Francis Beidler Forest

Swamps are buggy, full of snakes and gators, smelly, muddy, polluted, evil, nasty, spooky, and full of monsters! Why would I want to visit a swamp?

The "Swamp Thing" may exist and snakes are a fact of life in the low country, but the rest of the swamp's rep is unwarranted. Four Holes Swamp is called a "blackwater" swamp. The dark appearance of the water comes from a natural leaf, bark, and wood stain called tannin. Tannin is a natural mosquito repellent. Besides, mosquitoes prefer to lay their eggs in still water, not flowing water. The walk through Four Holes is relatively bug free.

Alligators are another fact of life in the low country but the swamp is too shallow and shady to attract the gators. They prefer lakes and estuaries over the swamp. There are snakes in the swamp but are rarely seen along the boardwalk.

The air in the swamp is clean and fresh. The swamp acts as a water filter and the abundant plant life pours oxygen into the air. It is peaceful and quiet, save for the chirp of the birds and the rustle of leaves.

While the swamp water levels vary wildly, it is rarely muddy. The majority of the water flow comes from rainfall. This can result in an 18-inch rise in one or two days after an upstream downpour, or a drop of 2 inches per day during a drought. The constant cycle of flooding and drying speeds up the decomposition of organic matter. It is absorbed back into the earth.

Now there is little I can say about the monsters that supposedly inhabit the swamp, but if the swamp thing exists, he sleeps during the day. I've never seen him.

The walk through Four Holes Swamp is just over 1.75 miles in length. There are nine rest stops with two rain shelters. It is a natural environment so sightings are unpredictable. Forty-four species of mammals make their home in the swamp. There are bats, bobcats, white-tailed deer, rabbits, squirrels and so much more. On my last trip through the swamp I spotted a beautiful fawn. It was right by the boardwalk and wasn't bothered by my presence.

There are reptiles and amphibians and of course, the birds. There are 140 species of birds residing in the swamp. Depending on the time of day and time of year, different birds can be seen and heard. I've spotted some but my list is far from complete.

When I drive out to Four Holes and spend the day, spotting a new bird for my list is a bonus, not the goal. It is the peace and the quiet that I crave. For a brief period of time I'm surrounded by a world unspoiled by man. It's a poignant reminder of what we need to do to preserve and protect the environment. We are not the only creatures sharing space in an ever changing and shrinking world.

Beidler Forest is an old growth forest. Some of the cypress trees are thousands of years old. While common at the turn of the century, giants like these were prized for their rot-resistant heartwood and were logged extensively through the 1930's. Today, virtually all of South Carolina's forestlands have been logged, leaving only parts of the Francis Beidler Forest and the Congaree Swamp National Park in virgin condition.

As water levels drop in summer, cypress seeds germinate on the moist swamp floor. Most years the ground is too wet or too dry. When seedlings do emerge, they usually drown the following spring, or die in the shade of the dense canopy. The right conditions occur every hundred years or so. It takes hundreds of years for a heavily logged swamp to recover.

Breeding Bird Censuses have been conducted on two 20 acre plots on the sanctuary since 1979. The old growth plot has the highest density of nesting songbirds per acre for forested habitats in the Eastern United States, and the 5th highest in the country.

The diversity of tree species, the variety of tree ages, and the multi-layered structure of the forest provides a spectacular habitat for many bird species. Unfortunately some of the species are still in decline. The old growth habitat is just a small part of the whole picture. Loss of resting places along migratory routes, shrinking wintering grounds, and summer habitats all play a part.

We all need to do our part. Provide feeding and watering stations, plant native trees, shrubs, and flowers. I want my children and grandchildren to enjoy the birds as much as I do.

The Audubon Center at Beidler Forest is located approximately 40 miles from Charleston, SC and smack dab in the middle of Four Holes Swamp.

FROM CHARLESTON: Take I-26 WEST to Exit 187. Make a left turn on to Highway 27 (South) to Highway 78. Make a right turn on to Highway 78 (West). At the fork in the road, veer right onto Highway 178. Make a right onto Francis Beidler Forest Road (first paved right). After 4 miles the road will make a 90-degree turn to the left, veer right onto Mims Road. The center is a mile on the right.

The National Audubon Society, with its staff of scientists, educators, land and wildlife managers, and its 600,000 plus members strive to protect the habitats and natural resources critical to the quality of life on our planet.

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