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Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Carolina SandhillsNational WildlifeRefuge
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This blue goose,designed by J.N.Ding Darling,has become thesymbol of theNational WildlifeRefuge System.
Carolina Sandhills National WildlifeRefuge (NWR) encompassesapproximately 45,000 acres innortheastern South Carolina. Therefuge is one of more than 500refuges in the National WildlifeRefuge System, the world’s mostoutstanding network of lands andwaters dedicated to wildlife. Thissystem with units in all 50 states,encompasses more than 90 millionacres. These refuges protect andenhance a wide variety of habitats,ensuring the survival and welfare ofAmerica’s fauna, flora, and othernatural resources for the continuingbenefit of the American people.
Refuge HistoryIn 1939 the federal governmentpurchased land under the provisionsof the Resettlement Act from willingsellers. The land was badly erodedand supported very little wildlife.Efforts began immediately to restorethis damaged, barren land to ahealthy, rich habitat for the plantsand animals that historicallyoccurred.
The longleaf pine/wiregrassecosystem, the characteristic habitatof the refuge, once covered more than90 million acres across thesoutheastern United States fromVirginia to Texas. Natural fires thatburned every two to four yearsshaped this unique ecosystem.
Today, only scattered patches of thisecosystem remain, totalingapproximately two million acres, withmost occurring on public lands.Factors contributing to the demise ofthis ecosystem include aggressivefire suppression efforts, clearing foragriculture and development, andconversion to other pine types.Carolina Sandhills NWR serves as ademonstration site for landmanagement practices that preserveand enhance the diminishing longleafpine/wiregrass ecosystem.
Refuge HabitatThe refuge lies in the Sandhillsphysiographic region which separatesthe Piedmont Plateau and theAtlantic Coastal Plain. Elevationsrange from 250 feet to more than 500feet above mean sea level.
Rolling beds of deep sandy soils arehost to an extensive longleaf pineforest. Longleaf pine is easilyidentified by its long needles andlarge cones. The midstory consists ofscrub oaks and scattered shrubs,while wiregrass is the dominate plantin the ground layer.
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Longleaf pine regeneration
Numerous small creeks andtributaries flow through the refugeand drain into either Black Creek onthe east side or Lynches River on thewest side. Atlantic white cedar, pondpine, and dense stands of evergreenshrubs occur along these streamsforming pocosin areas throughout therefuge. Thirty man-made lakes andponds and 1,200 acres of old fields,forest openings, and cultivated fieldscontribute to the diverse habitatsfound on the refuge.
Refuge WildlifeThe refuge supports a wide variety ofplants and animals including 190species of birds, 42 species ofmammals, 41 species of reptiles, and25 species of amphibians.
Threatened and Endangered SpeciesAn abundance of rare and uncommonwildlife species are found andprotected on the refuge. Several stateand federally listed threatened andendangered species occur on therefuge including the Pine Barrenstreefrog, southern bald eagle, andred-cockaded woodpecker.
There are also several plant speciesof concern found on the refuge,including white-wicky, Well’s pixiemoss and three species of pitcherplants.
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Green-wing teal
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Wood duck
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One of the refuge’s many ponds.
White-throatedsparrow (middle)and great blueheron
Yellow-bellied sliders
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Migratory and Resident BirdsSeveral species of waterfowl use therefuge in the fall and winter,including mallards, black ducks,pintails, green-winged teal, Americanwidgeon, ring-necked ducks, andhooded mergansers. Canada geeseand wood ducks reside year round.
The refuge provides stop-over ornesting habitat for many species ofneo-tropical migratory birds andresident songbirds, including theprairie warbler, Bachman’s sparrow,American redstart, and Kentuckywarbler.
Great egrets and anhinga use refugeponds in spring and fall. A residentpopulation of great blue herons nestson the refuge. Common raptorsinclude red-tailed hawks, northernharriers, and American kestrels.
MammalsAfter the refuge’s establishment,beaver, wild turkey and whitetaildeer were restocked. The deerpopulation has grown from anoriginal restocking of 12 deer to ahealthy population. Beaver and wildturkey populations have also madeimpressive recoveries. Residentmammals include raccoon, opossum,otter, fox, bobcat, fox and graysquirrel and cottontail rabbit.
Hooded merganser
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Pine Barrenstree frog
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Red-cockadedwoodpecker
HerpetofaunaOf the many reptile and amphibianspecies that occur on the refuge, thePine Barrens treefrog is the mostunique. This bright green froginhabits boggy areas and breeds inslow moving streams. Many areas ofthe refuge provide the unique shrub-bog habitat required for breeding.
Red-cockaded WoodpeckerThe refuge supports the largestpopulation of the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW) onService-owned lands.
RCWs serve as an indicator speciesof the overall health of the longleafpine/wiregrass ecosystem. It is alsoreferred to as a “Keystone” species, aspecies that characterizes theecosystem. The needs of the RCWguide management decisions andactions.
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Installing artificial RCW cavity
Unlike otherwoodpeckers, RCWsroost and nest incavities in living pinetrees. The RCWrequires older pinetrees in which toexcavate cavities.These older pinesare more likely tohave “heart rot”, afungal disease thatsoftens the heartwood of the tree,
thus facilitating cavity excavation.RCWs also require large, older treesfor foraging.
Such habitat is plentiful on the refugeand forest management activities,particularly in the last 40 years, havecreated more. Other managementpractices including the installation ofartificial nesting cavities, populationmonitoring, and midstory control alsocontribute to recovery efforts for thisspecies.
The refuge supports more than 140family groups of red-cockadedwoodpeckers. Their cavity trees aremarked with a distinct white band.Trees occur throughout the refuge,including public recreation areas atLake Bee and Martin’s Lake.
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Aerial view of aprescribed burn.
prescribed burn
Habitat ManagementThe refuge conducts a variety ofmanagement programs to enhancethe diversity of habitats on therefuge, benefiting many wildlifespecies.
Prescribed BurnsAn important tool used to managethe longleaf pine/wiregrassecosystem is prescribed burning.These controlled burns mimic thenatural fires that historically burnedthroughout this ecosystem. Thesefires suppress the growth ofhardwood trees and shrubs, creatingthe open, park-like conditionspreferred by the RCW and manyother species native to thisecosystem. The charred appearanceof burned areas is only temporary aslush grasses and forbs quicklyrespond to favorable growingconditions created by the burn. Therefuge’s prescribed fire season startsin January and generally concludesin June.
PondsRefuge biologists manipulate pondwater levels on several refuge pondsto encourage growth of desiredemergent aquatic vegetation and tocontrol unwanted submergentvegetation. These unwanted weedscan degrade pond habitat. Theprocess of drawing down the pools
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Mechanicalremoval ofhardwoods
provides unique wildlifehabitats as the pondtransitions from full poolto mudflats and back tofull pool. Wading andshore birds exploitrecently exposedmudflats, feeding oninvertebrates and fish.Pool draw downs beginin May through July andare staggered to meetspecific management
objectives. After controlling noxiousweeds, pools are returned to full levelin late fall to provide habitat forwaterfowl. Some pools are stockedwith bream, crappie and bass toprovide for recreational fishingopportunities.
Fields/OpeningsFields and wildlife openings aremanaged for wildlife such as quail,dove, rabbit, turkey and deer, as wellas nongame birds. In early spring,strips within fields are disked toencourage native legume production.Other areas within fields areperiodically mowed or burned tomimic historic disturbances thatstimulate native grass production. Infall, cool season grasses such aswheat or rye are planted in strips toprovide winter forage.
Nest BoxesBlue birds, kestrels, and wood ducksuse artificial nesting boxes placednear ponds and fields. These boxessupplement natural cavities and aremonitored for reproduction. Refugestaff maintain the boxes to ensuretheir integrity.
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Wildlife opening
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Woodstorks
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Seasonal EventsThe calendar of events highlightsseasonal wildlife events andrecreational opportunities.
January - Waterfowl concentrate onseveral refuge ponds, especiallyMartin’s Lake. Bald eagles mayoccasionally be seen soaring overrefuge fields or water areas. Hardfreezes occur most frequently inJanuary.
February - Wood ducks begin nestbuilding in artificial boxes andnatural cavities. Trailing arbutus andbutterwort are among the earliestflowers to bloom. Whitetail deerbegin shedding old antlers.
March - Great horned owls tend theiryoung. Wild turkeys strut and dust inopen fields. On dry, sandy ridges, therare Well’s pixie moss shows its pale,pinkish-white colors. Depending onwater temperature, largemouth bassmay begin spawning.
April - The early arriving blue-graygnatcatcher builds its nest alongstreams as the resident Bachman’ssparrow begins to sing in field edgesand mature pines. Bluebird nestlingsextend eager beaks from within themany nesting boxes on the refuge.
May - Neotropical songbirds migratethrough the refuge. Endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers nest inmature longleaf pines. Young woodducks swim in vegetated perimetersof ponds and lakes.
Red fox Whitetail deer fawn
Eastern wildturkey
June - Near seepage bog edges, thePine Barrens treefrog calls at night.Whitetailed deer give birth.Carnivorous pitcher plants begin toflower and the white wicky blooms instream head pocosins.
July - Wildlife activity slows due tohot weather. Whitetail deer doesforage with their fawns. Abundantrainfall during the month is quicklysoaked up by the deep, sandy soils.
August - Many fall wildflowers,including lobelia, blazing star andhairy false-foxglove bloom alongroadsides and field edges. Listen forthe call of the chuck-will’s-widow andthe whip-poor-will.
September - Hawks, warblers andother migratory songbirds travelthrough the refuge along pool edgesand water courses. Pine Barrensgentians bloom in refuge woodlands.
October - Whitetail deer bucks rubthe protective velvet off of theirantlers and stake out a territory. Thefirst frost arrives.
November - Early in the month,mockernut hickory, red maple,blackgum, and dogwood show theirradiant fall colors. Ducks, such asmallard, gadwall, and widgeonarrive.
December - Canada geese call fromrefuge ponds and lakes. Fox, bobcatand raccoon are more obviousbecause of the coming of winter andthe reduction of natural cover.
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Yellow fringed orchid
Pine Barrensgentian
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Oxpen observationtower
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Volunteersconstruct a kiosk
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Boy Scouts buildbird boxes
Visitor OpportunitiesThe refuge offers numerousopportunities for wildlife dependentrecreation. Facilities include theWildlife Drive, three nature trails,two observation towers and aphotography blind.
Interpretive wildlife displays andliterature found at the mainentrance, refuge office, and Lake Beearea provide the visitor with a betterunderstanding of the refuge andmanagement objectives. Staff andvolunteers conduct environmentaleducation programs throughout theyear for school children, civicorganizations, and the generalpublic.
Numerous ponds and lakes are openfor fishing. The refuge is open tolimited hunting for several species.Consult the refuge office for currenthunting and fishing regulations.
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Red-belliedwoodpecker
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Lake 16
Pool DTwinLakes Martins
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Lake 12
Lake Bee
Pool F
Pool E
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Refuge Trail 9Tate'sTrail
Visitors Drive
Enjoying the RefugeCarolina SandhillsNational WildlifeRefuge, locatedapproximately 60miles northeast ofColumbia, SouthCarolina and 70 milessoutheast ofCharlotte, NorthCarolina, is free ofcharge and open year-round from one hour
before sunrise until one hour aftersunset. The refuge office/visitorcontact station is located on U.S.Highway 1, four miles northeast ofMcBee. The office is open from 7:00am to 3:30 pm, Monday throughFriday. (Closed Federal holidays).
Camping and the use of off-roadvehicles are prohibited on the refuge.
All government property, includingnatural, historical, and archaeologicalfeatures is protected by Federal law.Searching for or removing objects ofantiquity or other value is strictlyprohibited. Please do not pick flowersor remove other vegetation.
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Lake Bee Recreation Area
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Firearms areallowed onlyduring specialhunts and mustbe unloaded andencased ordismantled whentransported invehicles.
The use orpossession ofalcoholicbeverages isprohibited on therefuge.
Layered clothingduring coolmonths and theuse of insectrepellent duringwarm months arerecommended.Binoculars,spotting scopes,field guides, andwater are alsosuggested.
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Black Creek
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Wildflowers
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Hiking
Sundew
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Longleaf seed
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Yellow pitcher plants
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MC BEFIRE
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WireRoad
VisitorDrive
OXPEN
BigBlack Creek
LynchesRiver
SwiftCreek
BigSandyCreek
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Carolina SandhillsNational Wildlife Refuge
Refuge BoundaryFreewayPaved RoadUnpaved RoadWalking TrailOffice/Visitor StationVisitor InformationAuto Tour RouteInterpretive Foot TrailLookout TowerClosed Area
Legend
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RUBYFIRE
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McBee
Middendorf
Woodland PondTrail1
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VisitorsDrive
ScotchRoad
RubyHartsvilleRoad
ToChesterfield
CatarrahRoad Refuge
Trail 1
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LittleBlack Creek
Pool L
Beaver Pond
SkipperCreek
Lake17
Pool A
Pool BPool C
Honkers Lake
OxpenLake
MaysLake
BlackCreek
Ham BranchCreek
Little AlligatorCreek
Pool J
See enlarged map area on page 13, Visitor Opportunities
Carolina SandhillsNational Wildlife Refuge23734 Highway 1McBee, SC 29101843/335-8401http://www.fws.gov/carolinasandhills/
http://www.fws.gov/refuges/1 800/344 WILD
September 2007
