In recognition of Earth Day, the W. Gordon Belser Arboretum in Sherwood Forest celebrated receiving certification as a Palmetto Wildlife Habitat. In the outdoor classroom Sara Green, director of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, commended former director Dr. Pat DeCoursey for her restoration of the arboretum and the current director, Dr. Trey Franklin, co-managers Hollis Beach, Gail Wojtowicz, Lynn Yenkey, and the thousands of volunteers who make it possible to maintain a wildlife preserve in the city, an outdoor field laboratory and lecture site for UofSC students and faculty, and a conservation outreach center for visitors.
South Carolina has over 10,000 certified habitats in backyards, schoolyards, parks, churches, libraries, businesses, and agencies. In 2019, the city of Columbia became a certified wildlife community.
Creating a wildlife habitat on your property involves providing the following components: food, water, cover, and places to raise young. The arboretum’s native plants offer nectar, pollen, berries, seeds, nuts, and foliage for wildlife.
Each layer of plants in a habitat is a home to and a protective shelter for insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. The floor of the arboretum is where accumulated organic matter decomposes by fungi, bacteria, earthworms, insects, other arthropods, and mammals. The humus formed enriches the soil for groundcovers like partridgeberry and the herbaceous layer of nectar and host plants for butterflies.
The shrub layer of hydrangea, Virginia sweetspire, and sweet shrub provides cover and shelter as well as foliage, seeds, and berries to sustain wildlife. Understory trees like dogwood, redbud, and pawpaw cater to wildlife for food and shelter.
The canopy of the arboretum is the layer where the top of the trees brushes the sky. Pines, black gum, oaks, and yellow poplar are canopy trees in the arboretum and receive the most direct sunlight. Animals inhabiting the canopy include squirrels, raccoons, numerous birds, micro-invertebrates, spiders, katydids, and walking sticks.
Water draws wildlife to it, especially the sound of running water. The arboretum’s streams, wetlands, and waterfall support the hydration of animals. Wetlands are important habitat for frogs, salamanders, and aquatic insects to breed and develop in safety. A birdbath and shallow saucer of fresh water are important water sources also.
Since property management affects the health of the soil, air, water, and habitat for native wildlife and humans, certified habitats must follow sustainable gardening practices including eliminating pesticide use, composting, mulching, capturing rainwater to irrigate, selecting a native plant palette, and controlling invasive species.
To investigate certifying your property as a wildlife habitat, visit www.scwf.org. The process is an educational adventure for the family, classroom, neighborhood or organization.
The South Carolina Wildlife Federation is honored to be in a position to distribute educational grants to full-time students pursuing environmental education at South Carolina schools of higher education. Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible, based on their performance in academia and in related community activities.
The winners of the 2020-2021 SCWF Scholarships are:
Jennifer Linscott – 2nd year PhD student at the University of South Carolina
Jennifer wants to be a biologist at a state or federal agency when she graduates, organizing targeted conservation projects for shorebirds, which are experiencing population declines in South Carolina and across the US. As a PhD student, she studies the migration of a threatened shorebird: the Hudsonian godwit (Limosa haemastica), using small satellite tracking devices to follow godwits as they fly from southern Chile to Alaska (and back!) every year. By looking at the places where they decide to stop along the way, Jennifer can draw conclusions about the resources they need to successfully complete migration — and, ultimately, inform landscape-level conservation plans to better support migratory shorebirds as they travel through the continental United States. In the past, Jennifer was a research technician studying mixed-species bird flocks in the Peruvian Amazon; spent a summer working as a surveyor for the Bureau of Reclamation, looking for endangered Southwestern Willow Flycatchers (Empidonax traillii extimus) and declining Yellow-billed Cuckoos (Coccyzus americanus) on the Rio Grande River in New Mexico; and spent another summer working as a surveyor for the Center for Conservation Biology, looking for endangered Black rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) in coastal North Carolina. She has also volunteered for bird banding and educational outreach with the Louisiana Bird Observatory, and for Audubon Louisiana as a Coastal Bird Surveyor. Since moving here, she has volunteered with the bird banding project at Fort Jackson. This experience is all in addition to teaching and mentoring USC undergrads, and teaching free English as a Second Language community classes for Delgado Community College in New Orleans.
In Jennifer’s two years at USC, she has already been named a finalist for the inaugural Lanyon Award from the American Ornithological Society recognizing the most promising early career scientists in the field of ornithology, submitted a first-authored paper to the ornithological journal with the highest impact factor worldwide (Condor), been awarded two nationally competitive external research grants, undertaken three stints in the field during which she has outfitted more than 40 long-distance migratory birds with satellite transmitters, and begun supervising two undergraduate students on their own field research project along the South Carolina coast. To say that she has already accomplished a lot is an understatement!
SCWF is proud to award Jennifer Linscott with the Nicole Chadwick Memorial Fund Scholarship.
Katie Maddox – Masters student at Coastal Carolina University studying Coastal, Marine, and Wetland Studies
Katie’s professional goal is to become a field biologist for a governmental agency or a non-profit. Since graduating with a Bachelors of Science in Ecology from the University of Georgia, Katie has worked a wide variety of environmental jobs including: field technician at the Luquillo LTER in Puerto Rico, studying the various effects of increased hurricane occurrence on the stream dynamics within El Yunque National Forest; environmental educator in upstate New York, educating over one thousand students from the greater New York City area; and a naturalist and deckhand aboard a whale watching boat in Seward, Alaska. Currently, Katie is employed by Coastal Carolina University as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for the Marine Biology undergraduate program. She has also held a variety of volunteer positions including: research assistant in a marine ecology lab; two summers immersing (quite literally) herself in the ecology of Georgia’s intertidal ecosystems assisting on projects studying oysters, mangroves, seagrasses, sharks, and multiple invasive species; member of Turtle Patrol at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center; research hand assisting the Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery in Alaska; and has helped on three ornithology related projects studying five different sparrow species from Georgia’s coast to the coast of Virginia.
Her masters project at Coastal Carolina University investigates the population biology differences between urban and rural Loggerhead Shrikes in Horry County, SC. Loggerhead Shrikes, as are most other grassland birds, have been steadily declining over the past thirty years. It is widely unknown as to why, but overwintering survival and recruitment have been posed as potential causes. She has been studying urban shrikes, and now plans to use this scholarship money to begin to expand the study to include rural shrikes and investigate the various causes of their population decline in contrast to urban shrikes.
SCWF is proud to award Katie Maddox with a Conservation Education Foundation Scholarship.
Sharon Kendrick – Senior at the University of South Carolina, majoring in Marine Science
Sharon is a first-generation, non-traditional student balancing a military family life and three children with her work toward her Bachelor’s degree. Her career goal is to work in the Marine field in research. Her conservation ethic was formed at a young age when working with animals that the family raised and in various jobs including pet stores, animal shelters and museums. As part of a military family serving around the world, she has continued to care for and educate herself about animals and conservation efforts.
For the last 2 years, Sharon has also been the co-director for the Black Families Down Syndrome Network, which she founded as a subgroup of DSDN (Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network) the national organization.
In her application, Sharon said, “The position that I am in to finally aggressively pursue the remainder of this degree allows me a confidence and joy that is irreplaceable. I strive to show my children that regardless of what life throws at you it is possible to achieve your goals.”
SCWF is proud to award Sharon Kendrick with a Conservation Education Foundation Scholarship.
SCWF Scholarship Program:
The SCWF receives contributions from our members; however, a large portion of the funds for these scholarships are received from these three funders:
Nicole Chadwick Memorial Scholarship Fund – honoring the legacy of an endangered species biologist who made a long-lasting impact on wildlife conservation in South Carolina, this fund was created in 2019 out of a desire by community members to honor the long-lasting impact of Nicole Chadwick’s work for wildlife conservation. The new scholarship fund will specifically be awarded to female students studying environmental fields in South Carolina.
D. L. Scurry Foundation – In 1969, Mr. D. L. Scurry and his CPA, Mr. J. F. Burgess, created a non-profit foundation which emphasized providing educational scholarship funds for individuals attending colleges, universities and technical schools in South Carolina. Since that time, the D. L. Scurry Foundation has helped further the educational goals of thousands of students and many organizations within the state.
The Riverbanks Conservation Support Fund (CSF) – This Fund was created to provide financial assistance for conservation oriented projects/programs worldwide that promote preservation of the Earth’s biodiversity.
Knowledge lays the groundwork for analyzing environmental problems, resolving conflicts, and preventing new problems from arising. The South Carolina Wildlife Federation is committed to supporting future leaders by helping to provide the financial resources necessary to lay the groundwork for more responsible decision-making tomorrow.
Thanks to a grant from Dominion Energy, SCWF has begun work to create a 17-acre nature park around Chapin Town Hall which will beautify the property and preserve natural wildlife habitat, while also making it more accessible to citizens and visitors. We will install walking trails, a pollinator garden, and bird boxes throughout. Interpretive signs will provide information about local plants and wildlife.
Volunteers gathered yesterday with partners at the Chapin Town Hall, the Chapin Garden Club, and the Chapin Beautification Foundation to install a 70-foot native plant pollinator garden at the trail-head located behind the Chapin Town Hall.
The property is ecologically significant and is home to many birds in decline, either during their migration to and from the tropics, or during the breeding and winter seasons. Installing nest boxes will improve habitat for bluebirds, screech owls, Carolina chickadees, and barred owls. Native plants, which benefit pollinators and other wildlife, will be installed in strategic locations around the property. Signage will educate the public on what wildlife is being helped on the property through the enhancements.
Local schools will benefit from the trails as they will offer opportunities for teachers to use the ecology of the area for their science curriculum during field trips. SCWF will provide “virtual field trips” so teachers can learn about the area and feel comfortable taking students there in the future.
The protection and preservation of natural habitats, and the environmental stewardship components, will be a part of Chapin’s certification as a nationally recognized “Community Wildlife Habitat” with the National Wildlife Federation in 2021. To achieve this certification, Chapin residents will also be encouraged to create habitat in their own yards – the pollinator garden at the Town Hall will be a demonstration site for residents to see a model habitat garden that can be replicated in their own yards. As Chapin continues to grow, this property will also act as a place of respite for citizens of all ages who are seeking a quiet open space to unwind, exercise, and enjoy nature.
More info about the Community Wildlife Habitat program can be found on our website here.
Photos by Brantley Bissette, SCWF Education Outreach Intern
US Army Corps of Engineers on Track to Restore Crab Bank Seabird Sanctuary
By Brantley Bissette, SCWF Education Outreach Intern
Scheduled to start in September of this year, the US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) is set to restore a critically important shorebird nesting habitat in South Carolina.
Crab Bank is a stretch of sand sitting just below the mouth of Shem Creek in Charleston Harbor, the result of dredging operations in the 1950s. One of five seabird sanctuaries owned and managed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), it historically served as an optimal nesting habitat for species including black skimmers, royal terns and brown pelicans. It also hosted threatened red knot and other migratory shorebirds that utilize the state to rest and refuel during their spring migration. South Carolina hosts the largest concentration of red knot in the southeast. The sanctuary had hosted upwards of 5,000 seabird nests per year. Unfortunately, Crab Bank has slowly disappeared in recent decades and, in 2017, Hurricane Irma washed away all that remained of its suitable nesting habitat.
In 2017, working with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and environmental organizations, the Charleston Harbor Post 45 Deepening Project identified Crab Bank as a possible recipient of suitable newly dredged material as part of the COE’s efforts for beneficial uses of dredged material. Because placement here would be less cost-effective than the originally proposed offshore dumping site, SCDNR and several environmental agencies met and formed the Carolina Coastal Bird Conservation Fund to cover the expense of this and other future efforts to benefit shorebirds. A grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation was developed and awarded to Audubon South Carolina that supplemented community fundraising efforts by SCDNR, Coastal Conservation League, South Carolina Wildlife Federation, Coastal Expeditions and others. The campaign’s success proved a clear indicator of the importance of the restoration project to South Carolina shorebird lovers.
The project would add a total of 80 acres of sediment to the sanctuary, 28 of which would provide suitable nesting habitat. The successful restoration of Crab Bank would maintain South Carolina’s reputation as one of the most important shorebird nesting and wintering sites along the Atlantic coast. In addition to its immediate conservation implications, the restoration would also provide storm and sea level rise protection to Town of Mount Pleasant properties, as well as unique educational benefits, as the sanctuary is just a short boat or kayak trip from nearby communities. Coastal bird partners and the Charleston District of the COE will continue to monitor conditions of nearby Shem Creek to ensure a positive environmental response to the project while remaining in close contact with SCDNR and local community leadership. Restoration efforts will feature the one-time placement of 660,000 cubic yards of dredged material and require only a few months to reach completion.
Along a rapidly developing South Carolina coastline, the restoration and preservation of nesting and wintering habitat is a key step forward in the conservation of these iconic species. The continuing support of the community will ensure the project’s timely completion and help protect South Carolina’s shorebirds for generations to come.
Red Knots, photo by Teri Carter (cropped for top banner image)
Update 9/24/20: GREAT NEWS!! The Beaufort County Zoning Board of Appeals voted 5-0 to reject the proposed Bay Point development. Thank you to all who spoke up for the vast amount of wildlife that depend on our barrier islands for their survival!
Bay Point Island, a vulnerable barrier island bordering Port Royal Sound in Beaufort County, is the site of a proposed “ecotourism” development which will include fifty beach bungalows, four spa and wellness centers, several restaurants, and areas for listening to music and watching movies—all to be constructed on the island. A solar field is included in preliminary designs, however it is insufficient to generate the amount of electricity the resort indicates it will use. Ten septic fields are also planned on the small island, along with stormwater ponds – and 33,000 gallons per day will need to be withdrawn from a local aquifer, straining already depleted groundwater resources and exacerbating saltwater intrusion.
SCWF is proud to stand with our partners at the Coastal Conservation League and the Gullah/Geechee Nation to oppose this project.
Development on barrier islands in general is short-sighted, as they are highly erosional. This island is also a nationally-designated “Important Bird Area,” holding up to 8,000 shorebirds at some times. It provides critical habitat for threatened Loggerhead Sea Turtles and adjoins sensitive salt-marsh areas which are a nursery ground for shrimp, crabs, oysters, and many species of bony fish which are important to South Carolina’s seafood industry, as well as being extremely valuable to the culture and livelihood of the Gullah/Geechee Nation.
Bay Point Island, in its natural state, is ecologically essential for its wildlife habitat value, economically valuable to the seafood industry in South Carolina, and culturally significant to the people of the Gullah/Geechee Nation as well as the people of Beaufort.
You can learn more about the proposed development at the Coastal Conservation League’s website here, and see links above and below to sign a petition opposing this project.
How can you help save bay point island?
Please sign the petition linked below – we are hoping to get 35,000 signatures before the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting Thursday!!
In addition, you may attend the next meeting of the Beaufort County Zoning Board of Appeals where they will discuss this issue – details below. Also below is a letter from SCWF Executive Director, Sara Green, to the Zoning Board members urging them to deny this application.
Beaufort County Zoning Board of Appeals meeting
September 24, 2020 at 5 pm
Burton Wells County Park Gymnasium
1 Middleton Recreation Drive
Beaufort, SC 29906
MASKS ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND.
The County will be providing socially-distanced seating and hand sanitizer.
UPDATE 9/23: This meeting will ALSO be live-streamed over Beaufort County’s Facebook Page HERE. Virtual attendees can submit comments using Facebook’s chat feature during the live stream. While attending in person is the best way to ensure your comments are heard, this option provides a way to comment for those who don’t feel they can attend safely.
Related News Stories:
09/20/20 – Editorial: Don’t let Bay Point Island fall – Post and Courier
09/16/20 – Beaufort County should reject Bay Point development – The Island News
09/14/20 – Gov. McMaster’s Bay Point Island letter – Post and Courier
08/19/20 – Gov. McMaster calls for luxury ‘ecoresort’ plan for SC barrier island to be rejected – Post and Courier
07/21/20 – Contested SC eco-resort plan, flagged as ‘greenwashing,’ up for key decision soon – Post and Courier
07/07/20 – Commentary: Bay Point Island is no place to put a resort – Post and Courier
05/11/20 – Editorial: Oppose barrier island development – Post and Courier
05/06/20 – Resort plan for SC barrier island advances with county now saying it’s ecotourism – Post and Courier
12/20/19 (updated 04/24/20) – $100M resort plan for undeveloped SC barrier island isn’t ‘ecotourism,’ county staff says – Post and Courier
Bay Point Island, a vulnerable barrier island bordering Port Royal Sound, is the site of proposed “ecotourism” development. Photo credit: Richard Porcher/Post and Courier
On behalf of over 10,000 supporters of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, I write to you today to urge you to deny the application to build an “ecotourism” resort on Bay Point Island.
Barrier islands, such as Bay Point, serve to protect our coastline and our communities from the impacts of major storms and sea level rise. In this case, Bay Point Island is acting as a natural buffer to Parris Island Marine Base and other Beaufort communities. Alteration of this barrier island could result in less protection for these communities.
The very nature of barrier islands is highly erosional, often “migrating” on shifting sands. To see the intense natural erosion of barrier islands, you can look at the undeveloped Pritchards Island nearby as an example. Having spent much time there several years ago as a marine science undergrad at the University of South Carolina, I can testify to how much it has changed since then. The research station facility (my home for a summer), which now stands precariously in the surf, used to be approximately 100 yards from the dunes, situated deep in the maritime forest.
With the increasing intensity and frequency of hurricanes recently, scientists anticipate faster erosion on barrier islands in the future. If any structures are built on Bay Point Island, you can be assured that Beaufort County will be investing a significant amount of money in erosion control measures. Those measures will absolutely destroy valuable habitat for federally threatened sea turtles, as well as nesting shorebirds, and many other species which depend on the fragile ecosystem of our coasts.
Bay Point Island is a nationally-designated “Important Bird Area” sometimes holding up to 8,000 shorebirds! Wilson’s Plovers have been observed on the island – these shorebirds are listed as federally threatened. The natural areas on our coast are also a critical stopping point for Red Knot shorebirds on their 19,000 mile roundtrip migration from the southernmost tip of Argentina to the tundra of the Canadian Arctic. They stop to rest in South Carolina and fatten up on the eggs of Horseshoe crabs which come up on our beaches to spawn. Undisturbed areas like Bay Point are critical feeding grounds for this bird on its incredible annual journey.
In addition to the certainty of erosion issues and disturbance of important habitat for vulnerable wildlife on the island, the transportation of supplies for, and waste from, this resort would assuredly go through sensitive estuary/marsh habitat which is an important nursery area and critical habitat for shrimp, crabs, oysters, and many species of bony fish which are important to South Carolina’s seafood industry, as well as being extremely valuable to the culture and livelihood of the Gullah/Geechee Nation.
The amount of water that developers plan to extract from the already depleted groundwater in the area would also exacerbate saltwater intrusion already happening as evidenced by the loss of 50% of the island’s former tree canopy. Any disruption to the natural balance of the salinity of the marsh could have disastrous effects on the plants and animals which depend on this fragile environment.
Bay Point Island, in its natural state, is ecologically essential for its wildlife habitat value, economically valuable to the seafood industry in South Carolina, and culturally significant to the people of the Gullah/Geechee Nation as well as the people of Beaufort. The South Carolina Wildlife Federation urges you to protect this valuable natural resource from development.
Thank you for your consideration of this very important issue.
Contact: Mary Jo Brooks, National Wildlife Federation, brooksm@nwf.org, 303-549-8351
Sep 16, 2020
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The overwhelming bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate for America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act is a tremendous win for America’s wildlife and sporting traditions. Championed by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), the bill invests in wetlands, fisheries, Chronic Wasting Disease research, and habitat restoration projects in the Chesapeake Bay and throughout the country. The U.S. House of Representatives should quickly follow suit and pass this important legislation so it can be signed into law.
“It’s no secret that our wildlife populations are stressed with a third of all species at risk of extinction. This act will restore wildlife habitat, encourage partnerships with state and tribal leaders for wildlife and disease management, and promote coexistence with wildlife on working lands,” said Mike Leahy, director of wildlife, hunting, and fishing policy at the National Wildlife Federation. “This is good news for all Americans who enjoy outdoor recreation, particularly our sportsmen and women.”
“At a time when our nation is divided over so many issues, this bill shows once again that Americans come together over concerns about wildlife, public lands, and conservation,” said Jesse Deubel, executive director of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation. “This common-sense bill will help wildlife and fish populations flourish through better management practices, habitat restoration, and disease research.”
Key provisions of the ACE Act include:
Establishing a Chronic Wasting Disease task force to develop an interstate action plan for state and federal cooperation relating to the disease
Commissioning a study by the National Academy of Sciences regarding the pathways and mechanisms of the transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease in the United States;
Reauthorizing the North American Wetlands Conservation Act until 2025;
Encouraging partnerships among public agencies and other interested parties for promoting fish conservation;
Reauthorizing the Chesapeake Bay Program until 2025;
Reauthorizing the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network and the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Grants Assistance Program until 2025;
Reauthorizing the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Act until 2025;
Establishing a program to provide grants to states and Indian tribes to compensate livestock producers for losses due to predation by federally protected species such as wolves or grizzly bears;
Establishing a Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize for technological innovation to reduce human-predator conflict using non-lethal means.
We can hardly believe September is here! As students get back to their schoolwork and hunters return to the field, we are continuing to work hard to provide free wildlife education opportunities to inspire a conservation ethic in South Carolinians of all ages. Check out our list of upcoming classes and enjoy these additional updates from our team!
As always, thank you for supporting the conservation of wildlife and habitat for future generations to enjoy!
– SCWF Team
Upcoming Free Zoom Classes!
White-eyed vireo, by Cameron Foster
SC Road Trips – Thursday, September 17th at 12 pm – REGISTER HERE Fall Birding – Tuesday, September 22nd at 2pm – REGISTER HERE Let’s Go Fishing – Wednesday, September 30th at 4pm – REGISTER HERE Backyard Abyss to Abundance – Wednesday, October 7th at 4pm – REGISTER HERE
Did you know we have reached more than 3,000 individuals with our free webinars? You can check out our website HERE to see recordings of past classes!
Every year, SCWF empowers multiple collegiate and graduate students who are pursuing degrees in environmental studies with a $500 scholarship. It is our goal for new generations to gain the vital knowledge our world needs for continued conservation efforts.
The deadline to submit a scholarship application is October, 31st. LEARN MORE HERE.
Would you like to contribute to our scholarship fund created in memory of wildlife biologist Nicole Chadwick? DONATE HERE.
Support Conservation with the Federal Duck Stamp!
SCWF is making it easier than ever to purchase a Federal Duck Stamp because we now sell them on our website! Skip the line at the post office and have a Federal Duck Stamp shipped directly to you. Did you know 98% of each purchase goes directly into protecting wetland habitat through conservation easements, leases, and purchasing of critical habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System?
Calling all amateur photographers! The 18th Annual Wildlife Photography Contest is underway. We have already received some amazing images, so make sure to submit your stunning South Carolina pictures before the deadline!
Entertain Your Kids with a Ranger Rick Subscription!
Let’s face it, 2020 has not been the easiest year for parenting! A simple way to provide fun learning is through a Ranger Rick Magazine subscription. Ranger Rick has options for children of all ages and is packed with awesome animal facts, stories, outdoor adventures, crafts, and more!
Our August is off to a strong start! We had a successful online summer auction, our free education classes continue to serve the masses, and we are making strides for wildlife through our advocacy efforts. As always, thank you for all you do to support our work for wildlife!
– SCWF Team
Oysters – Free Zoom Class!
Photo credit: Holly Kight-Sommers
Join us for this webinar to learn about the economical, environmental, and ecological benefits oyster reefs provide, and what you can do to ensure this natural resource is sustained! Holly Kight-Sommers, a biologist with SCDNR’s South Carolina Oyster Recycling and Enhancement (SCORE) Program, will discuss the magnificent critters that rely on oyster reefs to survive, and why replacing shell onto the shoreline is the best way to support these populations. U. S. Congressman Joe Cunningham will also join us to discuss the importance of oyster reefs as living shorelines to help protect the Lowcountry coast from intense storms. #oystersarehabitatforming #everybushelcounts
Dr. David Coyle is back for another SCWF webinar! Nibbles on leaves and conks on trees, there is a whole group of insects and fungi that affect various parts of your tree. This seminar will show you many of the common native and invasive tree pests in South Carolina – what they look like, why we have them, and what to do about them. And since not all bugs are bad, we’ll also talk about a few beneficial insects and how they can benefit your trees and yard.
SCWF closely monitors state and national issues affecting our wildlife. While there have been recent wins for nature, SCWF is also taking a stance with two lawsuits. Read more about each of these advocacy updates here.
Photo credit: Bulls Island Boneyard Sunrise by Ben Sumrell
Calling all amateur photographers! SCWF is sponsoring our 18th Annual Wildlife Photography Contest. Send us your best pictures capturing the beauty of South Carolina’s nature – in your own backyard or our backyard – that being South Carolina’s natural landscapes and creatures.
Post a Picture of Your Dog In Support of #SharkWeek and #FinBanNow
Photo Credit: Will Green
We love all of our state’s wildlife, including sharks! In support of #SharkWeek (August 9 – August 16), SCWF is partnering with our friends at Oceana to voice outrage about the millions of sharks killed each year for their fins and to end the US fin trade. Did you know: The Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act (H.R. 737/S.877) passed through the House last November. Now we now must get it through the Senate before the conclusion of the 116th Congress.
Post a picture of your pup (or other pet ally) with a fin and use one of the below captions. Make sure to tag us so we can share your pictures!
73 million sharks end up in the global shark fin trade every year due to their demand for their fins! (name of Dog) and I are celebrating #SharkWeek2020 by saying it is time for a #FinBanNow. #BarksForSharks #SharkWeek2020 @scwildlifefederation
It’s #SharkWeek2020! (Name of Dog) thinks it’s time for a #FinBanNow! #BarksForSharks @scwildlifefederation
My love for my dog and my love for sharks are not mutually exclusive. Let’s make 2020 the year the US finally gets out of the shark fin trade! #SharkWeek2020 #FinBanNow #BarksForSharks @scwildlifefederation
The developer’s proposal would not only exacerbate West Ashley’s notorious flooding, it would destroy more than 200 acres of valuable wetland habitat and create a mixed-use development unaffordable for the majority of the present community, according to the appeal.
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Conservation groups are challenging the state environmental agency’s authorization of a 3,172.6-acre mixed use development in Charleston’s West Ashley—one of the largest proposed developments in the city’s history—and one that stands to threaten the health and livability of the community as it would allow the permanent destruction of 209 acres of wetlands.
On Thursday, the Sierra Club and South Carolina Wildlife Federation, represented by the South Carolina Environmental Law Project (SCELP), and the Charleston Waterkeeper, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), filed Requests for a Contested Case Hearing with the South Carolina Administrative Law Court, asking the court to reverse South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s (DHEC) decision to issue 401 Water Quality and Coastal Zone Consistency certifications for the Long Savannah project.
The groups point to a number of critical flaws with the proposed development:
· DHEC’s authorizations allow filling 137 acres and excavating 72 acres of wetlands adjacent to Church and Rantowles Creeks. Wetlands provide numerous benefits for people and wildlife, include protecting and improving water quality, providing wildlife habitat and storing floodwaters. This type of “fill and build” activity is exactly what has led to repeated flooding in adjacent neighborhoods.
· Although the proposed construction will be conducted over a 30-year period, DHEC’s authorization failed to account for how climate change will affect flooding on the site over that period. More extreme storm events and potential sea level rise impacts on the property, such as in the area surrounding Rantowles Creek, must be considered to avoid placing more residents in harm’s way.
· Further, DHEC failed to consider how this project impacts the economic stability of West Ashley. Under their own guidelines, the agency must evaluate the extent to which a project is in the national interest and includes consideration for the maintenance or improvement of the economic stability of the surrounding coastal community. The developers’ originally proposed average home price of $338,834 far exceeds the national, state and county definitions of affordable housing. In fact, it would be more expensive than 73 percent of the other homes in West Ashley.
“This development is not priced for the people who actually live in West Ashley,” SCELP attorney Lauren Megill Milton said. “So what the community is getting is a development that they cannot afford, that will destroy a precious habitat for wildlife that they enjoy watching and that will exacerbate floods that will destroy the affordable housing they already live in.”
“The Long Savannah Project mirrors other recent developments in the Lowcountry that lie in low areas. Conventional approaches not only cause the obliteration of natural drainage systems and destroy wetland habitats, they also do not take into account flooding due to a changing climate. This project should take a lesson from the Dutch Dialogues, a year long effort to conceptualize a more resilient Lowcountry by adapting developments to water systems, not adapting water systems to development,” said Sara Green, executive director of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation.
“This project is based on outdated ideas about where and how we can build in the Lowcountry. Outdated fill-and-build development is why West Ashley floods so bad and so often. We cannot continue down this road. We have to stop building in wetlands. The future of our community and health of our waterways depend on it,” said Charleston Waterkeeper Andrew Wunderley.
“Wetlands are critical to protecting life and property because they soak up large amounts of floodwaters. This massive filling of wetlands will devastate a community already experiencing years of repeated flooding,” said Ben Mack, chair of the Sierra Club of South Carolina.
The conservation groups have requested a contested case hearing and an order from the Administrative Law Court judge to reverse the certifications issued by DHEC staff.
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South Carolina Environmental Law Project is a nonprofit public interest law firm. Its mission is to protect the natural environment of South Carolina by providing legal services and advice to environmental organizations and concerned citizens and by improving the state’s system of environmental regulation.
For more than 30 years, the Southern Environmental Law Center has used the power of the law to champion the environment of the Southeast. With more than 80 attorneys and nine offices across the region, SELC is widely recognized as the Southeast’s foremost environmental organization and regional leader. SELC works on a full range of environmental issues to protect our natural resources and the health and well-being of all the people in our region. www.SouthernEnvironment.org
Charleston Waterkeeper’s mission is to protect and restore Charleston’s Waterways for our community and for future generations. We do that through unique mix of boots-on-the-water stewardship and data-driven advocacy designed to protect the public’s right to clean water for fishing and swimming.
The mission of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation is to conserve and restore South Carolina’s wildlife and wildlife habitat through education and advocacy.
The mission of the Sierra Club of South Carolina is: To explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth; To practice and promote the responsible use of earth’s ecosystems and resources; To educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment; To use all lawful means to carry out these objectives.
Banner Photo by Parker Gibbons
Media contacts:
Ben Cunningham, Esquire, ben@scelp.org
Lauren Megill Milton, Esquire, lauren@scelp.org
South Carolina Environmental Law Project, (843) 527-0078
Mike Mather, Southern Environmental Law Center, cell/text (434) 333-9464 or email mmather@selcva.org
The White House rewrite will mask pollution’s full harm to communities, environment
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA — A group of 17 environmental organizations in a lawsuit today accused the government of racing through an industry-friendly rewrite of the National Environmental Policy Act by “cutting corners” and discarding decades of rule-making policies that ensure major legal changes are done fairly and transparently.
If allowed to stand, the changes to NEPA – often called the “Magna Carta of environmental laws” – will reduce the public input that has guided major projects for decades, further diminish the voices of communities that have long suffered environmental injustices, and mask the full extent of polluting projects.
The groups are represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center. The lawsuit comes two weeks after President Trump announced the damaging downgrade to NEPA at a press event in Atlanta. In doing so, the Trump administration sidestepped the longstanding legal process that guides law changes.
The Council on Environmental Quality, the agency in charge of the rewrite, “simply jettisoned the rules to give industry executives what they want at the expense of the public,” said Kym Hunter, an SELC senior attorney. “But the Trump administration isn’t allowed to change a law by breaking the law. And we won’t let this administration get away with it.”
The lawsuit’s first paragraph outlines the groups’ main challenge to CEQ’s process:
In its most recent opinion on the strictures of the Administrative Procedure Act, the Supreme Court affirmed that “the Government should turn square corners in dealing with the people” … In other words, while the federal government has the ability to change policies, rules and regulations, it must follow the law, not cut corners, when it does so.
To rewrite NEPA, CEQ held just two public hearings, one in Washington D.C. and the other in Denver. Despite the limited in-person engagement, the agency received more than 1.1 million comments and, under CEQ policy, has a duty to review them. However, the agency moved forward with the rewritten rule four months later.
In addition to skirting the law, the rewrite also damages NEPA by removing from consideration “cumulative impacts” and “indirect effects” when assessing large projects.
“Cumulative impacts” take into account how pollution from a new project – for example increased car emissions spurred by a new interstate – are added to pollution already in place from the existing road network. “Indirect effects” are foreseeable changes that happen later, like increased sprawl and development from that new interstate.
Removing those considerations means communities will not be fully informed about the potential harmful consequences of proposed projects like pipelines, highways and intensive development.
“NEPA has given a voice to communities of lesser means that often bear the brunt of polluting projects,” Hunter said. “It is a tool of democracy, a tool for the people. We’re not going to stand idly by while the Trump administration eviscerates it.”
Quotes from participating organizations:
“NEPA has been a critical tool for protecting our rivers and our communities. We will continue to work with our partners to fight this misguided and illegal rollback of one of our country’s most important environmental laws.” – Bill Stangler, Congaree Riverkeeper.
“These new regulations put historic places and cultural landscapes at risk across the country. Congress enacted NEPA to make sure that people have a say in federal decisions impacting resources in their own communities. We cannot let our citizens lose their voice.” – Paul Edmondson, president, National Trust for Historic Preservation.
“Whether it’s informing proposed actions on our national forests or addressing waterways damaged by irresponsible tourism development, NEPA has been an invaluable tool for Appalachian communities and their transition away from a declining coal economy. We look forward to challenging this unacceptable rollback and ensuring that current and future generations retain their voice in how our public lands and natural resources are managed.” – Wally Smith, vice president, The Clinch Coalition.
“We cannot allow yet another rollback of a bedrock environmental law. This new National Environmental Policy Act rule favors mining, drilling and other projects that will push imperiled wildlife to the brink of extinction. From polar bears threatened by oil drilling in the Arctic, to North Atlantic right whales being killed by vessel strikes and fishing gear entanglements, to Florida panthers struggling to recover in the face of unrestricted development, we will never stop fighting to protect wildlife.”– Jane Davenport,senior attorney, Defenders of Wildlife.
“The National Environmental Policy Act is the bedrock legislation that helps impacted communities protect special places from ill-conceived infrastructure projects, such as pipelines and dams. For two decades, Alabama Rivers Alliance has engaged in the NEPA process to amplify the voices of ordinary people standing up for their own lands and waters. The current administration’s attempt to topple 50 years of fundamental environmental law is an illegal and transparent gift to industry; another assault on the environment to meet and defeat. We are proud to be joining in this important legal challenge to stop these reckless rollbacks.” – Jack West, policy director, Alabama Rivers Alliance.
“Weakening NEPA rules is a body blow to the structure of environmental protections we’ve built over the last fifty years. Americans have the right to fully participate in decisions about our future and the health of our world and we will defend that right.” — David Sligh, conservation director, Wild Virginia.
“Local communities rely on NEPA to understand how big projects could impact the air they breathe and the water they drink. We must stand up and defend our right to have a say over what happens in our own backyards.” – June Blotnick, executive director, Clean Air Carolina.
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For more than 30 years, the Southern Environmental Law Center has used the power of the law to champion the environment of the Southeast. With more than 80 attorneys and nine offices across the region, SELC is widely recognized as the Southeast’s foremost environmental organization and regional leader. SELC works on a full range of environmental issues to protect our natural resources and the health and well-being of all the people in our region. www.SouthernEnvironment.org
Press Release from the Southern Environmental Law Center
For Immediate Release: July 29, 2020
Contact: Mike Mather, SELC Communications; (434) 977-4090 or cell/text (434) 333-9464; mmather@selcva.org
