I recently opened the door to my garden shed and encountered a squirrel, busily chewing away on a support beam. We were both quite surprised to see each other, and she panicked and started zigzagging all over the shed, knocking things over everywhere she went. I opened the door wider for an escape route, but she eventually escaped through the hole that she had made that morning to gain entry. As I was picking up all of the tools now strewn about, I thought about her trying to find a warm safe shelter and how all wildlife are constantly dealing with new threats while just trying to survive.

Clear-cutting with noisy machinery causes wildlife to have to venture away from their normal range, crossing dangerous roadways, with no guarantee they will find another suitable habitat. Waterways carry runoff chemicals, sediments and litter across our state. Wetlands are being filled in and built upon, and many amphibians and reptiles aren’t able to move to another area as easily as birds and mammals. Meanwhile, regulations meant to protect habitat are being dismantled. 

It all seems overwhelming, but we constantly meet people who are very passionate about making a positive impact for wildlife. People like you who join with us to continue working hard to increase our impact. It might be planting native plants in your backyard, picking up litter, participating in citizen science activities, calling your representatives at the state or national level, drinking shade-grown bird-friendly coffee, using reusable grocery bags and water bottles, or other small actions which are amplified when we all work together. Of course, donating to SCWF helps us continue upholding protective regulations and working to conserve lands and waterways for wildlife habitat.  

Please consider a donation now to help us continue our mission to conserve and restore South Carolina’s wildlife and their habitat through education and advocacy.

Donate Here!

All donations stay in South Carolina, are tax-deductible and fully support our mission.

For 94 years, SCWF has offered many ways for you to connect with nature, learn new skills, and take action in your community. We hope you will join us in the coming year to increase our impact for wildlife together. 

Sara Green
Executive Director

 Our Impact  

• 5,000 packets of free native milkweed seeds distributed to SC households for monarch butterfly habitat conservation! 
• 3,040+ learners reached through educational classes and trainings. 
• 100,000+ people reached when we presented our conservation message at large-scale events such as the Palmetto Sportsmen’s Classic and other outreach events.
• 500 newly certified habitats in our state, which enhance wildlife habitat and increase connectivity, making our state #2 in the nation per capita.
• 142 volunteers showed up and helped with hands-on conservation projects, planting native plants, and litter sweeps.
• 100 high school students reached at Camp Wildwood, a summer camp that inspires the next generation of environmental stewards with its steadfast legacy in conservation and jobs in the field.
• 94 women acquired outdoor skills through our Palmetto Outdoors Women Retreat (POWR) series. 
• 48 scholarship applications were received in 2025. With the help of generous donors, four were awarded to very deserving students.
• 49,000+ followers reached through our eNewsletter, communications, and social media posts. 
• 6 demonstration pollinator gardens installed this year through grant funding.

Conservation

To ensure that future generations can enjoy our state’s wildlife and their habitat, every program, event, and class is imbued with our conservation message. We completed the fourth year of our Plishing Challenge, our conservation initiative designed to encourage anglers to help keep our waterways clean and use best fishing practices. This year’s challenge featured several in-person surf fishing events and litter sweeps that helped amplify our conservation message. Thanks to this increased participation, we achieved our highest fish total yet: 1,525 fish were caught (with most released for bonus points!). Participants also removed 307 bags of litter from local waterways, creating a cleaner, healthier environment for both fish and people.

Advocacy

SCWF works with state legislators to conserve, restore, and protect land, water, and wildlife habitat from the mountains to the sea. With our support, bills were passed this year that will safeguard shorebird habitat, protect birds migrating through urban areas, and greatly increase the use of native plants for landscaping. With partner organizations, we’ve challenged developers wanting to fill in wetlands, and also challenged policy-makers to use scientific data to update regulations. We also partner with the National Wildlife Federation on issues of national significance, and are currently working together to defend the Endangered Species Act from significant changes which would strip away critical habitat protections. 

Restoration

SCWF helps to enhance wildlife habitat and connectivity through our habitat restoration programs, which are increasingly vital as human development expands. We support those needs through our Certified Wildlife Habitat® programs, where individuals, schools, businesses, and communities enhance their properties by planting native plants, installing nesting boxes, and making other habitat improvements to help wildlife thrive. South Carolina has 15 certified communities, 12,479 certified backyard habitats, and 27 industry habitats. Please consider creating your own to increase habitat for wildlife!

Education

To encourage outdoor recreation and a deeper appreciation of South Carolina’s incredible natural resources, SCWF proudly offers a wide range of educational programs across the state. This year, we added new statewide habitat workshops to our impressive array of naturalist courses, Palmetto Pro Birder classes, and hands-on youth education experiences. Our  first Families Exploring Nature Day introduced fishing basics, birding, and nature walks to those who may be newer to outdoor experiences. This spring, we hosted our popular Palmetto Outdoors Women’s Retreat (POWR) near Clemson and continued to offer POWR+ classes statewide to build on acquired skills.

Banner Image Credit: Wings by Bradford Andrews.