Keep South Carolina Wild

Category: Conservation

Forks, Knives, & Spoonbills Conservation Dinner at The Hollow in Columbia

Join the South Carolina Wildlife Federation at The Hollow in Columbia from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm for a five-course, wine-paired conservation dinner featuring dishes inspired by imperiled bird species created by Executive Chef Dante Serra.

This year’s featured species include the Eastern whip-poor-will, golden-winged warbler, green heron, prairie warbler, yellow-billed cuckoo, and of course, the roseate spoonbill, whose conservation story inspired this dinner series. We can’t wait to see the menu inspired by these species! As each course is served, SCWF Industry Habitat Manager Jay Keck will share information about each species and the conservation efforts needed to help them thrive.

This convivial evening will not disappoint! Purchase your tickets early to ensure that you can join us for this deliciously informative conservation dinner. All funds raised will benefit conservation and education programs at SCWF.

Menu

Inspired by the yellow-billed cuckoo
Confit frog legs, potato cake, blackberry compote 

Inspired by the Eastern whip-poor-will
Summer fruit gazpacho 

Inspired by the roseate spoonbill
Crawfish-stuffed prawn, grits, Creole

Inspired by the green heron
Blackened catfish, collard greens, red rice risotto 

Inspired by the prairie warbler
Lemon bar with macerated berries & whipped cream

 

Presenting Sponsor:

 


Philanthropic Sponsorships


Please consider choosing a sponsorship to further support our mission!

For Company sponsorships, you’ll receive two dinner tickets at the $525 level or four tickets at the $1,050 level, and we’ll include your logo on all of this event’s marketing materials sent to our 45,000+ supporters and followers, and on press releases, website, and the menu. 

For SCWF Friend sponsorships, you’ll receive two dinner tickets at the $325 level or four tickets at the $650 level, and will be recognized by name on the same formats.

Thank you to our sponsors for helping us increase our impact for South Carolina’s wildlife. 

FKS dinner refund policy: 90% of ticket price will be refunded for cancellations requested more than one week prior to the event. All refund requests must be made in writing or by email to mail@scwf.org.

Featured image: 2026 menu art winner, Gathered Around the Plate by Liz List.

Field Herpetology

Spend a day in the field discovering what it means to be a herpetologist! This hands-on program focuses on reptiles and amphibians—some of the most fascinating and elusive species in our region. Both groups play key roles in ecosystem health and serve as excellent environmental indicators. During the day, you’ll learn about field methods researchers use to monitor these species and gain experience applying techniques such as aquatic trapping and coverboard surveys. Along the way, we’ll encounter the incredible diversity that defines our local herpetofauna.

The workshop takes place at Salleyland, a private property owned by the Gibbons Family. The site features a rich mix of habitats, from flowing blackwater creeks to managed upland pine forests. The Gibbons Family generously opens the property to environmental groups and educational programs as part of an ongoing effort to document the species found there. All species observations from this course will contribute to that inventory.

Be prepared for a true field experience—expect hot, muddy conditions and several hours of walking (approximately 2+ miles) through varied terrain. Long pants and knee-high boots or shoes that can get muddy are required. Bring plenty of water and snacks, and consider packing a change of clothes. We’ll wrap up the morning with a group lunch and discussion of our findings. Please pack your own lunch if you plan to join for this portion of the day.

Instructor: This class will be led by Jake Zadik, a naturalist and biologist based in the South Carolina Lowcountry with a lifelong passion for herpetology. Jake collaborates with local communities to provide natural history programs, conduct field research, and offer guidance on land and habitat management. Throughout his career, he has worked closely with the region’s diverse reptile and amphibian species—as well as many other taxa—with current projects focusing on Copperheads and Diamondback Terrapins.

Jake is an active instructor with the Charleston Master Naturalist Program, where he leads the herpetology portion of the course. In 2018, he co-founded the South Carolina Herpetological Society—an effort that has since grown into South Carolina Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (SCPARC), where he continues to serve as co-chair.

 

IMPORTANT: Participants should be in good physical shape. We will be outdoors during the whole class, and it may be hot. In addition, we will be on our feet most of the day.

Cost: The cost is $75.00 per person.

To ensure a quality experience for all, space is strictly limited to 12 participants. Classes fill quickly, register today! After registration, you will receive an email with lodging recommendations, directions, and any other details pertinent to the class.
Other Important Notes:

  • Participants should bring a bag lunch and water and be prepared for a day in the field.
    There is no rain date for this event. We will make every effort to hold it, even in a few rain showers. If we can’t make it happen due to weather or some other situation, we will refund your money.

  • After registering you will receive important correspondence via email – if you change your email between now and then, make sure to notify us.

SCWF reserves the right to cancel any event, due to unforeseen circumstances, extreme weather, low registration, or guidance from local/state officials. Any cancellation by SCWF will result in a full refund for all registrants.

Featured Image Credit: Southern two-lined salamander by Jake Zadik.

Banner Image Credit: Timber rattlesnake by Jake Zadik.

Earth Day at the Ballpark

SCWF invites you to join us on Wednesday, April 22 for Earth Day at the Ballpark at Segra Park in Columbia. Along with other conservation organizations, SCWF will have a table at the game where visitors can learn all about fireflies, the lightning bugs!

Tickets are just $12.67 to see the Columbia Fireflies take on the Augusta GreenJackets in this friendly regional rivalry that is sure to be fun for the whole family. When you purchase tickets through the link below, you will score a limited-edition Fireflies “COLA” hat with your ticket – a stylish nod to both your team spirit and environmental awareness.

Fireflies of South Carolina: The Natural History and Conservation of Lightning Bugs

How many types of lightning bugs are there in the Palmetto state? Where do they go during the winter? Are fireflies endangered? Join Xerces Society firefly biologist Richard Joyce for an evening presentation about the diversity, natural history and conservation of South Carolina’s lightning bugs, and learn how you can help protect and understand these magical insects.

Banner image credit: Synchronous Fireflies light up the forest at dusk by National Park Service.

2026 Wild Summer Nights Online Auction

This year’s Wild Summer Nights Online Auction runs Friday, July 24th, 9am – Sunday, July 26th, 8pm.

This is our favorite fundraiser because it truly has something for everyone. Whether you are planning your next vacation, event, outdoor adventure, or are looking for a uniquely wonderful gift, you will enjoy bidding on a variety of items for a great cause! All proceeds support our mission to conserve and restore wildlife and habitat through education and advocacy.

If you would like to donate an item or experience, please use the Make an Item Donation button below.

If you would like to be a sponsor, read on for options!

The 2026 auction has a fundraising goal of $100,000, and we need your support to reach this goal!

Sponsorship options:

Presenting, $2,500: featured logo ads & top billing on auction site, event webpage, and press releases. 

Full, $1,500: featured logo ads and top billing on the auction website and top billing on the event webpage.

Half, $750: logo ads and listing on the auction website and event webpage.

Quarter, $375: name listing on the event webpage.

Share your support of wildlife and habitat conservation with our 46,000+ supporters and followers!

 

 

 

Be an auction sponsor!

Make an Item Donation

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Banner Image Credit: Light the Way by Stuart Barfield.

Forks, Knives, & Spoonbills Conservation Dinner at Topsoil Restaurant in Travelers Rest

Ticket sales close on Friday, April 3rd, or when all tickets have been sold.

Join the South Carolina Wildlife Federation at Topsoil Restaurant in Travelers Rest near Greenville on Wednesday, April 8th,  from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm for a six-course, wine-paired conservation dinner featuring dishes inspired by imperiled bird species created by Executive Chef Adam Cooke.

This year’s featured species include the Eastern whip-poor-will, golden-winged warbler, green heron, prairie warbler, yellow-billed cuckoo, and of course, the roseate spoonbill, whose conservation story inspired this dinner series. We can’t wait to see the menu inspired by these species! As each course is served, SCWF Industry Habitat Manager Jay Keck will share information about each species and the conservation efforts needed to help them thrive.

 

This convivial evening will not disappoint! Purchase your tickets early to ensure that you can join us for this deliciously informative conservation dinner. All funds raised will benefit conservation and education programs at SCWF. Vegan/vegetarian options available. Please note dietary restrictions and seating requests in the Notes field on the ticketing page.

Menu

Golden-winged Warbler

Amuse: twice baked sunchokes with Monetta asparagus, bacon, chive

Balestri Valda Soave Classico DOC ’Sengialta’, Italy

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Oyster mushroom bisque, sherry Gouda cream

Vigna Madre Pecorino ‘Becco Reale’, Terre di Chieti IGP, Italy

Roseate Spoonbill

Local beet & strawberry salad, strawberry rose’ vinaigrette, watercress, whipped garlic-dill fromage blanc

Mas des Infermières Source Rosé, Luberon AOP, France

Green Heron

Yellowtail hamachi crudo, black lemon vinaigrette, orange & cumin-scented pickled carrot and cauliflower

Coto de Gomariz ‘Flower and the Bee’ White, Ribeiro D.O., Spain

Eastern Whip-poor-will

Hickory Nut Gap pork cheek braised with spruce tip and rosemary, Carolina Gold rice middlins, fresh peas and truffle

Aguijon de Abeja Cabernet Franc, San Juan, Argentina

Prairie Warbler

Caramel banana budino, sweet cornmeal short cookie, rum whipped crème fraiche, candied cashew

Evolucio Late Harvest Furmint, Hungary

Sponsor

Company Sponsor

Wine Sponsor

SCWF Friends

 Amie & Hunter Garrett

Melanie & Chase Samples

Allison & Anthony Quartararo

Anne & Mark Kaiser

Philanthropic Sponsorships

Please consider choosing a sponsorship to further support our mission!

For company sponsorships, you’ll receive two dinner tickets at the $525 level, or four tickets at the $1,050 level, and we’ll include your logo on all of this event’s marketing materials sent out to our 40,000+ supporters and followers, press releases, website, and on the printed menu. 

For SCWF Friend sponsorships, you’ll receive two dinner tickets at the $325 level, or four tickets at the $650 level, and will be recognized by name on the same formats.

 

Thank you to our sponsors for helping us increase our impact for local wildlife. 

FKS dinner refund policy: 90% of ticket price will be refunded for cancellations requested more than one week prior to the event. All refund requests must be made in writing or by email to mail@scwf.org.

Featured image credit: Gathered Around the Plate by Liz List.

Conservation Lobby Day & Oyster Roast

REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

Join SCWF and the SC Conservation Coalition, a statewide alliance of over 40 conservation organizations, on Tuesday, March 31st for our 23nd annual Lobby Day at the State House and Oyster Roast at 701 Whaley Street!

Be a part of making an impact at the State House while networking and celebrating conservation with fellow volunteers, staff, and elected officials. There is typically an information session beforehand to learn about the current bills, and then time spent lobbying at the State House in the morning, but the schedule is based on the legislative calendar. The oyster roast will be held that evening. Please dress comfortably for a day of walking and standing. Most people will be in business attire.

If you would like to learn more about last year’s event, please read our blog post here.

Banner image credit: The South Carolina State House by Sara Green.

Built by Fire: How Prescribed Fire Benefits Wildlife

Did you know that March is Prescribed Fire Awareness Month in South Carolina? Prescribed fire is a carefully planned and intentionally set burn that mimics the natural fire cycles many ecosystems depend on to stay healthy. In fire-adapted landscapes like the longleaf pine ecosystems of the Southeast, regular low-intensity burns help reduce hazardous fuel buildup, restore native plant communities, and create critical habitat for many species. By safely reintroducing fire under the right weather and management conditions, prescribed burning protects communities from catastrophic wildfires while supporting biodiversity and long-term ecosystem resilience.

Use this button below to register for this free webinar, which will be led by Allyne Askins, the refuge manager at Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge staff use prescribed fire to create critical habitat for species such as the red-cockaded woodpecker.

Litter Sweep at Archer’s Lake

Please join us for another impactful litter sweep at Archer’s Lake in Irmo, SC, on Saturday, March 14th from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. We have picked up over 10,000 items of trash over the last 5 years in this area and we look to continue the effective clean-up efforts this year too! This pond hosts wintering waterfowl like ruddy ducks, lesser scaup, and hooded mergansers. In the spring, you can find neotropical birds like the blackpoll warbler and yellow warbler here too.

We hope you join us to help keep this area as clean as possible for the community and the wildlife we love! We will be using the SC Aquarium’s “litter journal” to record the litter we pick up. This type of data encourages data-driven decisions.  The data collected by these pickups is critical in identifying pollution trends in a particular area, as well as promoting discussions about conservation, single-item plastic use in our state, and how trash impacts wildlife.

Invasive Species Cleanup Day

Are you looking for an opportunity to protect South Carolina’s native habitats? If so, please join us at SCWF’s property in Sumter for an Invasive Species Cleanup Day from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Wednesday, February 18th. Volunteers will help remove invasive plants such as Chinese privet, nandina, and English ivy, giving native plants and wildlife a better chance to thrive. Invasive species threaten healthy ecosystems by displacing native plants, altering soil and light conditions, and limiting resources for wildlife.

Please bring water, wear sturdy footwear, and feel free to bring hand tools such as loppers, pruners, or snips if you have them.