Between kayaking on the wild and scenic Chattooga River and exploring the water side of the Lake Murray Dam, adventurers experiencing South Carolina’s wilderness made a Laurens-Newberry County stop this month.
Brickhouse Campground, between Joanna and Whitmire, was the staging area for a hike on 4.5 miles of the Enoree Passage of The Palmetto Trail, in an event coordinated by South Carolina 7.
It is an organization named for the 7 Wonders of South Carolina in its natural wilderness. Tom Mullikin, adventurer, said the expeditions began as a way to spread the word about South Carolina’s floodwater commission. He said his plans for after the July 10 Enoree Passage hike was a dinner with Gov. Henry McMaster to provide an update on efforts to get with word out about how landowners can assist with controlling floodwaters.
In a pre-hike prayer, Mullikin lifted up the people of central Texas who are dealing with the catastrophic and deadly effects of heavy rain and flash flooding (at least 134 people died during the nation’s Independence Weekend).
July 10 was Day 8 of the expedition, and in a video shared by The Chronicle’s Facebook page, Mullikin showed some of the damage to the Enoree Passage from Hurricane Helene (Sept. 27, 2024).
Furman Miller, representing the mountains-to-the-sea Palmetto Trail, said, “On this 4.5-mile portion of the trail, boardwalks have been damaged by Helene. There is a walk board - I encourage you to stay on the middle of the walk board. The trail is rough. The effort to repair the trail started in September and has been going ever since. I promise you, a year from now it will be beautiful again.”
Miller and Mullikin expressed appreciation to Laurens County Parks & Recreation for their work in getting the trail cleared of fallen trees and debris.
Mullikin said the expeditions and other work is successfully getting out the word that private landowners play an important role in protecting South Carolina’s natural beauty. “We will not move the needle until we move the people. Getting the message out is the most important thing we do, and it’s an easy sell, and Laurens County’s one of the best. This place where we eat lunch (Musgrove Mill Golf Club) I just want to know how I can become a member; you think they take poor white trash from Kershaw County? If they do, I’d love to be a member there.”
Mullikin pointed out that South Carolina has 20 Million acres, and 3 1/2 Million are under conservation. South Carolina has the highest percentage of land under private conservation of any state in the country.
Cindy Thompson, a co-editor of the SC Wildlife magazine, presented a brief program on pollinating plants and the importance of preserving them on large tracts and in individual backyards. The daughter of a wildlife conservationist, she said pollinators are essential to the survival of bob white quail and wild turkey in South Carolina. Nationwide, pollinators support $3 Billion in agricultural crops that feed the nation and the world.
However, 40% of insect species are declining and one-third of all insect populations are endangered, which has led to 2.9 Billion breeding birds lost in the United States since 1970. Part of the effort to encourage homeowners to plant pollinating-friendly plants is the Aug. 22 - 23 Great Southeastern Pollinator Census.
Thompson distributed a sheet with information and a QR code that participants can use to chronicle pollinating insects at their yards and gardens.
Tyler Brown, with SC Wildlife & Natural Resources, encouraged participants to learn about their local Soil & Water Conservation Districts, and their work on behalf of good stewardship of the state’s land and water. These non-partisan districts date from the Dust Bowl days of The Great Depression.
“There is a soil and water conservation district in each county, and they will educate you on how to use resources in your backyard and on your land,” he said. (https://www.laurensconservation.com)
Grant Foster, with the Columbia chapter of the Audubon Society, said the 3 Billion birds lost in the United States since 1970 represents 30% of the individual birds in the country. This loss can be linked to an accompanying loss in insect species, on which baby birds are dependent especially in the insects’ caterpillar and larvae stages.
As they hiked the 4.5-mile Enoree Passage, those participating in the July 10 expedition were encouraged to note the birds and insects they encountered along the way. The group met at the Brickhouse Campground (49 Brickhouse Road, Whitmire, off Hwy 66), and was transported on buses of Bellview Baptist Church to a trailhead on Rail Lane, off Stomp Springs Road, in the Sumter National Forest. It was part of an expedition that SC7 said “take(s) us across some of South Carolina’s most iconic landscapes as we spotlight the connections between healthy people, healthy places, and a healthy economy.”
SOUTH CAROLINA SC7 is a partnership between two South Carolina based non-profit organizations, Global Eco Adventures and the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor. The mission of SC7 is to get people in the outdoors so they gain an appreciation for the outdoors, and therefore begin to actively do their part to protect the outdoors.
Laurens County Council Chairman Jeff Carroll was among the hikers, and organizations represented included Keep Laurens County Beautiful which posted:
“KLCB enjoyed an amazing day on the Enoree Passage of the Palmetto Trail with South Carolina 7! We loved hiking alongside others who carer about keeping our state clean and beautiful.
“We especially loved hearing from Cindy Thompson with South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, who shared valuable insight on the importance of pollinators.
“A huge thank you to Laurens County and the Laurens County Parks and Rec for being incredible hosts and cleaning storm damage from Helene so we could enjoy the trail. We appreciate all you do!”
More information:
https://www.southcarolina7.com
https://www.sctrails.net/resources/palmetto-trail
