South Carolina Preserves

Sandy Island

The South Carolina Chapter is responsible for the management of fifteen preserves in the Palmetto State. Many of these preserves are only accessible by boat or not open to the public because of endangerment to species located at the preserve. However, there are several open to the public to enjoy. The properties are open for passive outdoor recreation such as photography and nature study, during daylight hours. No taking or collecting of any plant, animal or artifact is allowed except by special permit.

Peachtree Rock Preserve
A 308-acre preserve located in Lexington County. This preserve features Longleaf pine communities, the most significant sandstone outcrops in South Carolina, the only waterfall in the coastal plain of South Carolina, and the rare Rayner's blueberry. This preserve is open to the public during daylight hours.

Bamberg County Cowbane
This preserve is a Carolina bay which harbors a grass/sedge bog, pond cypress/tupelo gum swamp, and wetland/pine forest ecotone. Also the rare Canbyi's cowbane is located at this preserve.

Black River Swamp
Consists of 1,276 acres dominated by bald cypress and swamp tupelo. Located in Georgetown County, this swamp features nine old growth loblolly pine hammocks. The rare sarvis holly, false dragonhead and river quilwort, as well as the disjunct banded killifish, occur here.

Washo Reserve
Open to visitors February 1 through October 31, The Washo Reserve is the oldest continuously utilized wading bird rookery in North America. Wading birds that nest here are anhingas, great blue herons, great egrets, snowy egrets, tricolored herons, black crowned night herons, yellow crowned night herons, cattle egrets, little blue herons and wood storks. The 1040-acre reserve is located within the 22,000 acre Santee Coastal Reserve in Charleston County.

Francis Beidler Forest
Featuring the largest stand of old-growth cypress-tupelo swamp in the world, the Francis Beidler Forest is located 40 miles northwest of Charleston. Co-owned with the National Audubon Society, this preserve has a 1-1/2 mile boardwalk and a nature center. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., admission is $4.50 for adults, $2 for children 6-18 and free for children under 6. The preserve is closed Monday, Thanksgiving, December 24, 25, and 31, and New Years Day.

In addition, the South Carolina Chapter has been responsible for several areas which have been sold/donated to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for management. Additional information concerning these preserves may be obtained by writing the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Heritage Trust, P.O. Box 167, Columbia, SC 29202; by calling them at (803) 734-3893 or by visiting their website at http://www.dnr.state.sc.us/wild/heritage/preserve.html

Bennett's Bay Heritage Preserve
An example of the Carolina bay phenomenon - elliptical or oval basins found throughout the Atlanta Coastal Plains, and features pocosin, a thick shrubby vegetation, and the related pond-pine woodland and bay forest. Bennett's Bay is located in the middle of the coastal plain in Clarendon County and comprises 683 acres.

Buzzard Roost Heritage Preserve
Features the best marble outcrop in the state. Not suitable to be cut or polished, its weathering characteristics produce soils suitable to support several rare ferns including purple cliffbrake, blackstem spleenwork and wooly lipfern. Other rare plants at the site include smooth coneflower, bindweed and stoneroot. The preserve is located about 7 miles northwest of Walhalla, South Carolina.

Cartwheel Bay Heritage Preserve
A 680-acres Carolina Bay complex located in the northwest corner of Horry County. The six Carolina Bays at this preserve support a mosaic of wetland community types including pocosin, streamhead pocosin, pine-ctenium savanna, oak savanna, pine-scrub oak sandhill, non-alluvial swamp forest and a longleaf pine plantation.

Cathedral Bay Heritage Preserve
Also known as Chitty Bay or Chitty Pond, this preserve features another excellent example of the Carolina Bay phenomenon, and is a striking example of a blackwater cypress bay. The dominant vegetation is an almost pure stand of pond cypress. The Preserve is located in Bamberg County approximately one hour (60 miles) south of Columbia.

Eastatoe Creek Natural Area
A 373-acres Heritage Preserve located in the mountains of Pickens County. The preserve includes about 5 miles of Eastatoe Creek as it descends from 2,100 feet to 1,000 feet above sea level. Besides protecting mountain land, the preserve also protects several rare plants and a self-sustaining rainbow trout population. Fishing is allowed at the preserve, with a 7-fish limit and use of artificial lures only.

Flat Creek Heritage Preserve
Located at the transition zone between the piedmont and inner coastal plain of South Carolina. This 1,324 acre property, which features Forty Acre Rock, is registered as a National Natural Landmark. Granite flatrocks, diabase dike, waterslide, waterfall, cave, beaver pond, piedmont cove forest, piedmont flood plain, chestnut oak forest, upland pine/hardwood, and other habitats and communities make the Flat Creek Heritage Preserve the most diverse protected area in the Piedmont Region of South Carolina.

Savage Bay Heritage Preserve
Another example of the Carolina Bay phenomenon, this preserve is located in the Fall Line Sandhills region of South Carolina. Approximately half of the preserve consists of Carolina bay habitat, much of the remaining habitat is old agricultural fields with pines and broomsedge the dominant vegetation.

Savannah River Bluffs Heritage Preserve
A 109-acre preserve just outside the city of North Augusta, South Carolina. The property has 1,076 feet of river frontage on one of the last remaining river shoals of the Savannah River. The rocky shoals spider lily, a state threatened plant , grows in these shoals.

Stevens Creek Heritage Preserve
Located near the Savannah River in McCormick County, this 350-acre preserve features bald cypress and dwarf palmetto trees. Additionally the Florida gooseberry, a federally threatened plant is found only in the Stevens Creek drainage and near Lake Miccosukee, Florida, making it of worldwide significance.

Tillman Sand Ridge Heritage Preserve
A 953 acre Heritage Preserve located in Jasper County, five miles west of Tillman, South Carolina. The preserve contains longleaf pine, turkey oak-wiregrass communities, planted pine stands and mixed bottomland hardwood and cypress-tupelo gum swamps. The Tillman Sand Ridge Preserve consists of a series of sand ridges formed by the Savannah River during prehistoric times. The primary species of concern occurring here is the gopher tortoise, a state endangered species.

Watson-Cooper Heritage Preserve
Located near the head-waters of Matthews Creek, this mountain bog is a very rare type of habitat for South Carolina. The preserve harbors some unusual and rare plant species including swamp pink, bog rose orchid, climbing fern, and at least 6 other rare and significant plants. The area is predominately oak-hickory forestland. This 2,042-acre preserve is a key piece of land in the preservation of the mountain Bridge Wilderness Area in Greenville County.

The following preserves are also available for visiting:

Ashmore Heritage Preserve
278 acres located in the mountains of South Carolina, this preserve has protected several federal endangered species. The preserve is part of the Mountain Bridge Wilderness area, which also includes Caesar's Head State Park, Matthews Creek Heritage Preserve, Raven Cliff Falls, Jones Gap, and the Cleveland Cliffs.

Bird Key-Stono Heritage Preserve
A small island located in the mouth of the Stono River in Charleston County. The preserve consist of ocean beach, several small dune ridges, and some high tidal marsh, and is the largest brown pelican rookery in South Carolina.

Eva Russell Chandler Heritage Preserve
Adjoins Caesars Head State Park in northern Greenville County. This 113-acre preserve has two loop trails that, combined, run 1-1/4 mile in length, and offer convenient access to the preserve.

Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve
Located in eastern Horry County, this preserve lies between the Intracoastal Waterway and SC Highway 90. The 10,000-acre preserve provides protection for over 20 Carolina bays and sustains habitat for pitcher plants, native orchids and the black bear.

Victoria Bluff Preserve
1,255 acres in Beaufort County on the Colleton River. The preserve is a good example of a pine/saw palmetto plant community, which is rare in South Carolina. Longleaf pine and slash pine are the dominant trees. The other major habitat type is inland maritime forest. Live oak and sabal palmetto are the key species although other hardwoods are common.