE THANK YOU to our Community Outreach Assistant, Ari Hippensteal, for all her work on this program!
Barb and Jimmy Watson and Ari Hippensteal are excited to mail the completed packets!
Thank you to the many volunteers who helped with this project, especially the members of Omega Phi Alpha and Tami Kyre.
We are grateful to Wells Fargo for their sponsorship of this project for the second year in a row! Their generosity allows us to send these packets to SC residents completely free of charge.
If you or your company are interested in sponsoring this program in 2024, please contact Angi Fuller Wildt at angi@scwf.org or 803-256-0670, or use the donate button to make your gift in support of this program.
Banner Image Credit: Monarch butterfly by Teri Carter.
Congratulations to our newly minted class of Midlands Master Naturalists! We recently celebrated their achievement with a nature hike at Congaree National Park, where we saw the largest loblolly pine in the nation.
The graduates of this 12-week course have traveled around the midlands learning identification skills, ecological concepts and the natural history of the plants, animals, and ecosystems of the midlands. They have also learned how this knowledge applies to wildlife management and to ensure that human impacts on the environment are sustainable.
SCWF offers a variety of naturalist programs through out the year, covering the fundamentals of natural history, nature interpretation, and conservation in order to empower citizens to donate their time to positively impact our natural resources. You can learn more about these programs here.
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS, INSTRUCTORS, VOLUNTEERS & HOSTS WHO MAKE THIS PROGRAM POSSIBLE!
First & foremost, thank you to Austin Jenkins who developed the program and course materials for the Midlands class, and to James Blake who coordinates the statewide program.
We are proud to have the support of the following organizations for the Midlands Master Naturalist Program:
Clemson Extension, Camp Discovery, Richland Soil and Water Conservation District, Goodale State Park, Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge, Congaree National Park, SC Dept. of Natural Resources, Landsford Canal State Park, Harbison State Forest, SC Forestry Commission, and the Midlands Master Naturalist Association.
These many partnerships enable us to provide a high quality program conducted by a diverse group of expert instructors, including: Austin Jenkins, Chanda Cooper, Jay Keck, Andrew Lazenby, John Nelson, Kevin Kubach, David Jenkins, and Vaughan Spearman.
Thank you also to all of these folks for behind-the-scenes logistics assistance: BeBe Dalton Harrison, Dee Dee Williams, Lyne Askins, Nancy Jordan, Grant & Sara Fordham, Matt Schnabel, Beth Foley, John Wells, David Groh, Sara Green, and Beverley Roberts.
On April 17th, we held our second POWR+ class–On the Water Boating Orientation at Lake Moultrie. POWR+ classes are an extension of our annual Palmetto Outdoors Women Retreat (POWR) designed to offer in-depth instruction on a particular topic. We aim to build confidence and encourage participants to try these activities themselves when they leave the event. Since Boating and Trailering was a popular class at last year’s retreat, we wanted to offer this opportunity for women to have even more hands-on experience with this topic in a supportive learning environment.
This class was taught by Captain Robert Wiggers, owner of Waterways Instructional Guide Services (WIGS), and BeBe Dalton Harrison, SCWF Director of Education. Participants learned valuable skills such as trailering, boat handling, boat safety, and vessel orientation. The event was offered on beautiful Lake Moultrie so that participants could get comfortable operating the vessel and backing the trailer in a public location accessible to anyone. Participants left the event feeling more confident and knowledgeable about spending time on their own boats this summer. Be safe on the water this summer!
SCWF Executive Director Sara Green was honored to appear on the popular South Carolina ETV program, “Making it Grow” to share some of SCWF’s programs including, Plishing, Community Habitats, Wildlife And Industry Together (WAIT), and others! We’d like to send a huge THANK YOU to Host Amanda McNulty and Producer Sean Flynn for the invitation and being such great partners of SCWF!
🌱Making It Grow is an award-winning program produced by SCETV and Clemson University. Host Amanda McNulty from Clemson Extension along with Clemson Extension Master Gardener State Coordinator Agent Terasa Lott plus other Extension Agents and featured guests offer research-based information on a variety of gardening, agricultural, and environmental topics, while also highlighting interesting places and products from around South Carolina.
SCWF was honored to be featured in the SC Sea Grant Consortium’s Coastal Heritage Magazine in their Spring 2023 issue. Check out the full article by Erica Hussey on their website HERE – it contains TONS of great information about conservation in your backyard!
Below is an excerpt about SCWF and how to certify habitats throughout your community:
The South Carolina Wildlife Federation (SCWF) offers individuals and communities wildlife habitat certifications for their yards, balconies, schools, churches, and just about any other green space. Businesses and corporations can also apply for similar certification to create dual-process business land spaces. The certification encourages a commitment to local environments and education about declining habitats.
The SCWF has been around since 1931 and affiliated with the National Wildlife Federation since 1946. The SCWF’s goal: to conserve and restore South Carolina’s wildlife and wildlife habitat. The certification program offers one way to meet that goal. Currently, South Carolina is ranked eleventh across the nation in the number of certified lawns per capita; the SCWF has logged 10,957 certified yards in its fifty-year history. A portion of the proceeds garnered from the program is fed directly back into local programming in South Carolina.
The United Nations estimates that one million plant and animal species are threatened by extinction. Worldwide species are being lost alongside disappearing habitats. According to Savannah Jordan, SCWF’s habitat education manager, it can be overwhelming to think of the magnitude of loss. “But you can start in your own yard, your own community, and it can make a huge difference,” says Jordan. “It all starts with one person getting interested and then it just spreads. It’s really cool—seeing people [who] want to learn and then teaching others as well. I think that’s super.”
Wildlife habitat certification is straightforward. The requirements are food, water, cover, places to raise young, and sustainable practices. Certification requirements encourage using native plants, capturing rainwater, installing pollinator or rain gardens, reducing lawn areas, and reducing erosion—all of which lessens stormwater pollution and flooding.
Pipevine Swallowtail on a Zinnia by Charles Rucinski.
“Native plants reestablish the ecosystems that are already there. The plants are adapted to the climate. They go hand in hand; they’re made for each other. They’re more drought resistant and generally easier to grow,” says Jordan. If rewilding or certifying a backyard is too daunting, Jordan suggests starting small. A native plant pollinator container garden allows for portability and the reduction of space requirements, but the benefits remain in providing colorful flowers for local pollinator species. A nest box or bird feeder can act as a low-stakes gateway to wildlife in green spaces. For Jordan, it all started in her own backyard, birdwatching and noticing birds she had never seen before. “It could develop into a love for something that somebody never even knew they would love. That’s all it takes. Just one small step could lead to something amazing.”
From Francis Beidler Forest to the Congaree National Park, to the Upstate mountains or the Sea Islands, or to your own backyard, wildlife and native plants are integral to the character of South Carolina. Where else can you walk among the dwarf palmettos in the shade of towering oaks and hear: “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?”
COLUMBIA — Senator Lindsey Graham has signed onto a bipartisan wildlife conservation bill, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, that will dedicate $1.4 billion annually to locally-led efforts to help at-risk wildlife species nationwide.
“America’s wildlife are in crisis. This ground-breaking legislation tackles the problem at the scale necessary,” said Sara Green, Executive Director of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation. “We thank Senator Graham for cosponsoring this fiscally responsible effort to help at-risk wildlife with collaborative, conservation measures across every state, territory and Tribal nation.”
“This bill is modeled after historic laws passed decades ago that have long helped keep our game and sportfish populations healthy,” said Robert H. Boyles, Jr., Director of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. “Today, most people don’t know that wild turkey or inland striped bass were ever in trouble. Funding from this bill will allow us to do the same kind of work on behalf of South Carolina’s at-risk species like gopher tortoises, wood storks, and loggerhead sea turtles. We wholeheartedly thank Senator Graham for supporting this legislation that will benefit our state’s wildlife and our way of life.”
Loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings, photo by Peggy Lucas.
“Saving the thousands of at-risk wildlife species will require bold, bipartisan leadership,” said Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “We are so grateful to Senator Graham for leading the way on the historic Recovering America’s Wildlife Act. This bill will have an immediate impact – saving species, creating jobs and protecting our way of life in South Carolina and all across the country.”
A similar bill passed the House last session, with support from Representative Jim Clyburn. Senator Graham also cosponsored a Senate version last session. It passed out of committee but never received a floor vote, despite having 47 bipartisan cosponsors.
“Preserving the wildlife and natural resources of South Carolina is crucial not only for the benefit of future generations, but it’s a vital source of local economic growth. Furthermore, by providing important resources, this legislation will support habitat restoration across South Carolina by voluntarily bringing together private and public stakeholders,” said Senator Graham in a press release put out by Senator Heinrich’s office.
Federally recognized tribal nations, including South Carolina’s Catawba Indian Nation, would share $97.5 million annually to fund wildlife conservation efforts in the lands they manage.
“Wildlife conservation is an issue that unites all Americans. We hope Senator Scott and the rest of the South Carolina delegation will join Senator Graham in cosponsoring this commonsense bill and help it get across the finish line,” said Green.
SCWF was honored to be featured in the National Wildlife Magazine’s recent article about our Project Prothonotary! Read more through the links below…
Photographs by Zach Steinhauser, a South Carolina-based photographer and filmmaker. Text by Laura Tangley, senior editor for National Wildlife Magazine.
Published in National Wildlife’s Magazine Spring 2023 issue, and on their website HERE.
A female prothonotary warbler peers out from a nest cavity in a cypress knee. Development, timber harvests and competition with other bird species have significantly reduced the number of such natural nest sites.
A BRIGHT SPLASH OF COLOR amidst the muted tones of a flooded forest, the prothonotary warbler is nicknamed “swamp canary” for its vivid golden feathers and the male’s lyrical springtime song. “That sweet, sweet, sweet song is a sound that says you’re in a Carolina swamp,” says Jay Keck, a habitat manager for National Wildlife Federation affiliate South Carolina Wildlife Federation (SCWF).
Sadly, the bird’s song has faded in recent years as timber harvesting and development destroy its habitat. The species’ numbers fell 42 percent from 1966 to 2015. Since 2019, Keck has been working to bring back the birds across his home state through Project Prothonotary, an effort to install nest boxes that replace lost nest sites in trees. The project also features public education. “If we can get landowners to fall in love with this bird,” he says, “they may say ‘no’ when a developer offers to buy the land.”
