Sandy Island

                                                                                                                                                                                                        Why You Should Visit
Sandy Island is a unique land form in South Carolina, supporting a diverse assemblage of natural communities. The island is located between the Waccamaw and Great Pee Dee Rivers and represents the largest undeveloped tract remaining in the Waccamaw Neck.  The island is a complex of wetland and upland communities. The 1,100 acres of wetlands along the Waccamaw River, on the east side of Sandy Island, were converted to rice plantations during the 1800s. A few remnant impoundments and water control structures used for rice culture are still intact.

Location
Georgetown County, near Brookgreen Gardens

Size
9,164 acres

How to Prepare for Your Visit
The public is invited to enjoy the property during daylight hours.  However, the following activities are not allowed:

• Picking flowers, berries, mushrooms, shells, rocks or other parts of the landscape
• Camping, fires or cookouts
• Use of motorized vehicles
• Bicycling
• Horseback riding
• Artificial feeding of wildlife
• Disposal of trash or other waste

Hunting is regulated by the Wildlife Management Area (WMA) Agreement.  Please contact the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources for specific rules and regulations.

The SCDOT and The Nature Conservancy respect and recognize the rights of private property owners.  Please do not trespass on private property adjacent to the WMA boundaries.

For more information, contact: 

Directions

Click here for Larger Map

• Sandy Island Landing - One mile south of Brookgreen Gardens on Highway 17.  Turn west at Sandy Island Landing sign on Hwy 17.
• Wacca Wache Landing - From Charelston take U.S. Highway 17 through Georgetown and Pawleys Island towards Garden City and Myrtle Beach.  Turn left onto Wachesaw Road (sign for landing at intersection) and go 2.4 miles to the landing.
• Samworth WMA - Take Hwy 701 to Plantersville.  Turn east at Plantersville General Store onto SSR 52 for approximately 6 miles.  Turn east at Samworth WMA sign on SSR 52.
• Yauhannah Landing - Take Hwy 701 to Plantersville.  Turn east at Plantersville General Store onto SSR 52 for approximately 6 miles.  Turn east at Samworth WMA sign on SSR 52.

From Columbia:

• Take US Highway 76/378 towards Sumter
• Just before Sumter, turn south onto Highway 521 and continue through the town of Andrews to Georgetown
• In Georgetown, take U.S. Highway 17 north through Pawleys Island towards Garden City and Myrtle Beach
• Turn left onto Wachesaw Road (sign for landing at intersection) and go 2.4 miles to the landing.

What to See: Plants
Sandy Island supports a large number of rare plant communities. The uplands cover about half of the island and exhibit many communities typical of the Sandhills Region, along with those more commonly found in the Outer Coastal Plain. Parts of the island have experienced wildfires at various times. The north end of the island (which burned most often) supports a longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) community with very little hardwoods understory. Mature longleaf pine in excess of 100 years old dominate the upland landscape. Fire is a natural component of such communities, preserving health, quality and diversity.  Where fire was suppressed in the south end of the island, turkey oak dominates the upland landscape.

What to See: Animals
Among the rare species existing in the pine forest is the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker.  These birds depend upon the mature, fire-resistant pine forest to provide forage and nesting sites. Black bears also use Sandy Island as a corridor for travel.

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site  
The Sandy Island Preserve was purchased by the South Carolina Department of Transportation to preserve the natural communities of Sandy Island, and to provide for off-site impact of wetlands resulting from public projects in the Coastal Plain of South Carolina.

What the Conservancy Is Doing
The Nature Conservancy manages the longleaf pine forests on Sandy Island Preserve with periodic prescribed burns. We are working to reduce the invasive feral hog population on the island by hunting and trapping methods. Additionally, we are working with Coastal Carolina University to conduct monitoring of herpetofauna populations around our isolated wetlands.