Corina Newsome, NWF
There is no place on Earth like the Southeastern United States to discover wildlife. From montane forests to the coastal plain, South Carolina and its neighbors are bursting with biodiversity, from salamanders to plants to birds. As an ornithologist, I’m most amazed by the birds.
My bird conservation research took me to coastal Georgia, home to 100 miles of some of the most undeveloped coastline on the Eastern Sea board, and a third of its remaining salt marsh— the ecosystem in which I conducted my research. I remember the first time I walked into the saltmarsh, which, from a distance, appears to be just a wide expanse of grass. Immediately upon walking in to the grass, however, I knew that the salt marsh was far from homogenous. I saw tens of thousands of fiddler crabs brilliant with color, heard the calls of willets as they flew circles around me and saw my first seaside sparrow nest: a small, cup-shaped nest made of dead grass, attached inconspicuously to long, bright green blades of Spartina.
Paired with the amazement I experienced from being immersed in an ecosystem full of life and diversity is the sobering reality that our coasts and the birds that inhabit them — seaside and saltmarsh sparrows, red knots and piping plovers — are in trouble.
Such threats as habitat degradation and fragmentation, which are also being compounded by increased flooding from climate change, put these species at risk of extinction. But we know from experience that investments in conservation can bring birds back from the brink of disappearing forever.
The bald eagle, waterfowl of all kinds and even the United States’ largest bird, the California condor, all bear witness to this reality.
A new report is a wake-up call about the precarious state of America’s bird populations. A landmark research study found that in the past 50 years, we have lost 3 billion birds— an enormous loss for our biodiversity heritage and for future generations — and 70 species of birds are at a tipping point, requiring urgent action to prevent further declines or even extinctions.
The downward trends can be seen across species and across the country, with all the deadly impacts of the climate crisis— droughts, floods, changing temperatures — leaving such species as the seaside sparrow in danger.
But there is also good news in this research, which shows that when dedicated, targeted investments are made to recover and support bird populations, they can not only rebound, but thrive. Take waterfowl, like ducks, for example. Successful national policies such as the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and the U.S. farm bill have helped support and stabilize water fowl populations. And perhaps one of the most famous success stories is that of the bald eagle, which was nearly declared extinct decades ago due to illegal hunting and pesticide use.
Through a ban of the chemical that weakened bald eagle eggshells and the support of the public, this iconic bird has made such a recovery that it is no longer considered endangered or even threatened, and can be seen soaring across the skies here in the Southeast.
Such success stories demonstrate how we can leverage the power of federal policy and public-private partnerships to help recover other beloved and crucial bird species. Legislation such as the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, which passed the U.S. House with a bipartisan vote and is awaiting a Senate vote, would provide funds to take conservation action before species end up on the Endangered Species List. The bill is a once-in-a-generation initiative designed to fund proactive, collaborative and locally led efforts to protect birds, other wildlife and plants.
Birdwatching is an exercise in patience and curiosity. To spot a red-bellied woodpecker on a long stroll, or hear the call of a blue jay outside your window, is a gift for those of us who call the South home. But in addition to protecting their unique beauty for generations to come, ensuring a healthy future for birds will have benefits that extend into the ecosystems they depend on — which include our human communities.
Birds often serve as a warning sign — their declines sound an alarm about the fate of other species and the ecosystems we share. By investing in their recovery, we can help recover plants, other pollinators and the ecosystems we all rely on to thrive into the future.
All of us can take action today. We can call our federal representatives and senators to support such policies as the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, support commonsense measures that limit the threats that birds face in our cities, such as window collisions, and support native plants in our communities and back yards that act as rest stops for migrating birds on epic journeys for generations to come.
Corina Newsome is a scientist with the National Wildlife Federation.
This year, our long running program, the Women’s Outdoor Retreat, was introduced with a new name, Palmetto Outdoor Women’s Retreat (POWR). At POWR, our goal is to empower women to have the confidence to try outdoor activities on their own after they have learned the basics from our experienced, nurturing instructors. Thank you to Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s Outdoor Fund for sponsoring this year’s retreat.
Boating & Trailering was a popular new addition to the class offerings.
On October 7-9, we were thrilled to welcome nearly 150 women to Hickory Knob State Park for a full weekend of classes and activities. This year we welcomed several new instructors, and also offered new classes such as Boating and Trailering and Low Ropes. There were 29 classes to choose from.
We could not offer this wonderful weekend event without our incredible staff of 50 volunteer instructors. These instructors take time off of their busy schedules to provide quality instruction in outdoor activities that are their passion. When you are passionate about the outdoors, there is no greater feeling than helping others learn and find joy in the same way you do.
We are grateful to one of our long time sponsors, Cabela’s Greenville for support through their Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Outdoor Fund. We were pleased to have the support of several outfitters and organizations including the SC Department of Natural Resources, Artemis South Carolina, Earth Connection Outfitters, Angling Women, Clemson University Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management, SASS (Surviving Assault Standing Strong), John De La Howe School, Clemson Sandhills Research Station, Three Sisters Essentials, Southern Appalachian Outdoors, Clemson University Fly Fishing, Savannah River Ecology Lab, and Nature Adventure Outfitters. These partnerships enabled us to provide a wide variety of activities conducted by a diverse group of expert volunteer instructors. A special thank you is due to the numerous individual volunteers who so willingly donated their time to share their knowledge and expertise. We thank them for their contributions to our event and encourage participants and others to support their businesses.
Event Co-chairs – BeBe Dalton Harrison & Dan Turpin
Check out all the great classes that we were able to offer with the help of our volunteer instructors!
Archery – Wes Ballard and Gina Spear
Backpacking – Glenn Gardner and Sam Poppleton
Backyard Habitat – Nancy Delph
Birding – Jay Keck
Boating & Trailering – Dennetta Dawson, Rhett Bissell, Treye Byars, Kendall Lownsbury, Bert Luper, Jim Shelton, and Elyse Wells, SC Department of Natural Resources
Camping – Cody and Trista Bishop
Canoeing – Don and Bettina George (thank you to John de la Howe School for canoes)
Coastal Crafts – Susan Dalton and Stefany Beals, Angling Women
EcoHiking – Tara Boone, Heather Bock, and April Rodgers , Three Sisters Essentials
Fishing – Bernie and Alice Clegg (thank you to SC Department of Natural Resources for fishing equipment)
Fish Cleaning & Cooking – Bernie and Alice Clegg (thank you to SC Department of Natural Resources for providing fresh fish)
Fly Fishing – Alex Hawley and Sean Crow
Geocaching – Rose Clawson
Hunting – Dennetta Dawson, SCDNR
Hypertufa Pumpkins – Harley Carpenter and Allison Pederson
Kayaking – Elizabeth Anderegg and April Childress (thank you to Clemson Sandhills Research Center for kayaks)
Lake Thurmond Paddle – Cindy Hekking
Low Ropes Course – Kinsley Miller, John De la Howe School
Map & Compass – Penny Ginn
Nature Spa – Beth Rivers, Maria Campbell, and Melissa Goudelock
Outdoor Cooking – Denise Froehle
Paddleboarding – Jimmy and Ginnie Smith, Earth Connection Outfitters
Photography – Allison Moore
Self Defense – Lisa Ewart, SASS Go (Surviving Assault Standing Strong)
SC Road Trips – Rose Clawson
Skeet Shooting – Hubert Cox, Bev Anderson
Snake Class – Jay Keck
Yoga, Outdoor Stretch and Relax – Jami Hawkins
Yoga, Outdoor Vinyasa Flow – Nicole Kish
Special Evening Presentation – Sean Poppy, Savannah River Ecology Lab
Behind the Scenes Lead Volunteer – Ginger Snelgrove
Raffle Prize Donors – Angling Women, Dan Turpin, Beth Rivers, Linda Harrell, Nature Adventure Outfitters, Three Sisters Essentials, Beverly Burton, Terri Wicker Gore, Stono Ferry Golf, Lowcountry Bohemian, Riverbanks Zoo, Rose Clawson, Pure Fishing, and Total Wine
SCWF Staff – Sara Green, Ari Hippensteal, Angi Fuller Wildt, Beverley Roberts, Jay Keck
Hickory Knob Staff – Chris Elswick, Jermaine Jennings, Jan Danner, Shalonda Starks
Scroll through our photos below from this year’s retreat!
We hope to offer more hands-on instruction in outdoor activities in the future so please stay in touch with us by visiting our website at www.scwf.org. Also, women can join the “Palmetto Outdoors Women” page on Facebook for additional offerings.
Bird watching is a great way to connect with nature, and no birds put on a better show than the Mississippi and Swallow-tailed Kites that migrate through South Carolina each summer. From mid to late July, the birds stop to feed before migrating to South America for winter, says Jay Keck, habitat education manager for the South Carolina Wildlife Federation. The fields of Allendale County are a particularly great place to see the small raptors in action.
“If you’re bored, if you need some excitement, pick up a pair of binoculars, come out to Allendale, make that cool drive out to the country,” he says. “You get to see these wonderful raptors, swooping, diving, calling and foraging right in front of your eyes. To me that’s pretty darn exciting.”
Summer visitor
Photo by Zach Steinhauser
Mississippi Kites flock to farms and fields in Allendale County each July to feed—primarily on insects, but also small animals—before they migrate 5,000 miles south to Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina for the winter. Mississippi Kites and their close cousins, Swallow-tailed Kites, are raptors who soar on the warm summer breeze, then swoop down on their prey with surprising speed and grace.
Bird’s eye view
Photo by Zach Steinhauser
The soybean and cornfields in Allendale County are destination locations for birdwatchers, who visit the area’s many crop pastures where Mississippi and Swallow-tailed Kites prey upon insects and small vertebrates.
On the menu
Large insects like cicadas and this dragonfly are a prime food source for migrating kites, providing essential protein during their summers in South Carolina before they travel the 5,000 miles back to South America in the fall.
Gotcha!
Photo by Zach Steinhauser
A Swallow-tailed Kite scores its next meal as it swoops into a soybean field. One of the highlights of watching kites is their ability to swiftly capture their prey and eat on the wing.
Expert knowledge
Photo by Zach Steinhauser
Jay Keck (right), the habitat education manager for the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, briefs Mike Couick (left), President and CEO of The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, and fellow bird watcher Frank Ellerbe on the feeding habits and natural history of Mississippi and Swallow-tailed Kites on a trip to Allendale County in July 2022.
Striking appearance
With a mixture of pearl gray, black and white feathers and red eyes contrasting with black feathering near their beak, Mississippi Kites remind naturalist Jay Keck of a popular 1970s rock band. “The black around the red eyes looks like they have eyeshadow,” says Keck. “They make me think about the rock band KISS with all the crazy make-up that they wear.”
A passion for birds
Photo by Zach Steinhauser
Naturalist Jay Keck’s enthusiasm for winged creatures is contagious. “I think birds connect us to our planet better than any other wildlife,” he says. “I watch people watch birds and catch their expressions. It gives me chills. In that moment, there are no stresses, nothing else matters.” Here, members of the expedition were able to watch a kite survey the adjacent field from a perch at the top of tree.
Thanks to a grant from Wells Fargo, SCWF staff Savannah Jordan and Jay Keck joined together with Brittons Neck residents to install a pollinator garden. Volunteers gathered this past Saturday, September 17, to work with partners from the New Alpha Community Development Corporation, Kingdom Living Temple, The Whitney M. Slater Foundation, the SC Wildlife Federation, and SC State University’s Environmental Action Club.
They installed three raised garden beds, planted a variety of plants for pollinators, installed interpretive signage, pollinator and bird baths, and an Eastern Bluebird nest box.
This pollinator habitat will serve as a publicly accessible demonstration garden for visitors to replicate at their own homes and communities. The garden is located at the future site of the New Alpha Community Development Corporation’s Environmental Justice Training & Sustainability Center. This new facility will educate area residents and folks from across the Southeast in sustainable agriculture, community resilience, and outdoor recreation.
Swamp milkweed, Purple Coneflower, and Common Boneset are among the variety of native plant species included in the garden to attract different types of pollinators.
Using the new habitat as an example, SCWF will hold workshops at the center to teach residents about enhancing habitat in their own yards, with a goal to certify the town as a National Wildlife Federation Community Wildlife Habitat. Neighbors will work toward a common goal of creating green space that is valuable to wildlife while also protecting air and water quality and increasing flood resiliency. Residents can make a huge difference for pollinators by restoring habitat, and having more pollinators will support local food crops, increasing the quality of life in this community.
More info about the Community Wildlife Habitat program and other habitat programs can be found on our website here.
The South Carolina Wildlife Federation seeks to conserve and restore South Carolina’s wildlife and habitat through education and advocacy with every project, program, and person it reaches. At the Saluda Riverwalk, the sound of the rapids, birds, and recreational options make it one of the best places in Columbia to connect people to our planet! Sara Green, executive director; Jay Keck, habitat education manager; and BeBe Dalton Harrison, director of education.
Conserve, Advocate, Restore, Educate: these are the four pillars of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation. Together, they comprise the acronym CARE, which Sara Green, executive director of SCWF, explains is most befitting for the organization. “For all South Carolinians who appreciate nature, outdoor recreation, wildlife, and natural resources, we are the one organization that is dedicated to conserving and restoring these resources for everyone.”
Originally established as the South Carolina Game and Fish Association, the South Carolina Wildlife Federation was formed in 1931 by hunters and fishermen with deep-seated concerns about fish and game violations threatening the state’s wildlife. The late journalist and conservationist Harry Hampton, along with a cohort of outdoor enthusiasts, politicians, and civic club leaders, led the charge to establish the group.
As word spread, chapters popped up across the state, the second of which was in Columbia. Within a matter of months, individuals representing 25 counties met in the state’s capital city to formally establish the South Carolina Game and Fish Association. Fifteen years later, the organization was renamed the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, an affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation.
Red Fox
“Over the 90 year history, we’ve been dedicated to science, education, and advocacy so that we can keep South Carolina wild for future generations,” Sara says of the SCWF’s longevity and impact. Along the way, the SCWF has continued to garner support from prolific figures such as the late Havilah Babcock, who, along with Harry Hampton, served as one of the organization’s presidents in its formative years. Descendants of Harry Hampton and Zan Heyward, a game conservationist who supported the organization in its inception, have also served on the board of directors, upholding the legacy of CARE-ing instilled by their ancestors. “We have a lot of our roots that are still really engaged,” Sara says of these generational ties, adding, “Some of our biggest advocates are folks on our staff.”
For SCWF employees, CARE-ing is quite literally a full-time job. All creatures big and small benefit from the organization’s conservation work, from monarch butterflies to the Roseate Spoonbill. As a nonprofit, the SCWF often employs creative measures to provide the means for their mission. Jay Keck, SCWF’s habitat education manager, explains that in the past two to three decades, the monarch butterfly population has experienced a 97 percent decrease. This drastic decline is largely attributed to the limited supply of milkweed, the only plant on which monarchs will lay their eggs. “If there’s no milkweed, there are no baby caterpillars,” Jay says.
Austin Jenkins, SCWF’s Midlands master naturalist instructor, educates a group of kids about a snake while on a walk at Landsford Canal State Park.
Prothonotary Warbler, Photography courtesy of Lynn Long, SCWF
Green Tree Frog, Photography Courtesy of Laurie Walden, SCWF
In light of this, the SCWF launched Monarchs & Milkweed, through which they have been able to purchase, pack, and distribute thousands of milkweed seeds to households all over the state. Through this program, individuals and families provide for monarchs for generations to come. As the butterflies make their annual migratory journey from central Mexico to central Canada, they paint the South Carolina sky an orange hue as they pass through.
SCWF’s WAIT program — Wildlife And Industry Together — is another facet of the organization’s conservation efforts. Through WAIT, corporations enhance their property for wildlife and use their facilities for community education events. BMW, Colgate- Palmolive, Westinghouse, and Bridgestone Firestone are several of the SCWF’s WAIT partners. Collectively, they have hosted Earth Day activities, built boxes for Prothonotary Warblers, developed environmental education programs, and hosted employee lunch-and-learns. “We really encourage WAIT partners to get involved in their community,” Jay says.
Community engagement is a common thread for the organization. It serves as the foundational element for one of the SCWF’s newest initiatives, “plishing:” a combination of a Swedish phrase, “plocka upp” — litter pickup — and fishing. As a result of pandemic closings, a swell of people turned to the outdoors for recreational activities. It was a silver lining that BeBe Dalton Harrison, SCWF’s director of education, describes as refreshing. “During a challenging time, it was nice to see people really getting to experience what South Carolina has to offer.”
However, as the world reopened, fishing rods and other outdoor recreational equipment started collecting dust in corners and coat closets. The Plishing Challenge is the SCWF’s way of preserving a widespread appreciation for the outdoors and encouraging small but mighty acts of conservation. “We wanted to find a way to continue to engage those folks in the outdoors,” BeBe says. The challenge ran from June 1 to Aug. 1 and was open to individuals of all ages and skill levels. By downloading the FishDonkey app, challengers could log, identify, and video their catch of the day and litter cleanup. BeBe says of the challenge: “It is for anyone. We had people register from our Women’s Outdoor Retreat, Camp Wildwood, Artemis, and some new families.”
Yellow rat snake Photography courtesy of Michael Summer, SCWF
Whitetail deer fawn Photography courtesy of Raymond Murray, SCWF
SCWF volunteers pick up litter at Archer’s Lake in Columbia. Photography courtesy of SCWF
Regardless of the program or the pillar that it falls under, each of SCWF’s initiatives is underscored by advocacy. This principle hearkens back to founding member Harry Hampton, who “urged that sportsmen in the state organize to press for amended laws that would fundamentally change natural-resources and game management policies” in his “Woods and Waters” columns, published between June and October of 1931. His outspoken advocacy set the tone for the organization’s vehement support of legislation that protects or positively impacts the state’s wildlife and natural resources.
Today, this effort involves an on-staff lobbyist and several partner organizations, including the Department of Natural Resources, Audubon South Carolina, and the National Wildlife Federation. Current advocacy at the state level includes calls for increased funding for the South Carolina Conservation Bank, which helps ensure the protection and preservation of natural resources, and support of the Green Space Sales Tax Act, which will allow counties to implement and apply a sales tax for the restricted purpose of land preservation procurements and green space enhancements.
The SCWF is also working alongside the NWF on the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, which will help 828 species of wildlife and plants in South Carolina alone that need conservation and send $14 million annually to the state of South Carolina to protect habitats of species in decline. “The idea is to really work to protect that habitat for them before they need the emergency measure of the Endangered Species Act,” Sara says.
Jay Keck, SCWF’s habitat education manager, teaches a group of Midlands master naturalists about bird identification. Photography courtesy of SCWF
Boots-on-the-ground, hands-in-the-dirt restoration will continue to be an integral part of the SCWF’s work. The organization’s Certified Wildlife Habitat Program offers the means to engage whole communities in restorative efforts. Through this program, habitats in backyards, schoolyards, churches, parks, industrial properties, and even entire communities can be certified as wildlife sanctuaries by providing food, water, cover, and places for wildlife to raise their young. Columbia is one of 11 communities in the state that has earned this certification — the hallmark of a grassroots commitment to wildlife and natural resources.
Over the years, the SCWF has learned that education is the deciding factor of commitment to the cause on any scale. Jay cites Baba Dioum, a Senegalese forestry engineer, as capturing this sentiment in a statement to the General Assembly at the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 1968: “In the end we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.”
The SCWF imparts a love and understanding of wildlife and natural resources through year-round classes, retreats, camps, and webinars. As a certified Palmetto Pro Birder, Jay leads birding classes for both green and seasoned birders across the state. Identifying birds, he explains, is as much about visual identification as it is audible identification, as well as a familiarity with bird habitats. Mnemonics like “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for y’all?” help to identify the nocturnal Barred Owl. Vibrant colors, such as the striking sapphire hue of Indigo Buntings, make it easy to spot daytime fliers. Although he could rattle off Audubon acumen for hours, Jay’s biggest suggestion to budding ornithologists is to sit and let nature come to them. “I think everybody can do it if they just allow themselves to slow down,” he says.
While slowing down does not fit into the curriculum at Camp Wildwood, knowing where to look and what to listen for does. The camp, located in Kings Mountain, is operated via a partnership between the Garden Club of South Carolina, SCDNR, SCWF, South Carolina State Parks, and the Harry Hampton Memorial Wildlife Fund. Each summer, roughly 100 first-year campers spend a week learning about wildlife, forestry, fishery, and natural resources, in addition to leadership and comradery.
One-fifth of this group is invited back the following year, during which the seasoned campers travel off-site for high ropes, whitewater rafting, boat tours, and fly fishing. Second-year campers also dive deeper into leadership development and natural resource education. Those who are selected for the third year program head to the Donnelly Wildlife Management Area on the ACE Basin for a coastal experience consisting of shark fishing, sea turtle education, and canoeing. As a former camper who now doubles as one of the camp’s second-year staff coordinators, BeBe credits Camp Wildwood as the stimulus for her career in natural resources. “I changed my major from advertising to marine science after that camp,” she says. Her experience, she explains, is common for Camp Wildwood alumni, regardless of their career path. “Even if you don’t become a natural resources professional, you’ve still got that little voice in your head asking, ‘Is this the most conservation-minded approach?’”
This question undergirds all of SCWF’s work, reinforcing the organization’s mission of conserving and restoring South Carolina’s wildlife and habitat through education and advocacy with every project, program, and person they reach. “The more that we can get education into the hands of the public and engage the public in education, the more chances it will move them into action,” BeBe says.
The South Carolina Wildlife Federation (SCWF) is excited to announce the selection of ten South Carolina teachers to participate in a new pilot project, “Wildlife Connections from the Mountains to the Sea”, developed by SCWF and sponsored by Dominion Energy. Participants were selected based on geographic location and community need.
The following teachers were selected to participate in this year’s project:
Sarah Hobert, Lonnie B. Nelson Elementary School
Latonya Hall-Gibson, Conder Elementary School
Ashley Williams, Bridge Creek Elementary School
Tracy Mitchell, Killian Elementary School
J’Nai Whitehead, Jackson Creek Elementary School
Michelle Hawkins, Pontiac Elementary School
Susan Lester, Gallman Elementary School
Huger Caughman, Boundary Street Elementary School
Morgan Rhoney, Saluda Elementary School
Sabrina Martin, Whitmire Community School
Teachers applied to participate in the program and provided reasons why they wanted to bring more conservation education into their classrooms. Sarah Hobert, a 4th grade teacher at Lonnie B. Nelson Elementary School said, “I can tell them all day how important it is, but until they actually get to enjoy it, it can be hard for many (without natural experiences) students to want to do their part in conservation. I have no doubt that my class would benefit from an opportunity like this.”
SCWF’s Jay Keck teaches a class about the importance of wildlife conservation.
This Wildlife Connections project will provide classroom kits with supplies and hands-on activities representing a variety of wildlife in different areas of our state including oysters, birds of prey, and fish. Teachers will carry out these activities with their students on their own schedule and can pair them with corresponding science standards. After the activities have been completed, an educator from the South Carolina Wildlife Federation will visit the school and help students tie together all the things they have learned from the kit activities. This step will help students understand that our state’s wildlife and habitats are all intricately connected. Students will also receive field guides for wildlife in SC, magnifying glasses, and a certificate of completion to take home.
For more information on the project, Wildlife Connections from the Mountains to the Sea, contact BeBe Dalton Harrison, Director of Education for the South Carolina Wildlife Federation
By BeBe Dalton Harrison, SCWF Director of Education
Overall points leader Don Myers with an impressive Redfish.
Our inaugural SCWF Plishing Challenge is complete! After the summer-long event, we are excited to announce the overall winners for the challenge along with a randomly selected participant who will each receive a $500 gift card to Palmetto State Armory. We are grateful for everyone who registered and participated in the challenge as well as all of the sponsors who helped make this event possible
Our overall winners for the challenge are as follows:
Overall points leader for fish-Don Myers with over 123 fish caught
Overall points leader for litter-Camden Michael with 66 bags of litter collected
Randomly Selected participant-Sawyer Osborne
Vivian Addis catches a Bluegill!
People from all over the state registered and submitted photos of fish, videos releasing fish, and photos of the bags of litter collected. Sandy Addis, whose daughter Vivian, fished the tournament noted, “This has been a fun endeavor for my 6year-old daughter, Vivian. My bass tournament-fishing husband, Jerald, was particularly thrilled that his youngest daughter had an opportunity to win something for doing something she enjoys. They both have felt good about simply seeing her name on the board, no matter the place, and Vivian has never caught so many fish (or dug so many worms) in one summer. She also has never spent so much time picking up litter, which was definitely more of a chore, but has an increased appreciation for a clean roadside (and a clearer mental picture of poison ivy).” Vivian was one of the winners for the month of July.
We learned a lot from hosting this family friendly event promoting fishing, conservation through catch and release, and litter collection and will share some of that information in the coming weeks. We extend our sincere appreciation to our sponsors, Palmetto State Armory, Palmetto Pride, AFTCO, EzOn Bobber, Shimano, The South Carolina Aquarium, and Angling Women.
For more information on the SCWF Plishing Challenge, contact BeBe Dalton Harrison, Director of Education, at mail@scwf.org.
For more information on the SCWF Plishing Challenge, contact BeBe Dalton Harrison, Director of Education, at mail@scwf.org.
By Emery Tumbleston, Spring 2022 Academics Afield Intern
Growing up in an outdoor household on a farm in Ravenel, SC, I made my playground the venturous Lowcountry marshes and maritime forests. I thought that going out to explore the woods, shoot bottles with a BB gun, and hunt and fish was what every early 2000’s kid did, or at least had the opportunity to do. It wasn’t until I got older, that while I had the time of my life learning about the outdoors, little did I know that I was one of the lucky ones that didn’t grow up concealed from nature by concrete walls and urban sprawl.
My time at Clemson has also showed me just how much of a disconnect has arisen between young people and the natural world. I am a Wildlife and Fisheries Biology major in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, within the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences… but that doesn’t mean all these students enjoy the outdoors on a regular basis or grew up in an outdoor-centered household like I did. When the SCWF wanted to implement a peer-led hunting program for Clemson students, I leapt at the opportunity to become the Clemson University intern for Academics Afield.
While I worked with students, most of whom had never even held a firearm or been hunting before, I saw a change in the eyes of many of the participants. Fear and uncertainty transformed into eagerness and confidence over the course of two semesters. The look of accomplishment swelled over many students’ faces when they broke a clay for the first time at the shotgun range or harvested their first animal on a WMA. I felt those same feelings many years ago, but seeing them manifest in those students took me back to the simple, wonderful time when I was feeling those senses of confidence and accomplishment for the first time.
Conservation may be a subject which is starving for advocacy of young people today. This is the fault of none other than the disconnect from the outdoors that kids have been experiencing for decades now. Although I say this, I am confident that programs like Academics Afield will help build bridges over the disconnect from wildlife and the outdoors that our society experiences. One may still express degrees of skepticism on the efficacy of programs like Academics Afield, but I can personally attest that the changes I saw in the eyes of students that participated in this program gives me hope that a little more advocacy for conservation will live on in the hearts of the inaugural class of Clemson Academics Afield students. I am thankful that I was blessed with the opportunity to work as the Clemson Academics Afield intern with SCWF and I am excited to see what the future has in store for this amazing program across our great state.
SCWF and other conservation groups are working to ensure that new housing developments conserve critical wildlife habitat and protect residents from increased flooding. The article below describes our challenging of a permit for the almost 10,000-acre proposed Cainhoy development, near the Francis Marion National Forest, which would destroy nearly 200 acres of wetlands that offer critical protection from flooding by storing flood waters.
“Not only does the planned development put new residents in the direct path of flood waters, but it will also impact the nearby national forest and wildlife,” said Sara Green, Executive Director of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation. “The development will remove critical habitat for animals like the red-cockaded woodpecker on the Cainhoy site and negatively impact the national forest, an invaluable natural resource for all.”
Federal regulators have approved plans for a city-sized development on the Cainhoy Peninsula. Environmental groups say the project will make the area more vulnerable to flooding. File/Staff
CAINHOY — Environmental advocacy groups in South Carolina filed a lawsuit challenging a permit for a proposed 9,000-acre community along Clements Ferry Road they say would make the area more vulnerable to flooding.
The Point Hope project has been approved for as many as 18,000 homes on land that straddles Clements Ferry Road between S.C. Highway 41 and Interstate 526. Permits were authorized by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on May 11.
The lawsuit filed Aug. 17 claims issuance of the Army Corps permit violates the federal Clean Water Act’s prohibition on filling wetlands if there is a less environmentally damaging alternative.
Environmentalists said the project would destroy nearly 200 acres of wetlands needed for floodwater storage, plus place about 45 percent of the planned housing in the floodplain. And more than 45,000 people would be added to the Cainhoy Peninsula beyond Daniel Island, according to a news release from the Southern Environmental Law Center detailing the case.
The center filed the suit in federal court in Charleston on behalf of the Coastal Conservation League, Charleston Waterkeeper and the South Carolina Wildlife Federation.
The Corps referred requests for comments on the lawsuit to the U.S. Department of Justice. A DOJ spokeswoman declined to comment through an email sent on Aug. 18.
Charleston Waterkeeper Director Andrew Wunderley said the developers should be doing everything they can to minimize destroying wetlands that protect residents from floodwaters.
“Damaging hundreds of acres of wetlands is clearly reckless for future occupants of the development,” Wunderley said in the news release.
Several other defendants and issues of concern were also listed in the complaint.
The Environmental Protection Agency is being sued because of its failure to veto the Corps’ permit, the plaintiffs said. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is listed in the complaint because it “unlawfully issued a biological opinion authorizing the extirpation (elimination) of endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers from the property.”
“It’s the biggest poster child for a bad idea with filling a wetlands, housing in a floodplain and endangered species,” said Catherine Wannamaker, a senior attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center.
In addition, the development is planned on an already-crowded road that has its share of traffic issues, environmentalists said.
Because of its proximity to the Francis Marion National Forest, wildlife there, like the red-cockaded woodpecker, could be impacted by city-sized development.
Red-cockaded woodpeckers nest in live trees and depend on mature pine trees to build their internal nests. The Francis Marion once had the nation’s second-largest naturally increasing population. The animals were listed as endangered in 1970, and about half of the population in the forest here was displaced after Hurricane Hugo in 1989.
Point Hope could further remove critical habitat for animals like the woodpecker and negatively impact the forest, environmentalists said.
The environmental groups say they are not opposed to development occurring on the Point Hope property. Instead, they are advocating for a development plan that is resilient and sustainable, said Jason Crowley, a senior program director for the Coastal Conservation League.
He said environmentalists hope to work with the federal agencies and developers on a resolution that substantially minimizes the impacts to natural resources and avoids putting homes in the floodplain “at the same time that the Army Corps is trying to build a billion-dollar seawall downtown.”
The federal government has 60 days to file an answer to the suit, Wannamaker said.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include Department of Justice confirmation it would not be commenting on the lawsuit.
By Shamira McCray smccray@postandcourier.com – Shamira McCray covers climate change and the environment for the Post and Courier. Follow her on Twitter at @ShamiraTweets.
“Fish on!” Recently I had the honor of introducing 21 Camp Wildwood second year campers to our incredible upstate, including an opportunity to fly fish in the spectacular Chauga River where we caught brown trout and rainbow trout on the fly.
Camp Wildwood is a natural resources camp sponsored by the SC Wildlife Federation, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the Harry Hampton Memorial Wildlife Fund, and the Garden Club of South Carolina. As a former Camp Wildwood camper, this program is very close to my heart. I look forward to attending this incredible week every year and getting to introduce many conservation and natural resources ideas to campers.
During this year’s camp, the second year campers toured and learned about our freshwater trout species at Walhalla State Fish Hatchery, rafted the Chattooga River, fly fished the Chauga River with the Chattooga River Fly Shop, had an in depth introduction to wildlife in South Carolina and how to protect it, boated on Lake Jocassee, visited Stumphouse Tunnel, Isaqueena Falls, Sassafras Mountain, and helped the 80 first year campers go fishing at King’s Mountain State Park. Camp Wildwood helps high school students develop a more in-depth knowledge of South Carolina’s natural resources and introduces them to careers in the outdoors. It also helps them develop leadership in conservation for them to take back to their school and community.
Our campers this year showed a particular interest in how natural resources help our state’s economy. They made the connection with natural resources, conservation, and economic impact on South Carolina. They asked thought provoking questions of our speakers and fully engaged with every activity. The next step for these campers will be the Third Year Coastal program next summer and then selected campers will become counselors.
No matter whether the campers go into a natural resources related field or not, most Camp Wildwood campers show support for conservation in whatever field they choose. Many former campers in nursing, politics, engineering, and more stay connected and find a way to support conservation through community actions and by supporting organizations like the South Carolina Wildlife Federation.
