DNR News
August 15, 2012
Boardwalk at Dungannon Plantation Heritage Preserve reopened
The boardwalk at the Dungannon Plantation Heritage Preserve (HP) has been reopened because the wood stork nesting season has concluded. All trails are open for public use. This season, 168 stork nests were counted at Dungannon. The storks nested successfully at Dungannon this year, and an average of 1.1 chicks fledged per nest.
In 1984, wood storks (Mycteria americana) were listed as a federally endangered species. The United States breeding population of wood storks was listed as endangered after nesting pairs declined from between 15,000 and 20,000 in the 1930’s to 2,500 pairs by 1978. Historically, wood storks have used South Carolina as a post-nesting foraging area during the summer and fall. In 1981, the first successful wood stork nests were documented in South Carolina (11 nests). Currently, there are approximately 1,500 – 2,000 wood stork nests in South Carolina each year.
The Dungannon Plantation Heritage Preserve offers excellent habitat for many migrating and breeding songbirds and a variety of native wildflowers including large stands of wild Easter lily and five species of orchids. Dungannon is about 17 miles south of Charleston on SC Highway 162, four miles from the turn-off from US Highway 17. The management road system provides easy walking through open hardwood forest. No motorized vehicles are allowed. The preserve is open seven days a week during daylight hours.
People who are interested in viewing nesting wood storks are encouraged to visit the Donnelley Wildlife Management Area in Green Pond during the nesting season (March – July).
More News
- Deer season forecast good
- Jocassee Gorges roads to open Sept. 14
- 24th Annual Beach Sweep/River Sweep Set for Sept. 15
- Boardwalk at Dungannon Plantation Heritage Preserve reopened
- Banded mourning doves provide vital information to biologists
- Aiken County wildlife area opens to public on Saturdays in September
- Forty-two fields available for public dove hunting
- Early-season migratory bird seasons approved by S.C. Natural Resources Board
- DNR provides Wildlife Technical Assistance Providers list
- Upstate mobility impaired deer hunts to be conducted by DNR again this fall
- Video-Loggerhead hatchlings emerge from their nests
- DNR and partners schedule youth deer hunts in Upstate
- Bluefield/Moultrie Hunt Unit youth hunts this fall
- Clemson youth deer hunt registration ends Sept. 17
- Video - Drink. Drive. Die?
- Freshwater fishing trends
- Saltwater fishing trends
- S.C. weekly tidetable
- DNR video
Follow DNR on the Web:
