Acts as a laboratory where staff will educate visitors about the importance of restoring, preserving and properly managing our natural resources.
Currently, a narrow walking path along the southern forested edge is the only access to this undeveloped wetland and, being located along a utility right-of-way, the wetland has been subject to regular clear cutting and spraying to remove trees and underbrush (photos available upon request). Once this project has been completed, Saluda Shoals staff will be able to properly manage tree and vegetation growth, thereby allowing the wetland to return to its natural state.
The Saluda Shoals Wetland Preserve is part of the 350-acre Saluda Shoals Park, a regional environmental park located on the Saluda River, just east of the Lake Murray Dam in central South Carolina. Its mission is to provide environmental education, cultural activities and outdoor recreation experiences. The Park features five diverse ecosystems which are home to an abundance of wildlife. Each year, more than 390,000 visitors explore and enjoy a variety of activities, programs and events.
The Preserve encompasses nearly 10 acres and includes an open wetland and a seasonal woodland wetland. The project will construct an elevated, ADA-accessible boardwalk with three overlook areas. This "sidewalk over water" will provide guests the opportunity to view the diverse species of birds, animals, and plants native to the wetland. A "dangle" platform, birding blind and ranger station will invite visitors to take an up-close look at life in a wetland without disturbing the fragile environment.
The Saluda Shoals Wetland Preserve will become a leading component of the park’s award winning environmental education programs. Programs address the South Carolina Science Education Standards for life science, physical science, and earth science, grades K-12. More than 13,100 children participated in ranger-led programs last year. There is no other wetland and accompanying boardwalk facility like the proposed project in the South Carolina Midlands.
The Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission would like to thank the following financial and in-kind partners: B.P. Barber, Saluda Shoals Foundation, Wachovia Foundation, and Waste Management, Inc. Additional support has been provided by the Lower Saluda Scenic River Advisory Council, SC Dept. of Natural Resources, and SCE&G.
If you are interested in contributing to this project, contact Dolly Patton at 213-2035 or dpatton@icrc.net.
Wetland Rendering