The SCE&G Outdoor Classroom provides space for experiments and hands-on learning about nature in a natural setting. 18 INSIGHTS • SUMMER <strong>2007</strong>
LESSONS EXPERIENCED The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness. John Muir Once inside the SCE&G Outdoor Classroom, Education Director Mark Musselman gives each student a photo of a plant, insect or other animal. The photos are used to create food chains and ultimately a complex food web explaining the intricacies of the forest eco system. Every child is given the opportunity to participate, and excitement grows as it becomes clear that all things in nature are linked and must coexist to insure survival. Musselman’s question, “Who likes snakes?” elicits a noisy response. Although the majority of the students indicate that they do not like snakes and offer some creative methods of ridding the world of snakes, they soon discover that the food web quickly falls out of balance if all the snakes or any group of animals are removed. While the lesson is designed to be a fun learning experience, it is what happens next that unleashes a child’s wonderment and curiosity about nature. The eager learners move outside to observe the mysteries of the swamp and to look for relationships between plants and animals. Using the information they just learned, the children easily identify and find examples of an animal’s basic needs — food, water, shelter and space. As Musselman points out insect holes in a decaying cedar log and the precision-drilled woodpecker holes in a nearby tree, the wide-eyed students see the evidence of the web of life that must exist in a healthy forest. With their eyes moving upward, the students see the Southern birds of prey cousins — black and turkey vultures soaring high above the trees. Spotting the vultures offers an opportunity to discuss the birds’ use of air currents and the importance of carrion eaters within the food chain. Just a few more steps and squeals incite a wave of pointing fingers as a red-bellied water snake makes its way through the dry forest bed, heading back toward the water. While some seem to recoil in fear, others are itching to give the snake a helping hand. The whoops and laughter may have been a bit too much for a mother deer and her fawn that leave only their tracks behind while heading for thicker cover. The children’s nearly all-consuming fascination with Spiderman supports an appreciation of the forest’s wolf spiders and their intricate webs designed for strength and capture. “Use your superior observation skills and height advantage to study the forest floor,” Musselman encourages. He directs the children to look for evidence of creatures unseen, like the caterpillar-chewed leaves, The lungs of the earth Virgin forestland offers research opportunities Four Holes Swamp holds the mysteries of thousands of years deep in its waters, flora and fauna. It is those mysteries that have kept Norman Brunswig’s passions fired, as his dream of creating a regional preserve at Beidler has become a reality. Hired in 1973 as Francis Beidler Forest’s first manager, Brunswig’s persistence and his ability to articulate his vision has created a sanctuary that offers educational opportunities for the community, influences local decision makers, preserves and enhances habitat, and functions as the core of watershed conservation efforts. “Forests are the lungs of the earth, and it is our responsibility to keep them healthy,” says Brunswig, now executive director of Audubon South Carolina. “Here in one of the remaining virgin, old growth forests, students of wildlife management, forestry and plant ecology can conduct studies that benefit woodlands and their inhabitants worldwide.” One important study follows the impact of habitat destruction on spotted turtle populations. Relying on Canadian research begun in 1977 in the northern region of their range, Dr. Jackie Litzgus spent three years in Four Holes Swamp tracking these swamp denizens using radio transmitters. all the while linking each discovery into the food chain of life. With all their senses heightened, these children have begun a journey of exploring nature. It will be through their embrace that treasures like the Francis Beidler Forest will endure. A recipient of a National Geographic Research Grant, Dr. Litzgus continues to monitor the well-being of the Beidler Forest spotted turtles from her home in Canada, where the species has been placed on the endangered list. Scientists from Audubon, Clemson University, Cornell University, Mississippi State University and the University of South Carolina have also studied the Southeastern Big-eared Bat, insects, fish, breeding birds and their migration, other reptiles and amphibians, botanical adaptations, the impacts of hurricane destruction, hydrology and seepage fins. As part of a 29-year study by Dr. John Morse, Clemson University’s Department of Entomology, quarterly benthic organism samples and water samples are collected in the preserve. Depending on the number and species of organisms present, the staff can determine if the water quality is poor to excellent. The collected organisms are sent to Morse along with water sample data. Brunswig is pleased to report that the water in the Francis Beidler Forest portion of Four Holes Swamp continues to be of high quality. Visit www.scana.com/insights to view a video about Beidler. SUMMER <strong>2007</strong> • INSIGHTS 19
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