by Amy M. Overstreet, USDA-NRCS Communications and Marketing Specialist

There is a unique area in Horry County, South Carolina, filled with abundant wildlife ranging from wood ducks, turtles, turkeys, beavers, and bears to plant life that includes the rare carnivorous pitcher plant. What makes this area even more intriguing is its classification as a Carolina Bay, an elliptical wetland depression. The origin of these uncanny wetlands has long been the center of debate and there is still not a definitive answer to the mystery of their creation. Today, only ten percent of the original bays remain, having been drained by loggers and farmers, but programs like NRCS’ Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) provide cost-share to landowners to protect these areas. That’s just what Harry McDowell of Horry, SC, did when he enrolled 447 acres of wetlands into WRP under a permanent easement which provided 100 percent cost-share for restoration. Under the direction of NRCS District Conservationist Alex Johnson, the area was restored back to its original hydrology, or water depth, and two Carolina Bays brought back to life.

The hydrology was restored through the installation of 17,000 feet of dikes adjacent to ditches. As a result, "Shallow water habitats were also created which provided permanent habitat for waterfowl and fauna," explained Johnson. The South Carolina Waterfowl Association constructed wood duck nesting boxes that are having great success and are resulting in an increase in the duck population. NRCS also improved existing roads around the rim of the bay. After this site was restored, McDowell graciously donated the land to the Horry County Conservation Foundation, a non-profit conservation land trust, which plans on using the area as an educational center for Horry County schools. Under the management of the Foundation, the wetland area is thriving and promises to bring a lifetime of education, recreation, and enjoyment for Horry County residents.

The impact of this successful project was doubled when two areas immediately adjacent to the Carolina Bay were also restored. Two restorations were completed, one under WRP and one through a mitigation bank. The WRP site included 200 acres of a Carolina Bay, and the mitigation bank consisted of 54 acres of another Carolina Bay that was previously converted to pastureland. The Horry County Conservation Foundation purchased the 54 acres of converted bay and restored the hydrology and vegetation. As a result, a total of 700 acres of converted Carolina Bay area was restored

back to its original hydrology. The conservation foundation also planted bi-color lespedeza for wildlife in appropriate upland areas.

NRCS Conservation Programs Specialist Glenn Sandifer praised this project for its many benefits. "This project makes a huge impact in the county because the three restored areas are close in proximity and all the easements are permanent," he said. Johnson is also excited about the project, confirming that it will benefit not only the natural resources in the county but also the residents. "By restoring this large tract of land back to its original hydrology, we are providing an excellent environment for wetland education and research for Horry County residents." The conservation foundation is currently working to organize an education program allowing students to use the restored bays as an outdoor classroom.

Johnson emphasized that Carolina Bays are a high priority for natural resource protection in South Carolina. They are extraordinary environments full of rare amphibians and birds--many found nowhere else but in the mysterious Carolina Bay.