Summer 2007 - SCANA Corporation

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Vance-Providence Elementary School students experience the mystery and beauty of the Francis Beidler Forest. explains Norman Brunswig, executive director of Audubon South Carolina. Nestled among towering trees, the screened, open-air classroom is perched on the edge of the swamp, creating the perfect opportunity for spontaneous observation sessions. Sixty children from Vance- Providence Elementary in Orangeburg County are here to participate. Vance-Providence has a long-standing relationship with SCE&G as one of the more than 30 SCE&G Homework Centers in schools in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. Managed by the National Audubon Society, Francis Beidler Forest, a registered National Natural Landmark, is a part of Four Holes Swamp. The forest covers the central and southeast portions of the swamp-stream system as it meanders through Orangeburg and Dorchester counties on its way to the Atlantic Ocean. In the 1890s Francis Beidler, a lumber baron, purchased a tract of land in the swamp with the intention of logging its cypress. But after journeying west and visiting Yellowstone National Park, Beidler became a champion of conservation and steadfastly refused to log in the area. Following his death in 1924, family members maintained the integrity of the land, and in the 1960s The Nature Conservancy and the National Audubon Society combined their resources to purchase what is now Francis Beidler Forest. An additional 909 acres were acquired in October 2003. Visitors wander past ancient trees, blackwater swamp, clear pools and wildlife along a 1.75-mile elevated boardwalk that starts and ends at the visitors’ center. Along the self-guiding trek are plenty of benches to pause for observation and reflection of this pristine sanctuary. In the still, humid heart of the forest, ancient groves of bald cypress trees stretch skyward their shaggy, reddish trunks, towering over clear pools and blackwater sloughs. Within its 15,000 acres stands the largest virgin bald cypress and tupelo gum swamp forest left anywhere in the world. Some of the sanctuary’s cypresses have been dated at 1,100 years old and exceed nine feet in diameter. Species of oak, ash, tupelo and black gum make up an understory that grows as high as 70 feet, filling the vaulted spaces between the towering cypresses. The characteristic “blackwater” is actually clear but appears black due to the tannic acid in the bark and leaf litter on 16 INSIGHTS • SUMMER <strong>2007</strong>
Students from Vance-Providence Elementary School enjoy learning about the natural world both in the outdoor classroom at the Beidler Forest and on the boardwalk. IF YOU’RE GOING... Francis Beidler Forest is located in South Carolina’s Dorchester County about five miles off Interstate 26 near Harleyville. Beidler Forest is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and is closed on select holidays. Admission is $7 per adult; $6 for adult Audubon members; $3.50 per child 6–18 and children below 6 free. The Visitors’ Center offers helpful naturalists, interactive displays, bird identification computer stations and amenities to enhance your visit. Canoe trips and naturalist-guided walks and programs are available seasonally and by reservation. Call 843-462-2150 for directions or visit the Web site at www.beidlerforest.com. the swamp floor. In many areas, the water serves as a near perfect mirror to the giant cypress knees rising like wizened spirits. Reptiles and amphibians — turtles, alligators, snakes, lizards, frogs and toads — thrive in large populations. While some may consider them merely pests, the swamp is filled with delicate and fascinating creatures that deserve a moment in the spotlight: spiders, beetles, butterflies and grasshoppers, as well as the thousands of microinvertebrates in streams and ponds teeming with fish. Within the diverse topography of the forest, mammals abound, including white-tailed deer, gray and red foxes, otters, bats, beavers, mice, feral hogs and an occasional bobcat. As expected, birding in the forest is spectacular. Every season offers a show as waterfowl, birds of prey, wading birds, warblers and woodpeckers inhabit the swamp. A familiar sight is the golden sprite of the swampy woods, the Prothonotary Warbler. Its clear, emphatic song breaks the stillness as it flashes high among the trees. And, as twilight settles, the swamp echoes with the rich baritone hoots of Barred Owls. SUMMER <strong>2007</strong> • INSIGHTS 17
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Summer 2007 - SCANA Corporation

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