Keep South Carolina Wild

Category: Education

Palmetto Pro Birders at Huntington Beach State Park

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Blog post by Allison Bugarin, SCWF Education and Outreach Manager.

We had an incredible day exploring Huntington Beach State Park together! Winter birding along South Carolina’s coast never disappoints, but this trip delivered something truly special.

 

 

From the moment we stepped onto the woods to the last views leaving the park, we were surrounded by nonstop wildlife activity and unforgettable moments. Birds may have been our focus, but the park treated us to an outstanding mix of species—both feathered and not. We enjoyed amazing looks at saltmarsh sparrows! Some other species that we got great looks at were common loons, American white pelicans, green-winged teal, and a beautifully camouflaged Wilson’s snipe.

 

 

Beyond the birds, we were also lucky to encounter several fantastic non-bird species. A green sea turtle surfaced near the jetty, offering an unforgettable moment for everyone watching. A couple of minks darted in and out of the rocks along the jetty, and one of the largest Atlantic ghost crabs I’ve seen made an appearance on the beach on our walk back from the jetty.

 

As if the day needed anything more, a few participants even caught a glimpse of a roosting Eastern Screech-Owl on their way out of the park! This was a perfect ending to an already magical outing.

Thanks to everyone’s sharp eyes and enthusiasm, we wrapped up the day with 79 species for the day. From waterfowl to songbirds, the diversity of habitats at Huntington Beach State Park gave us an incredible variety to enjoy.

 

SCWF would like to say special thank you to Irvin Pitts for sharing his expertise and guidance throughout the trip. Birding alongside him was a rare treat, and we were incredibly fortunate to have his knowledge and sharp eyes with us for the day. Thank you to everyone who joined this trip. Your energy, curiosity, and camaraderie made the day truly memorable. I hope you enjoyed the experience as much as I did, and I can’t wait to see you again on our next adventure!

 

This trip is part of our Palmetto ProBirder Program, which is at the heart of what we do at the South Carolina Wildlife Federation. By combining outdoor adventure, connection with others, and hands-on learning, we hope to inspire more people to become advocates for healthy wildlife habitats. Each time someone logs a bird sighting, plants a native plant, or supports conservation through a Duck Stamp or donation, it adds up to real and lasting change for the landscapes and species we love.

POWR+ Handgun Orientation: Building Confidence, Competence, and Connection to Nature

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On Monday, October 13, fifteen women gathered at the Wateree Range for the POWR+ Handgun Orientation, a full day of learning and hands-on experience. This one-day workshop is part of the expanded Palmetto Outdoors Women’s Retreat (POWR) program, whose mission is to offer programs that provide women of all ages with the skills needed to participate in outdoor recreation. This class fits right into that mission to help women feel confident, capable, and connected to the outdoors. Whether learning to handle a firearm, identify native wildlife, or explore new outdoor skills, every POWR+ class builds community and self-assurance. 

Designed for women with little to no handgun experience, the class provided a supportive, low-stress environment to learn safe firearm handling, basic techniques, and responsible range practices.

SSgt Ray Lewis and his fellow SCDNR Conservation Officers offered classroom instruction first. SSgt Lewis’ expertise and enthusiasm helped participants feel comfortable and confident. 

After learning the fundamentals, participants had the opportunity to practice on the range, exploring different handguns and putting their new skills into action.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During lunch, SCWF’s Habitat Education Manager, Savannah Jordan, shared an engaging presentation on the native wildlife and plants found around the Wateree Range. Her talk highlighted the unique connection between conservation and recreation. This reminds everyone that being outdoors safely also means being aware of and appreciating the natural world around us.

 

A big thank-you also goes to the SCDNR Conservation Officers whose professionalism and encouragement made this class such an unforgettable experience.

 

 

 

The POWR+ Handgun Orientation was more than just a pre-CWP class. It was an empowering, hands-on introduction to firearm safety, confidence, and community. Events like this capture the heart of the POWR initiative: helping women build skills, confidence, and a lifelong connection to the outdoors.

 

Thank you to the National Shooting Sports Foundation for sponsoring this event! All participants received a safety vest, ear and eye protection, a stylish orange/camo Richardson hat, and lunch. 

 

 

Birds of a Feather Paddle Together

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Thursday, October 2 was an incredible day on the water for our Palmetto Pro Birder Paddle, led by our Industry Habitat Manager and resident bird guru, Jay Keck. From the first push off the bank to the final call through the trees, the day was a reminder of how good it feels to slow down and enjoy nature with others.

 

 

 

We tallied 37 bird species, including favorites like the wood duck, red-headed woodpecker, black-throated green warbler, and a clapper rail.

 

 

We also heard a few species that stayed hidden in the trees, such as pileated woodpeckers and downy woodpeckers. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this fun and rewarding day in the field.

 

 

 

This paddle is part of our Palmetto ProBirder Program, which is at the heart of what we do at the South Carolina Wildlife Federation. By combining outdoor adventure, connection with others, and hands-on learning, we hope to inspire more people to become advocates for healthy wildlife habitats. Each time someone logs a bird sighting, plants a native plant, or supports conservation through a Duck Stamp or donation, it adds up to real and lasting change for the landscapes and species we love. We hope to see you on the next one! Until then, happy birding!

 

 

 

 

 

2025 Plishing Challenge Winners Announced

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We are very excited to announce the winners of the 2025 Plishing Challenge! For the second year in a row, Cyrus Rouggly was the winner for the overall number of fish caught. Taylor Campbell came on strong to win the litter portion of the challenge. Adam Mosher was this year’s random winner. Each of these grand prize winners will receive a $500 gift card to Palmetto State Armory!

 

We are truly grateful to everyone who participated in this year’s challenge. A combined total of 1,525 fish were caught (and most were released for extra points!), and 307 bags of litter were removed from waterways, creating a cleaner habitat for fish – and us humans! All those who logged fish or litter in the 2025 challenge will receive a small token of appreciation in the mail from SCWF.

 

We are very grateful to all of our sponsors for supporting our conservation initiative for the fourth year in a row! Thank you to Palmetto State Armory, Palmetto Pride, Angling Women, Local Boy Outfitters, FishRazr, AFTCO, and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Your commitment to conservation allows SCWF to offer this wonderful event to promote clean waterways, conservation of our natural resources, and fishing fun.

WAIT Partner Update: Shakespeare Columbia

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Finding motivated employees to enhance wildlife habitat, and connect with coworkers and the community, is critical for the success of the Wildlife And Industry Together or WAIT program. Luckily, such people stepped up to lead the program at our most recent WAIT partner, Shakespeare Columbia, located in Richland County.

After recently teaching a lunch and learn about wildlife and conservation to over twenty employees, I learned about their plans to hold additional nature-related lunch and learns each year, as well as plans to have an iNaturalist ID competition, photo contest, and a Merlin Bird ID contest. In addition to educating employees, a small team will spend an afternoon each year discussing environmental career paths with students at Title 1 schools in the local community.

 

Image Credit: Andy Sagcal.

 

Image Credit: Andy Sagcal.

 

 

 

To further connect with the community, employees will also participate in litter sweeps in the area, the most recent being a successful river sweep in Cayce, SC. You can see the impact from that sweep in the picture below!

 

We are also proud of these employees for enhancing gardens with pollinator plants, installing Bluebird boxes, as well as developing plans to create a Carolina Fence Garden, which will continue to inspire employees to take a closer look at the natural world around them, and connect them to the planet’s smaller wonders, our pollinators!

Welcome aboard, Shakespeare Columbia, and thank you for doing such a great job connecting employees and the community to wildlife!

Why WAIT?

SCWF partners with conservation-minded businesses throughout the state who want to help wildlife thrive by enhancing their properties and providing educational opportunities for their employees and communities. Read more about the WAIT Program and how to join here.

 

SCWF EcoLeaders: the future of conservation is here!

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SCWF held an EcoLeaders event at Sesquicentennial State Park in Columbia on Monday, July 21st, where youth planted 750 native plants for wildlife habitat, installed a nesting box for Eastern bluebirds, and installed four interpretive signs. From start to finish, this was a youth-led event.

SCWF’s Education Assistant, Mason Eslinger, planned and executed this ambitious project. At age 20, Mason is already making an impact for conservation, and we know that his passion will also inspire other young people to get involved in the stewardship and protection of our natural resources.

 

“It is truly a privilege to find myself in a position that can make such profound impacts on not only the environment, but also on communities. This event in particular carried a different gravity to it, having just become an uncle. Being able to hold the “future generations” that I work so hard for allowed me to utilize my renewed sense of purpose on this project. Thank you to all that made something of this magnitude possible and I look forward to watching that little piece of me prosper at Sesqui!” – Mason Eslinger

 

The native plant garden covers approximately 300 linear feet and will be certified as a wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. In addition to helping wildlife, these plants will also serve as carbon storage. Carbon dioxide in our atmosphere is a leading cause of climate change and plants are great at taking CO2 out of our atmosphere and storing it in the ground. Click on the “Learn More” button below to see a list of the plants that were planted and how these plants benefit wildlife. The plants for this project were sourced from Charleston Aquatic and Environmental, Creekside Native Grass & Design, and Primitive by Design.

Learn More

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you to Mason for leading this effort! We would also like to thank staff from Sesquicentennial State Park, the Palmetto Trail, and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources for assisting with this project. 

 

Thank you to the Bloomberg Philanthropies & the City of Columbia for sponsoring this project!

 

 

Families Exploring Nature Day!

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“This event was a great reminder of how much joy and connection families can find outdoors. Watching kids light up as they planted milkweed and spotted birds on the trail really shows the power of hands-on conservation.”

Allison Bugarin, Education & Outreach Coordinator

The South Carolina Wildlife Federation hosted a successful Families Exploring Nature event on Friday, June 27, 2025, at the Lexington Wildlife Chapter. As part of the new 2025 Explorer series, families enjoyed a morning of fishing basics and a guided nature walk. Families also learned how to plant native milkweed seeds to understand how to support our native pollinators.

 

 

 

 

During the nature walks, participants learned how to identify some of our native trees, spiders, birds, plants, and how ecologically important native plants are to support our native wildlife. They learned tons of interesting nature facts such as the smaller male golden orb weavers are never too far from the much larger female, and that a good way to remember how to identify a water oak is that the leaves are shaped like a rain drop.

 

 

Indoors, SCWF’s Habitat Education Manager, Savannah Jordan, led a hands-on session where families built on the nature walk by learning the importance of native plants. Participants potted their own native milkweed seeds and discussed ways to support wildlife at home. Milkweed supports monarchs and their 3,000-mile migration from Mexico to Canada.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These hands-on experiences helped participants of all ages connect with nature, build outdoor skills, and deepen their understanding of South Carolina’s wild spaces. With beautiful weather, enthusiastic attendees, and plenty of wildlife sightings, the event was a joyful way to continue our new series of educational classes focused on family-friendly outdoor exploration.

Thank you to the Tonja Ivey and the Lexington Wildlife Chapter for hosting us! We would also like to say a special thank you to Mary Rhett Davidson of SCDNR for helping teach the fishing basics portion of the event.

 

Camp Wildwood

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The South Carolina Wildlife Federation is proud to have been one of the sponsors of Camp Wildwood for more than 70 years! This annual event is an outdoor environmental camp that is a fun-filled week during which high school students can experience the many aspects of their natural environment. This year’s Camp was held June 15th through the 21st.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These pictures from this year’s camp show how Camp Wildwood helps the campers to  discover that we are part of nature and everything we do in some way affects the natural balance. At Camp Wildwood, you acquire the knowledge and appreciation needed for the protection and wise use of our natural resources.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, Camp Wildwood is also sponsored by the Garden Club of South Carolina, Inc., the Harry Hampton Memorial Wildlife Fund, South Carolina State Parks, and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Camp Wildwood is held annually in June at Kings Mountain State Park and you can find out more information about it by visiting https://www.campwildwoodsc.com/.

 

 

SCWF Holds Interactive Habitat Workshop in the Upstate

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SCWF recently held a Habitat Workshop in Anderson, an interactive workshop designed to teach participants how to create a Certified Wildlife Habitat in their own yards to help support local wildlife. This workshop is part of our new  Explores Series for 2025. 

A Certified Wildlife Habitat is a designation given to properties that provide essential elements for wildlife, such as food, water, cover, and places to raise young, while also employing sustainable gardening practices. Once a yard is certified, it not only helps wildlife thrive, but it also is recognized by the National Wildlife Federation and helps to spread the message of wildlife-friendly gardening to neighbors and the community.

During the classroom portion of the workshop, participants were given an engaging and informative presentation from SCWF’s Habitat Education Manager, Savannah Jordan, where they learned about how to incorporate each of the essential elements into different landscapes and looked at pictures of their own yards to discuss ways for improving their own yards for all sorts of wildlife. They also learned about the value of native plants and the different types of plants to include for certain species of wildlife like monarch butterflies and other important pollinators.

Following the classroom portion, participants met at Green Pond Landing, a 33-acre facility on the shores of Lake Hartwell designed as a high-capacity launch facility for fishing tournaments as well as recreational boating and fishing. Managed by Anderson County Parks, Green Pond Landing features 200 paved truck/trailer spaces and 100 paved single space parking as well as grass areas utilized for overflow parking. Green Pond Landing boasts the deepest launch lanes and most dock space on the lake as well as a two-story state of the art restroom facility. In 2021, Green Pond Landing completed the development of a 1,300-seat amphitheater which has hosted tournament weigh-ins and special events. Green Pond Landing turned 10 years old in December 2024 and celebrated an economic impact to the upstate of South Carolina that exceeded $100 million during the first decade.

 

While enjoying lunch by the lakeside amphitheater that was generously provided by Visit Anderson, participants planted their own native  milkweed seeds in peat pots that they took home to their own gardens to help monarch butterflies. A few lucky participants won door prizes in the form of native plants, including native purple coneflower and oakleaf hydrangea from a nearby nursery.

 

 

Participants took a tour of Green Pond’s brand new Certified Wildlife Habitat and Carolina Fence Garden, which was designed and installed by the city of Anderson. The group observed the variety of native plants in the garden and discussed the different habitat features and examples of how to improve habitat quality for a diversity of wildlife from bees and butterflies to birds and mammals. The workshop ended with the installation of educational signage in the garden that informs visitors about the different types of plants and pollinators that can be found in the garden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neil Paul with Visit Anderson stated, “It was an honor and a privilege to partner with the South Carolina Wildlife Federation and host the Habitat Workshop at Green Pond Landing. In Anderson County, we have taken a great deal of pride in establishing our facility as a leader, not only in hosting fishing tournaments, but in conservation and protecting our resource. Being able to partner with the Wildlife Federation to develop a ‘Certified Wildlife Habitat’ is another step in that leadership. The habitat garden provides an educational component for gardeners of all levels and adds to the beauty and the landscape of our lakeside facility. This project was a tremendous partnership, and we look forward to more opportunities to collaborate with the South Carolina Wildlife Federation.”

Learn more about Certified Wildlife Habitats and our other programs at https://www.scwf.org/habitat-restoration/.

To see SCWF’s upcoming workshops and other events, visit https://www.scwf.org/events/.

 

Thank you to the Duke Energy Foundation for sponsoring this workshop.

 

SCWF Invites You to Explore with Us!

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The South Carolina Wildlife Federation is known for many things: being the voice of residents who love wildlife, an advocate for our state’s outdoor spaces, and amazing wildlife education programs. There is an incredible line-up of classes we offer including Palmetto Pro-Birder, Naturalist, and Palmetto Outdoor Women’s Retreat events. New for 2025, SCWF is introducing our “Explores” programming. The “Explores” series is a new line of classes designed to introduce the outdoors to folks who may be new to outdoor experiences. BeBe Dalton Harrison, SCWF Director of Education says, “We want to welcome even more people to the outdoors.  These classes and events will be beginner friendly, lower cost, and a great way to step outside in a safe environment.”

The Explores Series will consist of a variety of topics across the state and will change yearly. This inaugural year includes programs to introduce families to fishing and hiking, backyard wildlife habitats, winter wildlife, and more! In addition to being “beginner friendly”, these classes will be offered at a low price point and in some cases will be free for the public. Once each Explores classes is open for registration, it will be listed on our events page at www.scwf.org/events.

SCWF Explores Series

Create a Wildlife Habitat-Anderson County (Tuesday, June 10th)
Families Exploring Nature-Lexington Wildlife Chapter, Lexington (Friday, June 27th)
Water for Wildlife-Sumter (Saturday, July 12th)
EcoLeaders for Youth-Sesquicentennial State Park, Columbia (Monday, July 21st)
Backyard Habitat-North Myrtle Beach (Monday, October 20th)
Fall Backyard Habitat-York County (Date TBD)
Winter Wildlife-Location TBD

 

Banner image credit: Salty Serenity by Stuart Barfield.