Birding and Environmental Resources for the Waccamaw Region

• National Audubon Society - Audubon Online
• Audubon Chapters in South Carolina
• Francis Beidler Forest / Four Holes Swamp
  • Francis Beidler Forest - Four Holes Swamp web site
  • Francis Beidler Forest area description from the Appalachian Society of American Foresters
• State Parks and Preserves
  • Huntington Beach State Park (South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism)
    One of the top birding spots in the eastern United States. Because of the diversity of habitats offered, HBSP was recently voted as the first 5 out of ten "Favorite Birding Sites" by the WAS!
  • Myrtle Beach State Park (South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism)
  • Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve This 9,343 acre property contains a group of 20 undisturbed Carolina bays and includes habitats for the Black bear, the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker, the threatened Venus' flytrap, a rare Savannah milkweed and a Pond pine pocosin plant community.
  • Santee Coastal and Washo Reserves
    The Santee Coastal Reserve (SCR) Wildlife Management Area is owned and managed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. The Area was donated to the Department by the Santee Coastal Club through the Nature Conservancy. Consisting of 24,000 acres, the tract is characterized as a waterfowl management area, but it also provides management capabilities for a wide variety of game, nongame and fishery resources such as hiking, biking and canoeing. The Santee Coastal Reserve is open for limited public use year round except for the first full week in October, the first two full weeks in November, the first full week in December and Wednesdays and Saturdays between January 21 and March 1. The dikes around the waterfowl impoundments and the canoe trail are closed, except by prior arrangement, during the period of November 1 through January 31. Due to water level manipulations, the canoe trail may not always be accessible due to low water levels. No canoes will be furnished. Observation blinds for waterfowl are available by prior arrangement. Hours of visitation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The upland nature trail is not available during open periods stated above. The hiking/biking trail is also open during open periods, however, it will be closed between the dates of November 1 through January 31.
    The "heart" of the SCR is the Washo Reserve featuring a Swamp boardwalk. The Washo Reserve area of the Santee Coastal Reserve is owned by The Nature Conservancy and is managed by SCDNR under lease. Public visitation to the Washo and the marshland nature trail will be allowed from February 1 through October 31. Hours of visitation are 8 am to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. During the period February 1 through August 31, public visitation and access will be restricted to the use of the boardwalk and nature trails due to the high concentration of breeding and nesting birds. Special visitations during the breeding and nesting seasons may be arranged by prior contact.
    Call (843) 546-8665 for up to date details on closings and access.
    
• National Wildlife Refuges
  • Cape Romain NWR & Bull Island
    • Cape Romain NWR (Official USFWS / NWRS Site)
    • Cape Romain from the Great Outdoors Recreation Pages.
    • Description of Bulls Island from the Appalachian Society of American Foresters
      Bulls Island within the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge is accessible by ferry boats leaving from Moore's Landing. Boats are operated by Coastal Expeditions. (843) 884-7643. http://www.coastalexpeditions.com.
    • Map of Cape Romain NWR & Bull Island
  • Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge. One of our favorite places!
  • Original announcement of the the new Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge
• Carolina Bird Club
• S.C. Nature Conservancy Sites
• S.C. Sierra Club

Updated 05/15/02