The US Army Corps of Engineers recently deeded

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1 South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Newsletter of the ishepoo, Combahee, Edisto Basin Corps Transfers Donnelley WMA Land To SCDNR The US Army Corps of Engineers recently deeded to South Carolina DNR almost 10,000 acres of mitigation lands and set up a $4.85 million trust fund, the interest of which will be used to manage the properties. The property transfer includes 3408 acres at Donnelley WMA in the heart of the ACE Basin and the 6500-acre Palachucola WMA near the Webb Center in Tlampton County. The Corps bought the properties from private landowners and conservation organizations in the early 1990's as mitigation for wildlife habitat destroyed by the construction of the Richard B. Russell Dam on the Savannah River. The transfer of the 3408 acres on the Donnelley WMA makes the management area wholly owned and managed by SCDNR. The establishment of the Donnelley WMA is one of the major success stories of the ACE Basin Project, and paved the way in showing how public and private organizations can work together to protect strategic tracts of wildlife habitat. When the tract, known as Mary's Island Plantation, came up for sale in 1990, Ducks Unlimited purchased it to protect the conservation values of the property. Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, The National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, US Fish & Wildlife Service, DOW Chemical, SCDNR, North American Wetlands Conservation Council, the National Wild Turkey Federation and the Army Corps of Engineers worked on a financial strategy to complete the project. Ducks Unlimited obtained funding through federal and private grants to secure approximately 4,000 acres of the property. In 1992, The National Wild Turkey Federation purchased 332 acres from DU and immediately transferred title to SCDNR. The Corps purchased 3408 acres at the same time as part of the Richard B. Russell mitigation plan and signed a management lease with SCDNR. DU also signed a management agreement with SCDNR, with the under Acres of increasingly rare longlecif pine represent one of the key habitats in the land transferred from the Corp of Engineers to DNR.

2 e~ Col. Mark Held of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineer s Savannah District chats with DNR Director John Frampton during the official transfer of Corps owned lands to DNR. standing that DU would transfer its interest to SCDNR within lo years. Donnelley and Paluchucola have been managed by the DNR for over a decade and in this recent transfer the public will not see a difference in access or managemen~ according to DNR biologist Dean Harrigal. But the deal gives the agency full ownership and funding for management at no cost to tax payers, and eliminates the worries of having to deal with the annual federal budget cycle. Donnelley WMA consists of a variety of habitats, including mixed pine-hardwood, managed wetlands, agricultural fields and hundreds of acres of increasingly rare longleaf pine. Public access and recreational opportunities include hunting, bird watching, hiking and nature study. Thousands of visitors each year enjoy the area which is open every day except Sunday and during special hunts... CS Deer s tongue, a fall bloomer, is one of the many diverse plants that grow in the under story of longleaf pine stands. Savage Backwater, part of the historic inland rice culture system on Donnelley W.MA, was included in the land transfer.

3 Protection Update James P. Harrelson, Jr. has donated a conservation easement to The Nature Conservancy on the 200- acre Harrelson tract near Green Pond. Near the headwaters of Folly Creek which drains into the Combahee River, the property is comprised of coastal plain small stream swamp forest, loblolly pine plantations, mixed pine-hardwoods, agricultural fields and wildlife openings. Ie 'I recent addition to the ACE Basin NERR, Old Combahee,sland, consists of 24 acres of highland and 177 acres of marsh. Badge Humphries has been named as Director of Land Protection for Ducks Unlimited's South Atlantic Region Stationed in Charleston, Humphries directs the land protection program for the multistate region. He serves as a primary contact for state, federal, and non-profit conservation and land protection efforts. A native of Columbia, he was educated at Tulane University and the University of Texas School of Law. A pair of canvasbacks with a shrimp boat in the background make up this year's 25,11 anniversaly South Carolina duck stamp. Since 1981 the program has raised $3.6 million for in-state waterfowl conservation projects and land purchases. Additional duck stamp print revenues have gone to wetland restoration projects in Canada

4 ACE Basin Holds First Disability Deer Hunt Fourteen hunters with di abilities were eho en to \runt deer recently on six AC Ba in proper-tie during the Safari Club InternationaJ Lowcountry Chapter's first Wheelchair Hunt. The hunt presented opportunities to disabled adults who have not hunted for years and gave children with severe illnesses a chance to hunt with their fathers. Participating properties included Nemours Plantation (a co-sponsor along with DNR), Cockfield Plantation, Brewton, Mackey Point, Rose Hill and Hall Island. The hunters, all in wheel chairs harvested three bucks and a doe. Safari Club International hopes to make this an annual hunt... t=e Graduate Student To Study Rails in ACE Basin r Rail a group of bird 0 elusive and ecrelive tha li t11e data exi t to manage their habitats, are the subject of Univer ity of Georgia graduate 'tudent Sean McGregor's masters thesis. For his study, McGregor has selected 12 wetlands on Nemours Plantation and the Ernest Hollings ACE Basin Wildlife Refuge. Six are managed impoundments and six unmanaged tidal marsh. Both clapper and king rails inhabit marshes along the coast but their habitat requirements are poorly understood. The study will detennine whether managed impoundments provide comparable habitats to natural tidal marsh. In each habitat, McGregor and interns working with him will play tapes of rail calls and note the species, number and location of birds that respond. McGregor also plans to capture birds and attach radio transmitters to them to get infonnation on habitats used throughout the year, Although clapper rails prefer high salinity marsh and king rails freshwater marsh, the habitat of two species often overlaps and the two species interbreed on occasion. Funding for the project comes from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forest Resources, and the Nemours Wildlife Foundation..Fe DNR Conservation Officer Lynwood Kearse helps a hunter sight in his rifle. This uniquely colored fox squirrel was photographed by DNR biologist Billy McCord on a marsh hammock in the Combahee River. This squirrel has an interesting color mix of dark and orange body with a black mask. Southern fox squirrels are typically gray with a black mask or jet black. Georgia graduate student, Sean McGregor, uses a parabolic ~ microphone to pick up the calls of king and clapper rails at Nemours Plantation. o~

5 . Matt Smoak of Bear Island WMA with his outstanding crop of sunflowers to attract doves for this past fall's public hunts. Ducks Unlimited and the DNR recently honored the late Hugh Lane, Sr. and his family at a luncheon held at Willtown Plantation. Pictured here are Jeff Nelson of DO, Cathy Lane Schenck, Hugh Lane, Jr., Mike McShane, chairman of the DNR board, and Charles Lane ~e

6 o~ Estuaries Day 2005 In celebration of National Estuaries Day, staff of the ACE Basin NERR and friends hosted activities highlighting the importance of estuaries. At the McKenzie Center at Bennett's Point, Elizabeth Vernon, Al Segars and Charlie Zemp of the DNR led a morning bird watching trip at Bear Island and an afternoon educational cmise aboard the EN Discovery. Both trips were full and everyone enjoyed these guided excursions. On a bike tour sponsored by Coastal Cyclists down Bennett's Point Road cyclists stopped at the McKenzie Center for snacks and a tour by Zemp highlighting research, conservation and education in the ACE Basin. Participants found the tour as enjoyable as the bike ride, and are planning to return again next year. At the Edisto Interpretive Center, staff conducted a number of programs for adults as well as children throughout the day. Betty Wenner, Andy Jennings and Phil Maier held brief educational talks on blue crabs, horseshoe crabs, oysters, and sea turtles. Elaine Freeman, an educator from the Edisto Beach State Park, conducted a children's program on sea turtles and led a marsh talk and a crab pot demonstration. Jimmy Jenkins taught cast netting techniques and fielded questions on shrimp and crab lifecycles. This is the first year that events were held at both the Edisto Interpretive Center and McKenzie Field Station. J!S Land Trust Celebrates 20 th Anniversary r"'\ The Lowcountry pen Land Trust recently celebrated its 20 th anniver aly having protected during that time more than 40,000 acres from development. Started originally to protect Ashley River properties in Charleston County, the Land Tmst soon greatly expanded its horizons and now holds conservation easements on properties in Colleton, Jasper, Hampton, Clarendon and Orangeburg counties. By securing easements on mostly small parcels it now protects 10 percent of Wadmalaw Island, but also has protected properties as large as the 6,400-acre Mackay Point Plantation in Jasper County. The Land Tmst, while concentrating on properties with conservation value, has also protected historic areas in places such as Roseland Plantation in Jasper County and Middleburg Plantation in Berkeley County. LOLT has worked to preserve lands in the ACE Basin and in the Santee River delta. It is currently working with the National Audubon Society and Beidler Forest to protect property adjacent to Four Hole Swamp. A recent editorial in the Charleston Post and Courier included these comments: "Michael McShane, a trustee for the Land Tmst and chairman ofthe state board for the Department of Natural Resources, says the work of the Land Tmst reflects the conservation ethic of property owners in South Carolina, in the face of relentless development. 'With the pressures we see today there is a central role for the Land Tmst to work with private property owners,' McShane says. 'They are the unsung heroes of the conservation movement in South Carolina.' Their generosity is evident in the growth of protected property under Land Trust easements. Each represents a contribution to conservation that will benefit generations of South Carolinians to come.".. ~ National Estuaries Day participants enjoyed viewing perserved specimens of estuarine animals.

7 . Public Lands in the ACE Basin Bear Island WMA Hunting - Archery and gun hunts for deer; waterfowl hunting by drawing; dove and small game hunts also scheduled. * Fishing - Fish and blue crabs can be harvested from impoundments from April 1 to Sept. 30. Camping - Primitive facilities available for deer hunters and conservation groups by appointment. General Public Use - Designated areas open for bird watching, photography and wildlife observation from Feb. I through Oct. 14. Mon.-Sat. Donnelley WMA Hunting - Archery and gun hunts (drawing only) for deer; waterfowl and turkey hunts by drawing; dove and small game hunts scheduled. * General Public Use - Designated trails; Mon.-Sat. 8 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., closed on Sunday and during special hunts. For more information on Bear Island WMA and Donnelley WMA call (843) ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve Research - Support and facilities are provided for qualified scientists to study estuaries and coastal ecosystems. Education - Education cruises, marsh classroom adventures, workshops and training sessions provided to organized groups. General Public Use - Accessible by boat; primitive camping in specified areas; some restrictions. For more Information call (843) ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge Hunting - Archery, primitive weapons hunts for deer. Waterfowl hunts in designated areas. General Public Use - Open for public use except during scheduled hunts. For more information call (843) Office hours - 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. (* See SCDNR current Hunting and Fishing Rules and Regulations) Caw Caw Interpretive Center Opens Unique ACE Basin Exhibit c harleston County's Caw Caw Interpretive Center in Ravenel has added an ACE Basin exhibit to their comprehensive collection of rice culture and environmental displays. Because of the park's proximity to the ACE Basin and the staff's creative approach to interpretation, the ACE Basin Task Force asked Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission to produce an exhibit to highlight the similarities between the basin and the center. The exhibit educates visitors on the geography of the ACE Basin, its international importance as a natural resource, the balance of uses and the necessity for conservation. The exhibit also highlights the value of Mike McShane, Chairman of the ACE Basin Task Force and former rice fields at the park and in the ACE Basin in the the South Carolina DNR Board, tries his hand at the new, region's ecology and economy. interactive ACE Basin exhibit at Caw Caw Interpretive Center The exhibit includes an interactive water table that in Ravenel. demonstrates both an inland rice field system and a tidal system. Push buttons allow visitors to flood or drain and other factors for which few members of the public miniature canals and fields to learn how water is held or have a frame of reference. released to grow various crops. With this introduction, park visitors can better ) With a group of school students, scouts or graduate understand how these complex systems function while - students gathered around the table, park staff can illustrate field "anatomy," tidal advantage, impact of rainfall natural and cultural history of former rice fields. F-e the walk the parks many trails or enjoy a program on the

8 Public Sites Bear Island Wildlife Management Area (est. 1953) Springfield Marsh (1987), Sampson Island (1988), Cut Marsh (1989) Donnelley Wildlife Management Area (1992) Conservation Sites ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge Bonny Hall Club (1990), Grove Plantation (1991), Bonny Hall Plantation (1992), Combahee Fields (1993), Jehossee Island (1991, 1999), Auldbrass Tract (1995), Adams Run Tract (2002) ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve Warren Island (1988), Big Island (1988), Ashe Island (1989), Beet Island (1989), Otter Island (1993), South Williman Island (1994), Morgan Island (2002), Pine Island (2002), Old Combahee Island (2005) Edisto Beach State Park (est. 1936) Hunting Island State Park (est. 1938) Sub-total Private Sites Acres Conservation Easements (69) 70,636 Botany Bay Island (1987), Hope Plantation (1988), Willtown BlutrPlantation (1990), Church Tract (1990), Cheeha-Combahee Plantation (1991), Richardson Tract (1992), Godfrey Tract (1991), McMillian Tract (1991), Pan Pan Plantation (1992), Ashepoo Plantation (1993), Fenwick Island (1993), Combahee Plantation (1994), Musselboro Island (1994), Oak Island (1994), Little Palmetto Island (1994), Prospect Hill (1995), Rose Hill (1995), Plum Hill (1995), Auldbrass Plantation (1995), Parker's Ferry Plantation (1995), Tomotley Plantation (1995), Auldbrass Club (1995), Ivanhoe (1996), Shell Point (1996), Lavington Plantation (1996), Raccoon Island (1996), South Fenwick (1996), Bolders Island (1997), Paul and Dalton (1997), Great Swamp (1998), Prescott Plantation (1998), Jehossee Farms (1998), Airy Hall Plantation (1998), Siann Island Plantation (1998), Tilt Tract (1998), McCollumTract (1998), Chapel Hill LLC (1999), Prospect Hill LLC (1999), Old Dominion LLC (1999), Rose Hill (1999), Charleston County PRC (2000), William Seabrook Plantation (2000), Creek House Plantation (2000), St. Margaret's Island (2000), Laurel Hill Plantation (2000), Temple of Sport (2000), My Place (2000), Bonnie Doone Plantation (2000), Brewton Plantation (2001), Double 0 Plantation (2001), Oak Lawn Plantation (2001), Ravenwood Plantation (2001), Windsor House Plantation (2001), Big Neck Creek (2001), Bear Island Club (2001), Cockfield Plantation (2001), MeadWestvaco (2002), Great Swamp Sanctuary (2002), Wimbee Creek Fann (2002), Prospect Hill Fann (2002), Dawhoo Farm (2002), Stringfield Tract (2002), Malphrus Tract (2002), Rainey Acres Farm (2002), Anonymous (2003), Dove Field Swamp (2003), Copper Station Plantation (2003), Belfair Farms (2003), Green Tree (2004), Remley Point Plantation (2004), Truesdale Tract (2004), Wilson Tract (2004), Salt Creek (2004), Dodds Property (2004), Orange Grove Plantation (2004), Holly Bluff (2004), Crosby Tract (2004), Fogle Tract (2004) Rhodes East (2004), Rhodes West (2004), Harrelson Tract (2005) Deed Restrictions 33 Hannahan Tract (1993) Organization Ownership 19,059 Nemours Plantation Wildlife Foundation (1995), Bailey Island (1997), North Williman Island (2002), Buzzard Island (2002) Management Agreements 13,076 MeadWestvaco (1991) Other 5,892 Botany Bay Plantation, Slann Island (1996) Sub-total 108,696 12,055 8,048 11,762 17,184 1,255 5,000 55,304 TOTAL 164,000 Ducks Unlimited NJ!J::e* conservancytfp SOUTH CAROLINA CHAPTER Saving the Last Great places Private.' Landowners S.c. Department of Natural Resources John E. Frampton, Executive Director ACE Basin Committee Mike McKenzie, Committee Chairman Dean Harrigal, Project Coordinator, Wildlife Management David Allen - Freshwater Fisheries Michelle Crosby - Land Resources Sally Murphy - Wildlife Diversity Graphic Design Karen Swanson - Marine Resources Division Editors Dean Harrigal and Pete Laurie MeadWestvaco NEMOURS WILDLIFE FOUNDATION ACE Basin Current Events JI!!!!!e South Carolina Department of Natural Resources 585 Donnelley Drive Green Pond, S.C Funding provided by the ~ Harry R.E. Hampton. Memorial Wildlife Fund, Inc. \ ' U I-idJ I I- Idmp, ~... 'fvoo A. L) Prmted On Recycled Paper Total Cost - $ Cost per Copy - S.33 Total Copies - 3,000 The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources prohihits discrimination on the basis ofrace, color, sex, national origin, disability, religion or age. Direct all inquiries to the Office of Human Resources, P.O. Box 167, Columbia, S.c G