News
Today, the Southern Environmental Law Center filed a lawsuit in South Carolina state court against the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services challenging the agency’s “safe yield” rules for large water withdrawals. The DES rules allow major agricultural corporations to remove all the water from rivers and streams across South Carolina. Other state and federal agencies have criticized this loophole.
SCWF recently had the opportunity to represent South Carolina at the National Wildlife Federation’s Annual Meeting - the largest and oldest gathering of grassroots conservation leaders in the nation. The South Carolina Wildlife Federation, previously the SC Game & Fish Association (formed in 1931), has been a state affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) since NWF’s inception in 1936.
SCWF’s Wildlife and Industry Together (WAIT) partner, ReWa, is a wastewater utility that’s served the Upstate since 1925. ReWa cleans and releases 44 million gallons of water daily into area streams and rivers while serving Greenville County and portions of Anderson, Laurens, Pickens and Spartanburg counties.
The town of Chapin was recently certified as a Community Wildlife Habitat! Chapin is now the 13th Certified Wildlife Habitat in our state and has joined over 200 other communities across the nation making a difference for wildlife. Chapin earned this impressive achievement by certifying over 180 homes, 3 parks, 4 schools, 3 places of of worship, and 5 businesses as Certified Wildlife Habitats.
On April 28, 2023, over 21 million birds crossed South Carolina in a single night! Every year, billions of birds migrate north in the spring and south in the fall, the majority of them flying at night, navigating the night sky. The dark skies allow the migrating birds to avoid predators, take advantage of calmer air, and utilize the moon and stars for navigation.
During the month of May, we continue to celebrate Garden for Wildlife™ Month by spotlighting our Community Habitat team leaders and asking them why they garden for wildlife. Peggy Lucas is the leader of the Harbor Island Community Wildlife Habitat on St. Helena Island, which earned their certification in 2019.
SCWF staff, volunteers, and community partners joined together at the new SCWF office in downtown Columbia to install a habitat garden in honor of Garden for Wildlife™ Month! Part of our mission is to restore wildlife habitat in order to help maintain healthy ecosystems for all plants, animals, and humans.
St. Joseph Catholic School in Columbia created a Schoolyard Habitat in 2022, and it is still thriving! Nectar plants attract butterflies and other pollinators, and milkweed provides critical habitat for Monarch butterflies. The students get to see the whole Monarch life cycle, right in their own schoolyard!
During the month of May, one way we celebrate Garden for Wildlife Month is by spotlighting our Community Habitat team leaders and asking them why they garden for wildlife. Kelly Long is the leader of Greer’s Community Wildlife Habitat, which earned their certification in October of 2021 and recently renewed their certification in April!
Originally introduced in February of 2023, the Working Agricultural Lands Protection Act recently received final approval by the General Assembly and has now been signed into law by the Governor at a ceremonial bill signing event at Cottle Farms in Hopkins, SC and attended by many supporters of the bill.
A beautiful example of community support for the Heritage at Lowman is that we have received ten new bluebird boxes to be placed around our campus. Jay Keck, son of John and Carolyn, who reside in the Courtyard apartments, in cooperation with Chapin Women’s Club and the Heyward Career and Technology Center of Columbia provided these in the latter part of April.
Shaw Industries has been a valued WAIT partner in the Midlands since 2016. Located along the Saluda River, Shaw's property is a wintering place for waterfowl such as wood ducks and bufflehead. The property's habitat, which includes maturing forest, a wetlands area, and thickets, provides nesting opportunities for neo-tropical migrants like the summer tanager, white-eyed vireo, and hooded warblers.
