Natural
History
The Longleaf
Environmental Learning
Center will be built on approximately 160 acres of land situated on the
Waccamaw Neck of coastal South Carolina. The "Neck" refers
to a
southward-jutting peninsula that is bordered to the west by the Waccamaw
River and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. This area is home to several distinct and varied habitats, including a total
of nine different plant communities within a few miles of the Center:
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 Xeric mixed hardwood and pine |
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 Coastal dunes |
 Salt marsh |
 Longleaf and pond pine flatwoods |
A significant portion of the Longleaf ELC property site is composed of remnant southern Coastal Plain longleaf pine forest, among the most endangered ecosystems in North America. Its native range once stretched from southern Virginia to east Texas, covering almost 90 million acres. Today only 3 million acres across the South contain some longleaf forests, and of that only about 12,000 scattered acres retain an old-growth component with a biologically diverse understory.
Longleaf pine is highly resistant to fire. Periodic natural wildfire helps this species by killing other trees, leading to open longleaf pine forests or savannas. New seedlings do not appear at all tree-like and resemble a green fountain of needles. This form is called the grass stage. During this stage, which lasts for 5-12 years, above ground growth is very slow, and the tree may take a number of years simply to grow ankle-high. Then it makes a growth spurt, especially if there is no tree canopy above it. In the grass stage, longleaf pine is very resistant to grass fires, which burn off the ends of the needles, but leaves the bud inside the tightly bunched needles untouched.
Longleaf pine forests are rich in biodiversity. The Red-cockaded woodpecker is dependent on longleaf pine forests, and is now endangered as a result of this decline. Longleaf Pines seeds are large and nutritious, forming a significant food source for fox squirrels, nuthatches, and other wildlife.
For more information on the longleaf pine forest, please visit the
Longleaf Alliance website.
Some representative species of the longleaf pine forest ecosystems:
Red-cockaded
Woodpecker (Picoides borealis): A federally endangered
species since 1968, this year-around inhabitant of Longleaf ELC is one of the
most studied species of woodpeckers in the world. Known for its
unique social interactions and an ability to live in live pine trees
(the only woodpecker species to do so), this species population numbers
have grown smaller as the size of the longleaf pine forest in the US has
slowly grown smaller. The center has 3 active groups of the birds
living on the property. For more information visit the
Audubon Society's website.
Credit: Greg Lasle(http://www.backfromthebrink.org/speciesimages/7/1_red_cockaded_woodpecker.jpg)
Wiregrass (Aristida stricta): Wiregrass is one of the
most common grasses in the southern pine flatwoods and upland sandhills,
dominating the understory in several longleaf ecosystems. It is a
favorite food of gopher tortoises and quail and provides valuable
habitat for many birds, reptiles, and small mammals. This is a fast
growing species that regenerates quickly after fires. The plant depends
on regular summer burning in order to stimulate flowering and seed
production. For more information on the close relationship between
wiregrass and the longleaf pine ecosystem, go to this
website.
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus):
North America's largest venomous snake was once found widely throughout
the SE US but now its populations have greatly diminished due to habitat
destruction, road mortality, and intentional killing by people.
Although bites are potentially dangerous, cases of unprovoked attacks on
humans are extremely rare. In most cases the snakes will lie
quietly until people walk past or will warn them with their very loud
rattle. For more information on the Eastern Diamondback see
the following
website.
Credit
http://www.islandgazette.net
Southern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger niger): The
southern fox squirrel is the only fox squirrel native to South Carolina.
Populations are scattered across the South Carolina Coastal Plain, occur
less often in the piedmont and are rare to absent in the Blue Ridge
region. The widespread loss of preferred habitat, including
mature, open pine-oak forests and associated bottomland and swamps is
detrimental to fox squirrels throughout the southeast. Practices that
have contributed to habitat loss include large-scale replacement of
longleaf pine by loblolly pine, shortened stand rotation, loss of
hardwoods and fire suppression. The SC Department of Natural Resources
has more information on the southern fox squirrel
here.
Hooded Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia
minor): As the name implies, this plant has a hood that covers the
opening of the pitcher. Insects are attracted to the sweet nectar found
along the rim. When insects crawl inside the pitcher to get more of the
sweet nectar, white spots on the back of the hood look like windows that
might hint a way out. But, of course, those white spots only confuse and
disorient insects until they fall to the bottom of the pitcher. Pitchers
of the Hooded Pitcher normally reach 18-24 inches. The plant produces
large yellow flowers in late spring.
Hooded Pitcher Plant Website
