South Carolina Department of Natural Resources

Newsletter f the

Ashepoo, Combahee, Edisto Basin

z -en <C m

Vol. 6, No.1, Winter1996 _____________________________ _

duPont Leaves Lowcountry Plantation to Foundation

Eugene duPont 111, who died February 23, 1995, at the age of 80, has protected one

of the largest private tracts in the ACE Basin by leaving Nemours Plantation (9,800 acres) to a non­profit, research foundation, the Nemours Plantation Wildlife Foun­-'lation.

Eugene duPont III

Nemours Plantation includes many "cres of managed

• etlands utilized by waterfowl, wading birds and a variety of other species.

duPont was an avid outdoors­man and a proponent of preserving wildlife habitat along the Combahee River.

In 1962, along the southern bank of the Combahee River, duPont purchased the first tract of what came to be known as Nemours Plantation. During the ensuing 35 years he assembled a total of 9,800 acres, all of which were contributed to the Nemours Plantation Wildlife Foundation.

duPont's vision was to create a model wildlife research center that would emphasize the inter-relation­ships of the plantation's diverse habitats including the salt, brackish and freshwater marshes. By plac­ing the plantation into the founda­tion, duPont insured that the integ­rity of the natural habitats of Nemours will be protected and preserved.

The mission of the foundation is still in the process of being final­ized. Presently, the foundation is focusing efforts on preserving the plantation as a valuable resource for forestry, wildlife, and marine research. ;::;:,

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Conservation Easements Expand Protection of Combahee System

Recent conservation ease­ments, totaling 3,748 acres have made significant

contributions toward protection efforts along the upper Combahee River drainage.

Combined with earlier conser­vation easements and lands of the ACE Basin National Wildlife Ref­uge, more than 9,000 acres have been protected west of Highway 17 in Beaufort, Hampton and Colleton counties since 1990.

Exemplifying the partnership approach to land protection, the new easements are held by three different conservation groups: The Nature Conservancy, The Low­country Open Land Trust, and the Beaufort County Open Land Trust. Wetlands America Trust of Ducks Unlimited provided technical sup­port in the development of several of the easements.

The easements protect bottom­land hardwoods, inland maritime forests, mixed pine-hardwood forests, tidal marshes, depression

meadows, managed wetlands, agri­cultural fields and other habitat types. This diversity provides important habitat for resident and migratory wildlife including song­birds, colonial wading birds, water­fowl, and a variety of upland game species. Several of the easements protect active bald eagle nests.

Also protected are historical and cultural values such as planta­tions and riverside views.

Combined with earlier conservation easements

and lands of the ACE BasmNanona/~Hdllfe

Refuge, more than 9,000 acres have been

protected . .. since 1990.

The general terms of the ease­ments limit subdivision of the properties while allowing for con­tinuation of traditional uses such as

A spectacular avenue of oaks highlights Tomotley Plantation near the Combahee River .

hunting, fishing, agriCUlture, wild­life management and the harvest of forest products.

The following easements wert announced:

The J. Henry Fair family granted an easement to the Nature Conser­vancy on Rose Hill Plantation, 1,035 acres in Colleton county near Whitehall. '

Dr. and Mrs. Harry B. Gregorie, Jr. of Charleston granted an easement on Plum Hill Plantation (944 acres) to the Lowcountry Open Land Trust.

The forested wetlands (138 acres) of Auldbrass Plantation in Beaufort County are protected with a conser­vation easement granted to The Nature Conservancy by Joel Silver.

Parkers Ferry Plantation, 200 acres on the south bank of the Combahee River in Beaufort County, is pro­tected by an easement donated to the Beaufort County Open Land Trust by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Taylor.

Mr. and Mrs. William M. Mixon of Yemasse donated an easement to the Beaufort County Open Land Trust on Tomotley Plantation, 771 acres off the historic Old Sheldon Church Road in Beaufort Count.

Auldbrass Partnership donated a conservation easement to the Beau­fort County Open Land Trust on a 666-acre tract adjacent to Tomotely Plantation . .. CC

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Bottomland hardwoods along the Combahee river have been protected through several recent conservation easements.

Land Donated on the Edisto

Sanctuary Limited Partner­ships has donated 370 acres

. of land adjacent to Jehossee Island to the ACE Basin Project.

The land is currently being held by Wetlands America Trust of Ducks Unlimited, Inc. Wetlands America plans to transfer the area to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser­vice next year for an addition to the Edisto Unit ofthe ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge.

Consisting of open tidal flats and some uplands, the area is heavily used as foraging habitat by wading and shore birds.

"This transaction exemplifies the pUblic-private partnerships that have made natural resources protec­tion in the ACE Basin so success­ful," said Coy Johnston of Ducks Unlimited. R

A recently completed road widening project provides improved public access to Donnelley Wildlife Management Area.

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Birding the ACE

The 350,000 acres in the ACE Basin offer some of the best bird watching in South

Carolina. More than 50,000 acres of

public lands provide numerous birding opportunities. A variety of habitats - planted pine, pine-hard­woods, bottomland hardwoods, managed wetlands, maritime forest, estuarine marshes and beaches -provide food and cover for more than 265 species of resident and migrant birds.

The following public areas are open for bird watching and general nature study on the schedules indi­cated.

Bear Island Wildlife Management Area

With 12,000 acres of managed wetlands, ditch banks, scattered stands of pines and agricultural fields, Bear Island WMA attracts waterfowl, bald eagles, wading birds, shorebirds, hawks and song­birds. Access includes two obser­vation platforms, main road (driv­ing), and miles of dikes (walking). A spotting scope is a must. The best birding is in early fall and late winter. The area is open to the general public from January 21 to October 31, except on Sundays.

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area

Miles of dirt roads crisscross 8,000 acres of pine and pine-hard­wood uplands, bottomland hard­woods, managed wetlands, and agricultural fields. Two nature

A diversity of habitats attracts birders, and more than 265 bird species to the ACE Basin.

trails with interpretive literature are available. Late winter through late spring are best for a variety of species from waterfowl and wading birds to migrating warblers. The area is open year round to the gen­eral public except on Sundays and during scheduled hunts. (For infor­mation on Bear Island and Donnelley call (803) 844-8957).

ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve

Accessible by boat from Bennetts Point and other public boat ramps, this area consists of 11,000 acres of islands and more than 100,00 acres of salt marsh. Mud fiats, front beach, maritime forest and estuarine waters provide resident and migratory habitat for a great variety of coastal birds. Open throughout the year. Special regu­lations apply for Otter Island. For information contact the Reserve Field Office at (803) 844-8822.

ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge

With more than 11,000 acres in two units, this new refuge is man-

aged for wildlife diversity and offers excellent birding from sev­eral access points. During spring and summer Neo-tropical migrants, ,-­especially painted buntings, are abundant, while managed wetlands attract waterfowl, wading birds and shore birds in fall and winter. Open throughout the year except during scheduled hunts. For information contact the Refuge headquarters at (803) 889-3084.

Edisto Nature Trail

An excellently maintained trail on Westvaco property off H wy 17 at Jacksonboro. This trail winds through bottomland hardwoods, offering good birding for spring warblers, and other migrant and resident passerines. Open through­out the year.

Edisto Beach State Park

The diversity of habitats at Edisto Beach State Park offers numerous birding opportunities. A four-mile nature trail winds through maritime forests and along tidal saltmarsh and harbors everything from warblers to wading birds. The 1.5 miles of beach provide good ~

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f-opportunities for shorebirds. The park is open year-round. For infor­mation contact the park office at

,,(803) 869-2756.

Hunting Island State Park

Hunting Island State Park contains 2,500 acres of maritime forest, four miles of beach, a salt­water lagoon and acres of salt­marsh. A 0.7 mile board walk leads through a portion of the saltmarsh and provides good viewing for shore and wading birds. The la­goon offers viewing for a variety of species. For information contact the park office at (803) 838 -2011.

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Americorps in the ACE

Fourteen members of the Americorps National Civil­ian Community Corps

pitched in on Donnelley and Bear Island Wildlife Management Areas to paint offices and other buildings, build duck blinds and an observa­tion platform for bird watching.

Corps members, who are from across the nation, received educa­tional talks and tours about the ACE Basin and the natural re­sources of the area. Daily encoun­ters with eagles, alligators, water­fowl and other wildlife made work­ing conditions unique for this group of young adults.

"I told my parents it's like being on the set of a National Geo­graphic Special," said Heidi Barr of Denver.

Amazed at the amount of work completed in just three weeks, Ross Catterton, area manager of l3ear Island described the Corps as,

,.I 'one of the hardest working groups of young adults I have ever seen.

Dean Harrigal (left) of the S. C. Department of Natural Resources talks about the ACE Basin with Gene Butler (center), director of the Colleton County Resource and Develop-ment Board, and Roger Crook, Chairman of the Board and President of the Bank of Walterboro, during the recent Colleton County Industry Appreciation Day.

We certainly appreciate their efforts and positive attitude."

Corps members dedicate ten months to national service and receive an educational award that

can be applied toward college tuition or student loan repayment upon successful completion of the program . • c::

Americorps workers put the finishing touches on a new observation platform at Bear Island WMA. Funding for construction was provided by the Harry Hampton Memorial Wildlife Fund.

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EiS1EEI Conservation Sites

Public Sites Bear Island Wildlife Management Area (est. 1953)

Springfield Marsh (1987), Sampson Island (1988), Cut Marsh (1989)

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area (1992)

ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge Bonny Hall Club (1990), Grove Plantation (1991), Bonny Hall Plantation (1992), Combahee Fields (1993), lehossee Island (1993), Auldbrass Tract (1995)

ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve Warren Island (1988), Big Island (1988), Ashe Island (1989), Beet Island (1989), Bolder Island (1990), Otter Island (1993), South Williman Island (1994)

Edisto Beach State Park (est. 1936)

Hunting Island State Park (est. 1938)

Sub-total

Private Sites

Acres

12,055

8,048

11,019

11,942

1,255

5,000

49,319

Conservation Easements 39,292 Botany Bay Island (1987) , Hope Plantation (1988), Will town Bluff Plantation (1990), Church Tract (1990), Cheeha-Combahee Plantation (1991), Richardson Tract (1992), Godfrey Tract (1991) , McMillian Tract (1991), Pon Pon 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 Planation (1995), Tomotley Planation (1995), Auldbrass Club (1995)

Deed Restrictions Hannahan Tract (1993), duPont Tract (1993)

Organization Ownership Great Swamp and Ivanhoe Tract (TNC, 1989), Nemours Planation Wildlife Foundation (1995), Sanctuary Limited Tract (1995)

Management Agreements Westvaco (1991)

Other Botany Bay Plantation

SUb-total

TOTAL

.. ,pre .. t!. J "WlblreJIiT co"sm rlllo/

Editor's Note

.6_ ~~!I • ~dDwn.n

243

10,643

17,912

4,630

72,720

122,039

ACE Basin Current Events is a product of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources' ACE Basin

Committee. This committee integrates the comprehensive habitat protection and enhancement concept to the ACE Basin Project with appropriate resource management responsibilities of the Department's various Divisions.

Current Events is published twice annually and is intended to inform the public of the Department's role as a member of the ACE Basin Task Force as well as communicate overall activities and cooperative accom­plishments of other Task Force members including: Ducks Unlimited, Private Landowners, The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Address correspondence to: ACE Basin Project, SCDNR, Rt 1. Box 25. Green Pond, S.c. 29446. All articles may not necessarily represent views of the Department

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 Jan. 21 through Oct. 31. 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

(803) 844-8957.

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 (803) 762-5400.

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 (803) 889-3084.

Office hours - 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. (* See SCDNR current Hunting and

Fishing Rules and Regulations) r=

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The Lowcountry's

--,-~rtistic Historian

8 ob Grenko, who is making a name for himself as the "barn man," is an artist!

historian striving to preserve our fading history through his intricate drawings.

"Art is more that just a hobby, its the driving force behind my life," Grenko said. "My quest is to 'capture' old houses, barns, farm equipment, gas pumps, etc. before they are destroyed."

A native Illinoian, Grenko received four years of formal train­ing at the Chicago Art Institute and in Paris in preparation for a 25-year career in advertising. Grenko moved to Walterboro when his son enrolled in The Citadel, and 13 years later claims, "This is my qome now and I'm not going to ,eave the Lowcountry."

Pen and ink is his preferred medium because it captures the texture, the true nature of old build­ings. Ie

New Atlas of Rice Plantations Available

II They harnessed the moon and turned the marshes into fields of gold." So begins a

unique look at a vanished way of life.

The "Historical Atlas of the Rice Plantations of the ACE Basin-1860" traces the lives and proper­ties of the rice planters who culti­vated the thin arable strip of land along the Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto Rivers.

The ACE Basin planters grew Carolina Gold, considered the best rice in the world. For more than a century, this golden crop bestowed great wealth on a handful of plant­ers.

The atlas traces not only the histories of these plantations that

flourished in 1860 but also the family ties that bound the planters together. The index to this 600-plus page volume includes hun­dreds of personal and place names. Profusely illustrated and docu­mented, most property sketched include at least a plat and a relevant photograph.

The price of the publication is $100 plus $8 postage and handling. Proceeds will benefit the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Ducks Unlimited/ Wetlands America Trust and The Nature Conservancy.

To order call (803) 734-8590 or write to: South Carolina Depart­ment of Archives and History 1430 Senate Street, Columbia, SC 29201.

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Harry Hampton Wildlife Fund the ACE Basin. The southern race of striped

bass, which is native to the coastal rivers of South Carolina, remains within the river systems its entire life, not returning to the ocean after spawning as does the northern race.

A nnual funding for this newsletter and many other educational projects in the

ACE Basin has been graciously provided by the Harry R.E. Hamp­ton Memorial Wildlife Fund.

Created in 1981, this nonprofit organization promotes education, research, management and the administration of fish and game laws which benefit the conservation of South Carolina's natural re­sources. Funds, obtained through private donations, promotional activities, special events and publi­cations, are utilized to achieve a wide range of scientific yet far­reaching goals.

Harry Hampton, for whom the Harry R. E. Hampton Memorial Wildlife Fund is named, was a well-known writer and columnist at The State newspaper in Columbia,

S.C. Department of Natural Resources Dr. James A. Timmennan, Jr., Exec: Director John E. Frampton, ACE Basin Task Force

ACE Basin Committee Mike McKenzie, Committee Chainnan Dean Harrigal, Project Coordinator Pete Laurie, Editor - Conservation. Education and

Communication David Allen - Freshwater Fisheries Section AnD Hale Miglarese - Water Resources Michelle Dyer - Land Resources Joe Hamilton - Wildlife Management Section Sally Murphy - Wildlife Diversity Section Mike Prevost - The Nature Conservancy ~ ~

Graphic DesIgn Karen Swanson - Marine Resources Division

Funding provided by the ~ Harry R.E. Hampton U Memorial Wildlife Fund. IDe. U'. Idny

~n;m,<?!l t.~ Printed On Recycled Paper

Total Cost - $1,430.29; Total Copies - 7,500; Cost per Copy - $.19

HdrlY l-"bmpton MEMORIAL WllOLlfE FUND

S. C. His "Woods and Water" column was a popular feature for many years.

Hampton loved the outdoors of South Carolina and knew its wealth better than most. Consequently, he dedicated much of his life to activi­ties that have had a remarkable influence on the successes we currently enjoy in wildlife conser­vation . .F=

Striped Bass Study in the ACE

Freshwater fisheries biolo­gists of South Carolina De partment of Natural Re­

sources are studying striped bass in

ACE Basin Current Events;:e

However, there are numerous connections between the rivers of the ACE via creeks, waterways, and the old rice field systems. Stripers may use these waters to move from river to river. For example, stripers spawning in the Combahee River may be feeding in the Ashepoo or Coosaw rivers at other times of the year.

Biologists are trying to deter­mine if stripers move between rivers or stay wholly within the rivers of their spawning.

Information gathered from this study will help establish fishing regulations and stocking programs.

Biologists capture and tag stripers using a specialized electrofishing boat where fish congregate during late fall and winter to feed.

Anglers returning a tag receive a fisherman's cap and become eligible for a rod and reel to be drawn for in December. These prizes were donated by the Harry Hampton Memorial Wildlife Fw:iI!

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Rt.l, Box 25

Bulk Rate U.S. Postage

PAID Permit No. 176

Walterboro, SC 29488

Green Pond, S.C. 29446

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, disability, religion or age. Direct all inquiries to the Office of Human Resources, P.O. Box 167, Columbia, S.C. 29202.

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