STATE NEWSLETTER: FALL 2008
Beidler Forest Gains International Acclaim
By Dan Tufford
This past May, in Washington, D.C., one
of South Carolina's natural jewels, the
Francis Beidler Forest, was added to the
Photo by Mark Hoyle Ramsar list of Wetlands of International
Importance.
Inside this issue: All of us in South Carolina should be
proud to see this vital piece of our natural
heritage recognized around the globe. We
should also be mindful that without the
dedicated commitment of public and private
The Executive Nest
2 conservationists, we would not be celebrating
this achievement.
Adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in
Bird Conservation 1971, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
3 provides a framework for international
cooperation for conservation of wetlands.
There are more than 1,700 Ramsar sites
Audubon Center at worldwide, including Everglades National
Beidler Forest 4 Park and Botswana's Okavango Delta in
south central Africa.
The Francis Beidler Forest Sanctuary is
Silver Bluff the 23rd site in the United States, the first
Audubon Center 5 ever in South Carolina and thus far the only
one designated in 2008. The largest
remaining virgin forest of bald cypress and
tupelo gum trees in the world lies within its
Conservation
Programs 6 boundaries, including 1,500 year-old trees
long vanished in the rest of North America.
Its importance as habitat for a wide variety of
plants and animals increases every year as
Action Alert
Update 7 forest habitat disappears in South Carolina
and worldwide under the pressures of
agriculture and development. Several years
ago, Beidler Forest was recognized as a
It Can’t Happen
Without You! 7 National Natural Landmark and an Important
Bird Area (IBA). The IBA program,
originated by U.K.-based BirdLife
International is a worldwide effort to identify
You Can
Participate! 8 and then protect critical bird habitat. It is a
central focus in the conservation work of
Audubon, BirdLife's U.S. partner.
Beidler Forest's 140 species of birds
include the pronthonotary warbler and many
Please Recycle this
other migratory species. As true global
newsletter citizens, migratory birds are eloquent
ambassadors for the importance of wetlands
The mission of the National Audubon Society is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems,
focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity.
and for the importance of their conservation.
Many of the species that nest or make
migratory stops in the forest are found on
Audubon's list of Common Birds in Decline.
These wetlands are also home to rare plants.
Dwarf trillium is one of the rarest flowers in
South Carolina, and it is only found in Four
Holes Swamp at Beidler Forest
Plants, birds and other wildlife are not the
only beneficiaries of wetlands. Beidler's
430,000-acre watershed represents a third of
the total watershed of the Edisto, the longest,
free-flowing black water river in the U.S.
Ensuring its protection helps guarantee the
quantity, quality and delivery of water
downstream to places such as the ACE Basin
National Estuarine Reserve and Wildlife
Refuge.
More than 12,000 people from South
Carolina and around the world visited the
Audubon Center at Beidler Forest this past
year. It is likely that each of them had a sense
of being suspended in time — perhaps lulled by
the rhythm of a canoe paddling through still
water, punctuated by the hoot of a barred owl.
But the clock is still ticking on wetlands.
Farming has replaced forest over much of the
adjacent upland area. Droughts during the past
several decades have triggered interest in
damming tributary swales to serve as
emergency sources of irrigation. Introduced
feral hogs threaten native plants and animals.
Other threats to the vulnerable ecosystem
include logging and mining, runoff from
surrounding farms, urban development and
other incompatible land uses.
We are right to be proud of Beidler Forest's
recognition by the Ramsar Convention, but it
should also remind us to do our part. We can all
help protect our environment, from relatively
simple actions like making our backyards
healthy places for birds and our families, to
learning about environmental policy issues that
will affect Beidler Forest and other important
habitat. The important thing is to get involved.
I
THE EXECUTIVE NEST by Norman Brunswig, Executive Director
AUDUBON

Brosnan Forest Protected Forever SOUTH CAROLINA

ADVISORY BOARD

It was almost thirty-five years ago to the day Carolina. Conservationists all hoped, and held
Frank S. Holleman, III
when I first saw Brosnan Forest, Norfolk their breath, that one day the forest might be
Southern Railroad’s sprawling twenty-three protected, but how and by whom? Chair

square mile piney woods in middle Dorchester On August 5, 2008 Norfolk Southern Greenville, SC
County. My family and I were driving US answered those compelling questions by
Highway 78 from Athens, Georgia, where I had announcing that they had just donated a Richard A. Familia
just received my MS degree from the University conservation easement on 12,455 acres of its Vice-Chair
of Georgia, to the little town of Dorchester, treasured forest to the Lowcountry Open Land Summerville, SC
where we would begin our lives in South Trust, assuring that forever Brosnan would
Carolina. remain essentially as it is. No better Roy E. Belser
For the final six or seven miles as we conservation news has ever arrived in this
Sumter, SC
approached Dorchester we drove through neighborhood.
beautiful, open stands of native long leaf pine So what is the big deal about this to Audubon
forest. Even though we did not then know who South Carolina? With its single act, Norfolk John Cely

owned the forest or why, we knew for certain it Southern has more than doubled the amount of Columbia, SC

was special. From then on, year by year, as I protected habitat in middle Dorchester County,
came to know Brosnan better, it became clear to where Audubon placed its flag and has been Howard Costa
me that it was one of the most important natural working for more than thirty-five years to Hilton Head, SC
resources in our part of the Lowcountry. protect Four Holes Swamp, the Edisto River and
With the greatest number of the endangered their watersheds. Brosnan Forest is located Victoria Dahl
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers on any private smack in the middle of those watersheds and Charleston, SC
property, some seventy clans, plus Brown- strategically located to play a huge role in their
headed Nuthatches and Bachman’s Sparrows, conservation. Norfolk Southern has just
Drew Lanham, Ph.D.
both birds of concern, Brosnan is a bird declared itself the best possible partner in that
Clemson, SC
conservation bonanza. The forest provides miles effort.
of scenic views along US highways and county Dr. Seuss’ immortal Lorax spoke for the
paved and dirt roads. It supports a constantly trees because they could not speak for Carol Ann May
varying mix of pine uplands and soggy wetlands themselves. The Lorax might now say, “When Naples, FL & Denver, CO
that collectively provide habitat to a vast array of you see a Norfolk Southern train passing, smile
native plants and animals. and wave a big thank you”. Rebecca Sharitz, Ph.D.
With miles of rail and US highway frontage, Norfolk Southern and Lowcountry Open Aiken, SC
Brosnan was also prime for development in one Land Trust, from all of us at Audubon, in South
of the fastest developing counties in South Carolina and everywhere, thank you. Hank Stallworth
St. Matthews, SC

Tom Tiller
Greenville, SC

Daniel Tufford, Ph.D.

Columbia, SC

Chris Verenes
Aiken, SC

Mary Jo Wannamaker, Ph.D.

St. Matthews, SC

Photo by Jeff Mollenhauer Photo by Mark Musselman

Dr. Donald Wuori
Red Cockaded Woodpecker Brosnan Forest
Columbia, SC

Page 2 Audubon South Carolina x336 Sanctuary RoadxHarleyville, SC 29448x843.462.2150xhttp://sc.audubon.org


2nd Swallow-tailed Kite Survey
Seventy Swallow-tailed Kites (STKI)
were counted by sixty participants in the
2nd Audubon South Carolina STKI
Survey in April. The Savannah, Edisto,
Santee, Black, Little PeeDee and
Waccamaw Rivers, and the Wambaw,
Black Mingo, and Little Bull Creeks
were surveyed. This was double the
amount of coverage from last year.
The range of the STKI has shrunk
dramatically due to habitat loss. The
historic range included 21 states, but
now the kites are found only along the
Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. The total
breeding population is estimated to be
between 3,200 and 4,600 birds.
The STKI surveys give us a baseline
for where they are found before nesting
and which habitat needs to be conserved
and managed to provide large contiguous
tracts of breeding habitat. In
implementing conservation measures to
protect existing populations and expand
Audubon South Carolina x336 Sanctuary RoadxHarleyville, SC 29448x843.462.2150xhttp://sc.audubon.org
BIRD CONSERVATION
the population, other bird species of
concern, such as Rusty Blackbirds and
Swainson’s Warblers, will also reap
benefits.
Audubon SC is extremely grateful to
the following organizations and
individuals for volunteering time and
effort to this survey: Nature Adventures
Outfitters, The SC Aquarium, The Nature
Conservancy, The US Forest Service, US
Fish and Wildlife Service, John Kilgo,
Mark Vukovich, Buddy & Mary
Campbell, David Jones, Paul Cooler,
Marcia Warnock, Howard Bridgman,
Laura Bridgman, Meagan Mollenhauer,
Travis Folk, Alan & Jennifer Flemming,
Danny Carlson, Mark Danaher, Russ
Marshall, Craig Richard, Kathie
Livingston, Elizabeth Anderegg, Tera &
Morgan Baird, Karen Sundberg, Erik
Smith, Amy Armstrong, Maria
Whitehead, Sarah Hartman, Ellerbe
Dargan, Neil Jordan, Gordon Murphy,
Photo by Don Wuori
David Pietras, Jay Chandler, Bennett
Baxley, Marshal Todd, Pinckney Skinner,
Allen Capers, Clint Ball, David Wilkins,
John Cox, Reggie Daves, Craig Sasser,
and Chris, Amy, Sam & Simon Hill. And
from the Cape Fear Audubon Society in
NC: Juanita Roushdy, Sally Buchanan,
and Ken Karn.
The 3rd Annual Audubon SC
Swallow-tailed Kite Survey will be held
April 17-20, 2009.
If you are interested in participating,
please contact Ann Shahid at
ashahid@audubon.org.
If you see a Swallow-tailed Kite please
call 1-866-971-7474 or visit the website
www.thecenterforbirdsofprey.org.
Page 3
AUDUBON CENTER AT BEIDLER FOREST

Exploring Nature Through Native American Tradition

Last Child in the Woods by Richard
Louv discussed what he called “nature
deficit disorder.” For a variety of
reasons, many children are spending
little or no time outdoors exploring and
no longer have a connection to the
natural world. We have made it our
mission at the Beidler Forest Audubon
Center summer camp to have campers
spend the maximum amount of time
outdoors exploring nature’s complexity.
In the process, they (and their parents)
discovered that time spent outdoors, in a
swamp no less, was not fatal, but
actually fun! We hope that the
knowledge obtained through the fun of
swamp camp will translate into an
appreciation for and a willingness to
protect the many habitats found beyond
the campers’ homes.
Native Americans were the theme of
this year’s summer camp. Shelly Knight
provided activities that educated
campers regarding Native American
culture. Many of the campers did not
even realize that they were receiving
instruction as they busied themselves
with dream catchers, sand painting,
pinch pot construction, medicine bag
designs, dyeing, and jewelry making.
When not creating works of art with
Shelly, the campers were with Mark
Musselman, Education Director, or
Denise Ecker, Seasonal Naturalist,
experiencing the outdoors through fire
making, animal tracking, plaster casting
of tracks, trap construction, navigation,
wildlife observation, a boardwalk tour,
and canoeing!
Although fire starting and making a
plaster cast of a chosen animal track were
favorites, canoeing in the swamp surged
to the top of the list on the last day of
camp. All week, campers asked for
verification that canoeing remained on the
camp’s agenda. The region’s lack of rain
made the event questionable in the minds
of camp planners, but nearly 5” of rain the
day before camp opened ensured that
water would not be an issue. However,
never having put fifteen campers into
canoes presented some logistical
uncertainties. The day before, six canoes
were paddled from Mellards Lake to the
boardwalk near Goodson Lake and
stashed in preparation of the next day’s
excited paddlers. When the time came for
campers to paddle, the walk from the
nature center to the canoes took under 15
minutes and that included a few minutes
to stop and enjoy a fawn nestled among
the cypress knees. The speed walking
was worth it! With three to a canoe, the
campers navigated the swamp’s main
channel from the boardwalk to the pink
lichen on the cypress tree at “Seasonals’
Lake” without incident. Along the way,
they saw the old-growth cypress-tupelo
swamp from a perspective few can claim
to have shared.
Based on the comments from parents
and campers heading out the door at the
end of camp, we accomplished our
mission. All the campers were exposed to
the outdoors, learned a bit of nature’s
complexity, and survived just fine! We
look forward to a fun and educational
camp next year - and remember to sign up
early!
Photo by Mark Musselman
Cameron Parker, Nicholas Quattlebaum,
and Will Turner

Sanctuary Serenade, A Piccolo Spoleto Event

Photo by Mark Musselman

Sanctuary Serenade, Piccolo Spoleto

A moveable feast of performing arts and refreshments
enhanced a beautiful May evening at Beidler Forest. It
featured three performers along the boardwalk –
participants were treated to the beautiful voice of Kathie
Livingston (above), the magnificent music of Jesse
Cockcroft (left) and the poetic words of Jack Smith
Photo by Mark Musselman (right). Photo by Mark Musselman

Page 4 Audubon South Carolina x336 Sanctuary RoadxHarleyville, SC 29448x843.462.2150xhttp://sc.audubon.org


Silver Bluff Audubon Kids Camp
“No Child Left Inside” is an idea and
a proposed piece of legislation that
sometimes makes the evening news. At
the Silver Bluff Audubon Center that
idea is put into practice year-round,
especially during the annual summer
The Butterfly Garden at Silver Bluff
Storks & Corks Now 5 Years Old
Silver Bluff’s Storks and Corks
has become a well-known and much
anticipated celebration and fundraiser
in the Central Savannah River Area.
This year’s event, held August 9th,
was once again a sell-out, and the
Wood Storks did not disappoint.
Prior to the stork viewing several
individuals (all Augusta-Aiken
Audubon members) were recognized
for having attended and supported
each of the five Storks & Corks
events, which began in 2004.
Presented with a Wood Stork photo,
taken by award-winning photographer
Forrest Roberts, along with a plush
Great Egret (National Audubon
Society’s symbol) were Carol & Larry
Eldridge, Ruth & Rich Mead, Alice &
Doug Walker, and Kathy & Calvin
Zippler.
A big “THANKS” to these folks
and all who have supported the Wood
Stork foraging program, now
Audubon South Carolina x336 Sanctuary RoadxHarleyville, SC 29448x843.462.2150xhttp://sc.audubon.org
SILVER BLUFF AUDUBON CENTER
camp for 6 to 12-year-olds.
The half-day, weeklong camp
provides the opportunity for local
children to get away from the television
and out of the house to a unique learning
environment. The Silver Bluff property
Photo by Paul Koehler
completing its 23rd season! If you
missed out on this year’s fun (which
always includes wonderful food, wine,
a silent auction, and, of course, Wood
Honorees (left to right): Larry Eldridge, Doug & Alice Walker, Ruth Mead, Calvin & Kathy Zippler.
Not pictured: Carol Eldridge and Rich Mead.
(3,154 acres) is full of chances for the
kids to get “up close and personal” with
frogs, lizards, turtles, butterflies, and, of
course, birds.
Coca-Cola Bottling Company and the
Aiken County Parks, Recreation, and
Tourism Department sponsor the free
camp that rotates venues throughout
Aiken County. The Silver Bluff camp
always fills quickly. The highlight from
this year’s camp was the work done by
the kids on the butterfly garden. The
garden was started by last year’s
campers, and the 2008 campers added
beautiful “wattle” fencing, additional
flowers and herbs, and homemade
“butterflies” attached to the fence posts.
An arbor was placed at the entrance to
complete the project. The garden is
attractive not only to visitors, but, as
intended, to butterflies as well. Much of
the July 19 butterfly count was spent at
the garden, which helped to produce a
respectable total of 25 species for the
day!
Storks!) mark your calendar for next
year’s Storks & Corks—August 8,
2009. Hope to see you there!
Page 5
CONSERVATION PROGRAMS
Pennies for the Planet
TogetherGreen, the
environmental initiative created
through an alliance between the
National Audubon Society and
Toyota, has selected Francis Beidler
Forest as one of three entities
nationwide to receive funds from its
“Pennies for the Planet” program.
The program kicks off in the Fall
of 2008 and continues through June
of 2009. Thousands of classrooms
will receive information about the
program through Weekly Reader and
Audubon Adventures (Audubon’s in-
school environmental education
program in 5,000 classrooms).
Additional promotion will be
provided through educational
TogetherGreen Volunteer Days at Silver Bluff Center & Sanctuary
TogetherGreen is a new National
Audubon Society program made
possible by generous support from
Toyota. The goals of TogetherGreen are
to build conservation leadership, engage
millions of people in conservation
action, and achieve lasting conservation
results. Over the next five years,
TogetherGreen will implement a series
of national conservation initiatives that
support these goals and promote the idea
that everyone has a critical role to play
in finding solutions to our most pressing
environmental challenges.
One facet of this new program, called
TogetherGreen Volunteer Days, is an
effort to recruit and retain new
volunteers that can assist with a wide
variety of conservation projects.
Implementing the concept requires
Page 6 Audubon South Carolina x336 Sanctuary RoadxHarleyville, SC 29448x843.462.2150xhttp://sc.audubon.org
networks including museums, zoos
and aquariums; Toyota dealerships;
and “Pennies for the Planet” online,
part of the www.TogetherGreen.org
website.
Educational materials will include
educators’ guides with activity ideas
and information about conservation,
posters highlighting the importance
of conservation, and online
information and activities. Every
penny raised through “Pennies for the
Planet” will be equally divided
among the three conservation
projects selected by TogetherGreen:
1) Francis Beidler Forest as the
“Habitat Conservation” selection;
2) Appleton-Whittel Research
Ranch (Arizona) as the research
entity;
3) Project Puffin (Maine) for
the bird focus.
The funds that will be given to
Beidler Forest will ONLY be used
toward the purchase of habitat for
protection. By taking part, kids get a
money, of course, so a portion of
Toyota’s generosity will go toward
funding creative methods of attracting
new volunteers. Silver Bluff was selected
for this funding from a competitive grants
opportunity involving Audubon chapters,
Centers, IBA programs and other
Audubon entities.
Already fortunate to have a sizeable
corps of faithful volunteers, Silver Bluff
hopes to use this new funding source to
chance to tackle local challenges
while raising funds to support
national biodiversity conservation.
And every participant will receive
special recognition on the “Pennies
for the Planet” website.
Pennies for the Planet is an
excellent environmental project for
classrooms, after-school clubs, Scout
Troops and others to talk about the
importance of our natural world and
the need to protect it locally and
globally. Pennies for the Planet
educations kits will be available
nationwide starting in the fall or
picked up from any Audubon Center
- including Beidler Forest! Teachers,
home-schooling parents and anyone
interested in helping young people
learn more about species and
wildlife, conservation action projects
in their communities, and the
protection of wild places and the
creatures who live there, are invited
to participate. More information can
be found at www.TogetherGreen.org.
identify many other conservation-minded
citizens in the Central Savannah River
Area and beyond. Fun and educational
TogetherGreen events will be scheduled
throughout the year at Silver Bluff, and
all will have measurable conservation
results. Don’t miss out on your chance to
become more involved in protecting our
natural resources.
John Flicker, National Audubon
S o c i e t y p r e s i d e n t , s a y s th a t,
“TogetherGreen is about giving people
the knowledge, the support, and the
opportunities they need to truly make a
difference…We will engage people of all
ages, from every community, and all
walks of life, to help shape a healthier
future.” This is our aim at Silver Bluff.
For more information visit
www.TogetherGreen.org.
 ACTION ALERT UPDATE

Shorebird Success Story on Kiawah Island!

In July, Representative Henry
Brown (R-SC) introduced legislation
(HR 6389) that would have removed the
western area of Kiawah Island from the
Coastal Barrier Resources System. This
legislation, if enacted into law, would
have opened up critical Piping Plover
habitat to federally subsidized
development. The Coastal Barrier
Resources System is designed to both
protect important habitat on coastal
islands and prevent the waste of
taxpayer money from federally
subsidizing development on land that
is prone to flooding and erosion. The
beach and mud flats of the western
portion of Kiawah Island are important
habitats for Piping Plovers, which are
listed on the federal list of endangered representative regarding this issue. Also,
species, as well as other vulnerable bird please thank Congressman Brown for
species like Red Knots, Wilson's Plovers, being responsive to our concerns and
Sanderlings, and Marbled Godwits. withdrawing the bill. If you are not
In early August, we issued an signed up for the Action Alert system,
alert to the 547 members of the Audubon you can do so by visiting
Action Alert system in South Carolina. www.audubonaction.org.
We are pleased to announce that more
than 12% of those members wrote letters
to their representatives urging them not
to support this bill. In addition, more
than 20 new members enrolled in the
Action Alert system as a result of this
issue. Even more exciting, was the news
that Rep. Brown heard our message loud
and clear and has withdrawn the bill! We
would like to sincerely thank all of our
Photo by Jeff Mollenhauer
members that contacted their
Wilson’s Plover

Keep in touch with what is happening at Beidler Forest.

Visit our BLOG at http://beidlerforest.blogspot.com

IT CAN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!

It is hard to imagine any Audubon South Carolina newsletter reporting more strategic good news than
this one. The designation of The Francis Beidler Forest as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance
and the Norfolk Southern conservation easement on Brosnan Forest have already provided immense
energy and enthusiasm to our effort to protect Four Holes Swamp, the Edisto River and their watersheds.
At Silver Bluff and Beidler Forest Audubon Centers, summer campers, school children and families
learn about the importance of birds, other wildlife and their habitats in two of our vital Habitat
Conservation Areas, and the need to protect them.
There are many more Audubon projects and programs than can be described in a newsletter and none
of them can be accomplished without support from people just like you. We are most grateful for each and
every one. NO gift is too small - or too large! We also have a simple way to donate stock, if that is a
better method for you.
A contribution to Audubon South Carolina supports our conservation programs throughout the state.
And truly, it cannot happen without you!

□ YES! I want to help protect birds and the places they call “home.”

Please accept my tax-deductible donation of $ □ Check □ Credit Card

VISA, MC #: Exp. Date:
Name: ____ Daytime Tel:
Address (inc. ZIP):
Please make checks payable to “Audubon South Carolina” & mail to 336 Sanctuary Rd. - Harleyville, SC 29448

Thank you for making a difference!

Audubon South Carolina x336 Sanctuary RoadxHarleyville, SC 29448x843.462.2150xhttp://sc.audubon.org Page 7

YOU CAN PARTICIPATE
Folly Beach Bird Walk Program
More than a hundred people have participated in the
Folly Beach Bird Walk program, a joint effort between
Audubon South Carolina and the Charleston County Parks
and Recreation Commission, since it began in March 2008.
We have seen some amazing sights! We often see more than
ten species of shorebirds, such as American Oystercatcher,
Wilson’s Plover, Red Knot, and Whimbrel! During the July
walk, we saw bottlenose dolphins strand feeding, a manatee
swimming along the beach, and a pair of Wilson’s Plover
chicks. The highlight of the August walk was watching
migrating Yellow Warblers. Over a two hour period we saw
or heard at least twenty-five of the bright yellow birds as they
flew south over the Stono River one at a time. In addition to
learning about how to identify birds, the walks are a unique
opportunity for participants to learn about shorebird and
seabird conservation issues. The Folly Beach Bird Walks are
held year round on the second Friday of every month. Visit
www.sc.audubon.org for more details.

Photo by Jeff Mollenhauer

Folly Beach
Photo by Jeff Mollenhauer Photo by Jeff Mollenhauer

Yellow Warbler American Oyster Catcher

VOLUNTEER!!
If you are interested in contributing
your time and skills to aid the needs of
Beidler Forest, please contact Barbara
Thomas at bthomas@audubon.org or
call (843) 462-2150.